Intro to RTO Assessment Validation

Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) handle many duties following registration, which include yearly declarations, AVETMISS data submission, and marketing adherence. Among these tasks, assessment validation frequently stands out. While validation has been reviewed in several posts, let's revisit the fundamental principles. ASQA describes validation of assessments as a quality review of the assessment procedure.

At its core, assessment review is dedicated to 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 SRTOs 2015 regulations, 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 regulations specify two forms of validation. The initial type of assessment review ensures compliance with the requirements of the training package within your organisation's scope. The subsequent validation guarantees that assessments are conducted according to the Principles of Assessment and rules of evidence. This suggests that we perform validation pre- and post-assessment. This article will focus on the first type—assessment tool validation.

Two Types of Assessment Validation

- Assessment Tool Validation: Commonly called pre-assessment validation or verification, is concerned with the initial part of the regulation, focusing on ensuring all unit requirements are met.
- Post-Assessment Validation: Involves the execution, verifying that RTOs conduct assessments according to the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.

How to Conduct Assessment Tool Validation

Optimal Timing for Assessment Tool Validation

The aim of validating assessment tools is to make sure that all aspects, performance standards, and evidence of performance and knowledge are covered by your assessment methods. Therefore, whenever you purchase new learning resources, you must perform assessment tool validation before allowing students to use them. There's no need to wait for your next 5-year cycle validation schedule. Check new tools right away to confirm they are fit for student use.

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

- Modify your resources
- Introduce new training products on scope
- Audit 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.

Training Products Requiring Validation

Remember that this validation guarantees adherence of all learning resources before use. All RTOs must validate materials for each course unit.

Necessary Resources for Assessment Tool Validation

To validate your evaluation tools, you will need the complete set of your training materials:

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

Assessment Validation Panel

Regulation 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 trainers and evaluators to participate, sometimes including field experts.

Collectively, your validation panel must have:

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

Assessment Principles

- Fairness: Is equal opportunity and access provided to everyone in the assessment process?
- Flexibility: 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?
- Reliability: Will the assessment produce consistent results every time?

Evidence Rules

- Relevance: Does the evidence demonstrate that the candidate has the skills, knowledge, and attributes described in the unit of competency and associated assessment requirements?
- Sufficiency: Is there enough evidence to ensure that the learner has the skills and knowledge required?
- Authenticity: Does the assessment tool verify that the work is the candidate’s own?
- Relevance: Does the evidence reflect current skills and knowledge?

Important Factors in Assessment Validation

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

- Perform diaper changes
- Feed babies with bottles and clean equipment
- Prepare solid food and feed babies
- Respond to baby signs and cues properly
- Prepare babies for sleep and help them settle
- Monitor and encourage age-appropriate physical exploration and gross motor skills

Common Pitfalls

Having students describe the nappy-changing process for babies under 12 months old doesn’t directly meet the unit requirement. Unless the unit requirement is meant to evaluate underlying knowledge (i.e., knowledge 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 Nurture babies and toddlers 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 Not Competent

Pay attention to enumerated tasks. As mentioned earlier, if students do not complete all the tasks listed, it’s not compliant. Each evaluation task must meet all specifications, or the student is incompetent, and the assessment tool is non-compliant.

Provide Specific Details

Each assessment task must have clear and specific reference answers to guide the evaluator’s decision on the student’s competence. Therefore, it’s crucial that your guidelines do not baffle students or trainers.

Avoid Double-Barrelled Questions

Not using double-barrelled questions makes it simpler for students to respond and for assessors to accurately evaluate student competence.

Ensuring Audit Compliance

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

By following these guidelines and understanding the assessment principles and Rules of Evidence, you can ensure that your assessment methods are valid with the requirements set by ASQA and the SRTOs 2015.