The Need for Assessment Kits

Assessment is a difficult process – we understand this and have developed a range of assessment kits, such as this, to facilitate a painless process for both the assessor and the learner being assessed.

There are a number of characteristics of assessment, ranging from subjective assessment (which is based on opinions and feelings), to objective assessment (which is based clearly on defined processes and specific standards).  Nearly all assessment involves a mixture of both types of assessment because it is almost impossible to eradicate the subjectivity humans carry into the process of assessing.  The goal in developing and implementing these assessment kits is to work towards the objective end as far as possible and to reduce the degree of opinions and feelings present. 

The features of a competency based assessment system are:

• It is focused on what learners can do and whether it meets the criteria specified by industry as competency standards.
• Assessment should mirror the environment the learner will encounter in the workplace.
• Assessment criteria should be clearly stated to the learner at the beginning of the learning process.
• Assessment should be holistic.  That is it aims to assess as many elements and/or units of competency as is feasible at one time.
• In competency assessment a learner receives one of only two outcomes – competent or not yet competent.
• The basis of assessment is in applying knowledge for some purpose.  In a competency system, knowledge for the sake of knowledge is seen to be ineffectual unless it assists a person to perform a task to the level required in the workplace.
• The emphasis in assessment is on assessable outcomes that are clearly stated for the trainer and learner.  Assessable outcomes are tied to the relevant industry competency standards where these exist.  Where such competencies do not exist, the outcomes are based upon those identified in a training needs analysis.

Assessment in this context can be defined as:

• The fair, valid, reliable and flexible gathering and recording of evidence to support judgement on whether competence has been achieved. Skills and knowledge (developed either in a structured learning situation, at work, or in some other context) are assessed against national standards of competence required by industry, rather than compared with the skills and knowledge of other learners.

Developing and conducing assessment, in an Australian vocational education and training context, is founded on a number of basic conventions:

The principles of assessment

• Assessment must be valid
  • Assessment must include the full range of skills and knowledge needed to demonstrate competency.
  • Assessment must include the combination of knowledge and skills with their practical application.
  • Assessment, where possible, must include judgements based on evidence drawn from a number of occasions and across a number of contexts.
• Assessment must be reliable
  • Assessment must be reliable and must be regularly reviewed to ensure that assessors are making decisions in a consistent manner.
  • Assessors must be trained in national competency standards for assessors to ensure reliability.
• Assessment must be flexible
  • Assessment, where possible, must cover both the on and off-the-job components of training within a course.
  • Assessment must provide for the recognition of knowledge, skills and attitudes regardless of how they have been acquired.
  • Assessment must be made accessible to learners though a variety of delivery modes, so they can proceed through modularised training packages to gain competencies.

• Assessment must be fair and equitable
  • Assessment must be equitable to all groups of learners.
  • Assessment procedures and criteria must be made clear to all learners before assessment.
  • Assessment must be mutually developed and agreed upon between assessor and the assessed.
  • Assessment must be able to be challenged.  Appropriate mechanisms must be made for reassessment as a result of challenge.

The rules of evidence (from Training in Australia by M Tovey, D Lawlor)

When collecting evidence there are certain rules that apply to that evidence. All evidence must be valid, sufficient, authentic and current;

• Valid
  • Evidence gathered should meet the requirements of the unit of competency. This evidence should match or at least reflect the type of performance that is to be assessed, whether it covers knowledge, skills or attitudes.
• Sufficient
  • This rule relates to the amount of evidence gathered It is imperative that enough evidence is gathered to satisfy the requirements that the learner is competent across all aspects of the unit of competency.
• Authentic
  • When evidence is gathered the assessor must be satisfied that evidence is the learner’s own work.
• Current
  • This relates to the recency of the evidence and whether the evidence relates to current abilities. 

The national concept of competency includes all aspects of work performance, and not only narrow task skills. The four dimensions of competency are:

• Task skills
• Task management skills
• Contingency management skills
• Job role and environment skills

Adapted Reasonable Adjustment in teaching, learning and assessment for learners with a disability – November 2010 – Prepared by – Queensland VET Development Centre

Reasonable adjustment in VET is the term applied to modifying the learning environment or making changes to the training delivered to assist a learner with a disability. A reasonable adjustment can be as simple as changing classrooms to be closer to amenities, or installing a particular type of software on a computer for a person with vision impairment.

