03/12/2009

As well as transforming how learning is being designed and delivered, advances in technology are driving significant changes in how the Australian vocational education and training (VET) system is assessing learners and recognising competency.

Reliable, fair and flexible assessment that demonstrates competence against industry standards is the cornerstone of a strong VET system^[1]. The Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) 2007 supports this by promoting standards that ensure assessment is aligned with well-established principles and rules of evidence.

According to the 2009 national E-learning Benchmarking Survey, 62% of teachers and 46% of registered training organisations (RTOs) are using online assessment activities.

However, the challenge of designing quality assessment in a digital age can result in uncertainty around processes, practices, quality assurance, and initial and ongoing training for assessors and auditors.

University of Queensland Professor Victor Callan, together with Berwyn Clayton from Victoria University, is conducting a national research project to examine what can be done to promote greater confidence in the validity of e-assessment in the Australian VET system.

Funded and supported by the national training system’s e-learning strategy, the Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework), this research will explore the views of expert practitioners, assessors and auditors on establishing practical recommendations for e-assessment processes that require auditing under the AQTF.

The research is based on the premise that quality online assessment requires practical information and guidelines around:

• creating better methods to ensure e-assessment yields evidence that is relevant, valid and authentic
• expanding learning and assessment options to include self assessment, peer assessment and group/collaborative assessment
• monitoring and measuring online interactions and contributions between learners and between learners and teachers
• supporting learners in gathering evidence that demonstrates authentic learner performance on tasks.

Professor Callan suggests that current uncertainty around e-assessment has resulted from an attempt to fit existing traditional assessment methods into a new training agenda that requires more on-the-job and flexible training.
“Flexible delivery has become a key priority to meet the changing skill needs of industry, but with that is the need for greater flexibility in assessment principles and new approaches for assessing and recognising learner competence,” Professor Callan said.

“The key challenge for e-learning and e-assessment is to ensure that this flexibility does not impact negatively upon quality.”  

Professor Callan will work with Berwyn Clayton to conduct widespread consultation with a range of VET stakeholders in late 2009 and early 2010.

If you can assist with this research project, or would like to suggest a particular individual or organisation for consultation, please contact Professor Victor Callan by phone: (07) 3365 9009, or by email: v.callan [at]business.uq.edu.au (Replace at with @ to use the email address above.)

Innovative e-assessment tools and technologies

According to the National Audit and Registration Agency’s (NARA) Julie Northridge, there are many new assessment tools and technologies that can help address the challenges of e-assessment including the importance of valid and authentic assessment, rules of evidence and quality assurance.

“Some RTOs are providing online learners with webcams and are using Skype to verify the learner’s identity for assessment,” Ms Northridge said.

“The days when auditors only looked at paper-based evidence are gone. Today, desk audits often involve the review of soft-copy files, websites and intranet systems.”

The QTImPlayer is one example of good practice in e-assessment. Developed by Tasmanian Polytechnic with funding and support from the Framework, the QTImPlayer can operate on any hand-held mobile device with Microsoft Windows Mobile software.

It allows teachers and trainers to download AQTF-compliant assessment tools to a device, assess learners in a practical, hands-on environment, upload the results, and collect and store electronic evidence such as photos, video and audio. This evidence can be emailed back into the organisation’s IT systems and can be easily accessed by an auditor.

Professor Callan also points to the e-portfolio as an example of an innovative tool that is helping to meet the assessment needs of a new training environment. He says that the new training agenda’s demand for more RPL (recognition of prior learning) and on-the-job assessment has led to an increase in the uptake of new approaches like e-portfolios, which streamline evidence gathering and validation.

For further information about the auditing and assessment research project, please contact the Framework’s Benchmarking and Research Business Manager, Annie Fergusson, by phone: (08) 8348 4071, or email: annie.fergusson [at] sa.gov.au (Replace at with @ to use the email address above.)

[1] Callan, V. & Clayton, B. (2009) A project examining and promoting a greater understanding by both auditors and practitioners of the issues in relation to e-learning assessment (e-assessment)

 http://2009.edayz.org/mod/resource/view.php?id=155

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