Course Title: Assess competence

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2021

Course Code: TCHE5918C

Course Title: Assess competence

School: 375T Vocational Design and Social Context

Campus: City Campus

Program: C4377 - Certificate IV in Training and Assessment

Course Contact: mark.mossuto@rmit.edu.au

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 99254929

Course Contact Email: mark.mossuto@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

for any student enquiries about the Cert IV TAE40116 course, please email: ve.studentlifecycle@rmit.edu.au 

Nominal Hours: 25

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to implement an assessment plan, and gather quality evidence to assess the competence of a candidate using compliant assessment tools. It applies to teachers, trainers and assessors in enterprises and registered training organisations (RTOs) and those providing assessment advisory services.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

TAEASS402 Assess competence

Element:

1. Prepare for the assessment

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Interpret assessment planning documentation and applicable organisational, legal and ethical requirements for conducting the assessment and confirm with the relevant people

1.2 Access and interpret units of competency that are to be used as benchmarks for assessment, and the nominated assessment tools, to confirm the requirements for the evidence to be collected

1.3 Determine opportunities for integrated assessment activities and document any changes to the assessment instruments, where required

1.4 Determine opportunities for evidence-gathering in actual or simulated activities, through consultation with the candidate and relevant personnel

1.5 Conduct a candidate briefing and explain, discuss and agree on the details of the planned assessment

1.6 Arrange identified material and physical resource requirements

1.7 Identify any specialist support requirements for the assessment, and organise if necessary

Element:

2. Gather quality evidence

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Use agreed assessment methods and tools to gather, organise and document evidence in a format suitable for determining competence

2.2 Apply the principles of assessment and rules of evidence in gathering quality evidence 

Element:

3. Support the candidate

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Discuss and guide candidates in gathering their own evidence to support the recognition of prior learning (RPL)

3.2 Use appropriate communication and interpersonal skills to develop a professional relationship with the candidate that reflects sensitivity to individual differences and enables two-way feedback

3.3 Make decisions on reasonable adjustments with the candidate, based on the candidate’s needs and characteristics

3.4 Access specialist support, if required, in accordance with the assessment plan

3.5 Address any workplace health and safety (WHS) risk to a person or equipment immediately

Element:

4. Make the assessment decision

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Assess the collected evidence, and to evaluate whether it reflects the evidence required to demonstrate competence

4.2 Use judgement to infer whether competence has been demonstrated, based on the available evidence

4.3 Make the assessment decision in line with agreed assessment procedures and according to the agreed assessment plan

4.4 Provide clear and constructive feedback to the candidate regarding the assessment decision, and clearly document follow-up, if required 

Element:

5. Record and report the assessment decision

Performance Criteria:

5.1 Record assessment outcomes promptly and accurately

5.2 Complete and submit required assessment documentation, according to assessment procedures and confidentiality conventions

5.3 Inform other relevant parties of the assessment decision, according to confidentiality conventions

Element:

6. Review the assessment process

Performance Criteria:

6.1 Review the assessment process in consultation with candidates and other relevant people to improve future practice

6.2 Document and record the review according to relevant assessment system policies and procedures

Learning Outcomes


The learning outcomes for this course will enable the learner to:

  • assess at least five candidates within the vocational education and training (VET) context against at least one endorsed or accredited unit of competency according to the organisation's assessment processes and practices.
  • use recognition of prior learning (RPL) processes in the assessment of at least one candidate (which may be one of the five candidates above)
  • make reasonable adjustments in the assessment of at least one candidate.

The assessments must be undertaken under the supervision of a qualified assessor and cover an entire unit of competency for each candidate. Where candidates do not have access to a qualified assessor to supervise their assessments they should contact the program coordinator so that suitable arrangements can be made.


Details of Learning Activities

In the assessment cluster, you will participate in class learning activities such as: analysis of case studies and scenarios, role plays, developing learning programs, group discussions and working in pairs. Other activities will include: online research, and reading articles provided by your trainer.

