Information Handouts The Criteria for Assessor Judgements
I. Safe Assessment methods are safe when they result in good quality evidence which is fair, valid and reliable. The assessor knows evidence is safe when it covers all requirements to be assessed and meets all other criteria now listed.
Handout 1.10 - Criteria for Assessor Judgements
At the stage of making judgements about the candidate's evidence, the assessor uses the same criteria to decide whether evidence: • is acceptable • meets all relevant requirements of units and elements being assessed • proves consistent and current competence • is authentic
2. Fair Anyone examining the evidence provided will be able to make a judgement that the assessor used assessment methods to provide that evidence which were fair. The evidence has arisen from natural performance in a real workplace and the candidate has not been required to provide anything over and above what is necessary.
3. Valid Evidence for a vocational qualification must be valid for that qualification, ie assist in proving the candidate's competence. For example, if a company has a health and safety policy and the candidate provides this in a portfolio of evidence, it is not valid, i.e. it is superfluous to requirements. What the assessor needs to confirm competence is evidence of operating to the requirements of this policy. Evidence of dealing with clients in a simulated classroom environment would not be valid as that situation would not reflect the constraints of a working environment.
4. Reliable Evidence is reliable when it is of such a quality and quantity that any assessor assessing that evidence would make the same decision about it.
5. Current Evidence must confirm that the candidate is currently competent in today's work environment with its current technology and work practices.
6. Authentic Evidence is authentic when it can be seen to be the work of the candidate in a real work environment.
7. Sufficient When judging a candidate's evidence, the assessor makes a decision about whether or not the candidate has provided sufficient evidence to: • cover all requirements of those parts of the qualification being assessed • predict that a similar level of competence is used on an every-day basis. The assessor will only ever see 'photographs in time' about a candidate’s competence and has to make a judgement about wether or not there is enough evidence in place to confirm consistency of competence over a period of time.
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