Understand_the_Quality_Assurance_of_the_Assessment_Process

Assignment 7 Understand Quality Assurance of the Assessment Process The quality assurance procedure in my own area of practice is set out in the company policy for assessment and internal verification. The purpose of the policy is to ensure that assessment and internal verification procedures are open, fair and free from bias and that there are accurate and detailed recording of assessments and internal verification decisions. Within my role I am involved with all types of assessment including; initial assessments, prior to Initial planning with the learner, summative assessments during training for qualifications and observations and summative assessments when marking exams and assignments and assessment of evidence. It also includes keeping auditable records on the learner’s progress and assessments, which can be accessed by internal and external verifiers. I attend regular team meetings to standardise my own practice together with standardisation of assessment judgements. It is important to standardise assessor judgements in order to ensure that all assessors consistently make valid decisions and that all learners are assessed fairly. The meetings also ensure that I am updated on information from the awarding organisations and external verifier reports. I also have input and support from the internal verifier. The internal verifier is responsible for the quality assurance of all awarding organisation’s accredited qualifications undertaken by the company. He also manages the assessment so that it consistently meets national standards and works within the quality systems of the company. The IV monitors and supports the work of assessors to assure high standards and implements procedures that ensure all assessors interpret the national standards in the same way. He also ensures that the outcome of internal verification is used to enhance future practice across all learner processes including teaching, learning and assessment. Assessment practice is also monitored by the IV and this is checked with the learner to confirm that they are aware of and satisfied with the assessment process. The monitoring includes observations of assessors to ensure that the assessors adhere to the National standards of Assessment& Codes of Practice and it includes liaising with the learner to confirm that their assessment needs are being met. It is also the responsibility of the IV to check that the learner understands the assessment process and is aware of their right to unit certification and that the learner understands the appeals procedure. The final person involved in the quality assurance of the assessment process is the external verifier who has a clear commitment to ensuring and improving quality. The role of the external verifier is to verify centre assessment decisions and ensure that centres assess learner performance in accordance with national standards and evidence requirements. It is essential that the recording of assessment decisions is accurate and is maintained and managed effectively in line with quality assurance and complies with aspects of the data protection act. Such records may be examined should any learner disagree with a decision that has been made regarding them. The company has an assessment and test appeals process which includes the regulations set out by awarding bodies. This is included in the learner portfolio and can be referred to at any time by the learner should they wish to appeal against an assessment decision. The Quality Assurance procedure within the company is very efficient and all assessment decisions are recorded and moderated by the internal verifier usually within a week of the completion by the learner. The IV samples 10% of the portfolios and the results are discussed with the assessor together with any comments to improve future practice. All information is then recorded in a weekly database which is sent to the lead IV, IQA and management data systems. -2- The company carries out regular audits of learner files and assessments of portfolios on a regular basis to ensure that all procedures are being followed correctly and that quality assurance is being upheld. Processes for appeals are also extremely thorough to make sure that any learner that does not agree with a decision that has been made regarding them has every opportunity to appeal against that decision. There could be several stages of appeal if any learner continues to dispute decisions that are made and the appeals process is totally comprehensive to include an appeals panel that is small and constituted to be certain it is objective and independent. It may also, in some cases, involve inviting another experienced assessor or verifier to sit on the panel. Standardisation meetings are held fairly regularly but this I feel is the one area that is not totally effective. The meetings are usually held regionally and therefore I think the standardisation is not effective on a national basis. I believe these should be held more often and the outcomes of these regional meetings should be recorded and shared with other regions to be certain that all regions are sharing good practice with each other.