Principles of on-job assessment for industry training

A consortium of New Zealand industry training organisations (ITOs) - ServiceIQ, BCITO, Primary ITO, The Skills Organisation, and Competenz - undertook an evidence-based review of assessment practices in industry training to identify models of 'good practice'. The research found that the workplace provides an authentic context for learning and as such provides a genuine context for assessing the progress, skills, knowledge and competencies of trainees. It provides opportunities for on-job assessment that are fair, valid, feasible to undertake and not overly onerous for trainees, employers...  [+] Show more

A consortium of New Zealand industry training organisations (ITOs) - ServiceIQ, BCITO, Primary ITO, The Skills Organisation, and Competenz - undertook an evidence-based review of assessment practices in industry training to identify models of 'good practice'. The research found that the workplace provides an authentic context for learning and as such provides a genuine context for assessing the progress, skills, knowledge and competencies of trainees. It provides opportunities for on-job assessment that are fair, valid, feasible to undertake and not overly onerous for trainees, employers or ITOs. Also, that on-job assessment provides opportunities for trainees to demonstrate and/or gather evidence about what they have done and then present this in a way that attests to their ongoing learning, progress and competence.

A further key finding was that there is no single model for 'on-job' assessment. Rather ITOs adapt a principles-based approach to suit the needs of their trainees, employers and industries. These principles highlight the need for those in the assessment process to know what is happening, what is required of them, and how to do it. The four principles of assessment are as follows: (1) ITOs and workplaces have a clear purpose for assessment and work together; (2) ITOs' assessment structures and systems support learning, skill acquisition and qualification completion; (3) good assessment requires appropriately recruited, trained and professionally developed people; and (4) moderation contributes to the validity and reliability of assessment decisions. Finally, assessment for qualifications is a technical process that needs to be robust and quality assured. However, on-job assessment is a collaborative process whereby ITOs guide and support all those involved with the process - trainees, employers and their own staff - so that the assessment process is manageable and fair, the assessment activities are authentic and valid, and the assessment activities and moderation processes produce reliable results.

Edited excerpts from publisher's website.