Activity/Assignment Summary

ACTIVITY/ASSIGNMENT SUMMARY

Learner (you) to complete
(Sign next to each activity number as you complete it. This will help you to control what you have done and still must do.) / TRAINYOUCAN Assessor to complete
(Learners sometime remove/exclude activities in their files. Use this checklist below to confirm all the activities was 100% completed before you start with the assessment process.)
1.  All the activities must be completed from 1 to 17. (No facilitator or assessor can change this)
2.  Use either dividers or “sticky notes” to indicate the start of each question. Remember to staple your “sticky notes” to the pages.
3.  No pages or part of this workbook may be removed. This workbook should be completed from start to end, checked by the learner before handing in, including all signatures from the learner. The assessor will not continue with your workbook if you have missing/half completed/incomplete signatures/missing attachments. (ETQA is very strict and will not pass your POE if one signature is missing)
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Candidate A
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Candidate B
1.  Explain the difference between Provider Accreditation, Individual/Persons Accreditation and Programme Accreditation.
HELP: (Refer to FORUM and TRAINYOUCAN home page for resources.)
2.  Describe the similarities and differences between CAT, Traditional, common core and Outcomes Based Assessment. Also give some examples of the advantages and disadvantages for both.
HELP: (DO NOT COPY AND PASTE FROM THE FORUM)
Description / Advantages / Disadvantages
CAT:
Traditional Education System:
Common Core
Outcome Based Assessment:
3.  Briefly describe how outcomes-based education and training has influenced (or can influence) an organisation’s ETD practices. (Education, Training and Development)
HELP: (What are the benefits of implementing OBE in your/any organisation)

Outcomes-Based Education can help/assist an organisation with:

Expand on the following

Better quality staff

Better quality skills

Job satisfaction

Productivity increase

Quality

4.  Briefly list the principles of assessment and describe how you will apply these principles when conducting assessments in your/any workplace.

REMEMBER TO EDIT THIS TEXT TO MAKE THIS YOUR OWN WORK

SAQA views assessment as:

‘A structured process for gathering evidence and making judgments about an individual’s performance in relation to registered national standards and qualifications’.

The Principles of good Assessment

As assessment is central to the recognition of achievement, the quality of the assessment is therefore important to provide credible certification. Credibility in assessment is assured through assessment procedures and practices being governed by certain principles.

These principles are:

• Fairness

• Validity

• Reliability

• Practicability

These principles help to allay the concerns and anxieties of users of assessment results. The learners, parents, employers, learning institutions and the general public want the assurance that the assessment results are credible. This is because these results often affect personal, social and economic progression and mobility in society. In addition, the results provide accurate information about the individual.

The above-mentioned principles are looked at more closely below:

Fairness

An assessment should not in any way hinder or advantage a learner.

Unfairness in assessment would constitute:

• Inequality of opportunities, resources and appropriate teaching and learning approaches in terms of acquisition of knowledge, understanding and skills.

• Bias in respect of ethnicity, gender, age, disability, social class and race in so far as that the assessment approaches, methods, instruments and materials do not take into account these differences.

• Lack of clarity in terms of what is being assessed.

• Comparison of learners’ work with other learners, particularly in terms of diversity of

Fairness in assessment would constitute:

• The above-mentioned influences are taken into account and addressed.

• The assessment process is clear, transparent and available to all learners.

• Appeal mechanisms and re-assessments are accessible to all learners.

Validity

Validity in assessment refers to measuring what it says it is measuring, be it knowledge, understanding, subject content, skills, information, behaviours, etc.

Validity in assessment would constitute:

• Assessment procedures, methods, instruments and materials have to match what is being assessed.

For example:

A learner is assessed on research skills. However, a learner’s ability to write may not necessarily provide evidence that the learner has the ability to do research.

The assessment must assess the learner’s ability to perform. In this case, the learner should be assessed on the various activities of the stages of research, namely -

• Formulation of the research question

• Literature review

• Development of research instruments

• Collection of data

• Analysis of data and writing a report

Therefore, the assessment should stay within the parameters of what is required – not less than the unit standard or qualification, nor more than the unit standard or qualification.

