Standards for Registered Training Organisations 2015

Standard 1.4, 1.5, 1.8, 1.11

National Code 2018

Standard

Assessment Policy and Procedure

1.0 Purpose

1.1 This policy and procedure:

• Outlines how ANIBT will meet the requirements of assessment as outlined in the various documents associated with the issuance of qualifications under the VET Quality Framework.
• Outlines the principles to be used to conduct assessments to ensure assessments are valid, authentic, flexible, reliable, fair and consistent.
• Identifies and describe the Institute’s approach to assessment;
• Articulates ANIBT’s commitment to creating effective and meaningful assessment opportunities and experiences that enhance learning and teaching; and
• Provides a clear framework for making coordinated course design decisions in relation to assessment across the Institute.
• Accommodate student needs in extraordinary circumstances:

Lockdown - refer to Covoid-19 Policy and Procedure.

2.0 Scope

2.1 This policy and procedure applies to all qualifications and courses delivered by ANIBT.

3.0 Definitions

3.1 Competency: the specification of knowledge and skill and the application of that knowledge and skill to the standard of performance expected in the workplace.

3.2 Competency Based Assessment: the process of collecting evidence and making judgments on whether competency has been achieved

3.3 Standards: statements of required workplace levels of performance.

3.4 Assessment: is the process of collecting evidence and making judgements on the extent and nature of performance and other requirements, as described in a set of standards, or learning outcomes, resulting in a judgement of whether or not competency has been demonstrated. Effective and objective assessment is key to the successful implementation of competency standards in the workplace and in education. This is the judgement of performance and knowledge against the relevant industry competency standards.

Assessment is carried out by the comparison of a student’s evidence of skills and knowledge, against the requirements of the Standards

3.5 Submission: when the assessments are first handed in for marking according to assessment requirements for each unit of competency

3.6 Re-submission: when an assessment task is submitted again by the student for assessment after minor corrections/modifications approved and allowed by the trainer/assessor within an agreed timeframe. It is an informal process arranged between assessor and student through mutual understanding.

3.7 Re-Assessment: when the student is required to repeat or redo the assessment formally.

3.8 Benchmarks for Assessment: refers to the criterion against which the student is assessed which may be a competency standard/unit of competency, assessment criteria of course curricula, performance specifications, product specifications.

4.0.Responsibility 

4.1 It is the responsibility of the trainer to inform students about the assessment process and to give the Training and Academic Development Manager his/her completed Trainer Assessment Summary Sheets for each unit, no later than 7 days after the completion of each unit.

4.2 It is the responsibility of the Training and Academic Development Manager in conjunction with Program Coordinators to ensure that the most current approved version of the assessment tools is provided to trainers.

4.3  It is the responsibility of the Training and Academic Development Manager, in conjunction with Program Coordinators and trainers, to ensure that the most current version of each respective assessment is being applied and that assessment documents are regularly reviewed.

4.4 It is the responsibility of the Training and Academic Development Manager/coordinator or trainer to validate and ratify RPL/RCC applications.

4.5 It is the responsibility of the Training and Academic Development Manager, in conjunction with Program Coordinators, to organize industry consultation to externally validate/moderate assessments.

4.6 It is the responsibility of the Training and Academic Development Manager to set up internal assessment validation and moderation meetings.

4.7 It is the responsibility of the Training and Academic Development Manager in conjunction with the Compliance and Academic Support Manager, CEO and Student Services Coordinator to make decisions regarding any misconduct, complaints and appeals that result from assessments.

4.8 It is the responsibility of Training and Academic Development Manager and Student Services Coordinator to ensure that evidence of assessment are stored and achieved in a secured location for:

• Minimum of six months as required by ASQA
• More than six months if required by state and commonwealth service agreements

5.0 Legislative Responsibility

5.1 ASQA

6.0 Associated Documents

6.1 This policy and procedure is to be read in conjunction with the following related documents:-

• Assessment Validation and Moderation Policy
• Misconduct Policy and Procedures
• Learning and Assessment Strategies
• RPL and Credit transfer Procedures

7.0 Underlying principles of assessment

To ensure an effective assessment system is in place, the following basic principles will be applied to our training and assessment packages:

7.1 Validity

Validity of assessment will be achieved when:

• Assessors are fully aware of what is to be assessed, as indicated by the standards of competence, including clearly defined performance criteria
• Appropriate evidence is collected from activities that can be clearly related to the units of competency.

