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TAAASS403B- Develop assessment tools

(information sourced from NTIS website http://www.ntis.gov.au/)

Description

This unit specifies the competence required to develop assessment tools.

Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.

Application of Unit

An assessment tool is used to guide the collection of quality evidence in the assessment process. It includes the instruments for collecting evidence, based on the selected assessment methods and the procedures to be followed in conducting the assessment.

The development of effective and relevant assessment tools requires interpreting the benchmarks for assessment to determine the evidence needed to demonstrate competency. It also involves analysing the assessment context to ensure the tools will be appropriate and relevant, identifying or confirming assessment methods which most effectively address the evidence requirements, then designing and developing the assessment tool documentation.

The availability of well-designed assessment tools is essential for assessment. Both this unit and TAAASS404B Participate in assessment validation address reviewing assessment tools as an outcome. This review can occur as part of assessment tool development. It can also occur as part of a validation exercise which may be carried out before and after use of the assessment tool.

The achievement of this unit includes interpretation of competency standards, (where competency standards are used as the benchmarks for assessment). TAADES401B Use Training Packages to meet client needs addresses this skill in depth.

The competence specified in this unit is typically required by assessors, learning resource/product developers, and training and/or assessment consultants.

Unit Sector

Assessment

Performance criteria

Element			Performance criteria
1.	Determine the focus of the assessment tool		1.1 The target group of candidates and the purpose/s and context/s of assessment are identified/clarified 1.2 The relevant benchmarks for assessment are accessed and interpreted to establish the evidence required to demonstrate competency 1.3 Where competency standards form the assessment benchmark/s, all component parts of the competency standards are interpreted and, where relevant, these standards are contextualised to meet organisational/legal/ethical requirements, in accordance with contextualisation guidelines 1.4 Other related documentation is identified to inform assessment tool development
2.	Determine assessment tool needs		2.1 Assessment methods are selected which will support the collection of defined evidence, taking into account the context in which the assessment will take place and meeting the principles of assessment 2.2 Nominated assessment methods enable candidates to show or support their claim for recognition of current competency 2.3 Different instruments for the selected assessment methods are considered and options for assessment activities are generated using critical thinking skills
3.	Design and develop assessment tools		3.1 Specific instruments are developed to address the evidence to be collected based on devising assessment activities which: 3.1.1 meet the competency standards 3.1.2 reflect the principles of assessment 3.1.3 incorporate principles of access and equity 3.1.4 meet the rules of evidence 3.1.5 provide choice, where appropriate 3.1.6 are sequenced to reflect competency development in a learning and assessment pathway 3.1.7 are user-friendly 3.1.8 reflect the assessment environment 3.1.9 are practicable 3.2 Assessment instruments are developed using appropriate: 3.2.1 style and format 3.2.2 language, literacy and numeracy 3.2.3 sensitivity to audience diversity 3.2.4 visual and aural representation 3.2.5 media 3.3 Clear and specific procedures instructing the assessor and/or candidate on the administration and use of the instruments are defined and documented 3.4 Relevant assessment systempolicy and procedures requirements are considered and addressed including storage and retrieval needs, review and evaluation, version control procedures
4.	Review and trial assessment tools		4.1 Draft assessment tools are checked against evaluation criteria and amended, where necessary 4.2 Draft assessment tools are trialled to validate content and applicability 4.3 Feedback from relevant people involved in trialling is collected and documented 4.4 Amendments to the final tools are made based on analysis of feedback, where required 4.5 Revised assessment tools are appropriately formatted and filed in accordance with assessment system policies and procedures and organisational/legal/ethical requirements

Skills and Knowledge

Required skills:

 Required skills and attributes include:

