PROCEDURE Operational Responsibility: Related Policy: Moderation Validation of Assessment TAFE Procedure Academic Registrar Moderation Validation of Assessment PROCEDURE STATEMENT INTENT SCOPE To ensure that: 1. moderation validation of assessment practices are systematically implemented to assess quality drive continuous improvement in training delivery assessment. Moderation validation processes will be inclusive of all stakeholders including industry other external parties (as appropriate); 2. the educational design of a program is validated by checking that the characteristics of assessment methods/tasks across the program are well-defined are aligned with the requirements of the competencies /or learning experiences; 3. assessment activities for new, amended or varied s are consistent with the competencies/module learning outcomes, assessment context learning activities as appropriate; fair with respect to weighting timing of assessment across the program; where graded assessment occurs, to ensure marking criteria for each grade are clearly specified, are at an appropriate stard comply with the procedures for graded assessment in competency based TAFE programs; 4. for each assessment task/activity, agreed judgements about interpreting (a) evidence of competence or (b) marking criteria in order to maximise consistency, fairness reliability are established. TAFE EXCLUSIONS There are no exceptions. PROCEDURE STEPS AND ACTIONS: Procedure (including Key Points) Responsibility Timeline 1. Validation of Assessment Strategy 1.1 (a) Develop document in the program implementation plan, the overall program assessment strategy that meets the requirements of the: Training package assessment guidelines or accredited curriculum Competencies (or module learning outcomes) Student group /or enterprise Assessment context 1.1 (b) Document in the program implementation plan; the process to be used to validate the program assessment strategy; The schedule of validation activities; Strategy for engaging relevant parties external to the University in the moderation validation processes; Mechanisms to be used to ensure that feedback is acted upon to achieve improvements. 1.2 Conduct appropriate industry consultation in the development of the assessment strategy document evidence of consultation in the program implementation plan. Program team Program coordinator appropriate industry stakeholders (eg, industry bodies, enterprises, Prior to new program approval before each variation Prior to new program approval before each variation Page 1 of 5
1.3 Programs Committee endorses the assessment validation strategy as part of program approval process (new programs only). 2. Moderation Validation of Assessment Activities 2.1 Select design the assessment tools/activities to meet the requirements of the: Training Package Program implementation plan Competencies (or module learning outcomes) Student or student group Assessment context 2.1 (a) Clearly specify the competencies, including elements performance criteria, (or module learning outcomes) in the Course Guide. (b) For graded assessment tasks, develop clearly specify in the Course Guide the marking criteria for each grade. 2.3. Check that the variety, weighting timing of assessment is fair appropriate (at program level) 2.4 Validate the program s assessment strategy, according to the process described in the implementation plan which must include: program team meetings to review effectiveness of methods, tools activities analysis of student feedback eg, student satisfaction surveys, student-staff consultative committees participation in external validation meetings where suitable networks operate. eg, other RTO s cross Portfolio validation where the program includes competencies/modules from other training packages/curriculum Industry input 2.5 Modify or adjust aspects of the program s assessment strategy, in line with the outcomes of validation, document improvements in the program log update guides. 2.6 Modify or adjust assessment tools/activities /or marking criteria in line with the outcomes of validation document improvements in the program log update guides. 3. Grading Grading Stards 3.1 Compare a sample of assessment grades to ensure consistent interpretation of the competency or learning outcome. For graded assessment tasks, a sample of assessments is marked by more than one assessor against the same marking criteria, to compare opinions reach agreement on the stard required for each grade. commercial partners, trainees) Programs Committee the the. program team members appropriate internal/external stakeholders (internals could include program team members, cross Portfolio teaching staff in delivery of common units; externals could include: other RTOs, industry bodies, enterprises, professional accreditation/ registration bodies, students) program team Course teacher Prior to a new program being offered Prior to first offering when assessment is varied Prior to first offering when assessment is varied Prior to program commencement at each iteration At least once annually prior to next offering /or each variation of the program, or as required by professional accreditation body Following validation Following validation Prior to marking Page 2 of 5