7.2 Authenticity

• The evidence collected will be authentic – and will be derived from valid sources and is directly attributable to the individual.

7.3 Reliability

Reliable assessment methods and procedures will be implemented to ensure the competency standards are interpreted and applied consistently from person to person and from context to context.

• Clear, unambiguous, well‑documented assessment procedures and competency standards;
• Clear, consistent and specific assessment criteria;
• Effectively trained, briefed and monitored assessors;
• Adequate assessors across industries and a hierarchy of assessment which ensures a quality outcome; and
• Assessment is carried out within a system flexible enough to cope with multiple and diverse forms of evidence.

7.4 Consistency

This assessment system will ensure that evidence collected and provided for judgement is consistent across the range, without undue reliance on any small number of select workplace contexts or projects.

7.5 Currency

Assessment evaluations will ensure the individual’s skills and knowledge are current and can be applied in today’s workplace. Assessor will make the judgement on the currency of skills and knowledge.

7.6 Sufficiency

Evidence of competency will be sufficient to cover all the elements, performance criteria and required range of variables in the standards against which assessment is to be carried out.

7.7 Flexibility

Assessors will take a flexible approach to the assessment of evidence.

The assessment system will evaluate the scope of knowledge and skills covered by the criteria ‑ both performance (skill) and underpinning knowledge & understanding.

7.8 Fairness and Equity

The assessment system and its processes will not intentionally disadvantage any student. Students will be given access to assessment which does not discriminate on any basis. Assessment guidelines will include an approach for working with students who have special needs.,

To achieve these principles, the assessment system will exhibit the following characteristics:

• The Standards, assessment processes and all associated information are straight forward and understandable;
• The characteristics of students will be ascertained  to enable all potential assessment issues to be identified and catered for;
• The chosen processes and materials within the system of assessment do not intentionally disadvantage students ;
• An appropriate and effective review and dispute resolution mechanism is in place to investigate, examine and redress any issue of unfairness or disadvantage identified, involving access, assessment, certification or any other related issue; and
• Where potential disadvantages are identified, the system is amended to avoid or counter them, or appropriate steps taken to overcome them including reassessment if required.

8.0. Assessors

8.1 The role of an assessor is to objectively assess and judge a student’s knowledge against a set of standards. In order to do this effectively, the assessors will have a sound knowledge of, and be skilled in, the relevant industry area. In addition, the assessor will have acknowledged competency in assessment itself and hold TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment qualification.

8.2 An assessor will:

• Interpret and understand the criteria;
• Ensure that evidence meets the standards;
• Ensure that evidence is valid, authentic, reliable, consistent, current and sufficient; and
• Use expertise to make fair and objective judgement.

8.3 The training and ongoing professional development of assessors will include such areas as:

• Roles, responsibilities and ethics;
• Procedural and administrative duties;
• Performance and knowledge evidence gathering and presentation;
• Interpretation and usage of standards;
• Selecting and using appropriate methods of assessment; and
• Requirements regarding processing and recording of results, progress and feedback.

It is crucial that assessors always understand and practise fair, objective, unbiased and flexible assessment processes.

8.4 ANIBT will assist trainers in maintaining continuous improvement, but it is the responsibility of each trainer to maintain continuous improvement.

8.5 ANIBT ensures that the trainers update and improve their personal performance in order that the product they deliver is current and makes full use of up to date techniques and technology.

9.0 Benchmarks for Assessment:

9.1 The benchmark for all assessments are:

The competency standards of training packages under our scope of registration.

Standards, requirements and advice as set by industry.

10.0. Approach to assessment decisions in relation to assessment:

10.1      Evidence of competency will be collected on a continuous basis throughout the unit. Assessments will be planned as per prescribed schedule. Students are required to be present at the scheduled time of assessment.

10.2      The students who do not have the knowledge and skills will not be ready for assessment.

10.3      The Trainer will refuse to allow a student to enter a class, in which an assessment is to take place, if the student is late by more than ½ an hour.

10.4      In order to achieve competency in a unit, a student must satisfactorily meet the requirements of each assessment task. ANIBT uses the following assessment outcomes to make judgement for individual assessment tasks:

• Satisfactory (S) or
• Not yet Satisfactory (NYS)

and:

• Competent (C) or,
• Not Yet Competent (NYC)

to make an overall judgement about the entire unit.

