Learning Outcome 1: Understand the principles and requirements of assessment
1.1. Explain the functions of assessment in learning and development
The elements of evaluating is to begin with the starting appraisal, this is the place Assessor recognize on the off chance that they have any past experience or information that is important to the capability that they will be evaluated on and discover their individual learning style and what backing is required in there learning in light of the fact that everybody retains data in an unexpected way. They can likewise discover this data out from application forms or interviews. The following stage is assessment planning, this will incorporate …show more content…
meeting with learner about the result of the capability and what work they have to do to accomplish this capability, as an assessor we would plan deadlines for their work doled out to be finished.
The next stage is a continuous monitoring (formative assessment). It is a range of formal and informal assessment procedures employed by teachers during the learning process in order to modify teaching and learning activities to improve student attainment. It typically involves qualitative feedback (rather than scores) for both student and teacher that focus on the details of content and performance.
Assessor will be carrying out formative assessment activities to allow both the tutor and the learner to review progress made against the learning plan. Formative assessment is an important part of the learning process and feedback can be provided in both oral and written form for the learner.
Research supports the view that good formative assessment will raise standards. However, currently tutors over focus on the assessment of learning (summative assessment) rather than assessment for learning (formative assessment). As a result they miss opportunities to use assessment to improve the learners learning. Informal classroom assessment with constructive feedback to the learner will raise levels of attainment as it informs the learner how to make progress in their own further learning.
The formative assessments aim to see if the students understand the instructions before doing a summative assessment. I believe this would permit the leaner and the assessor to arrange further realizing.
On the other hand, Summative assessment is used to provide information on an intervention's efficacy. It’s the ability to do what it was designed to do. Summative assessment judges the worth, or value, of an intervention to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard.
It is uniformly applied with the object of measuring all teachers on the same criteria to determine the level of their performance. Areas evaluated include classroom climate, instruction, professionalism, and planning and preparation.
Summative assessment is generally carried out at the end of a course or project it can be in form of tests, final exams, projects, etc. These assessments are important because they decide if the student passed or fails the class. Summative assessments are evaluative and they are made to summarize what the students have learned, to know if they understand well. As an assessor, I will have looked into the learner's work that was given already and will give helpful evaluation input on what they have accomplished this time and what they have to accomplish for next time to advance to the following level. Inspecting the general advancement of our learners should be possible at whenever with our learners until they leave the organization, this will issue us the chance to examine with our learner any issues that they have and do they require more backing in finishing the capability. The stages are then rehashed after every unit until the learner has effectively finished the capability; this likewise guarantees the learner has an organized learning calendar all through the capability.
1.2. Define the key concepts and principles of assessment
A principle of assessment comes under one overall principle known as VACSR this means:
• Valid- Decisions must be justified with clear referencing of assessment criteria stated by the examining body.
• Authentic- The work has been produce solely by the learner.
• Current- The work is still relevant at the time of the assessment.
• Sufficient- The work covers all the assessment criteria.
• Reliable- The assessment decisions must be by an assessor with competence in the discipline the work is consistent across all learners, over the time and at the required level.
In between all the above we need to make sure that everyone from learner, assessor, employer and IQA involved in the assessment process and clearly understands what is expected of them. The assessor must be fair about time scales and not over-burden the capacity of learner. Set up what correspondence is required so that exercises that fit the learner's present part, this would make arranging/ choices and input legitimate. Keeping records must be kept up all through the appraisal procedure.
Following the key principles of assessment we can:
• Maintain my Continuing Professional Development (CPD) with knowledge and skills.
• Ensure that I am performing my role as an assessor according to relevant regulation.
• Improve inspiration and self-regard.
• Enable the learner to have something to show for their accomplishments.
• Diagnose any learner requirements for learning necessities.
• Follow the requirements of the company and awarding organizations.
• To engage learners to take control they could call their own learning.
• Ensure that all assessments activities are specific, measureable, achievable and realistic.
1.3. Explain the responsibilities of the assessor
The responsibilities of an assessor are to inspire and motivate the learners and for the assessor to be passionate about the course they are delivering, this would encourage and challenge the learners to learn the subject more effectively. The assessor’s responsibilities are not just to the learners but also to the assessment centre. Please have a look on the responsibilities of the learner and the centre:
• Assessor assesses the learners work against the standards and requirement that are meeting when we do the assessment cycle.