3.2 Where there are variations or anomalies across different markers, implement an appropriate strategy to increase consistency reliability in assessment outcomes (eg, cross marking borderlines items or consensus techniques; third party reports) 3.3 Validate grading stards by modifying marking stards in line with outcomes of the assessment process. After initial marking prior to finalising results Prior to the next iteration Supporting Guidelines, Flow- Charts, Check-Lists, etc. Links to Related Forms, Records Electronic Databases Credit transfer RPL policy procedures Training package assessment guidelines or accredited curriculum Principles of assessment Moderation validation guidelines, tools techniques for teaching staff eg, TVET Australia National Quality Council Implementation Guide: Validation & Moderation 2009 Templates to Support use of the Implementation guide: Validation Moderation Templates for recording outcomes of validation events Sample marking criteria/protocols Program team assessment plans moderation reports (samples available from accounting team) Competency module descriptors Course Guide template PROCEDURE FURTHER INFORMATION Commencement date 1 Aug 2005 Review date 1 Aug 2010 REVISION HISTORY section maintained by the University Policy Officer Secretariat Posting Approval 1 Dec 2011 Revision Ref. No. Approved/ Rescinded Date Committee / Board Resolution Number Document Reference V1.0 Approved 1 Aug 2005 Academic Board 12.2 ATB07-139/05 V1.1 Approved Minor Amendment V1.2 Approved ACCOUNTABILITIES Minor Amendment 25 June 2008 University Secretary 1 Dec 2011 University Secretary Sponsor: Director TAFE Implementation: Compliance: Development/Review: Deputy Director TAFE Heads of School s/leaders/managers Course Coordinators/Leaders/Managers PVC (Teaching Learning) Page 3 of 5
Approval Authority: Academic Board Interpretation Advice: Date Collection Analysis: Academic Policy Governance Unit Quality Consultancy Unit WHO SHOULD KNOW THIS PROCEDURE? Deputy Director (TAFE), Heads of School, Program Managers, Course Coordinators, teachers, students. EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS PROCEDURE How will the efficiency effectiveness of this procedure be measured? Successful AQTF Audit of Stard 1 of the AQTF 2007 Student Feedback as measured by relevant items in the Student Satisfaction Survey. PROCEDURE SUPPORTING INFORMATION Definitions acronyms Key words for search engine Assessment Context The environment in which the assessment is carried out. Assessment-only pathway where learning has occurred other than by formal work. Competence can be assessed without the participant participating in any formal training. Recognition of Current Competency (RCC) Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) are two other examples. Assessment Criteria the dimensions with which judgements are made about the achievement of learning outcomes/competencies. Moderation - A process which maximises consistency, fairness, flexibility reliability in assessment which should occur in the design process be ongoing in the delivery of s programs. Program Assessment Strategy - the approach to assessment evidence gathering used. It encompasses the assessment criteria, process, methods, tools, tasks level of flexibility. Program Log - The documentation that records the program's continuous quality improvement activities which provides evidence that: the program is current, well designed effectively implemented; it is consistent with RMIT's commitments strategic directions; it meets the requirements of external stakeholders regulatory bodies. Validation - A process which ensures that assessment processes are internally externally valid appropriate to the stated outcomes. Validation should be done as part of the design regular review of programs s. Internal consistency is when assessment is aligned with the capabilities/competencies external validation is where assessment is aligned with industry professional requirements. Weighting of assessment the spread of assessment across the program s takes into account student load fair equitable allocation of marks. Moderation; validation; assessment strategy; assessment weighting; marking criteria; stards; validation strategy; assessment guidelines; program implementation plan; grades; cross-marking; third party report Page 4 of 5
Moderation & Validation of Assessment (TAFE) Procedure Program Approval Program Implementation Plan includes: Program assessment strategy Process to be used to validate program assessment strategy Procedure Part 1 Industry Input Design Assessment tools/activities Access & Equity issues Industry if applicable Conduct Assessments As required Ongoing Moderate & Validate Grading & Grading Stards Prior to finalising results Procedure Part 3 Teachers Industry if applicable Yes Changes required to Assessment tools before next use No Validate Assessment tools/activities at least annually Procedure Part 2 Industry Student/FB Meetings other RTO s Page 5 of 5