In order to achieve validity in the assessment, assessors should:

• State clearly what outcome(s) is/are being assessed

• Use an appropriate type or source of evidence

• Use an appropriate method of assessment

• Select an appropriate instrument of assessment

NOTE:

When designing an assessment, the assessor must look at the specific outcome(s), the assessment criteria and the range so as to determine the kind and amount of evidence required from the learner.

The kind and amount of evidence will also determine the assessment method and instruments to be selected and used.

The assessment criteria, the range, contexts and underpinning knowledge indicated in the unit standard, will inform these decisions.

Reliability

Reliability in assessment is about consistency. Consistency refers to the same judgements being made in the same, or similar contexts each time a particular assessment for specified stated intentions is administered.

Assessment results should not be perceived to have been influenced by variables such as:

• Assessor bias in terms of the learner’s gender, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion, like/dislike, appearance and such like

• Different assessors interpreting unit standards or qualifications inconsistently

• Different assessors applying different standards

• Assessor stress and fatigue

• Insufficient evidence gathered

• Assessor assumptions about the learner, based on previous (good or bad) performance

To avoid such variance in judgement (results), assessments should ensure that each time an assessment is administered, the same or similar conditions prevail. Also, that the procedures, methods, instruments and practices are the same or similar.

In addition:

• Assessors should be trained and competent in administering assessments

• Assessors should give clear, consistent and unambiguous instructions

• Assessment criteria and guidelines for unit standards and qualifications should be adhered to

• Assessors should meet and talk to each other

• Assessors should be subject experts in their learning field(s)

• Where possible, more than one assessor should be involved in the assessment of one learner

• Assessors should use checklists, or other objective forms of assessment, in addition to other assessment instruments

• Internal and external moderation procedures for assessment should be in place

• Clear and systematic recording procedures should be in place

Practicability

Practicability refers to ensuring that assessments take into account the available financial resources, facilities, equipment and time. Assessments that require elaborate arrangements for equipment and facilities, as well as being costly, will make the assessment system fail.

NOTE:

Where the ideal assessment require specialized equipment and facilities, such assessment could be done by means of a simulation or by means of collecting evidence in the workplace.

To conclude:

FAIRNESS + VALIDITY + RELIABILITY + PRACTICABILITY = CREDIBILITY

The critical overriding principle of assessment is that of ethics.

Because the results of an assessment can lead to an increase in pay, improved career prospects and the like, the principles of assessment should be applied ethically and responsibly.

5.  Explain RPL in terms of its purpose, processes and related benefits and challenges for your organisation.
HELP: (DO NOT COPY AND PASTE FROM THE FORUM)
Purpose:
Processes & benefits:
Challenges when implementing: / ..costly
..long process
…additional approval and documents required
6.  Explain the potential impact of RPL if decided to implement this in an organisation.
HELP: (DO NOT COPY AND PASTE FROM THE FORUM.)(Example: Costly, longer process, better trained people – advantages and disadvantages could be listed)
Benefits from implementing RPL / Disadvantages of implementing RPL
7.  Describe how you will implement RPL assessments in your organisation (Describe your organisations policy and procedures and how you will cater for special needs.).
HELP: (Say for example you must implement RPL with an organisation with 10000 people. All of them now want to do RPL, but you cannot manage all 10000. Describe in detail how you would tackle this problem with possible examples, such as policy, adverts and application forms.
Stage 1 / Advert……
Stage 2 / Application…..
Stage 3 / Questionnaire/test ….
Stage 4 / Shortlist…..
8.  Give examples of the different types of assessment methodologies, then pick 4 that are most suitable for your organisation and explain how you will implement these in different situations.
HELP: (DO NOT COPY AND PASTE FROM THE FORUM) (Explain in your own words why you chosen these methods)
Assessment Methods / Why I think this will be most suitable for my organisation or use:
9.  Describe how you will approach outcomes based assessment and how you plan on giving feedback on assessment results in relation to:
·  Possible impact on candidates
·  Further learning and assessment
HELP: (It’s the first time your/the organisation is doing OBE learning. Everyone is knew and don’t know the processes, why people must come back for assessments and why its so long. Explain how you will tackle this problem to communicate the processes with everyone.)

