Recently, I have been thinking deeply about assessment validation.
What are the key success factors for effective assessment validation?
I have identified four key factors for effective assessment validation:
- Preparation for the assessment validation meetings
- Attributes of the assessment validation team leader
- Attributes of the assessment validation team members
- Sufficient time allocated for the assessment validation meetings.
Attributes of the assessment validation team leader
The team leader of the assessment validation must be qualified and experienced at guiding the assessment validation process. They must have a deep knowledge of assessment systems, assessment methods, and assessment tools. And they must have the ability to investigate details.
Attributes of the assessment validation team member
All members of the assessment validation team should have the ability to focus on and investigate details. Also, they should be constructive and respectful when identifying non-conformance or other issues. They play an important role in an RTO’s endeavors to continuous improve its assessment processes.
What does an assessment validation process look like?
The following shows the 10-steps I have identified as being essential when preparing and conducting assessment validation.
It can be seen from the above, that I have simplified the assessment validation into 3 stages:
- Prepare for the assessment validation
- Check the assessment tool
- Review a sample of completed assessments.
Assessment validation is an investigation. The following shows a logical sequence of investigation.
It should be noted that the four principles of assessment and the four rules of evidence are investigated during the assessment validation process.
What is the definition of assessment validation?
The Standards for RTOs define assessment validation as a quality review of the assessment process.
Assessment validation should identify how assessments could be improved.
The following shows how the assessment validation process feeds into the continuous improvement of an RTO’s service.
And the following shows that assessment validation process is different to activities associated with assessment moderation.
Please let me know if this article has been useful. And please remember to comment or give feedback after you have read this article.
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Hi Alan,
Excellent.
Great tool for “experienced” T&A and an exemplary primer for the novice.Thank you
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Hi Alan, thanks for putting in a simple and thorough process for validating assessments. What I see in the bigger picture is the need for the validation of training and assessment resources including formative activities, not only assessment tools. Again going back to the validation of assessments, it should be practised in pre- and post-implementation fashion – validating assessment tools to ensure they comply with the Principles of Assessments prior to executing them and later with a sample of marked student assessments verifying both Principles of Assessments and Rules of Evidence.
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Good morning Alan,
Have passed on the latest (below) to a few trade trainers at Vic Uni Tafe and Holmesglen.
Best
Andrew Warrington
Senior Learning & Development Advisor
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