CHAPTER 4 RESEARCH RESULTS
4.7. SECTION 6: LEARNER ASSESSMENT
4.7.5 U MANAGEMENT OF ASSESSMENT U
Part of the ETD quality assurance, is the management of evaluation and assessment. One of the elements in the process is the management of assessment which involves (Van der Spuy et al., 2005:4):
• The preparatory phase for planning and designing of the assessment.
• The learner assessment process:
Demonstrate understanding of outcomes-based assessment;
Prepare for assessments;
Conduct assessments;
Provide feedback on assessment, and
Review assessments.
• Re-assessment procedure.
• Appeal procedure.
• Moderation process.
• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process.
• Withdrawal and suspension process.
4.7.5.1 URe-assessment U
Rules regarding re-assessment are stated in the curriculum and make provision for the following (Van der Spuy et al., 2005:5):
• The minimum competent level or grading that permits the learner to be re- assessed. The actions to be taken when a learner does not achieve the prescribed minimum competence level/grading during a re-assessment.
• The learner, who fails to be present for the scheduled assessment without a valid reason, forfeits this re-assessment opportunity, which implies a not competent result. The validity shall be determined by a moderating committee.
• Re-assessment should take place in the same situation or context and under the same conditions as the initial assessment. The same method and assessment instrument may be used, but the task and the material should be changed. However, re-assessment should be of the same complexity and level as the previous assessments.
• The learning programme, in which the learner has done a re-assessment, is to be indicated as a re-assessment on all official documents (individual and course reports).
• Only one re-assessment per unsuccessful assessment is permitted.
4.7.5.2 USupplementary/Special assessment U
A learner must be allowed to do a supplementary assessment when he or she was unable to undertake a scheduled summative assessment. This assessment is only valid in the following circumstances: personal Illness and serious Illness or death of a close family member. Before being granted a supplementary assessment, the validity of the circumstances must be investigated and authorised. The supplementary assessment date will be set by the ETDP or registered assessor for this specific assessment. Should a learner be unsuccessful during this supplementary assessment he/she shall be entitled to a re-assessment (Van der Spuy et al., 2005:5).
4.7.5.3 URepetition of a learning program U
The career manager and governing body shall decide if and when a learner may repeat a learning program after a learner has been found guilty of dishonesty by a court of law. If a learner is repeatedly unsuccessful in his/her attempts to demonstrate competence, and the provider has given the learner the necessary support, the learner shall no longer have the opportunity to attend the specific learning program. The maximum opportunities for repeating a learning program are stated in the curriculum. The Provider must submit a request to the governing body with the view to get authorization for the exclusion of the learner from further enrolment of the learning program. The provider shall notify the learner’s service or division of the circumstances and recommend alternative ETD or career path for the particular learner (Van der Spuy et al., 2005:5).
4.7.5.4 UAppeal ProcedureU
An appeal procedure ensures that learners may appeal against an assessment decision. The appeal must be towards the assessor who did the assessment, and if unsatisfied, to the internal moderator followed by the external moderator, and in the final instance, to the ETQA. Every Provider shall comply with the prescribed internal DOD ETD appeal procedure, up to the stage where the appeal must be forwarded to the external moderator. For further appeals the Providers must comply with the appeal procedure of the specific ETQA they are accredited with. Providers and learners shall attempt to resolve matters internally before seeking recourse with the relevant ETQA. A Governing Body/s (board structure) will act as the controlling body for ETD related matters of the providers,
within the framework of SAQA regulations prescripts (Van der Spuy et al., 2005:6).
4.7.5.5 UModerationU
Internal moderation of assessment occurs at the Providers and external moderation is the responsibility of the ETQAs. Providers must ensure that specific individuals, who are experienced assessors, manage the internal moderation process. The minimum requirement that internal moderators must comply with is the SAQA ID 115759 “conduct moderation of outcomes-based assessment” or an ETD qualification registered on the NQF, which includes this unit standard. This implies that the individual must have completed the: “conduct outcomes-based assessment” and the “design and develop outcomes-based assessment” unit standard. Moderators must register with the appropriate ETQA of the specific field in which the individual will be moderating (Van der Spuy et al., 2005:6).