• To question the learner on their knowledge and observing there practical work so that the assessor has a good understanding that they are learning at their individual level.
• To carry out an effective planning, the assessment cycle gets split down in to 5 groups called initial assessment, assessment planning, assessment activity, assessment decision and feedback and review of progress. These groups encourage structured planning is done and meets the individual needs and learning capability.
• Make regular communication with the learner at least once a month to go through what work has been done from the last meeting.
• To give constructive feedback on assessment carried out with the learner to ensure that the learner understands how well they are doing and do they need to improve on some areas.
• Up hold the learners rights with Highfield Awarding Body for Compliance (HABC) for example the appeals procedure and make sure the learner is aware of this.
• Referring the learner to the fitting specialists in the business for extra backing for instance Functional abilities.
• Responsible for maintaining accurate records for example meeting times and dates, progress reviews.
• Responsible for keeping up exact records for instance meeting times and dates, advancement surveys.
• Carry out eight weekly reviews to comply with funding SSA and audit purpose
• Maintain Continuing Professional Development (CPD) by increasing my knowledge and skills to ensure assessment practices and subject knowledge is up to date.
• Making sure that we are always taking part in standardization so we can ensure consistency and fairness of all assessments decision.
• Following company policies and procedures for example data protection, keeping learner information confidential and in a lockable draw or cabinet.
1.4. Identify the regulations and requirements relevant to assessment in own area of practice
The regulations and requirements relevant to assessment are as followed:
Equality act (2010) which provides rights for people not to be discriminated against or harassed. It’s important never to let your own attitudes, values beliefs interfere with the assessment process such as age, disability, gender, race and religion. It's additionally pertinent that the learner is fit for accomplishing the capability and not compelled to sign up because of the assessor needing to hit targets or accomplishing subsidizing prerequisites. On the off chance that you do have a learner that is battling you will need to adjust initiates so they comprehend, you can simply allude to an appraisal wanting to distinguish these needs of the learner. Continuously remain focused positive side to keep you learner inspired, don't ask the learner what they can't do ask them what they can do.
Safeguarding vulnerable group’s act 2006 this act protects individuals and vulnerable people from harm. A Vulnerable grown-up is characterized as any individual matured 18 years or over who is or may, need group consideration benefits by reason of mental or different handicaps, age or ailment and who is or may be not able to deal with him or herself, or not able to secure him or himself against noteworthy damage or misuse.
We have a duty of care and a personal responsibility towards all of my learners and they come under 6 key elements which are:
• Respect- Due regard for the feelings and wishes or rights of others.
• Dignity-The state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect.
• Independence- not subject to another’s authority.
• Individuality- A character of a particular person that distinguishes them from others of the same kind.
• Choice- To give people the right to choose what they want in life.
• Confidentiality- A set of rules to limit access of people information to the public.
There are 4 key processes that should be followed to ensure my learners are which are:
• Assessment of their needs- what knowledge they hold.
• Planning services to meet there needs- Working around the assessment to see what learning style they have and what pace they work at.
• Intervention if necessary when I may have a concern- If the learner is getting bullied by another learner regarding the learning process e.g. calling him or her thick.
• Reviewing the service offered- Does this meet with their needs not make them vulnerable.
If assessor does have any concerns regarding a learner’s safety, he or she would report it to Manager and they shouldn’t get involved with the learner situation.
Health and Safety work act 1974 is a piece of legislation that gives general responsibilities to an assessor the company and the learner. Please see responsibilities below:
• Provide a safe place of work.
• Ensure the health safety and welfare of the people at work or those who may be affected by their actions or lack of actions of those at work.
• Provide sufficient information, instruction, training and supervision to support the health and safety of all who may be affected by work activities.
• Taking Care of their own safety at work.
• Taking care of the safety of others
• Reporting identified hazards to the employer.
• Co-operating with employer.
This is relevant to when doing an assessment in different areas that assessors need to carry out a risk assessment and also carry a formal record must be kept just in case of any incidents.
The assessment policy on Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) helps learners demonstrate that they can meet the evaluation prerequisites for a unit through learning, comprehension or abilities they as of now have thus not have to grow through a course of learning.
RPL is one of numerous evaluation routines proper to evaluating work based learning and remains the part of assessors and quality certification staff to guarantee that proof is valid, adequate and dependable this confirmation can originate from diverse parts of the learners experience, for example, group and willful exercises and helps learners to accumulate proof that they have already learnt yet has never got formal a training.