  At RMIT Work Integrated Learning (WIL) refers to opportunities for you to experience either real or simulated workplaces within your program. WIL activities in this program include:   • Simulations of training and assessment work environments • Work based projects completed within your own workplace.   Many students who undertake this program are already employed in a training and assessment role. Some assessment activities are conducted in a workplace and you are encouraged to use your own workplaces for this. If you do not have a workplace please consult your trainer about alternative arrangements


Teaching Schedule

The Assessment Cluster is delivered face to face over seven (7) weeks, these are full day workshops.  With each workshop there are 3 components to the schedule:

1 Online activities pre workshop

In the online activities you can familiarise yourself with concepts which you will be using in practice during the upcoming workshop day.  Activities include watching videos, critical reading and quizzes.

2. Face to face - full day workshop

A workshop day runs from 9:00am – 4,30pm Workshops focus on in‐depth case studies in which you will actively complete workplace-based tasks related to the role of an assessor.  Activities include discussion, collaboration in pairs and small groups, research, document preparation, peer and self-evaluation. 

3. Online Webinars after the all sessions have concluded

You can take part in a webinar to ask questions, seek clarification to any aspect of the content.  The facilitator and participants discuss issues or questions that arose in the online workshop or from readings in the Participant Manual, online activities or from their own practice. Some questions will be on notice; others will be raised in the webinar. Participants are encouraged to contextualise the program content to their practice.

 

Week 1 Introduction to competency‐based assessment

Welcome and Introduction

Introduction to the program design and requirements

What do we already know about VET activity? What is quality assessment?

Competency‐based assessment, training packages, and competency standards

 

Week 2 Plan an RPL assessment process and assess competence

What are RPL and Training and Assessment pathways?

What does it mean to be competent?

Task 2 - Case Study 2: Assess competence (RPL) and moderate the assessment decision. In this case study participants assess the competence of Candice Candidate and then moderate the assessment decision. Candice is applying for recognition of the unit BSBWOR203 Work effectively with others.

Explore structure of a unit of competency and of assessment requirements.

Plan assessment activities and processes

Explore assessment plans and instruments

Task 2 - Case Study 3: Plan assessment activities and processes (RPL)

This case study builds on Case Study 2 the RPL assessment of Candice Candidate (To be finalised in workshop day 3).

 

Week 3 Plan assessment (training and assessment pathway)

Finalise Case Study 2 ‐ Develop assessment instruments –develop a portfolio checklist. Check the instrument, review and reflect, then finalise the plan and the instrument.

Commence Case Study 3:  Plan assessment (training and assessment pathway)

In case study 3, the participants plan assessment activities and processes for the unit BSBCMM401 Make a Presentation in a case study.

 

Week 4 Communication and interviewing skills for assessment

You will familiarise yourself with the background to the assessment of a candidate Kelly (Task 1), and develop an assessment plan for him. This includes two meetings with the candidate: a briefing meeting about Recognition of Prior Learning processes and a subsequent meeting to discuss evidence provided by the candidate and communication of a decision. 

Exercise Dos and Don’ts of communication in interviews. Question scenarios.

Practice scenario engaging in two-way communication with an RPL candidate in a meeting. Documenting evidence and reporting results.

 

Week 5 Prepare for assessment and assess competence

Participants to conduct meeting 2 with Kelly.  

Judge Kelly’s evidence, ask questions, make the assessment decision and give feedback to the candidate

Practice of the meeting in class before assessment by TAE Coordinator in break‐out room.

Record and report the assessment decision and then review the assessment process

 

Week 6 Design and Develop assessment tools

Participants collaborate in small groups on Assessment Task 3: Plan, develop and validate an assessment tool based on a unit of competency.  This involves developing instructions to candidates, guidance to assessors, development of assessment tasks or instruments, mapping to the unit of competency’s requirements and documenting feedback and decisions.  The unit for the assessment tool may be decided by each group or provided by the facilitator,

 

Week 7 Participate in validation of assessment tools

Participants collaborate in teams on Assessment Task 4 to validate the assessment tools they designed in Assessment Task 3 They bring two copies of each assessment tool to the day 7 workshop for validation.

