Learning and assessment strategies

engaging enterprises/industry in developing and validating learning and assessment strategies

Developing learning and assessment strategies in your RTO

You're on your way if...

Helpful advice in the How to Kit

References in the Resource Guide

DELIVERY AND ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES Standard 9.1 a

Plan program procedures including resources and timetable

Develop training plans

Ensure strategies are developed for every qualification and course

Develop these strategies as part of your normal planning

Discuss learning and assessment strategies in your pitch to clients

Put learning and assessment strategies on the agenda for community meetings Derive learning strategies from a needs analysis

1. Learning and assessment strategies

Sample delivery and assessment strategy, pages 6 and 7

Chapters 1 and 3 Figures 3,4,5 & 6  Appendices 4,5 & 7

CONSULTATION WITH ENTERPRISES/INDUSTRY Standard 9.1 b

Talk about practical placements with employers and use the opportunity to talk about learning and assessment strategies

Talk to employers about training plans and get their sign-off on the plans

Use people for teaching and assessment who are working in the industry and learn from them

Seek quality feedback from employers to show you are meeting their needs

Contract to enterprises so engagement is integral to your business

Work with community organisations because they are enterprises too

Conduct internal audits at least every year

2. Consulting with enterprises/industry 

Ideas for engaging enterprises p.12

Key industry stakeholders p.13

Chapters 2 and 4 Figures 1,2 & 8 Appendices 1,2,3 & 6

DOCUMENTATION OF STRATEGIES Standard 9.1 d

Keep relevant documentation and know where they're kept

Make documented training plans accessible

Locate a broad range of evidence on your network

Use information already gathered in quality surveys

Keep organised records of assessment strategies used

Keep minutes from your meetings and know where they're kept

Keep records of assessment processes 

Delivery and assessment strategies record template 

Evidence of consultation template p.15

Validation approaches and validation activities template p.19

Appendices 5, 6, 7, 8-1, 8-2 & 9

VALIDATING ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES Standard 9.2

Learn from what works in the competency assessment process

Regularly monitor progress against training plans

Each year, check the adequacy of your evidence gathering tools

Ensure sufficient evidence is available to make judgements about competency

Review approaches before, during and/or after assessments

Use networks to compare assessment approaches

Benchmark assessment strategies with other learning organisations

Suggested approaches for validating components of the assessment strategy p.19

Description of validation approaches p.21

Chapter 5 Figures 9,10, 11 & 12 Appendices 8-1, 8-2, 9

Developing quality learning and assessment strategies 
When deciding how you will develop, document and review learning and assessment strategies, consider how these processes and records will fit with your systems for quality training and assessment. Be sure to consider other Standards for RTOs that are relevant to Standard 9. The processes in place for generating evidence against one Standard may be useful for another. Check the examples below.

Standard 1  Systems for quality training and assessment

Standard 9  Learning and assessment strategies

1.1 The RTO must keep written policies and procedures for ensuring quality training and assessment consistent with its scope of registration and scale of operations.

9.1a The RTO must develop and implement strategies for training delivery and assessment for each Training Package qualification and accredited course within the RTO's scope of registration.

9.1d The RTO must document the strategies referred to in Standard 9.1a on application for registration and on extension of scope.

1.4a The RTO must conduct an internal audit of its compliance with these Standards and the policies and procedures mentioned in Standard 1.1a at least annually.

9.2 The RTO must validate its assessment strategies by:
i reviewing, comparing and evaluating the assessment processes, tools and evidence contributing to judgements made by a range of assessors against the same competency standards, at least annually and
ii documenting any action taken to improve the quality and consistency
of assessment.

1.8 The RTO must document and implement procedures to:
i identify and manage risks concerned with compliance with the Standards for Registered Training Organisations and
ii correct and prevent any failure to comply with the Standards for Registered Training Organisations and the RTO's quality system, policies and procedures.

9 The RTO identifies, negotiates, plans and implements appropriate learning and assessment strategies to meet the needs of each if its clients.

1.9a The RTO must collect and analyse stakeholder and client feedback and satisfaction data on the services it provides and 
b the RTO must use the information mentioned in Standard 1.9a to review its policies and procedures.

9.1 b The assessment strategies identified in 9.1 a must be developed in consultation with enterprises / industry.

1.10 The RTO must develop and implement written procedures
relating to:
i acting on opportunities for improvement identified by any means and 
ii continuous improvement of its systems.

9.2 The RTO must validate its assessment strategies by:
i reviewing, comparing and evaluating the assessment processes, tools and evidence contributing to judgements made by a range of assessors against the same competency standards, at least annually and
ii documenting any action taken to improve the quality and consistency
of assessment.