Assessment Validation: A Detailed Guide to Validate Assessments

After gaining registration, RTOs need to monitor several aspects including annual declarations, AVETMISS reporting, and marketing compliance, with validation being a major concern.While we've discussed validation in multiple articles, let's return to the basics. ASQA defines validation as a quality check of the assessment process.Validation involves checking which aspects of an RTO's assessment process are accurate and identifying areas for improvement. With a solid understanding of its components, validation is less intimidating.The 2015 SRTOs Clause 1.8 requires RTOs to make sure their assessment systems, including RPL, are compliant with training package requirements and conducted per the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.According to the standards, RTOs must conduct two types of validation.The primary validation type ensures compliance with the training package requirements for your RTO's assessments.The subsequent validation type ensures assessments are in line with the principles of assessment and rules of evidence.Thus, we understand that validation is done before and after the assessment. This article highlights the first type: assessment tool validation.An Overview of the Two Types of Assessment ValidationComprehending Assessment ValidationAs discussed before and in previous blogs, validation includes two processes: (1) assessment tool validation and (2) post-assessment validation.Pre-assessment validation or assessment tool validation focuses on the first part of the clause, ensuring that all unit requirements are met and that workbooks are entirely compliant.On the other side, post-assessment validation pertains to the implementation, requiring Registered Training Organisations to adhere to the Principles of Assessment and Rules of Evidence.We will dedicate this article to assessment tool validation.Conducting Assessment Tool ValidationHaving outlined the two types of validation, it’s time to dive into assessment tool validation.When Should You Conduct Assessment Tool Validation?Assessment tool validation ensures that all elements, performance criteria, and performance and knowledge evidence are included in your assessment tools.This implies that any time you get new learning resources, assessment tool validation must be done before they are used by students.No need to wait for the next validation schedule in your 5-year cycle. Validate new resources immediately to ensure they’re suitable for students.However, this isn't the only time to perform this type of validation. Conduct assessment tool validation also when you:- you update your resources- your new training products get added on scope- your course gets reviewed against training product updates- learning resources are identified by you as a risk during your risk assessmentThe Australian Skills Quality Authority's risk-based regulatory approach means RTOs should conduct regular risk assessments. Complaints from students about learning resources are a prime opportunity for assessment tool validation.Determining Training Products for ValidationIt's important to remember this validation ensures that all learning resources are compliant before use. All RTOs need to validate resources for each unit.Necessary Resources for Assessment Tool ValidationLearning ResourcesTo validate assessment tools, you need the complete suite of your learning resources:Mapping tool – the first document to check. It indicates which assessment items align with unit requirements, making validation faster.Learner/student workbook – assess its appropriateness as an assessment tool. Confirm clear instructions and adequate answer fields. This is a common problem.Assessor guide/marking guide – check that instructions for assessors are adequate and that there are clear benchmarks for each assessment item. Clear benchmarks are essential for reliable assessment outcomes.Other related resources – may consist of checklists, registers, and templates developed independently from the workbook and marking guide. Validate them to confirm they suit the assessment task and address unit requirements.Panel for ValidationClause 1.11 specifies the criteria for validation panel members, indicating that validation can involve one or more persons. RTOs usually require all trainers and assessors to participate, sometimes including industry experts.Together, your validation panel should possess:Current vocational competencies and relevant industry skills for the unit being validatedRecent expertise and skills in vocational teaching and learningEither one of the following training and assessment credentials:TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or its equivalentValidation checklist/templateHaving a validation tool helps you with both the validation process and documentation. Using a validation tool makes it easier to look at how each assessment item maps against each unit requirement.Having a validation tool helps in both the validation process and documentation. It makes it simpler to see how each assessment item aligns with each unit requirement.At the same time, it can serve as your document evidence that you have validated your resources before letting the students use them.At the same time, it acts as documentation that you have validated your resources before allowing student use.ASQA does click here not provide a recommended or required template for assessment tool validation, but many templates can be found online. These tools often have validators review the tools as a whole to verify if they