• analysis and interpretation skills to:
• critical thinking skills to translate the interpreted competency standards and other relevant assessment information into meaningful assessment instruments
• design skills to order to develop different assessment tool designs
• research and evaluation skills to:
• literacy and communication skills to:
• editing and proofreading skills to:
• balancing different needs and demands
• attributes, including:
  • unpack and interpret competency standards
  • analyse work functions
  • review/evaluate the assessment tools
  • evaluate units of competency to determine appropriate evidence requirements
  • evaluate different environments, target group needs and special circumstances for assessment
  • evaluate assessment tools on the basis of trials and feedback
  • read and interpret relevant information to determine evidence requirements
  • give clear and precise information/instructions
  • receive and interpret feedback on assessment tools
  • prepare required documentation using clear and comprehensible language; using a layout appropriate to the audience and competency standard as it is applied in the workplace
  • modify and validate assessment tools
  • capacity to think logically and clearly in order to develop tools
  • willingness to encourage, accept and utilise feedback

Required knowledge

 Required knowledge includes:

• competency-based assessment including:
• what is an assessment only pathway and a learning and assessment pathway
• the principles of assessment and how these principles are applied in developing assessment tools
• what is evidence, different types of evidence and rules of evidence
• what are the different purposes of assessment
• different assessment contexts and relationship with developing assessment tools
• how to interpret competency standards, including components of competency and dimensions of competency
• what is the meaning of contextualisation of competency standards and what are contextualisation guidelines
• what are Assessment Guidelines of Training Package/s and what information in Guidelines is relevant to developing assessment tools
• different assessment methods, their purposes and uses
• what are assessment tools including:
• different assessment tool design for different purposes including:
• what is recognition of current competency – designing an assessment tool for recognition of current competency
• evaluation methodologies appropriate to the trial and review of assessment system tools
• principles of reasonable adjustment
• relevant workplace information including:
• relevant policy, legislation, codes of practice and national standards including Commonwealth and state/territory legislation for example:
• relevant OHS legislation, codes of practice, standards and guidelines that need to be reflected in the assessment tool design and content
  • vocational education and training as a competency-based system
  • assessment is criterion referenced/distinction to norm referenced assessment
  • criteria used in national VET is endorsed or accredited competency standards defining specifications for performance of work/work functions and skills/knowledge
  • reporting of competency-based assessment
  • competency standards as the basis of qualifications
  • the principles of competency-based assessment
  • the structure and application of competency standards
  • what do they comprise
  • different types of assessment instruments and procedures
  • relationship to assessment methods
  • how tools support the assessment process
  • styles
  • format
  • media
  • presentation
  • organisational policies and procedures
  • workplace tasks and activities
  • standard operating procedures
  • procedures for use of relevant personal protective equipment
  • copyright and privacy laws in terms of electronic technology
  • security of information
  • plagiarism
  • Training Packages/competency standards/other relevant assessment documentation
  • licensing requirements
  • considerations of access and equity
  • industry/workplace requirements
  • duty of care under common law
  • recording information and confidentiality requirements
  • anti-discrimination including equal opportunity, racial vilification and disability discrimination
  • workplace relations
  • industrial awards/enterprise agreements