Why make a reasonable adjustment?

We make reasonable adjustments in VET to make sure that learners with a disability have:

• the same learning opportunities as learners without a disability
• the same opportunity to perform and complete assessments as those without a disability.

Reasonable adjustment applied to participation in teaching, learning and assessment activities can include:

• customising resources and assessment activities within the training package or accredited course
• modifying the presentation medium learner support
• use of assistive / adaptive technologies
• making information accessible both prior to enrolment and during the course
• monitoring the adjustments to ensure learner needs continue to be met. 

Assistive/adaptive technology means ‘software or hardware that has been specifically designed to assist people with disabilities in carrying out daily activities’ (World Wide Web Consortium – W3C). It includes screen readers, magnifiers, voice recognition software, alternative keyboards, devices for grasping, visual alert systems, digital note takers.

Reasonable adjustment made for collecting candidate assessment evidence must not impact on the standard expected by the workplace, as expressed by the relevant Unit(s) of Competency. E.g. If the assessment was gathering evidence of the candidates competency in writing, allowing the candidate to complete the assessment verbally would not be a valid assessment method. The method of assessment used by any reasonable adjustment must still meet the competency requirements.

Characteristics of Assessment

What is Cheating?

Cheating within the context of the study environment, means to dishonestly present an assessment task or assessment activity as genuinely representing your own understanding of and/or ability in the subject concerned.

Some examples of cheating are:

• Submitting someone else’s work as your own. Whether you have that persons consent or not.
• Submitting another author’s work as your own, without proper acknowledgement of the author.
• To allow someone else to submit your own work as theirs.
• To use any part of someone else’s work without the proper acknowledgement

There are other forms of cheating not contained in this list. These are merely given as some examples. If you are unsure about whether any particular behaviour would constitute plagiarism or cheating, please check with your trainer prior to submitting your assessment work.

What is Plagiarism?

Plagiarism is a form of cheating and includes presenting another person or organisation’s ideas or expressions as your own. This includes, however is not limited to: copying written works such as books or journals, data or images, tables, diagrams, designs, plans, photographs, film, music, formulae, web sites and computer programs.

How do I avoid Plagiarism or Cheating?

Students are advised to note the following advice to avoid claims of plagiarism or cheating:

• Always reference other people’s work. You may quote from someone else’s work (for example from websites, textbooks, journals or other published materials) but you must always indicate the author and source of the material.
• Always reference your sources.You should name sources for any graphs, tables or specific data, which you include in your assignment.
• You must not copy someone else’s work and present it as your own.
• You must not falsify assessment evidence. 

Each unit of competency can be unbundled to reveal two key assessment components:

1. the performance criteria

• specifying the required level of performance

1. the evidence guide

• Describing the underpinning knowledge and skills that must be demonstrated to determine competence. It provides essential advice for assessment of the unit of competency in the form of:
  • critical aspects of evidence
  • the essential skills
  • the essential knowledge 

The associated assessment tool in this kit covers all of these components as detailed in the matrix to follow.

For the purpose of delivering the Qualification CHC50113 Diplomaof Early Childhood Education and Care clustered assessment of units of competency will occur.

When assessing each unit it is important to understand how they are structured in order to meet assessment requirements.

An outline of the units of competency is included below. Please note that some skills that are not able to be observed in the workplace during your Vocational Placement will be assessed utilising Case Studies and/or projects.

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to ensure children’s physical and emotional wellbeing is maintained and their self-sufficiency is nurtured.

This unit applies to people who work with children in a range of early education and care services.

Elements

1. Provide physical care
2. Promote physical activity
3. Adapt facilities to ensure access and participation
4. Help children with change
5. Settle new arrivals

The foundation skills described those required skills (language, literacy and numeracy) that are essential to performance.

• Oral communication – in order to interact calmly and positively with families and children

The remaining foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit.

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role.  There must be demonstrated evidence that the candidate has completed the following tasks at least once:

• provided care and responded appropriately to at least three children of varying ages, including:
  • promoting physical activity and encouraging participation
  • engaging children in discussions around physical health and wellbeing
  • adapting the physical environment to ensure challenge and appropriate risk-taking
  • ensuring the smooth transition of new arrivals
  • supporting children through transition and change
• performed the activities outlined in the performance criteria of this unit during a period of at least 120 hours of work in at least one regulated education and care service.

