Assessment Basics for

TAFE teachers

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What is assessment? Why is

assessment important?

What are the principles of assessment?

What content needs to be assessed?

Choosing your

assessment method

What flexibility is possible?

Holistic Assessment

Assessment Validation

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What is assessment?

Assessment is the process of collecting and considering evidence about the performance of a student and making a judgement on whether or not the student can perform competently in a workplace according to the competency standards.

Assessment can be conducted using a range of strategies, but the best ones are those that link most closely to real performance in a workplace.

Assessment considers evidence of:• Knowledge and understanding• Skills to implement a required

process• Bringing skills and knowledge

together to create a product or provide a service

The competency standards used for assessment are drawn from national Training Packages (TPs) determined by industry, or from accredited courses where no TP applies.

Why is assessment important?

The outcome of assessments determines whether or not a student receives a qualification.

The assessment process is critical to: • Each student, whose

future work opportunities may depend on it.

The assessment process is critical to:

• Australian industries, who require skilled workers who can perform competently.

The assessment process is critical to:

• all Australians who need to rely on the quality of products and services.

The assessment process is critical to: • the maintenance of

standards within (and the credibility of) the national training system.

What are the principles and

rules of assessment?

The requirements for assessment processes are determined by the AQTF – the Australian Quality Training Framework.

The AQTF sets the standards that all Registered Training Organisations must meet.

Assessments should be:

• Fair

• Flexible

• Valid

• Reliable

Well-designed assessment tools address the “rules of evidence”:• Valid• Sufficient• Current• Authentic Click for more information

What are the principles of assessment?

The requirements for assessment processes are determined by the AQTF – the Australian Quality Training Framework.

The AQTF sets the standards that all Registered Training Organisations must meet.

Assessments should be:

• Fair

• Flexible

• Valid

• ReliableValid means assessing the range of skills and knowledge specified in the Unit of Competency – and making sure that you are assessing what you think you are assessing!

Fair means having a transparent assessment process, with students aware of the assessment requirements and how they can appeal against the assessment outcome.

Flexible means an assessment process that can be adjusted for the assessment context and the needs of the candidates, while remaining true to the standards.

Reliable means a consistent approach to the interpretation of evidence and assessment outcomes, regardless of the assessor and the context.

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What are the principles and

rules of assessment?

The requirements for assessment processes are determined by the AQTF – the Australian Quality Training Framework.

The AQTF sets the standards that all Registered Training Organisations must meet.

Assessments should be:

• Fair

• Flexible

• Valid

• Reliable

Well-designed assessment tools address the “rules of evidence”:• Valid• Sufficient• Current• Authentic

Valid means there is a clear relationship between the evidence requirements of the Unit (s) and the evidence used by the assessor to make the assessment decision.

Current means the evidence of the student’s knowledge and skills used for the assessment decision is up-to-date.

Sufficient means that there is evidence covering all the requirements, over time and in different contexts to enable a confident decision about competence.

Authentic means that the evidence can be verified as the student’s own work.

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Holistic Assessment

Holistic assessment is the integrated assessment of several units of competency together instead of each unit separately.This is designed to make the assessment more closely match real workplace activity.

The units “clustered” together should be a natural grouping that reflects skills and knowledge implemented together at work.

Sometimes the clustering of units is already reflected in the Training and Assessment Strategy for the course. Discuss this with your Head Teacher.

Holistic assessment has some challenges – you need to ensure that all the requirements of each unit are addressed during the assessment, and the outcomes are carefully recorded.

What content needs to be assessed?

Consider the units of competency you are assessing. Test your understanding of the units - Visualise what a competent worker would do and would know relating to these units.

Look closely at the:• Elements and

Performance Criteria• Evidence guide,

including the “critical aspects of evidence”.

• description of the required knowledge and skills

Talk with your Head Teacher and other teachers about their interpretation of the units, and the standards of performance expected from the students.

Consider different “dimensions” of competency:• Completing practical tasks • Skills to organise tasks• Responding to the unexpected• Applying skills in a variety of

work contexts

What content needs to be assessed?

Visualising Competence

These questions can help you build up your picture of competence: • How would competent workers perform the tasks in these

units?• How would they apply their knowledge? • What level of performance would be expected?• What would they do if something went wrong?• How would they handle multiple tasks or pressures?• What would the product or service look like?• How would they transfer their skills to other contexts? • What would a competent person not do?

Building up a picture of what it means to be competent is a vital part of the assessment planning process.

Click here for a sample

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An example of a picture of competence for two units of competency.Taken from the Assessment Materials Kit 2001.

