{Assessment Validation for the RTOs in the context of Australia :

{Assessment Validation for the RTOs in the context of Australia :

Blog Article

Overview of Assessment Validation

RTOs are responsible for various tasks following registration, including annual declarations, AVETMISS data submission, and advertising compliance. Among these tasks, validation of assessments often stands out. While we've discussed validation in several publications, a review of the basics is necessary. ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) identifies validation of assessments as quality assurance of the assessment procedure.

Fundamentally, assessment review is focused on identifying which parts of an RTO's assessment process 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, comply with the training package requirements and are conducted according to the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.

The rules specify two types of validation. The primary type of assessment validation checks conformity with the training package assessment requirements within your RTO's scope. The other type guarantees that assessments are conducted according to the principles of assessment and rules of evidence. This suggests that validation is carried out pre- and post-assessment. This article will focus on the initial type—assessment tool validation.

Two Types of Assessment Validation

- Assessment Tool Validation: Referred to as pre-assessment validation or verification, concerns the primary part of the clause, focusing on compliance with all unit requirements.
- Post-Assessment Validation: Pertains to the execution, making sure RTOs conduct assessments according to the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.

Process of Conducting Assessment Tool Validation

When to Validate Assessment Tools

The purpose of assessment tool validation is to make sure that all aspects, criteria for performance, and evidence of performance and knowledge are covered by your evaluation tools. Therefore, whenever you get new training materials, you must perform validation of assessment tools before students use them. There's no need to wait for your next five-year validation cycle. Check new materials as soon as possible to ensure they are suitable for student use.

Nevertheless, this isn't the only reason to conduct this type of validation. Conduct assessment tool validation also when you:

- Revise your resources
- Introduce new training products on scope
- Compare 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.

What Training Products Require Validation

Note that this validation ensures compliance of all learning resources before use. All RTOs must validate resources for each unit.

Resources Needed to Start Assessment Tool Validation

To start assessment tool validation, you will need the complete set of your educational resources:

- Mapping Resource: The first document to review. It shows which assessment items meet unit requirements, helping with faster validation.
- Student Workbook: Ensure it is suitable as an assessment tool during validation. Check if guidelines are clear and answer fields are sufficient. This is a common issue.
- Assessor Guide: Also ensure if instructions for evaluators are sufficient and if clear criteria for each assessment item are provided. Clear standards are crucial for reliable assessment results.
- Supplementary Resources: These may include lists, registers, and forms created separately from the student workbook and marking guide. Validate these to ensure they suit the assessment task and address unit requirements.

Validation Panel

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

Collectively, your assessment validation panel must have:

- Workplace Competencies and Up-to-date Industry Skills relevant to the validated unit.
- Updated Knowledge and Skills in Vocational Training.
- Either of the following credentials for training and assessment:
- TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor.

Principles Guiding Assessment

- Equity: Does the assessment process offer equal opportunity and access to everyone?
- Adaptability: Is the assessment adaptable to different needs and preferences of candidates?
- Validity: Is the assessment relevant to the skills and knowledge it aims to evaluate?
- Dependability: Will the assessment produce consistent results every time?

Evidence Rules

- Validity: Is the evidence relevant to the skills, ASQA assessment validation knowledge, and attributes described in the unit of competency?
- Adequacy: Does the evidence adequately demonstrate the required skills and knowledge?
- Authenticity: Is the evidence genuine and truly representative of the candidate's abilities?
- Relevance: Is the evidence up-to-date with current industry practices?

Important Factors in Assessment Validation

Pay attention to the tasks in the unit requirements and ensure they are addressed by the evaluation task. For example, in the unit CHCECE032 Caring for Babies and Toddlers, one performance criteria asks students to:

- Change nappies
- Prepare bottles, bottle feed babies and clean equipment
- Feed babies with solid food
- React suitably to baby signals and cues
- Prepare and settle babies for sleep
- Observe and promote suitable physical activities and motor skills for babies

Common Pitfalls

Asking students to describe the nappy-changing process for babies under 12 months old does not meet the unit requirement. Unless the unit specification is meant to assess underpinning knowledge (i.e., knowledge-based evidence), students should be carrying out the tasks.

Watch Out for the Plurals!

Pay attention to the numbers. In our example, one of the unit requirements of CHCECE032 demands 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 is not sufficient.

All or Nothing Competence

Pay attention to enumerated tasks. As mentioned earlier, if students only complete half the tasks, it’s not compliant. Each evaluation task must cover all criteria, or the student is not competent, and the evaluation tool is not compliant.

Be Specific!

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

Steer Clear of Double-Barrelled Questions

Avoiding double-barrelled questions makes it easier for students to respond and for trainers to accurately judge student competence.

Ensuring Audit Compliance

Considering these requirements, you might wonder, “Don’t learning resource developers offer audit guarantees?” However, with these assurances, you must wait for an audit before they help rectify noncompliance. This impacts your compliance record, so it's better to take a proactive and compliant approach.

By following these guidelines and understanding the Principles of Assessment and evidence rules, you can ensure that your assessment methods are reliable with the regulations mandated by ASQA and the SRTOs 2015.