The RPL procedure ought to be done as a whole procedure of the learners program and as an assessor I must guarantee that every learning result and evaluation criteria being asserted are secured and that records of appraisal are kept up in the typical way.
Quality Assurance Requirements document includes the relevant requirements that apply to all centers working with the Highfield Awarding Body for Compliance (HABC), these are:
• General Conditions of Recognition (September 2013)
• Regulatory Arrangements for the Qualifications and Credit Framework (2008)
• SQA Accreditation Regulatory Principles (2011)
• NVQ Code of Practice (2006)
This archive advances quality, consistency, precision and reasonableness in the honoring of every one of our capabilities. To accomplish this we must embrace and actualize the standards in the record over the majority of your capability. Such as;
• Code of conduct - Highfield Awarding Body for Compliance (HABC) is committed to a set of values, adhere to the values in all of their dealings with centers, and work hard to achieve a great service. They expect assessors to be proficient in every communication and take after the set of accepted rules to empower them to do their exercises straightforwardly and sincerely likewise to give auspicious confirmation that will empower them to report genuinely, reasonably and precisely on centre’s evaluation.
• Data Requirements- Assessors need to gather and hold a scope of exact, progressive and significant data, and give it when the Quality confirmation requests it. They must set up and keep up solid, auditable quality certification frameworks for archiving and recording evaluation choices. They must keep satisfactory records to track learner advance and take into account the autonomous confirmation of affirmation cases.
• Monitoring and evaluation- The quality assurance has a range of monitoring and evaluation activities to evaluate and monitor the quality, consistency and integrity of centers and check that each centre continues to meet requirements.
Assessors must screen and keep up the quality, consistency and honesty of appraisal practice and choices inside of the centre and between satellite sites.
They must guarantee an institutionalized way to deal with quality certification rehearse, under a solitary quality confirmation framework that is archived, audit frequently and follow up on the discoveries of those audits. They must make every single sensible move to ensure the enthusiasm of the learner or learners, if there should be an occurrence of withdrawal of qualification. They must provide any relevant regulator with access to premises, people and records relating to learner assessment, achievement and internal quality assurance.
Supporting Customer Excellence is a bolster bundle that can be customized to fit any particular circumstance and needs and also empowering assessors to meet administrative prerequisites. It is intended to help us accomplish business destinations and guarantee reliable quality.
The assessor's part is to evaluate learner execution and related information in a scope of assignments to guarantee that the pragmatic learning and showings meets the prerequisites of the benchmarks of the project. As an assessor, we should in this way have experience and a capability in the well being and social consideration field to convey the capability to the learner.
Assessors will be obliged to keep up their skill by undertaking nonstop expert improvement. Assessors must hold a set of skills as endorsed and indicated by the administrative powers inside of the obliged timescale of initiating their part. Assessors not holding the proper skills should dependably have their evaluation choices checked and countersigned by a qualified Assessor. Assessors are in charge of making themselves frequently accessible to learners. They have to ensure that each learner is aware of his/her responsibility in the collection and presentation of evidence by following assessment guidance provided by Highfield Awarding Body for Compliance (HABC) and the centre.
Learning Outcome 2: Understand different types of assessment method
2.1 Compare the strengths and limitations of a range of assessment methods with reference to the needs of individual learners
Observation
Strengths: It allows a chance to analyze the student’s communication and professional team-skills rating their understanding verbally, physically in a professional context. Video recording can be done which would then provide a chance for the student to evaluate the work for developmental purposes whilst providing the Assessor with an opportunity to capture engagement with the learner in questioning throughout a set task. Learners can make a mistake enabling them to realize their errors. It will help them to assess several aspects of a qualification at the same time.
Limitations: The appropriateness of video recording evidence must of course be suitable for the setting.
Timing must be arranged to suit each learner and the client, Communication with others e.g. employers must take place. Questions need to be asked to authenticate the learners understanding of the services been carried out. The learners may put on an act in front of the assessor which isn’t how the learner may normally perform.
Witness testimony
Strengths: Witness testimony is a precious way of capturing facts of learners engaged in practical tasks and can be evidenced with video of the learner using skills and reflecting on their practice. This needs to be coupled with written, witness authentication cross-referenced with the criteria the activity is addressing. The witness can confirm competence or achievements for situations which might not regularly occur or when the assessor cannot be present.
