Assessment activity design

When designing assessment activities, you need to link the elements of the unit standard being assessed, the assessment activity and the assessment schedule.

Elements

identify the outcomes to be achieved. Performance criteria and range statements identify the evidence to be considered.

Assessment activities

assess against the elements.
provide instructions that are clear, complete, easily understood and give the candidate the opportunity to meet the requirements of the unit standard(s).

An assessment schedule

specifies the evidence expected from the candidate for each element being assessed
includes judgement statement(s) which identify the standard to be achieved

Here is one model for an assessment schedule that clearly shows the links between the elements and the evidence required. There are other models that are equally effective.

TASK	ELEMENT	EVIDENCE	JUDGEMENT
		The answers or performance expected from the learner	Defines the standard expected for the task in relation to the element(s) being assessed Can be quantitative and qualitative

A template of this assessment schedule is provided in the following document - view in Word or PDF

Points to consider when designing new assessment tasks

Which element(s) will the assessment activity be based on?
Can assessment against elements from other standards be integrated?
Will the assessment be integrated with the learning programme or normal workplace activity, or will it be a special event?
What underpinning knowledge, skills (including generic skills) and ideas required need to be incorporated into the assessment activity?
What conditions should apply (eg test conditions, assessment completed in candidate's own time, reference to source documents allowed etc)
What degree of student/colleague interaction and assessor assistance is allowable in completing the activity? Is specific direction or only general guidance appropriate?
Will the candidate have the opportunity to produce sufficient evidence - that is, is there enough evidence to make a judgement about competence, and could the performance to the required standard be repeated with consistency?
Does each assessment task validly assess the element/s - that is, does it assess what it should assess (in terms of the standard) and not something else?
Can authenticity be assured - that is, is it the candidate who has produced the evidence, or is outside assistance distorting the assessment?

You may find section 4 of Learning and Assessment: A Guide to Assessment for the National Qualifications Framework helpful. Please note that the computer spreadsheet sample used in this document relates to a now-expired version of that unit standard.

Planning aspects of some computing standards

Many of the generic computing unit standards include processing elements and performance criteria that relate to planning, designing and evaluating tasks and projects that meet the requirements of a brief. These components impact on both assessment activity design and the carrying out of assessment.

Guidelines for the planning process can be found in the following document - view in Word or PDF

Page updated: 17 May 2004