Intro to RTO Assessment Validation

Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) have numerous responsibilities upon registration, which include yearly declarations, AVETMISS reporting, and advertising compliance. Among these tasks, validating assessments is particularly challenging. While validation has been reviewed in many publications, let's revisit the fundamental principles. The Australian Skills Quality Authority describes validation of assessments as a quality review of the assessment process.

At its core, validation of assessments is dedicated to identifying which parts of an RTO’s assessment methods 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 standards mandate two types of validation. The first type of assessment review guarantees adherence to the training package assessment requirements within your organisation's scope. The subsequent validation guarantees that assessments adhere to the principles of assessment and rules of evidence. This implies that we perform validation in both pre- and post-assessment stages. This article will concentrate on the primary type—assessment tool validation.

What are the Two Types of Assessment Validation?

- Assessment Tool Validation: Also known as pre-assessment validation or verification, pertains to the primary part of the rule, aimed at ensuring all unit requirements are met.
- Post-Assessment Validation: Concerns the conduct, ensuring RTOs conduct assessments in line with the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.

Methods for Conducting Assessment Tool Validation

Timing for Assessment Tool Validation

The aim of validating assessment tools is to ensure that all elements, performance criteria, and performance and knowledge evidence are included by your assessment tools. Therefore, whenever you purchase new learning resources, you must perform validation of assessment tools before allowing students to use them. There's no need to wait for your next five-year validation cycle. Check new tools immediately to ensure they are appropriate for students.

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

- Upgrade your resources
- Add new training products on scope
- Check your course against training product updates
- Recognise 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.

What Training Products Require Validation

Bear in mind that this validation ensures compliance of all educational resources before student use. All RTOs must validate materials for each unit.

Resources Required for Assessment Tool Validation

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

- Mapping Tool: The first document to review. It shows which evaluation items meet subject requirements, helping with faster validation.
- Learner/Student Workbook: Ensure it is suitable as an evaluation tool during validation. Check if instructions are clear and answer fields are sufficient. This is a common issue.
- Assessor Guide: Also check if instructions for evaluators are sufficient and if clear standards for each assessment item are provided. Clear standards are crucial for reliable assessment results.
- Other Related Resources: These may include lists, evaluation registers, and templates developed separately from the student workbook and evaluation guide. Validate these to ensure they match the assessment activity and meet unit requirements.

Panel for Validation

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

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

Principles Guiding Assessment

- Equity: Is equal opportunity and access provided to everyone in the assessment process?
- Flexibility: Is the assessment adaptable to different needs and preferences of candidates?
- Relevance: Is the assessment an accurate tool for evaluating the required skills and knowledge?
- Consistency: Will different assessors make the same decision on skill competence?

Rules of Evidence

- Validity: Is the evidence appropriate to the requirements of the unit of competency?
- Adequacy: Is the evidence sufficient to cover all the required skills and knowledge?
- Authenticity: Does the evidence confirm the originality of the candidate's work?
- Timeliness: Does the evidence reflect current skills and knowledge?

Key Considerations for Assessment Validation

Pay attention to the action words in the unit requirements and ensure they are addressed by the assessment task. For example, in the unit CHCECE032 Nurture babies and toddlers, one performance criteria asks students to:

- Change nappies
- Prepare and feed bottles, clean feeding equipment
- Prepare solid food and feed babies
- Respond appropriately to baby signs and more info cues
- Prepare babies for sleep and help them settle
- Observe and promote suitable physical activities and motor skills for babies

Frequent Errors

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 assess underpinning knowledge (i.e., evidence of knowledge), students should be doing the tasks.

Mind the Plurals!

Pay attention to the numbers. 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 itemized requirements. As mentioned earlier, if students only complete half the tasks, it’s out of compliance. Each assessment item must address all requirements, or the student is not competent, and the evaluation tool is out of compliance.

Can You Be More Specific?

Each assessment item must have clear and specific standard answers to guide the assessor’s evaluation on the student’s competence. Therefore, it’s crucial that your directions do not baffle students or trainers.

Double-Barrelled Questions: Avoid Them

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

Assurance During Audits

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

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