ASSESSMENT

WHAT IS ASSESSMENT?

The process of generating and collecting evidence of a learner’s performance and judging it against established standards or defined criteria.

PURPOSE OF ASSESSMENT

1. To judge performance in education and training so that qualification may be awarded
2. To identify strengths and weaknesses
3. To evaluate performance levels of both facilitators and learners
4. To monitor and maintain standards
5. To provide information to employers
6. Selection of learners and awarding qualification
7. Measure individual attainment and Provide feedback to learners
8. Plan learning and make future choices
9. To improve learners learning
10. To improve facilitators facilitation
11. To assist improvement across education
12. Monitor and maintain standards
13. Provide information for further education

STEPS IN THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS

1. Get to know the units

2. Plan the assessment

3. Select the instruments of assessment

4. Collect the evidence

5. Judge the evidence

6. Achievement of the unit 

Detailed Process

The assessment process consists of generating and collecting evidence of a learner’s performance and judging that evidence against defined criteria (occupational standards). The learner and the assessor have a joint responsibility for generating and collecting the evidence, and it is then the responsibility of the assessor to judge the learner’s competence on the basis of the evidence.

The assessment process includes a variety of approaches. These approaches involve observation, product evaluation and questioning. All methods of assessment fall under one or more of these categories:

•  ‘Observation’ means observing the learner while he or she is carrying out the activities (whether real or simulated) defined in the outcome.
• ‘Product evaluation’ means looking at something a learner has made or done after the activity has been completed.

‘Questioning’ means asking the learner questions which can be answered either verbally or in writing.

INTERNAL VERIFICATION

The process of ensuring that assessment judgments are made consistently to meet the standard established. It is also a process used by the learning environment staff to verify internal assessment decisions.

EXTERNAL VERIFICATION

The process of ensuring that standards for assessment and quality assurance are being maintained and that the learning environment has carried out the assessment in line with the requirement of the unit specifications.