Range Statement

Assessment tools contain:		the instruments to be used for gathering evidence such as: a profile of acceptable performance measures templates/proformas specific questions or activities evidence/observation checklists checklists for the evaluation of work samples candidate self-assessment materials the procedures, information and instructions for the assessor/candidate relating to the use of assessment instruments and the conditions for assessment
Target group of candidates may be:		broadly based or specifically targeted drawn from range of backgrounds defined industry or organisation trade- or profession-based defined by training arrangement, e.g. apprenticeship defined by specific needs defined by funding body requirements such as apprentice/trainee, unemployed, English language learner
Purpose/s of assessment may be to:		recognise current existing competence of candidate/s determine if competence has been achieved following learning establish candidate/s progress towards achievement of competence determine language, literacy, numeracy needs of candidates/s certify competence through a Statement of Attainment establish progress towards a qualification determine training gaps of candidate/s measure work performance classify employees/support career progression
Context/s of assessment may include:		the environment in which the assessment will be carried out, including real work/simulation opportunities for collecting evidence in a number of situations who carries out the assessment relationships between competency standards and work activities in the candidate’s workplace relationships between competency standards and learning activities assessment under partnership arrangements the period of time during which the assessment takes place apportionment of costs/fees, if applicable quality assurance mechanisms individual unit or integrated approaches to competency assessment
Benchmark/s for assessment refers to:		the criterion against which the candidate is assessed which, may be a competency standard/unit of competency, assessment criteria of course curricula, performance specifications, product specifications
Evidence :		is material collected which, when matched against the specifications in the competency standards, provides proof of competency achievement
All component parts of the competency standards include:		Elements Performance Criteria Employability Skills Range Statement including: contextualisation link to knowledge and enterprise requirements focus of assessment underpinning language, literacy and numeracy requirements areas of contextualisation any links to knowledge and enterprise requirements range of contexts/conditions to be met in assessment Evidence Guide requirements, including: underpinning/required knowledge underpinning/required skills and attributes underpinning language, literacy and numeracy requirements critical aspects of evidence to be considered/quality evidence requirements concurrent assessment and interdependence of units assessment methods/resources/context dimensions of competency, for example: task skills task management skills contingency management skills job role/environment skills
Contextualised means:		to change the wording of some component parts of the competency standard to reflect the immediate operating environment
Organisational/legal/ethical requirements may include:		assessment system policies and procedures industrial relations systems and processes, awards/enterprise agreements licensing/legal ramifications of assessing competence reporting, recording and retrieval systems for assessment requirements of training and/or assessment organisations relating to assessment and validation quality assurance systems business and performance plans access and equity policies and procedures collaborative/partnership arrangements defined resource parameters mutual recognition arrangements Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) Standards for Registered Training Organisations, in particular Standard 8, RTO Assessment registration scope human resource policies/procedures and legal requirements including anti-discrimination, equal employment, job role/responsibilities/conditions relevant industry codes of practice confidentiality and privacy requirements of information relating to completed assessments OHS considerations, including: ensuring assessment methods and tools incorporate appropriate measures to maintain the health, safety and welfare of candidates ensuring OHS requirements and specified benchmarks are accounted for within evidence requirements and assessment materials identifying hazards and relevant risk control procedures associated with the assessment environment
Contextualisation guidelines relate to:		DEST Guidelines on Training Package contextualisation relevant Training Package contextualisation guidelines
Related documentation may include:		requirements set out in the Assessment Guidelines of the relevant Training Package/s information from the competency standards about the resources required for assessment, the assessment context, appropriate assessment methods assessment activities identified in accredited modules derived from the relevant competency standards assessment activities in Support Materials related to the relevant competency standards any requirements of OHS, legislation, codes of practice, standards and guidelines indicators and levels of competence of the National Reporting System organisational requirements for demonstration of work performance product specifications
Assessment methods are the particular techniques used to gather evidence and may include:		direct observation, for example: real work/real time activities at the workplace work activities in a simulated workplace environment structured activities, for example: simulation exercises/role-plays projects presentations activity sheets questioning, for example: written questions, e.g. on a computer interviews self-assessment verbal questioning questionnaires oral or written examinations (applicable at higher AQF levels) portfolios, for example: collections of work samples compiled by the candidate product with supporting documentation historical evidence journal/log book information about life experience review of products, for example: products as a result of a project work samples/products third party feedback, for example: testimonials/reports from employers/supervisors evidence of training authenticated prior achievements interview with employer, supervisor, peer
Principles of assessment guide the assessment process and must address:		validity reliability flexibility fairness
Recognition of current competency means:		the process of assessment and formal recognition by an assessor of competence currently held by a candidate which has been gained through any combination of formal, informal training and education, work experience or real life experiences
Instruments are the documented questions/assessment activities developed to support the selected assessment method/s used to collect the evidence of candidate competence and may include:		oral and written questions observation/demonstration checklists projects, case studies, scenarios candidate self-assessment guides recognition portfolios workplace portfolios simulation activities definition of relevant workplace documents a profile of acceptable performance measures templates/proformas evidence/observation checklists checklists for the evaluation of work samples
Rules of evidence are closely related to the assessment principles and provide guidance on the collection of evidence to ensure that it is:		valid sufficient authentic current
Procedures guide the application of the assessment instruments and may include:		instructions for the candidates instructions for administering the assessment tool, including resources needed to conduct assessment and the context for the use of the tools guidance for the development or review of decision making process guidance on reasonable adjustments specified variations or restrictions on the tools rules for verifying assessment decisions OHS requirements, for example, identified hazards in the assessment environment and appropriate controls and reporting mechanisms information on access and equity considerations
Assessment system policies and procedures may include:		candidate selection rational and purpose of competency-based assessment assessment records/data management/information management recognition of current competency/recognition of prior learning/credit arrangements assessors – needs, qualifications, maintaining currency assessment reporting procedures assessment appeals candidate grievances/complaints validation evaluation/internal audit costs/resourcing access and equity/reasonable adjustment partnership arrangements links with human resource or industrial relations systems links with overall quality management system
Evaluation criteria may include:		effectiveness and relevance to the competency standards whether the assessment tool meets the principles of assessment whether the assessment tool meets the rules of evidence whether the assessment tool is appropriate to selected assessment methods whether the assessment tool is appropriate to the target group/assessment context whether the assessment tool provides guidance on reasonable adjustments whether the assessment tool addresses organisational/legal/ethical requirements including OHS requirements whether the assessment tool enables the candidate to demonstrate current competency level of engagement and direct participation of candidates appropriateness of language and literacy used for intended audience clarity simplicity/ease of use/practicability inclusivity/avoidance of bias guidance on reasonable adjustments cost effectiveness
Trialled may involve:		expert review by individuals with expertise in assessment and the relevant Training Package/ accredited course or relevant benchmark field or pilot testing with groups of assessors and candidates review of OHS considerations peer review by assessors in the relevant industry workshopping with assessors and other key stakeholders in the relevant industry sector
Feedback may relate to:		reliability, flexibility, validity and fairness relevance to workplace context content accuracy ease of use cost/time effectiveness for candidates and assessors language, literacy and numeracy requirements in terms of the relevant competencies
Relevant people may include:		managers supervisors technical and subject experts, including OHS, English language, literacy and numeracy specialists training and assessment coordinators industry regulators union and employer representatives members of professional associations state/territory registering body

