{Tools for Assessment Validation for the Learning Institutions across the Australian landscape An Extensive Guide

{Tools for Assessment Validation for the Learning Institutions across the Australian landscape An Extensive Guide

Blog Article

Overview of Assessment Validation

RTOs are responsible for various duties following registration, like yearly reports, AVETMISS compliance, and promotional compliance. Among these tasks, validating assessments often stands out. While validation has been covered in many articles, let's return to the basics. ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) defines validation of assessments as granular review of the assessment process.

In essence, assessment review is aimed at identifying which parts of an RTO’s assessment methods are effective and which need improvement. With a proper grasp of its key aspects, validation becomes less daunting. According to Clause 1.8 of the Standards for RTOs 2015, RTOs must ensure their assessment systems, including RPL, adhere to the training package requirements and are conducted according to the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.

The regulations mandate two types of validation. The first type of validation of assessments ensures compliance with the requirements of the training package within your organisation's scope. The other type verifies that assessments follow the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence. This suggests that we perform validation both before and after the assessment. This article will concentrate on the primary type—assessment tool validation.

The Two Types of Assessment Validation

- Assessment Tool Validation: Also known as pre-assessment validation or verification, is concerned with the initial part of the rule, aimed at meeting all unit requirements.
- Post-Assessment Validation: Concerns the implementation, confirming that RTO assessments follow the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.

Conducting Assessment Tool Validation

Optimal Timing for Assessment Tool Validation

The aim of assessment tool validation is to verify that all aspects, performance criteria, and performance and knowledge evidence are addressed by your assessment methods. Therefore, whenever you obtain new learning resources, you must perform assessment tool validation before allowing students to use them. There's no need to wait for your next 5-year cycle validation schedule. Check new materials as soon as possible to ensure they are fit for student use.

Nevertheless, this isn't the only time to do this type of validation. Perform validation of assessment tools also when you:

- Update your resources
- Add new qualifications to scope
- Assess your course with training product updates
- Identify your learning resources as a risk during your risk assessment

The Australian Skills Quality Authority employs a risk-based approach for regulating RTOs and expects regular risk assessments. Therefore, student complaints about learning resources are an ideal time to conduct assessment tool validation.

Training Products to Validate

Note that this validation ensures compliance of all training materials before student use. All RTOs must validate training products for each subject unit.

Resources Required for Assessment Tool Validation

To validate your assessment tools, you will need the complete set of your educational resources:

- Mapping Tool: The first document to review. It identifies which evaluation items meet subject requirements, assisting in faster validation.
- Student Workbook: Ensure it is suitable as an evaluation tool during validation. Check if instructions are clear and input fields are sufficient. This is a common issue.
- Marking Guide: Also verify if guidelines for assessors are sufficient and if clear criteria for each assessment item are provided. Clear criteria are crucial for reliable assessment outcomes.
- Other Related Resources: These may include evaluation checklists, evaluation registers, and forms created separately from the student workbook and assessor guide. Validate these to ensure they match the assessment task and meet unit requirements.

Panel for Validation

Regulation 1.11 specifies the requirements for panel members. It states assessment validation can be performed by one or more people. However, RTOs usually mandate all trainers and assessors to participate, sometimes including industry experts.

Collectively, your panel must have:

- Vocational Skills and Current Industry Skills relevant to the unit being validated.
- Updated Knowledge and Skills in Vocational Education.
- Either of the following training and assessment credentials:
- TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor.

Principles of Assessment

- Equity: Is equal opportunity and access provided to everyone in the assessment process?
- Versatility: Are there multiple ways to demonstrate competence, accommodating different needs and preferences?
- Relevance: Is the assessment an accurate tool for evaluating the required skills and knowledge?
- Dependability: Are the assessment results consistent regardless of who conducts the training?

Rules of Evidence

- Validity: Is the evidence appropriate to the requirements of the unit of competency?
- Completeness: Is the evidence sufficient to cover all the required skills and knowledge?
- Genuineness: Is the evidence genuine and truly representative of the candidate's abilities?
- Currency: Is the evidence up-to-date with current industry practices?

Important Factors in Assessment Validation

Pay attention to the verbs in the unit criteria and ensure they are addressed by the assessment item. For example, in the unit CHCECE032 Nurture babies and toddlers, one performance evidence requirement asks students to:

- Change diapers
- Prepare and feed bottles, clean feeding equipment
- Prepare solid food and feed babies
- Respond appropriately to baby signs and cues
- Prepare babies for sleep and help them settle
- Observe and promote suitable physical activities and motor skills for babies

Frequent Errors

Having students describe the nappy-changing process for babies under 12 months old doesn’t directly meet the unit requirement. Unless the unit requirement is meant to assess underpinning knowledge (i.e., knowledge evidence), students should be performing the tasks.

Mind the Plurals!

Pay attention to the quantities. In our example, one of the unit requirements of CHCECE032 requires the students to complete the tasks at least once on two different babies under 12 months of age. Having students complete the tasks listed twice on just one baby won’t cut it.

All or Not Competent

Pay attention to itemized requirements. As mentioned earlier, if students perform only half the tasks listed, it’s not compliant. Each assessment task must address all requirements, or the student is not competent, and the assessment method is out of compliance.

Can You Be More Specific?

Each evaluation task must have clear and specific standard answers to guide the assessor’s evaluation on the student’s competence. Therefore, it’s crucial that your instructions do not mislead students or assessors.

Steer Clear of Double-Barrelled Questions

Steering clear of double-barrelled questions makes it simpler for students to respond and for assessors to accurately evaluate student competence.

Ensuring Audit Compliance

Considering these requirements, you might wonder, “Don't resource developers provide audit guarantees?” However, with these guarantees, you must wait until an audit to address noncompliance. This influences your compliance status, so it's better to take a preventative and compliant approach.

By following these guidelines and understanding the assessment principles and read more Rules of Evidence, you can ensure that your assessment methods are valid with the standards established by ASQA and the SRTOs 2015.