You will participate in an assessment validation in context, check the tool against the principles of assessment, the rules of evidence and the requirements of the unit of competency.

You will suggest improvements, reflect on the validation process and finalise documentation.

.


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

Electronic resources can be found in the Assessment Cluster Canvas LMS 


Overview of Assessment

The unit TAEASS402 Assess competence is holistically assessed with 3 other units within the TAE40116 qualification namely TAEASS401 Plan assessment activities and processes, TAEDES502 Design and develop assessment tools and TAEASS403 Participate in assessment validation.   Assessment of these 4 units consists of   ASS Short-answer knowledge questions ASS Task 1:  Prepare for assessment and assess competence ASS Task 2:  Plan assessment activities and processes on two (2) occasions ASS Task 3:  Plan, design and develop three (3) assessment tools ASS Task 4:  Participate in validation of three (3) assessment tools ASS Task 5:  Assess competence on Five (5) occasions

 


Assessment Tasks

There is a strong emphasis in your assessment tasks on the practical aspects of assessing in your workplace or in a simulated online environment  You will be assessed on your demonstrable skills, knowledge and performance in relation to assessing candidates for accredited units of competency in the national Vocational Education and Training system.

You will be provided with a range of templates on Canvas which you can use to develop and organise your evidence.  These include templates for the following:

  • Assessment Plan
  • Competency matrix for mapping your assessment of a unit of competency
  • Various assessment instrument types such as Observation checklist, folio of evidence and knowledge questions
  • Assessment brief
  • Assessment record and feedback

 

Assessment Task 1 - Assess competence of a candidate: BSBCMM401 Make a presentation - to be submitted by Oct 24 2021

In preparation, you will need to contextualise and modify the assessment activities and instruments to meet client needs.

You will complete this task during your TAE training.

Your TAE trainer will supervise you throughout all stages of this task and will pay particular attention to:

     –  your ability to customise assessment processes and instruments to meet candidate needs

     –  the interpersonal skills you use as you work with the candidate

Your TAE trainer will give you a separate ASS Task 1 Handout which contains information and resources needed to complete this task.

 

Assessment Task 2 - Plan assessment activities and processes (twice) - to be submitted by Aug 29 2021

On two (2) separate occasions:

You must plan for two different types of assessment plans – the first will be a training and assessment pathway for a whole unit of competency and its assessment requirements then develop one selected assessment instrument to support that assessment plan.  The second assessment plan must address a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) assessment pathway along with a selected assessment instrument that will support that plan.

Each plan must cover a different unit of competency

  • Units of competency selected as the basis for this task must be different from the units of competency selected as the basis for ASS Task 3
  • One of the two plans must support an RPL assessment pathway

The instrument you modify or develop to support each plan:

     –  must reflect at least one assessment method that forms part of the assessment plan

     –  must cover some (not all) of the assessment requirements for the unit—e.g. if your assessment plan for the unit includes direct observation, verbal questions and a third-party report, you may choose to develop the observation instrument, OR the verbal questioning instrument, OR the third-party report questionnaire—you don’t need to develop all instruments needed for the assessment you have planned.

 

Assessment Task 3 - Plan, design and develop three (3) assessment tools - to be submitted by Oct 24 2021

On three (3) separate occasions:

   a. Plan a competency-based assessment tool that covers one complete unit of competency and its assessment requirements, then

   b. Design and develop an assessment tool that supports your assessment plan for each of the three units chosen

Each plan/tool must cover a different unit of competency

  • Units of competency selected for this task must be different from the two units of competency selected as the basis for ASS Task 2
  • One of the plans/tools must support an RPL assessment pathway

Each assessment tool you develop must include:

     –  Information and instructions for candidates

     –  Additional information / instructions / marking guide for assessors

Instruments that:

     -  reflect different assessment methods

     -  collectively cover the entire unit and its assessment requirements

     –  Provision to record details of the assessment and the results

     –  A competency map or equivalent that clearly shows how the assessment instruments collectively cover the entire unit and its assessment requirements

  • You must conduct a pilot (‘dry run’) of each draft assessment tool, prepare a report on the trial, then create the final version of the assessment tool, incorporating improvements identified in the trial.
  • A suitable referee must verify foundation skills you use to plan, design, develop, trial and finalise each assessment tool.