Evidence Guide

Overview of assessment		To demonstrate competence against this unit candidates must be able to provide evidence that they have developed assessment tools that support different assessment methods and which address at least three units of competency packaged at different Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels.These tools must include the instruments for collecting evidence reflecting the principles of assessment and the rules of evidence and the related instructions to assessor/s and candidates. They must also show how the contextual needs of different environments were addressed. Evidence must also include a report on the trial and review of the assessment tools, including any proposed changes.
Products that could be used as evidence include:		a plan for developing the assessment tools draft assessment tools including instruments and related procedures documents demonstrating version control reports on the trialling of the assessment tools, including any proposed changes identified amendments addressing trial/review outcomes final assessment tools
Processes that could be used as evidence include:		how competency standards and other documents were interpreted how the target group was identified why certain instruments were developed how the assessment tools meet the components of competency for the target group and why how the assessment tools were reviewed
Resource implications for assessment include:		access to competency standards and other relevant assessment documentation access to workplace documentation access to environment and resource needs cost/time considerations access to assessors, candidates and appropriate assessment contexts for trial/review
The collection of quality evidence requires that:		assessment must address the scope of this unit and reflect all components of the unit i.e. the Elements, Performance Criteria, Range Statement, Evidence Guide, Employability Skills a range of appropriate assessment methods/evidence gathering techniques is used to determine competency evidence must be gathered in the workplace whenever possible. Where no workplace is available, a simulated workplace must be provided the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and in a learning and assessment pathway these must be separated by further learning and practice assessment meets the rules of evidence a judgement of competence should only be made when the assessor is confident that the required outcomes of the unit have been achieved and that consistent performance has been demonstrated
Specific evidence requirements must include:		evidence of the development and trialling of new assessment tools that support a range of different assessment methods the tools must address at least three units of competency or accredited curricula, packaged in qualifications at different AQF levels the processes used to trial and review the tools, including feedback obtained from relevant personnel documentation setting out the specific instruments and procedures that have been developed
Integrated assessment means that:		This unit can be assessed alone or as part of an integrated assessment activity involving relevant units. The following units are suggested: TAAASS401B Plan and organise assessment TAAASS402B Assess competence TAAASS404B Participate in assessment validation.