Executive summary

The research for this project was conducted from December 1999 through to November 2000. This project is about the need for strategies to improve the quality of assessment. Much of the research and recommended strategies from this project informed a series of guides developed by the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) to provide assessors with a range of practical tools and resources for improving assessment practices.

In July 2001 the Australian Quality Training Framework focussed on assessment by strengthening the requirements of registered training organisations regarding their assessment processes and systems. The framework absorbed the National Assessment Principles, recognising that assessment must be valid, reliable, fair and flexible. New requirements have been placed on assessors and registered training organisations to achieve these principles.

This research project identified a range of strategies for validating assessment and identified critical areas where strategies are essential to increase assessor confidence. An extensive review of the literature was conducted, revealing that all research recommended the strengthening of quality assurance as a principal strategy for improving the assessment process.

While there is extensive literature on validity, reliability and moderation in educational testing, particularly in the United States, there is limited material on strategies for quality assuring assessment in a competency-based environment. The systems in the United Kingdom and New Zealand offered a range of options that have some applicability to the Australian VET environment.

The review of the literature reveals that Australian information on possible models and working examples is relatively limited. However, eight models have been drawn that have the potential to be used by individual or groups of assessors within a registered training organisation to support improved assessment practice and decision-making (see p.28).