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:

• how to access:
  • the National Quality Framework
  • the National Quality Standards
  • the relevant approved learning framework
• how to navigate through framework and standards documents to find areas relevant to this unit of competency
• basic principles of child physical and emotional development
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
• recommendations for physical activity for birth to 5-year-olds and 5- to 12-year-olds in the National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australians
• impact of changes of routines and environments for children
• sun safety
• relevance of hand hygiene for minimising infectious diseases
• code of ethics
• routines and strategies to minimise distress at separation of parent and child
• organisational standards, policies and procedures.

Competency-Based Assessment System

CHCECE005 Provide care for babies and toddlers

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required by educators working with babies and toddlers to ensure that the children’s physical and emotional wellbeing is maintained.

This unit applies to work with babies and toddlers from birth to 24 months in a range of early education and care contexts.

1. Promote safe sleep
2. Provide positive nappy-changing and toileting experiences
3. Promote quality mealtime environments
4. Create a healthy and safe supporting environment
5. Develop relationships with babies and toddlers
6. Develop relationships with families

Foundation Skills

The foundation skills described those required skills (language, literacy and numeracy) that are essential to performance.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be demonstrated evidence that the candidate has completed the following tasks:

• provided care to at least different three babies and toddlers of varying ages using safe and hygienic practices, including:
  • assessing and responding appropriately to babies’ needs, including hunger, distress, tiredness and pain
  • setting up a safe environment conducive to rest
  • changing nappies
  • heating breast milk and formula, preparing bottles and preparing and heating food
  • cleaning equipment and utensils
  • feeding babies
• developed a nurturing and securely attached relationship with at least three different babies and toddlers of varying ages, including:
  • settling new babies and toddlers through observing, monitoring and appropriately interacting with them and their caregivers
  • engaging in one-to-one interactions with babies and toddlers during daily routines
• supported the learning of at least three different babies and toddlers of varying ages,  including:
  • responding appropriately to babies’ and toddlers’ cues and language
  • initiating and modelling  language with babies and toddlers
  • providing stimulating environments that support skill development
  • modifying the environment and interactions to support babies/toddlers changing requirements
  • encouraging their attempts to gain new skills
  • providing opportunities to develop self- knowledge and awareness
  • contributing to their emotional and psychological well-being
• performed the activities outlined in the performance criteria of this unit during a period of at least 120 hours of work in at least one regulated education and care service

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. These include knowledge of:

• how to access:
  • the National Quality Framework
  • the National Quality Standards
  • the relevant approved learning framework
• how to navigate through framework and standards documents to find areas relevant to this unit of competency
• individual patterns and routines of babies and toddlers
  • appropriate interactions with babies and toddlers, including:
  • individual differences of babies’ and toddlers’ needs for rest, and sleep/rest patterns
  • signs of stress, distress or pain in babies and toddlers
  • social development of babies and toddlers
• dietary requirements and nutritional needs of babies and toddlers
• food safety guidelines
• recommendations for oral health, including restricting bottles meal times only
• guidelines for infection control
• safe and unsafe practices for working with babies
• different practices and routines used by various families and their underlying cultural or personal rationale
• emotional, physical and language development of babies and toddlers
• attachment theory
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
• brain development in babies and toddlers
• organisational standards, policies and procedures. 

References: 

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Rules of Evidence

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Reasonable Adjustment in VET

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Hamilton, K., Orbell, S., Bonham, M., Kroon, J. and Schwarzer, R., 2017. Dental flossing and automaticity: a longitudinal moderated mediation analysis. Psychology, health & medicine, pp.1-9.

Hardy, J., 2016. Oral health: Flossing has to be taught well. British dental journal, 221(7), p.371.

Harms, T., Cryer, D., Clifford, R.M. and Yazejian, N., 2017. Infant/toddler environment rating scale. Teachers College Press.

Harrison, M., Brodribb, W. and Hepworth, J., 2017. A qualitative systematic review of maternal infant feeding practices in transitioning from milk feeds to family foods. Maternal & child nutrition, 13(2).

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Cheating and Plagiarism

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