Planning and preparing for work-based assessments is essential to making them a success. This article contains practical tips you can use when planning and undertaking assessments.
Work-based Learners are assessed to determine whether they have sufficient skills and knowledge to be deemed competent against industry or occupational standards.
The assessor’s role is to use a variety of methods to make an informed and fair decision on the formal outcome of the learner’s journey.
Work-based assessments should take place continuously over a longer period of time, rather than a one-off exam style practical assessment.
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It is important to plan these assessments to ensure both the learner and the assessor have clear expectations of the learning process:
1. Always have a clear plan for assessment
Clear planning of learning and assessment is really important. You will undertake assessment at different times in the learner’s journey, these include:
- Initial assessment
- Ongoing/continuous assessment (Formative assessment)
- Final assessment (Summative assessment)
Firstly, find out what documentation you need to use to plan your assessments. It is really important that the learner is clear about what will happen at the assessment/tutoring session so using the correct documentation will enable you (and your organisation) be able to track the assessment process.
From the beginning, use the learner’s Individual Learning Plan to record any initial assessment outcomes and how these will impact on the assessments that will take place. Every learner’s starting point will be different. This is why planning for assessment will be different for every learner. Make sure your learner is fully involved in the initial assessment and planning learning process so that they feel a part of it, not like it is being done to them!
Some things to consider in initial assessment are literacy, numeracy and digital skills; using a skill scan to assess knowledge and skill levels against their occupational or industry standards; find out about their work patterns and of course whether they have any additional learning or support needs.
Have an open discussion with the learner (and the employer) to manage expectations and to ascertain whether they have any naturally occurring work projects or customer requests coming up soon, which will help you plan your delivery.
It’s vital that you include the learner and their employer in the planning process, to ensure that training and assessment can fit alongside their existing work. This also reduces pressure (for the learner) and considers the needs of the business during the learning and assessment process. It also makes all parties feel a part of the learning process.
The Individual Learning Plan will be a working document throughout the learning programme. Use it to reflect back on targets and goals with your learners at review meetings.
Plan for formative assessment to check how the learner is progressing against the standards. Questioning and observation are great methods for this, as you can find out from talking with them or watching them as to the level of their knowledge and skills. This will allow you to identify any knowledge and skills gaps and provide additional reading, research, practice or job shadowing to help them develop.
Finally, when carrying out summative (or final) assessment, ensure the learner knows exactly what standards they are working towards. It really helps if the learner has clear expectations. Ensure they know what is expected of them at the assessment, how this will take place – by observation, questioning, assignments, professional discussion and when it will happen. Give clear target dates and ensure the employer is also aware of the plan.
2. Understand what you’re assessing against
It should go without saying that you – the assessor – need to know exactly what standards you’re assessing against. However, in some circumstances this isn’t always clear, especially when assessing ‘softer’ skills.
For example, if your task is to determine whether someone is “competent”, what does “competent” look like?
In most cases, you will be assessing against industry or Awarding Organisation standards. It is your job to know these standards inside out, and we mean inside out. As a workplace assessor evaluating someone else’s skills and knowledge, in order to give a fair assessment to learners, you must be extremely clear on what you’re expecting them to do.
One of the first things you should so is to read through your standards thoroughly and write down ideas as to what you could look for from your learner in order to demonstrate they have the knowledge or skills required in the standard.
If you are unsure of the standard required in your qualification, ask your Internal Quality Assurer for help.
Don’t forget to look for holistic assessment opportunities where elements can fit into multiple units. See our holistic assessment mapping document to help you in this process.
Know your verbs! Explain, Identify, or Describe?
Occupational standards use a range of verbs that set out the requirements for demonstration of the learner’s knowledge.
It’s very important for you, as the assessor, to have a solid understanding of how much knowledge and narrative is required from the learner to meet each one of the verbs and at different levels.
So, for example, if the criteria says to “Explain the organisational requirements for appropriate clothing”, your learner must be able to tell you accurately and succinctly in a well-structured explanation, rather than a bulleted list.
The one verb that catches a lot of assessors out is ‘evaluate’. Most answers will be given as an explanation rather than an evaluation. For example, if the question is to ‘evaluate your organisation’s health and safety provision’, you would expect the learner to look at different points of view such as the strengths of the provision and the areas for improvement. Remember, evaluations should always have a reasoned conclusion based on the argument given.
Don’t forget – you may also need to fact check the contents of the answer as well to ensure the learner is accurate. Workplaces may have their own specific policies for their staff in addition to industry standards.
3. Use varying methods of assessment
One size does not fit all when assessing someone’s skills and knowledge. There are often lots of different factors that demonstrate someone’s knowledge of a topic.
Let’s use a driving test as an example. Let’s consider the ways in which the examiner assesses our ability to drive the vehicle:
- General observation – The driving examiner is constantly observing your actions. They’re looking for specific actions, checking whether you’re paying attention to changing traffic conditions and abiding by the Highway Code. They are observing how well you’re applying all of that knowledge and learning to the current situation.
- Questions and answers – you need to demonstrate your knowledge of driving theory and The Highway Code. You’re asked a multitude of questions about road signs and markings, situational analysis and risk perception.
Depending on the nature of the assessment, using more than one assessment method can give you a clearer picture of the individual’s knowledge and skills. One method alone is not always enough for a thorough assessment.
A driving theory test alone cannot prove that someone is a good driver. Conversely, a racetrack driver could prove themselves as an excellent driver in practice, but they may know nothing about the Highway Code, or road traffic markings.
See also: 8 Qualities of an effective trainer
4. Set SMART Goals
You must remember to make your targets as clear as possible so that your learner knows exactly what to do once you have gone. You must agree these targets with the learner so they are fully included in the goal-setting process. These goals do ‘belong’ to the learner after all!
SMART goals are:
- S – Specific (What exactly are you trying to achieve?)
- M = Measurable (How will you know when you’ve successfully achieved it?)
- A = Achievable or Attainable (Is it possible to achieve this goal?)
- R = Relevant (Is this aligned to your long-term objectives?)
- T = Time-based (When do you want to achieve this by? Set a date and time)
You should have these goals written down, writing down goals and saying them out loud helps make them more meaningful and memorable.
We have devised a short online course that will help you get on the right track when setting goals and targets:
How to become a Qualified Workplace Assessor
You can become a qualified workplace assessor with our Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (sometimes referred to as TAQA , CAVA or Assessor Award)
During the course, you will develop your knowledge of the role and responsibilities of an assessor. This includes:
- your legal responsibilities
- planning
- assessment methods
- giving feedback
- coaching & reflection
You will have the opportunity to gather evidence of planning and carrying out assessment and providing feedback to these learners. Our learners are fully supported and assessed by our Learning Advisor throughout the session.