Limitations: It is the amount of work needed to prove the learners understanding. The assessor must confirm the suitability and authenticity of any statements. The witness may not fully understand the content of the learner’s statements.
Questions
Strengths: It is a quick way to verify on learning and make sure a learner is occupied and content with the objective being developed. It can be multiple choices, short or essay type questions, can be verbal or written, can challenge or promote a learner’s potential. A question bank can be devised so that the same questions can be used on several learners. Assessors can test critical arguments or thinking and reasoning skills, oral questions suit some learners more than others.
Limitations: Elements of questioning that can worry learners so a differentiated approach is essential, Closed questions only give a yes or no answer. If the same questions are given to all learners, they could share the answers. Expected answers or grading criteria need to be formed beforehand to ensure consistency in marking. Questions may be required to be rephrased if learners are struggling with the understanding and answering the question.
Simulation
Strengths: It can provide invaluable practice of work place situations that the learner will need to learn in a safe and patient environment before progressing to a real work place scenario. It is more useful when it is not possible to carry out a task for real.
Limitations: Learners having a limited inauthentic experience of the full realistic scenario they are being trained for and may therefore not take the situation as seriously. It only enables an assessment of a hypothetical situation, and is not usually accepted as evidence.
Learning outcome 3: Understand how to plan assessment
3.1 Summarize key factors to consider when planning assessment
A sequence of planning for every assessment is as follows:
• Review the assessment criteria
• Make sure the learner is ready to be assessed
• Book the room and equipment if necessary
• Make sure everyone affected is informed of the assessment
• Think about what the learner should do to meet the criteria
• Agree with the learner what is going to be assessed and how
• Make sure the learner is OK to go ahead with the assessment on the day
3.2 Evaluate the benefits of using a holistic approach to assessment
Holistic assessment is efficient and cost effective. It can be made up of different assessment methods but can gather information on a range of areas from one assessment activity, e.g. an observation.
Assessors need to be exceptionally acquainted with the appraisal criteria so errands can be recognized and other criteria met all in the meantime. This can likewise be a decent method for evaluating if different occasions happen amid, for instance, a perception, when other appraisal criteria can be additionally met. The benefits of using a holistic approach in an assessment would be that it can be used by learners outside of the classroom and in some cases it is often difficult when planning to include into an assessment but regularly occurs without realizing.
This type of holistic assessment also allows the qualification to develop naturally, with criteria being met sometimes without the learner being aware that they have met them. 3.3 Explain how to plan a holistic approach to assessment
When planning for a holistic assessment it is important for an assessor to have an understanding of the range of units covered during the course this helps to plan the order of units to work through, this is often related back to scheme of work and it is important learners know what they are doing each week as they need to have clients’ to come in for treatments.
All learners work at different paces so it is important everybody is at a level which is comfortable for them; as an assessor by knowing the range of units and what needs to be signed off if a learner has the opportunity to complete part of a unit earlier than expected they can be signed off as a summative assessment it helps with their progress and running of their course.
3.4 Summarize the types of risks that may be involved in assessment in own area of responsibility
Risks during assessment of ICT PRO could include-
• Over assessment - asking for too much verification
• Health and safety implications - within the workplace, such as trailing wires, lack of compliance with the DSE regulations, and by causing too much stress to the learner by not fully preparing them for assessment.
• Unfair bias both for or against the learner.
• Risk of plagiarism by the student.
• Demands to say that the learner has achieved when they have not.
• Being pressured to rush an assessment, perhaps by an employer.
• There is also a risk that learners could see sensitive information which they are not authorized to see.
• Tutor competence in an ever-changing market
• Learner using unknown software
3.5 Explain how to minimize risks through the planning process
• Make sure the learner is aware of what is being assessed and why, and plan for different methods of assessment
• Carry out a health and safety assessment of the workplace ensuring the employer’s liability insurance is up to date. Make sure that learners understand why they are being assessed, e.g. because they have shown that they can meet the arranged criteria through knowledge and skills practice.
• Make sure that equality and diversity legislation is being adhered to so that no learner is treated any differently to another and, therefore, being disadvantaged or favored by the assessor.
• Make sure that the consequences of plagiarism are stated clearly to the learner at the beginning of the course. It may result in the learner being withdrawn from the program. Checking for plagiarism could be achieved by searching for phrases the learner has used in Google or by using preparatory software.