10.5      The formal assessment includes a number of scheduled summative assessment activities. Students will have had sufficient time to practice their skills over a period of time and in different contexts prior to undertaking assessment.

10.6 The forms of evidence required for the summative assessments include combination of Three or more of the following:

• Written tests
• Practical assessments (Observations)
• Class presentations
• Projects/Reports/Case studies
• Activities

11.0 Students with special needs (learning needs or disabilities)

11.1   In our assessment system each student will have access to fair and open assessment. Students with special needs will be offered the same opportunities as any other student.

11.2   As special needs extend to more than physical or learning difficulties, assessors will also need to consider the best approach when dealing with students with needs such as, lack of confidence or non‑English speaking background.

11.3   An assessor will take special needs into consideration from the planning stage onwards and adopt particular assessment methods as appropriate. Depending on any specification given in the standards, the assessor will be able to accept alternative evidence from a student with special needs.

11.4   If there is uncertainty, assessors will call on other assessors or a verifier for assistance and guidance, as required. In such cases, the situation will be fully documented, with appropriate feedback being provided to the student at all stages.

12.0 Re-Submission

12.1 Student will be eligible for re-submission if:

• further evidence of an assessment is required when the student has partially completed the assessments and some of the works can be completed and/or corrected, and,
• when the student has participated in the learning and classroom activities and undertook the given assessment tasks.

12.2      Prior to any resubmission, students will be given feedback on the evidence they have already provided and/ guided as to the additional requirements to deem them competent in the unit. They may resubmit as often as/required to gain competence providing that resubmission can occur in a timely manner that is practical and reasonable for the Assessor to complete all the documentation required prior to completion.

12.3 Re-submission of any part (question/s) of a re-assessment must be in writing and evidence must be included with the original or completed submission.

Re-Assessment (Formal) 

12.4  If the student doesn’t qualify for a re-submission or still deemed Not Yet Competent (NYC) after a re-submission, he/she will need to go through a re-assessment process. All reassessments are subject to following conditions:

• Reassessments must be approved by the Training and Academic Development Manager and/or relevant Program Coordinator.
• Re-assessment will occur only for those assessment task/s in which the student was deemed Not Satisfactory.
• Students will not be charged additional fees if:
  1. the student is being reassessed during the allocated time frame for a particular Unit of Competency.
  2. the reassessment is being conducted as a result of an appeal.

• if the student has not been able to attend the unit for genuine reasons and is ready to attend the unit according to the reassessment Time Table before the Term Break.

• Students will be charged reassessment fees if the student is being reassessed during Term Break Schedule.
• A charge of $50.00 per reassessment will be levied for theory assessment and $350 for practical assessment.
• Unless otherwise approved by the Training and Academic Development Manager a student can sit a maximum of 2 reassessments in a week.
• The Institute has the right to charge a student $ 50.00 reassessment fee if a student agrees to be reassessed, but fails to attend for the reassessment.

13.0  Changes and Updates

13.1  All policies and procedures are subject to ongoing revision to reflect system improvements.

14.0  Monitoring and Evaluation

14.1  This policy will be reviewed by the Manager of Compliance and Academic Support  in 2022 and then no later than 2 years from the date of implementation should a review be warranted.

15.0 Assessment Instructions

15.2 Individual & group assignments, essays, project and case studies

• Set a date for this assessment.
• Advise student of the topic and assessment format.
• Provide student the opportunity to ask questions prior to starting the assessment.
• In the event that a question is not answered correctly, discuss the response with the candidate to determine if the student did not know the answer, or did not understand the question.
• Remember – assessments are a participatory process, so you can help re-word questions, but be careful NOT TO LEAD. We are assessing the students, not you!
• Once completed, mark the assessment accordingly. Refer to the sample answers as direction on expected student responses
• In order to achieve competency, all questions that are mapped in the associated mapping document MUST be answered correctly
• Specify the number of words/pages.
• Specify the group composition and number of students (for group assessments)
• The submission must be accompanied by a cover sheet specifying the details.
• Assessments must be handed in to the officer at the reception area or to your trainer.
• No late submissions will be accepted unless an application for extension (in writing) has been lodged and approved before submission is due.
• Specify the weighing out of the final mark allocated for this unit.