NVQ Web - Health and Social Care

Most NVQ assessors work in a busy and hectic environment where time is a precious resource.

For this reason it is essential that NVQ assessment planning must be ‘lean and mean' and make best use of time. This 'Assessing Skills' article reflects on how we can use assessment planning to ensure that our NVQ assessment is indeed time efficient.

Why is efficient assessment planning so important

Compared with other forms of education NVQ Assessment is expensive. Much of this expense is in the one to one contact between an assessor and candidate and in the replacement costs of staff 'off-the-floor'. As they say, "time is money" and efficient assessment can make a significant difference to the cost of NVQ.

The working environment that we work in is often busy and unpredictable. There are many conflicting priorites that cannot be ignored. We cannot for example close the shop for staff training! This pressure on time, combined with bureacratic demands from NVQ programmes have been associated in the past with poor achievement and progression in NVQs.

On the other hand where planning is efficient then more time can be spent on support and assessment activities resulting in better quality assessment, and more rapid progression. These factors will contribute to increased candidate satisfaction and motivation.

The need for efficiency is not an optional extra. In fact it is written into the A1 Assessor Award.

* A1: 1. Performance criteria d) - “Identify appropriate and cost-effective opportunities for assessing performance.”

* A1. Knowledge specification 3) - “how to collect evidence that is cost effective and timely”

Examples of inefficient assessment planning

However, during this assessment planning process, how much of a priority is the use of candidate's and our own time? The following scenarios show different examples of assessment planning that may not be time efficient.

• Assessor A asks the candidate to start each NVQ unit off by collecting two witness testimonies. This happens before the observations take place. By the time the unit is completed many performance criteria have been covered 4 or 5 times.

In my experience writing a statement in a way that covers an entire work activity is quite difficult and time consuming for many candidates. In addition many of the criteria covered are more effectively assessed through observation. Even if there is a good reason for planning for witness testimony, then at least wait until the observations are completed and then target the testimonies to fill gaps or check for reliablity rather than cover whole elements

• Assessor B agrees to carry out three observations to cover each single unit. Across the award there are about 25 individual observations.

This is an example of a unitised approach to assessment planning. The alternative is to plan observation around 'evidence rich' activities where it is possible to collect evidence across many units at once. This is sometimes called holistic or 'activity based' assessmen

• All candidates regardless of experience and prior training are asked to complete the same underpinning knowledge assignment for a Health and Safety unit. Existing certificates of prior training are not looked at until later on in the programme. When these are finally referenced they duplicate much of the work done by many candidates in the first assignment.

Each candidate will have a different level of existing competency and may often be able to evidence this through evidence of prior learning and development. By basing your assessment plan on an individual assessment of each candidate, it is possible to avoid repeating work and better assess individual development needs.

Key points for efficient assessment planning

The following key points illustrate some of the different strategies that will support more efficient assessment planning.

• Plan around the persons actual work activies, aiming to assess across the whole award rather than individual units or criteria.
• Plan to cover most routine and predictable performance critiera through several holistic or activity based observations.
• Always carry out a benefit/effort analysis when planning an assessment. For example is it worth using a research project to cover a couple of criteria when a simple question might provide the same evidence?
• Use personal and witness statements to fill small gaps rather than to cover whole elements or units. These are much easier and quicker to write and assess.
• Assess product of work live in the workplace rather than expecting the candidate to photocopy and present as 'evidence'. This can be very effectively combined with 'walk and talk' or professional discussion methods of assessment.
• Plan around the individual needs of each candidate.
• The starting point for assessment planning should be to consider existing evidence before planning for new assessment. For example from accreditation of prior learning and achievement or from previous assessment.

To see what this might look like in practice open the attached file below (PDF file). This shows an example of an assessment plan that reflects the principles outlined in these key points.

In conclusion

Effective use of your candidate and your own time is not the only consideration when assessment planning. However it is certainly an area that if prioritised can make a significant different to the effectiveness of your practice and the achievement of candidates.