Also have a look at our forum – top banner - INDUCTION

10.  Describe the assessment process you will follow in your organisation with examples of when and how you will do each stage.
HELP: (Start by answering the 6 Assessment Processes. (Plan, prepare, conduct, judgement, review & feedback) Then explain how you will streamline process to be more cost-effective without compromising the quality or any of the processes. Not only must you explain how you will do this in your organisation, but you must also supply a flow process and templates. Your response should be at least 10 pages long)
EXPLAINING OBE:

..briefly explain in your own words the purpose of OBE – Outcome Based Assessment…

5 Rules that must always apply when conducting and assessments:

1. No tipex, no pencil may be used.

2. No empty spaces or blocks that must be completed.

3. No single words or abbreviations on its own.

4. Time cost money. Need to be productive.

5. Confirm it is not a “bogus learner” – need evidence that the assessment took place.

1. PLAN

The purpose of the plan is to:

Expand on the items below – delete this text when you done

Key factors to remember during the planning stage is:

Obtain a copy of the Unit Standard to check for criteria. (NQF, Credits, Expiry Date, Entry Level Requirements, Specific outcomes, Assessment Criteria)

Communication to the learner to confirm it is not a “bogus learner’

Planning

·  What will be covered during the assessment?

·  Where will this be done, location, venue?

·  When will this be done, might even be on different dates for the different venue’s?

·  How, do I need equipment or tools or other people?

2. PREPARE

The purpose of preparing the learning for assessment is to:

Expand on the items below – delete this text when you done

The key factor that must be discussed during the preparation stage is:

Check readiness

Special needs

Appeals procedure

Confirmation of understanding

3. CONDUCT

The purpose of conducting is to:

Expand on the items below – delete this text when you done

Key factors to remember to complete/check during this stage is:

Reference to Unit standard and assessment criteria

Meet requirements (Not competence)

Evidence that the assessment took place

·  Valid

·  Authentic

·  Current

·  Sufficient

·  Relevant

·  Consistent

4. JUDGEMENT

The purpose of judgement is to:

Expand on the items below – delete this text when you done

During judgement, there are two major key factors that must be completed, namely:

Summary of instruments

Declaration of Competency or Not-Yet-Competent

5.FEEDBACK

The purpose of feedback is to:

Expand on the items below – delete this text when you done

Feedback should consist out of the following three key factors:

Strength and Weaknesses

At least one full page

Confirmation of receipt

6. REVIEW

The purpose of review is to:

Expand on the items below – delete this text when you done

The three main purposes or elements of review is namely:

Feedback to the Training Provider over the progress of the learners

Possible recommendation for assessment guide improvements

Confirmation that all documentation was completed and ready for SETA visit.

11.  Explain why it is important to be culturally and aesthetically sensitive across a range of social context during the feedback process.
12. Describe what is included in your organisations assessments guides and how they are designed and reviewed.

Who design?

How will feedback be done?

Where or how will it be kept?

Who will be responsible for implementation?

How often will this be done?

13.  Explain why reviewing of assessment practices is essential and how you plan to implement this in your organisations assessment process.

Quality assurance (QA) is a way of preventing mistakes or defects in manufactured products and avoiding problems when delivering solutions or services to customers

14.  Identify potential problems you might experience when implementing outcomes-based assessments in your organisation.

… Delete this text when you done….. Lack of understanding, long process, extra cost….

12.  Describe the following in your own words:
·  Credits, Notional Hours and how it works.
·  NQF (what it means and the purpose)
·  SAQA
·  ETQA
·  NRLD
·  SO
·  AC
·  CCFO
·  Learning Assumed to be in place
·  Where to find US including the website? (detailed – possible screen shots if you can)
·  What is a Qualification?
·  List of SETA’s.
·  What is Scope, and what are the criteria to qualify for scope. (making reference to your experience)
Credits, Notional Hours and how it works.
NQF (what it means and the purpose)
SAQA
ETQA
NRLD
SO
AC
CCFO
Learning Assumed to be in place
Where to find US including the website? (detailed – possible screen shots if you can)
What is a Qualification?
List of SETA’s.

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