{Validation of Assessment regarding Vocational Training Institutes across the Australian context An Extensive Guide

Intro to RTO Assessment Validation

Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) manage multiple responsibilities upon registration, such as annual statements, AVETMISS data submission, and promotional compliance. Among these tasks, assessment validation is notably challenging. While we've discussed validation in many discussions, let's revisit the fundamental principles. The Australian Skills Quality Authority identifies assessment validation as quality assurance of the assessment process.

Fundamentally, assessment review is aimed at identifying which parts of an RTO’s evaluation 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, adhere to the training package requirements and are conducted according to the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.

The rules mandate two forms of validation. The primary type of assessment validation guarantees adherence to the training package assessment requirements within your organisation's scope. The subsequent validation verifies that assessments adhere to the Principles of Assessment and rules of evidence. This indicates that validation is carried out both before and after the assessment. This article will concentrate on the first type—validation of assessment tools.

The Two Types of Assessment Validation

- Assessment Tool Validation: Sometimes called pre-assessment validation or verification, pertains to the primary part of the rule, focusing on compliance with all unit requirements.
- Post-Assessment Validation: Relates to the implementation, ensuring that RTO assessments align with the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.

Process of Conducting Assessment Tool Validation

Timing for Assessment Tool Validation

The purpose of validating assessment tools is to verify that all elements, performance standards, and evidence of performance and knowledge are covered by your assessment tools. Therefore, whenever you get new educational resources, you must conduct validation of assessment tools before allowing students to use them. There's no need to wait for your next scheduled validation. Check new tools immediately to ensure they are appropriate for students.

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

- Improve your resources
- Include new training products on scope
- Audit your course with training product updates
- Spot your learning resources as a risk during your risk assessment

ASQA uses a risk-based approach for regulating RTOs and requires 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 use. All RTOs must validate materials for each unit.

Resources Needed to Start Assessment Tool Validation

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

- Mapping Document: The first document to review. It shows which assessment tasks meet subject requirements, aiding in faster validation.
- Learner Workbook: Ensure it is suitable as an evaluation tool during validation. Check if instructions are clear and response website areas are sufficient. This is a common issue.
- Assessor Guide/Marking Guide: Also check if directions for evaluators are sufficient and if clear criteria for each assessment item are provided. Clear standards are crucial for reliable assessment results.
- Additional Resources: These may include lists, logs, and templates created separately from the workbook and assessor guide. Validate these to ensure they suit the assessment task and comply with course unit requirements.

Panel for Validation

Standard 1.11 specifies the requirements for members of the validation panel. It states validation can be performed by one or more people. However, RTOs usually require all educators and assessors to participate, sometimes including field experts.

Collectively, your assessment validation panel must have:

- Vocational Skills and Up-to-date Industry Skills relevant to the unit under validation.
- Current Knowledge and Skills in Vocational Training.
- Either of the following certifications for training and assessment:
- TAE40116 Training and Assessment Certificate IV or its successor.

Assessment Principles

- Impartiality: Does the assessment process offer equal opportunity and access to everyone?
- Versatility: Does the assessment offer various options to demonstrate competence based on different needs and preferences?
- Accuracy: Is the assessment an accurate tool for evaluating the required skills and knowledge?
- Dependability: Will the assessment produce consistent results every time?

Rules of Evidence

- Validity: Is the evidence relevant to the skills, knowledge, and attributes described in the unit of competency?
- Sufficiency: Does the evidence adequately demonstrate the required skills and knowledge?
- Genuineness: Is the evidence genuine and truly representative of the candidate's abilities?
- Timeliness: Are the assessment tools based on current units of competency and up-to-date industry practices?

Specific Considerations for Assessment Validation

Pay attention to the tasks in the unit criteria and ensure they are addressed by the assessment item. For example, in the unit CHCECE032 Baby and Toddler Care, one performance criteria asks students to:

- Perform diaper changes
- Feed babies with bottles and clean equipment
- Prepare and give solid food to babies
- Respond appropriately to baby signs and cues
- Get babies ready for sleep and settle them
- Supervise and support age-appropriate physical activities and motor development

Typical Mistakes

Describing the nappy-changing process for babies under 12 months does not fulfill the unit requirement. Unless the unit specification is meant to assess theoretical understanding (i.e., evidence of knowledge), students should be doing the tasks.

Watch Out for the Plurals!

Pay attention to the numbers. In our example, one of the unit requirements of CHCECE032 Baby and Toddler Care 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 is not sufficient.

All or Nothing Competence

Pay attention to lists. As mentioned earlier, if students only complete half the tasks, it’s non-compliant. Each assessment item must cover all requirements, or the student is not yet competent, and the assessment method is not compliant.

Be Specific!

Each assessment item must have clear and specific benchmark answers to guide the assessor’s judgment on the student’s competence. Therefore, it’s crucial that your instructions do not mislead students or trainers.

Steer Clear of Double-Barrelled Questions

Steering clear of double-barrelled questions makes it more straightforward for students to respond and for evaluators to accurately assess student competence.

Audit Guarantees

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 affects your compliance history, so it's better to take a proactive and compliant approach.

By following these recommendations and understanding the assessment principles and Rules of Evidence, you can ensure that your evaluation tools are reliable with the requirements set by ASQA and the SRTOs 2015.