meet the principles of assessment.Assessment Principles Guide Yes/No/Partially Comments1. Fair2. Flexible3. Valid4. ReliableWhile templates of this kind simplify validation, they can introduce judgment errors due to a lack of space for comments on each assessment item.A more detailed template is recommended to thoroughly inspect each unit requirement and the assessment items that align with them. Below is an example:Element Performance Criteria Assessment Directions Benchmarks Assessment Tools Rectification RecommendationsWhat do you Need to Check?What to Check?As we explained in our blog post Common Problems In Assessment Tools, it’s vital that your assessment tools enable trainers to follow assessment principles and evidence rules.Assessment Key PrinciplesFairness – Is equal opportunity and access provided to everyone in the assessment process?Flexibility – Are different options provided in the assessment to demonstrate competence based on individual needs and preferences?Validity – Does the assessment measure what it is supposed to measure? Is it a valid tool for evaluating the required skill or knowledge?Reliability – Will the assessment give consistent results every time, no matter who conducts the training? Will different assessors consistently decide on skill competence?Evidence Core RulesValidity – Does the evidence prove that the candidate possesses 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?Sufficiency – Is there sufficient evidence to ensure the learner has the required skills and knowledge?Authenticity – Does the assessment tool ensure that the work belongs to the candidate?Currency – Are the assessment tools reflective of current units of competency and contemporary industry practices?Although these are regularly covered in VET professional development and nationally recognised training, numerous tools still struggle to meet these requirements.To prevent employing learning resources that miss some unit requirements, be sure to follow these guidelines:Be Consistent with Your TeachingsObserve the verbs in the unit requirements and ensure they are addressed by the assessment item. For instance, in the unit CHCECE032 Nurture babies and toddlers, one performance evidence requirement asks students to:Carry out each of the following at least once with two different babies under 12 months old in a safe environment, using age-appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication as per service and regulatory requirements:changing nappiesprepare bottles, feed infants from bottles, and clean equipmentprepare solids and feed infantsrespond to infant signs and cues appropriatelyprepare and settle infants for sleepmonitor and support physical exploration and gross motor skills appropriate for the ageHaving students explain changing nappies for babies under 12 months old doesn’t directly address the unit requirement. Unless it’s meant to assess underpinning knowledge (i.e., knowledge evidence), students should be carrying out the tasks.Heed the Plurals!Pay attention to the numbers. In our example on one of the unit requirements of CHCECE032, this single unit requirement calls for 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 1 baby won’t cut it.Mind the numbers. In our CHCECE032 example, one unit requirement asks students to complete the tasks at least once with two different babies under 12 months old. Doing the tasks twice with one baby won’t suffice.All or NothingMind the lists. In the previous example, if students perform just half the tasks listed, it’s non-compliant. Each assessment item must address all requirements, or the student is not yet competent and the assessment tool is non-compliant.Can you be more specific?Could You Be Clearer?Each assessment item should have clear and specific benchmark answers to guide the assessor’s judgment on the student’s competence. Hence, it’s important that your instructions do not confuse students or assessors. For instance:What kind of information can be included in a work package?What kinds of information can be included in a work package?The answer might include:Necessary resourcesCorresponding costsTime allocated for activitiesSpecified roles and responsibilitiesIf an assessment item requires multiple answers, specify how many answers are needed from a student. This ensures your assessment is reliable, and the evidence obtained is valid.This also applies to assessment items with double-barrelled questions or those that ask for multiple answers at once. These can confuse students and assessors, as shown in the sample question below:Name a hazard and/or environmental concern in the work area and choose the most effective hazard control hierarchy.Answers may include, but are not necessarily limited to:Weather conditions – work area isolation, engineering controls, PPEWork area and ground conditions – elimination, isolation, engineering controlsPeople – isolation, engineering controls, administrative controlsStructural hazards – substitution, isolation, use of engineering controlsChemical hazards – isolation, engineering controls, administrative controlsEquipment or machinery – isolation, engineering, administrative controlsSteering clear of double-barrelled questions makes it easier for students to respond and for assessors to judge student competence accurately.Considering these requirements, you might wonder, “Don’t learning resource developers have audit guarantees?” But these guarantees mean you have to wait for an audit to rectify noncompliance. This impacts your compliance history, so it’s wiser to take a safe and compliant approach.