 

Assessment Task 4 - Participate in validation of three (3) assessment tools - to be submitted by Sept 26 2021

Participate in validation of three (3) assessment tools and contribute actively to the validation activities and outcomes

  • You may work with others to validate assessment tools you have developed, or that someone else has developed
  • You may organise the validation sessions yourself, or you may participate in validation sessions organised by someone else
  • The assessment tool you validate on each occasion must cover at least one (1) entire unit of competency and its assessment requirements
  • All validation activities must include a competency mapping exercise whose purpose is to check if the assessment tool covers the entire unit and its assessment requirements. 

You may:

    – check a completed competency map that is provided, or

    – in the validation session, create a competency map

Your mapping exercise must cover the unit’s elements, performance criteria, foundation skills, performance evidence, knowledge evidence, and (as applicable) assessment conditions.

  • At least two people, including you, must participate in each validation.
  • A suitable referee must verify foundation skills you use when participating in each validation.

 

Assessment Task 5 - Assess competence on five (5) occasions - to be submitted by Oct 10 2021

Assess competence on five (5) occasions

  • Each assessment must cover an entire unit of competency and its assessment requirements
  • You may assess a different candidate on each occasion or you may assess them as a group
  • At least one assessment must be recognition of prior learning (RPL)
  • You must make a reasonable adjustment in the assessment of at least one candidate (preferred), or describe a reasonable adjustment you could have made
  • You must conduct each assessment under supervision of a qualified assessor who RMIT has approved for the purposes of this task.
 

Assessment Task 6 - Short answer Knowledge questions - to be submitted by Sept 26 2021

You are required to respond in your own words (150-200 words) to 10 questions about assessment. The topics cover key concepts in assessment in VET: Competency-based assessment, principles of assessment, dimensions of competency, Recognition of Prior Learning, inclusive assessment practice, rules of evidence, Workplace Health and Safety, training packages and their uses, assessment instruments and tools and assessment validation.

 

Submission deadline: all of the above assessment tasks have various submission dates, check Canvas for the date associated to each task.   It is a requirement of the Certificate IV Training and Assessment (TAE40116) program that all assessment tasks are to be submitted electronically through the Assessment Canvas LMS portal.
For Assessment tasks 1 to 6, please submit each task as a single ‘PDF’ file, see your student instructions for further details.     *Please add your name and student number into the footer of your submitted document. *Please note, that no ‘Hard Copy’ portfolios will be accepted.   RMIT Electronic Submission of work for assessment: In submitting your assessment electronically, you declare that in submitting all work for each assessment you have read, understood and agree to the content and expectations of the assessment declaration. (URL: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/declaration ) 


Assessment Matrix

A detailed assessment matrix is provided in Canvas.

Other Information

Adherence with RMIT’s commitment to sustainability, trainers will seek to incorporate environmental concerns in the facilitation of this course.

These include, but are not limited to:
   • Conserving natural resources
   • Using recycled materials wherever possible
   • Minimising pollution
   • Applying energy savings measures
   • Reducing waste


Students are encouraged to identify and follow environmental and resource efficient ways of working whilst studying this course.”

Attendance:
Your course involves participating in face to face classes. It is strongly advised that you attend all sessions in order to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring the maximum opportunity to successfully complete this course.

Special consideration policy (Late submissions)
All assessment tasks are required to be completed to a satisfactory level. If you are unable to complete any piece of assessment by the due date, you will need to apply for an extension; for further information see https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/extensions-of-time-for-submission-of-assessable-work.

Special consideration is an assessment adjustment for unexpected circumstances that are outside your control, which:
• have a significant adverse impact on your performance in assessment or
• prevent you from attempting or submitting the assessment.

For further information about special consideration see https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/special-consideration

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
RMIT University has a strict policy on plagiarism and academic integrity. For further information see https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/rights-and-responsibilities/academic-integrity

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