{Guide to Assessment Validation concerning Vocational Training Establishments across Australia's training sector An In-Depth Guide

{Guide to Assessment Validation concerning Vocational Training Establishments across Australia's training sector An In-Depth Guide

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Assessment Validation Overview

RTOs manage numerous tasks post-registration, which include annual declarations, AVETMISS compliance, and promotional compliance. Among these tasks, assessment validation is particularly challenging. While validation has been reviewed in multiple discussions, a review of the basics is necessary. ASQA defines assessment validation as quality assurance of the evaluation process.

Essentially, assessment validation is designed to identify 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, meet the training package requirements and are conducted according to the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.

The regulations specify two types of validation. The first type of validation of assessments guarantees adherence to the requirements of the training package within your RTO's scope. The subsequent validation verifies that assessments follow the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence. This indicates that validation is performed in both pre- and post-assessment stages. This article will discuss the primary type—assessment tool validation.

Overview of Assessment Validation Types

- Assessment Tool Validation: Also known as pre-assessment validation or verification, concerns the primary part of the clause, ensuring meeting all unit requirements.
- Post-Assessment Validation: Deals with the conduct, confirming that RTO assessments follow the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.

Process of Conducting Assessment Tool Validation

When Should Assessment Tool Validation Be Conducted?

The purpose of assessment tool validation is to verify that all elements, performance criteria, and evidence of performance and knowledge are addressed by your assessment methods. Therefore, whenever you obtain new learning resources, you must conduct assessment tool validation prior to student use. There's no need to wait for your next 5-year cycle validation schedule. Validate new materials immediately to confirm they are fit for student use.

Nevertheless, this isn't the only reason to perform this type of validation. Do validation of assessment tools also when you:

- Update your resources
- Incorporate new training products on scope
- Check your course against training product updates
- Spot 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 Needing Validation

Remember that this validation ensures conformity of all educational resources before student use. All RTOs must validate training products for each course unit.

Resources Required for Assessment Tool Validation

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

- Mapping Resource: The first document to review. It indicates which evaluation items meet unit requirements, aiding in faster validation.
- Student Workbook: Ensure it is suitable as an assessment resource during validation. Check if find it here instructions are clear and response areas are sufficient. This is a common issue.
- Marking Guide: Also ensure if guidelines for trainers are sufficient and if clear standards for each assessment item are provided. Clear benchmarks are crucial for reliable evaluation results.
- Supplementary Resources: These may include evaluation checklists, logs, and forms created separately from the learner workbook and marking guide. Validate these to ensure they match the assessment activity and meet unit requirements.

Assessment Validation Panel

Regulation 1.11 specifies the requirements for panel members. It states 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 panel must have:

- Vocational Competencies and Current Professional Skills relevant to the unit being validated.
- Current Expertise in Vocational Teaching and Learning.
- Either of the following training and assessment credentials:
- TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its successor.

Principles Guiding Assessment

- Impartiality: Is the assessment process fair and equitable for all candidates?
- Versatility: Is the assessment adaptable to different needs and preferences of candidates?
- Accuracy: Is the assessment relevant to the skills and knowledge it aims to evaluate?
- Consistency: Are the assessment results consistent regardless of who conducts the training?

Rules of Evidence

- Relevance: Is the evidence relevant to the skills, knowledge, and attributes described in the unit of competency?
- Completeness: Does the evidence adequately demonstrate the required skills and knowledge?
- Originality: Is the evidence genuine and truly representative of the candidate's abilities?
- Timeliness: Does the evidence reflect current skills and knowledge?

Key Considerations for Assessment Validation

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

- Change diapers
- Prepare bottles, bottle feed babies and clean equipment
- Prepare solid food and feed babies
- Respond to baby signs and cues properly
- Prepare babies for sleep and help them settle
- Supervise and support age-appropriate physical activities and motor development

Frequent Errors

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 evaluate underlying knowledge (i.e., knowledge-based evidence), students should be performing the tasks.

Watch Out for the Plurals!

Pay attention to the quantities. 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 won’t cut it.

All or Nothing Competence

Pay attention to enumerated tasks. As mentioned earlier, if students perform only half the tasks listed, it’s non-compliant. Each assessment item must cover all requirements, or the student is incompetent, and the evaluation tool is non-compliant.

Can You Be More Specific?

Each assessment task must have clear and specific benchmark 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.

Avoid Double-Barrelled Questions

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

Assurance During Audits

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

By following these instructions and understanding the assessment principles and evidence rules, you can ensure that your assessment tools are valid with the regulations mandated by ASQA and the SRTOs 2015.