• Knowing the assessment criteria and remember that quality is more important than quantity
• Keeping tutor CPD up to date
Learning outcome 4: Understand how to involve learners and others in assessment
4.1 Explain the importance of involving the learner and others in the assessment process
It can be persuading to the learner to be incorporated in the appraisal process as they have had information into target setting.
They may have done some self-appraisal and it issues them an awareness of other's expectations in their own particular learning and evaluation process. Furthermore the learner will get to be acquainted with the evaluation criteria and how appraisal choices are made, subsequently empowering them to meet the obliged standard to accomplish.
By including others in evaluation the learner can profit by a more prominent scope of experience and comprehension. Other individuals included in appraisal could be their work associates, line administrators or authority staff.
Expert witnesses can be an important part of the assessment process. As an expert, by definition, is highly skilled in the area being assessed, they are best placed to make assessment decisions or to guide the learner to use best practice, for
example.
4.2 Summarize types of information that should be made available to learners and others involved in the assessment process
Explain why these types of information are necessary:
Documentation including the standard to be accomplished and the appraisal criteria used to meet these measures. They ought to additionally have admittance to their appraisal arrangement, giving particular criteria against which they will be evaluated. Documentation is essential for both the learner and the assessor as it is a composed record of the prerequisites of the course and how these criteria can be met when the learner is evaluated.
Approaches, including the offers process if the learner is not content with a choice that has been made amid appraisal. Methods, for example, when they ought to land for the appraisal, where it will be held, how they will be surveyed and so forth, which will calm a percentage of the anxiety that numerous learners grope prompting evaluation.
Aptitudes investigation results demonstrate the learner crevices in their insight and abilities and where their primary endeavors ought to be centered. This is a valuable apparatus for both the learner and assessor in arranging learning and evaluation later on.
Other documentation may incorporate learner prerequisites, for instance on the off chance that they have to get ready anything ahead of time, in the event that they have any particular needs, what structure will the evaluation action take and what confirmation will be needed. They will likewise have the capacity to see the appraisal choice. This will permit the learner and assessor to be completely arranged in front of the evaluation movement.
4.3 Explain how peer and self-assessment can be used effectively to promote learner involvement and personal responsibility in the assessment of learning
It builds up learner's scientific abilities. Peer appraisal permits learners to assume responsibility for evaluating others' conflict with set criteria and permits them to better comprehend the particulars and evaluation criteria. It can likewise go about as a motivational instrument.
Peer and self-appraisal permits the learner to ponder their execution or answers, maybe contrasting their methodology with their companions, spurring and urging them to take in more profoundly and have a more profound seeing as opposed to simply taking in the realities. Self-appraisal by the learner permits them to recognize where their work has met criteria and, if not, how their work could be moved forward.
4.4 Explain how assessment can be adapted to meet the needs of individual learners
There are various routes in which evaluation can be adapted to meet individual learners’ needs. Case in point, additional time thought can be put set up for movement laborers or for learners with learning troubles. Those with visual or hearing impairment can also be given additional time. A few learners think that it troublesome, or need certainty, in composing assignments so a more noteworthy utilization of master witnesses can be utilized to demonstrate their skill. More noteworthy thought can be made of favored learning styles, for instance for a kinesthetic learner it would be more invaluable for them to physically demonstrate that they can meet criteria, while a sound-related learner may like to discuss how they accomplish a criteria. Visual learners could deliver a presentation or an orderly manual for meet criteria. By fluctuating the appraisal techniques, for instance oral and composed inquiries, assignments, ventures, witness confirmation, learners have the most chance to giving quality proof to meet evaluation criteria.
Learning Outcome 5: Understand how to make assessment decisions
5.1 Explain how to judge whether evidence is:
Sufficiency: In order to judge whether facts is adequate it must meet the requirements set out by the awarding body. By setting the right questions to check appreciative and proficiency and having a professional discussion with the learner which adds substance to their proof will ensure that their answers are as robust as possible.
Authenticity: In order to ensure that the assessment is the candidate’s own work, they are requested that sign a report to affirm this. This is regularly a prerequisite of the granting body yet association likewise has an in-house record. If it is found that the work was finished by another person or that the work was copied, the applicant will probably be withdrawn from the course. Moreover, an inquiry and answer session could be held so that the learner discloses verbally to the assessor what is implied by a specific answer t