Introduction

RTOs have multiple obligations following registration, including annual statements, AVETMISS data submission, and marketing adherence. Among these tasks, validating assessments is notably challenging. While we've discussed validation in several articles, let's revisit the fundamental principles. The Australian Skills Quality Authority describes assessment validation as a quality review of the evaluation process.

Principally, validation of assessments is focused on identifying which parts of an RTO’s assessment procedures 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 SRTOs 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 standards require two types of validation. The first type of assessment review ensures compliance with the requirements of the training package within your organisation's scope. The second validation guarantees that assessments adhere to the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence. This implies that validation is carried out both before and after the assessment. This article will concentrate on the initial type—assessment tool validation.

The Two Types of Assessment Validation

- Assessment Tool Validation: Referred to as pre-assessment validation or verification, is related to the initial part of the regulation, focusing on meeting all unit requirements.
- Post-Assessment Validation: Concerns the conduct, ensuring RTOs conduct assessments in line with the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.

Process of Conducting Assessment Tool Validation

When Should Assessment Tool Validation Be Conducted?

The purpose of validating assessment tools is to make sure that all aspects, performance standards, and evidence of performance and knowledge are included by your evaluation tools. Therefore, whenever you obtain new training materials, you must carry out validation of assessment tools before allowing students to use them. There's no need to wait for your next scheduled validation. Check new resources as soon as possible to confirm they are fit for student use.

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

- Improve your resources
- Integrate new training products on scope
- Compare your course with training product updates
- Identify potential risks in your learning resources 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.

Selecting Training Products for Validation

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

Necessary Resources for Assessment Tool Validation

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

- Mapping Tool: The first document to review. It identifies which assessment tasks meet subject requirements, helping with faster validation.
- Student Workbook: Ensure it is suitable as an assessment tool during validation. Check if guidelines are clear and response areas are sufficient. This is a common issue.
- Assessor Guide/Marking Guide: Also ensure if instructions for trainers are sufficient and if clear benchmarks for each assessment task are provided. Clear benchmarks are crucial for reliable assessment outcomes.
- Other Related Resources: These may include lists, evaluation registers, and templates designed separately from the student workbook and marking guide. Validate these to ensure they fit the assessment activity and address course unit requirements.

Assessment Validation Panel

Clause 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 ask all educators and assessors to participate, sometimes including field experts.

Collectively, your panel must have:

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

Principles of Assessment

- Impartiality: Is the assessment process fair and equitable for all candidates?
- Adaptability: Does the assessment offer various options to demonstrate competence based on different needs and preferences?
- Relevance: Does the assessment evaluate what it is intended to evaluate?
- Consistency: Will the assessment produce consistent results every time?

Evidence Rules

- Relevance: Is the evidence appropriate to the requirements of the unit of competency?
- Sufficiency: Is there enough evidence to ensure that the learner has the skills and knowledge required?
- Genuineness: Does the assessment tool verify that the work is the candidate’s own?
- Timeliness: Does the evidence reflect current skills and knowledge?

Important Factors in Assessment Validation

Pay attention to the action words in the unit requirements and ensure they are addressed by the evaluation task. For example, in the unit CHCECE032 Baby and Toddler Care, one performance evidence requirement asks students to:

- Change diapers
- Feed babies with bottles and clean equipment
- Prepare and give solid food to babies
- Respond appropriately to baby signs and cues
- Prepare babies for sleep and help them settle
- Supervise and support age-appropriate physical activities and read more motor development

Typical Mistakes

Asking students to describe the nappy-changing process for babies under 12 months old does not meet the unit requirement. Unless the unit requirement is meant to evaluate underlying knowledge (i.e., evidence of knowledge), students should be doing the tasks.

Mind the Plurals!

Pay attention to the quantities. In our example, one of the unit requirements of CHCECE032 Baby and Toddler Care 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 do not complete all the tasks listed, it’s not compliant. Each assessment item must address all requirements, or the student is not yet competent, and the assessment method is out of compliance.

Provide Specific Details

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

Double-Barrelled Questions: Avoid Them

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

Ensuring Audit Compliance

Considering these requirements, you might wonder, “Do resource developers offer guarantees for audits?” However, with these assurances, you must wait for an audit before they assist with noncompliance. This influences your compliance status, so it's better to take a preventative and compliant approach.

By following these instructions and understanding the principles of assessment and evidence rules, you can ensure that your evaluation tools are compliant with the requirements set by ASQA and the SRTOs 2015.