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While this example is of 2 superseded units, it is interesting to consider the description of what a competent person may not do.

Choosing your assessment

method

There may be assessment methods and tools that have been developed for the unit(s) you are delivering.Speak to your Head Teacher. You may need to adapt these tools to suit your particular students and the assessment context.

Choose your assessment methods based on the content of the units, the students and the assessment context. You may choose different methods for:• Workplace students• Classroom students• Distance students

Click here to see a table of different assessment methods and when they might apply.

There are lots of resources available on assessment methods and tools. Click the links from the Assessment Basics wikispace, or Google “assessment methods for VET”

Assessment Method

Examples of method Applicability

Direct Observation

Real work/real time activities at the workplace

The best sort of evidence - provides direct evidence of the student’s skills and application of their knowledge in a workplace. Evidence should be gathered of performance over time – not just when the assessor is watching. This method may not be appropriate or possible for some work roles. Observation checklists can assist the assessor to capture all aspects of the performance.

Structured assessment activities

Demonstration of work activities in a simulated workplace

Simulation exercises and role-plays

Work-based projects Simulated workplace

projects Presentations Activity sheets (case

studies, scenarios)

These are activities to use when direct workplace evidence is not possible.Check that the activity complies with the Unit requirements.Set realistic time limits and quality specifications.A checklist can be useful to note that the candidate has performed all tasks competently.Ensure that the activities are at an appropriate “level” – eg Don’t use a student presentation to the group as an assessment method unless this is a common work activity for someone in the related work role.

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Assessment Method

Examples of method Applicability

Questioning • Verbal questions• Written questions• Interviews• Questionnaires• Oral or written

examinations (perhaps for higher AQF levels)

• Self-assessment

Answers to questions can provide evidence of underpinning knowledge, application of skills in different contexts and understanding of what the candidate might do if something went wrong.Assessors can ask two basic types of questions – • Closed questions require a specific response, often

related to factual information, where only one answer is correct.

• Open-ended questions include “why” or “what if”, or questions to show problem-solving skills.

There may be no need for specific knowledge questions where a student demonstrates work skills in a way that indicates that they have the underpinning knowledge.

Review of products

• Products as a result of a project

• Work samples /products

Work or simulated work products can provide valuable evidence for assessment. This evidence could be objects or documents produced during the student’s work, or as a result of simulated work activities. This evidence needs to be checked against the “rules of evidence” – Is it valid, current, sufficient, authentic?

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Assessment Method

Examples of method Applicability

Evidence compiled by the student (candidate)

• Portfolio • Collection of work

samples• Products (with

supporting documents)

• Journal/log book• Information about

life experience• Historical evidence

Students can assemble and present evidence of their skills and knowledge against the requirements of the units. This could include work samples discussed on the previous screen, or a range of documents produced over time and in different contexts. A well-constructed portfolio incorporates a selection ofevidence that is clearly benchmarked against the relevant units and indicates consistent performance of work activities.This evidence also needs to be checked against the “rules of evidence” – Is it valid, current, sufficient, authentic?

Third party feedback

• Reports from employers / supervisors

• Evidence of training• Authenticated prior

achievements• Interviews with

employers, supervisors, peers

There are some situations in which workplace evidence is required but it is not possible forthe assessor to directly observe the candidate at work. For example, a remote location, issues of privacy, rare or “unsafe” activities. The assessor could provide information and a checklist to the 3rd party. The assessment decision is made by the assessor, not the 3rd party, and is based on all the evidence they have available.

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What flexibility is possible in

assessment?

The AQTF standards requires that assessment meets the principles of assessment and the rules of evidence.

While still meeting these requirements it is possible to make reasonable adjustments to the assessment process for students who are disabled or may have special needs.

Adjustments are allowable to assessment tools and processes, provided that the validity of the assessment is not undermined.

Reasonable adjustment could include verbal rather than written questions, provided that the unit does not require writing skills of the level of the questions.

Reasonable adjustment does not mean “lowering your standards” – it means being fair and flexible to the student , while being mindful of the requirements of the work activity that the assessment relates to.

Maintaining the standards – Assessment

Validation

Validation is a process for ensuring that the way a unit or group of units is assessed, and evidence collected, is consistent with requirements of the units of competency and industry.

The AQTF requires training organisations to undertake assessment validation regularly.

The Institute has a procedure for conducting assessment validation, with roles described for staff at different levels.

Teachers are required to participate in assessment validation activities and record the changes that they make to assessment tools and activities.

Assessment Validation activities involve teachers developing a shared interpretation of competency standards and comparing and assessment methods and tools. This process is to encourage dialogue between teachers and with industry about assessment practice.