Edition 68, June 2009

Quality of assessment practices scoping report

The National Quality Council (NQC) has released the findings of a scoping report investigating ways to improve the quality of assessment practices in vocational education and training (VET).

The NQC commissioned Learning Australia to identify the key issues impacting on quality assessment and analyse materials currently available to support the VET workforce in assessment.

While the report acknowledges that there has been improvements to assessment over the past decade, it identifies seven key actions which will improve the quality of assessment in VET. These are:

  • build assessment expertise within the VET sector, by sponsoring national research and development
  • provide clear benchmarks for assessment by reviewing the current national template for a unit of competency
  • build the status and capability of assessors by reviewing how best the Training and Assessment Training Package (TAA04) might provide a professional learning framework for VET practitioners, and supporting this with a continuing professional development program
  • improve assessment quality assurance by supporting the effective implementation of the current AQTF standards by taking steps to ensure AQTF auditors, registered training organisations (RTOs) assessors and RTO staff (responsible for managing assessment systems) have a shared understanding of good contemporary assessment practices and AQTF requirements
  • provide high quality, industry endorsed model assessment materials, which provide comprehensive, practical and high quality information on how to develop assessment materials for use in their industry sectors
  • improve the capability of assessors to make quality assessment judgements
  • ensure that assessment is an integral part of the learning and assessment process.

The recommendations are currently under consideration by the NQC.

Another component of the project includes a stock take of nationally recognised VET assessment materials, which have been subjected to a quality assurance process. These materials are to be reviewed in stage two of the project which will identify gaps and provide recommendations as to how the gaps can be addressed.

The scoping report will be available shortly from the NQC website.

For more information on the project contact nqc.secretariat@tvetaustralia.com.au or visit www.nqc.tvetaustralia.com.au/new_newsletters_page

This page was generated on 08 October, 2009

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