Is your RTO’s Training and Assessment at Risk of Non-Compliance?

Here is a quick checklist of the main areas ASQA identifies as risky for non-compliance within RTOs:

Assessment Validation

1. Demonstration of practical skills is not thoroughly assessed

Having an assessment strategy whereby practical skills are not assessed through a demonstration of learning but more through a written or verbal recognition of their skills. A great example is CPR, where a student will be asked to recall the steps to perform CPR without a requirement for them to actually perform CPR.

2. Inadequate criteria for assessment

Providing clear guidelines for what constitutes a satisfactory performance and how a task should ideally be completed is crucial to compliance.

Assessment forms should be clear and concise so that it is easier to determine whether a student has performed satisfactorily.

3. Inadequate Instructions for assessor and learner on assessment tasks

Instructions for assessment are not aligned with the RTO’s delivery strategy. For example, if you intend to deliver the activities in a classroom setting for learners of all ages and backgrounds with varying degrees of literacy levels, then it is imperative that your assessment tools include instructions on how to facilitate this. Alternatively, if learning will happen outside the classroom at their own pace, then detailed instructions are necessary so they can do assessments themselves.

4. Ineffective mapping

Assessment mapping is the process of comparing each part of a unit to an assessment's ability to collect evidence across that whole unit of competency.

Whilst not an exact Standard requirement, it is a great way to show compliance within training packages. Ineffective Mapping generally includes: - Not mapping all of the relevant elements, for instance, only mapping performance criteria and not mapping knowledge and performance evidence

- Over-mapping

- Ineffective mapping (not including adequate mapping across the whole assessment criteria. Effective mapping should include a map of all instructions, and it should also map out tools and guidelines for student performance and assessment outcomes.)

5. Ineffectual third-party reporting

1. Unqualified third-party observers conducting the assessments

2. Lack of advice on who can carry out the third-party observation

3. ineffective third-party reports

4. Insufficient instructions provided by the third party

If you think you could have any of the above assessment issues, we would advise you to start fixing them immediately. We can conduct an assessment validation to help you find out. Don’t wait for an audit to identify non-compliance with your assessments; get it sorted today. Get in touch on 1300 833 424 or email info@rtointelligence.com.au