1. Assessment Cluster
Topic 4
Teresa O'Brien
Principal Lecturer
C.Y. O’Connor Institute

2. Overview
This presentation describes a range of assessment methods and the
instruments to support them. The following are covered:
•Direct observation
•Simulation
•Verbal questioning
•Written questioning
•Third party reports
•Projects
•Portfolios
•Journals
•Case studies
•Self assessment

3. Developing Assessment Instruments
According to the AQTF Essential Standards for Registration, an assessment
tool is defined as ‘the instrument(s) and procedures used to gather and
interpret evidence of competence’.
•a) Instrument- the specific questions or activity used to assess competence
by the assessment method selected. An assessment instrument may be
supported by a profile of acceptable performance and the decision-making
rules or guidelines to be used by the assessors.
•b) Procedures – the information or instructions given to the candidate and
the assessor about how the assessment is to be conducted and recorded.

4. Assessment Tools
In accordance with the AQTF Essential Standards for
Registration, an assessment tool includes the following
components:
•The learning or competency unit(s) to be assessed;
•The target group, context and conditions for the assessment;
•The tasks to be administered to the candidate;
•An outline of the evidence to be gathered from the candidate;
•The evidence criteria used to judge the quality of performance
(i.e. the assessment decision making rules); as well as
•The administration, recording and reporting requirements.

5. Direct Observation
Types of instruments (observations, log books, questionnaires)
Observations must include:
•Candidate and assessor details
•The benchmark, or the unit of competency
•Any pre-requisite competencies
•Specific OHS requirements
•Tasks, actions, skills or activities to be demonstrated and the procedures to
be followed
•The standard of performance
•Space to record results and comments
•A number of observations

6. Simulation
Types of instruments (scenario, scripts or activities and an
observation checklist)
Simulations must include:
•realistic situations
•simple, yet detailed enough to set the scene
•awareness of LLN levels of the candidate
•observation of the actual performance of the skill
•clear guidelines for making judgments
•scripts for role plays
•content and resources
•description of actions or activities to be conducted
•

7. Verbal and written questioning
Types of instruments (prepared questions for candidates
and prepared responses for assessor)
Verbal questioning must include:
• set of short, focused questions which are of a question type (open, closed,
probing or hypothetical)
•Correctly sequenced
•Appropriate terminology
•Guidance for the candidate as to how much information required
•Prepared answers for the assessor to ensure judgments of evidence have
been met reliably and consistently

8. Third party reports
need
•instructions for the third party
•observation checklists
Instructions must be
•Simple and clear
•Require minimal effort to complete
•Give clear guidance on responsibilities
•Ensure checklists contain correct and relevant information
•Specify the purpose of the assessment
•Include a timeline for completion

9. Projects
• Must have a project brief
• A checklist for assessing the product or process
• The steps needed for completion
• Realistic timeframes
• Resources required
• Risk management strategies
Checklist must contain
• Assessor an candidate details
• Provision for comments and feedback
• The benchmark to be used

10. Portfolio
May contain a
•mix of documents collected over a period of time
•evidence of final products
•evidence of any personal contributions made
•evidence or other work activities (work plans, diaries, time
sheets)
•evidence of relevant learning(training records, certificates)
•evidence of past and current work
• list of evidence requirements
• examples of documents
• template to follow

11. Journals
• The purpose is to record candidate’s reflections on events
and activities over time.
• A template to show what information needs to be included
• Instructions on how regularly to record information

12. Case Study
• Identify a relevant form of case
• Include sufficient detail
• Use clear language relevant to the competency
• Base it on real situations
• Identify the evidence required and base the case study
around this information
• Ask different questions depending on the AQF level

13. How to analyse assessment instruments

14. RPL Assessment
RPL establishes if a claim of competence is verifiable
•should be offered to all learners
•each RTO should have a set of policies and procedures for RPL
•is competency based
•assumes the competency has been previously achieved
•is summative
•two most common methods are self assessment and portfolio
(current and historical data)