4.7.5.6 URecognition of Prior Learning (RPL)U
RPL is defined in the SAQA Act in terms National Standards Bodies (NSB) (Government Gazette, No 18787 of 28 March 1998),: RPL means the comparison of the previous learning and experience of a learner obtained against the learning outcomes required for a specific qualification, and the acceptance for purposes of qualification of that which meets the requirements. The principle of RPL is broadly stated as the giving of credit to what learners already know and can do, regardless of whether this learning was achieved formally or informally.
The process of recognition of prior achievements is about: Identifying what the learner knows and can do and matching the learner’s skill, knowledge and
experience to specific unit standards and the associated criteria, assessing the learner against the standards, crediting the learner for skills, knowledge and experience built up through formal/informal/non-formal learning that occurred in the past.
There is no fundamental difference in the assessment of previously acquired skills and knowledge and the assessment in current learning program. The learner seeking credits still has to comply with all the requirements stated in the unit standard. The only difference is that the learner will not need to go through a formal learning program. Awarding a credential is not dependent on the time spent in a learning program, but on the learner’s readiness to demonstrate competence. A learner that feels ready can present him/herself for assessment and/or submit the necessary evidence as required by the learning outcomes and the assessment criteria, as stated in the registered unit standard. It is furthermore the learner’s responsibility to provide evidence of competence in accordance with the relevant outcomes. Although RPL is a “special assessment”
it must be incorporated in the existing assessment processes (Van der Spuy et al., 2005:6-7) and (Jerling, 1999:219).
4.7.5.7 UWithdrawal, Suspension and Exclusion from a Learning Program U
A learner can be withdrawn/suspended or excluded from a learning program, for the following reasons (Van der Spuy et al., 2005:8):
UReasons for withdrawalU. Learners may be withdrawn from a learning program for the following reasons:
• Humanitarian reasons/Learner’s own request.
• Medical reasons.
• Operational requirements.
• Insufficient attendance on learning program (residential)
UReasons for suspension/exclusionU. Learners may be suspended or excluded from a learning program for the following reasons:
• Below standard achievement/not reaching set outcomes. The following has reference: If a learner is repeatedly unsuccessful in his/her attempts to demonstrate competence, and the provider has given the learner the necessary support, the learner may be suspended from the specific learning program. The fact that a learner did not succeed is not negotiable. The learner may be suspended/excluded from further enrolment, for a specific period determined by the governing body.
• Unacceptable or dishonest behaviour include but is not limited to, the following conduct:
Copying the assignments of previous learners and copied answers from another learner during an assessment:
Possessing and/or use of unauthorised reference material of any nature whatsoever, during an assessment:
Communicating with other learner(s) during an individualised assessment.
Assisting a fellow learner during an assessment by providing him/her with answers to the assessment questions, in any manner whatsoever.
Acting in contravention of instructions regarding the completion of individual tasks, in circumstances where such contravention amounts to dishonesty, as determined by the ETDP, assessment rules, for example.
• Unacceptable or improper behaviour or misconduct includes but is not limited to the following conduct:
Absences without official leave (AWOL).
Under the influence of alcohol or narcotic drugs.
Aggressive behaviour, intimidation, assault or damage to property.
Use of foul language or insubordination.
Scandalous behaviour or conduct unbecoming DOD personnel.
4.7.6 UCONCLUSION
Assessment should be conducted in accordance with an assessment plan. It is a participatory approach and the assessor is there to help the learner to produce evidence that proves that he/she is competent. Proper records should be kept.
This forms part of quality assurance. Feedback should be provided to the learner regarding his/her competence level. The learner has the right to be re-assessed or to appeal against the assessment result.