The purpose of competency based assessment is to confirm that an individual can apply knowledge, skills and perform tasks to the standard expected in the workplace, and as expressed in the relevant competency standards.
Competence need to focus on:
- Expectations – What can you expect from a person at this level?
- Application – Can the person apply the skills?
- Outcomes – What will be the outcomes?
- Variable conditions – What range of contexts can the skills and knowledge be applied?
- Range of transference – Can the skills and knowledge be transferred to new situations?
These directly relate to the four dimensions of competency required for any one person to be considered successful in their working environment.
Assessment strategies should provide for a range of meaningful assessment activities within a context of work performance. Assessment strategies must:
- Be valid, reliable, fair and flexible
- Include the Dimensions of competency
- Ensure that sufficient evidence is collected to make a sound judgment of competency
When you develop assessment strategies that are based within the workplace you will find the Dimensions of competency will happen naturally.
It is only when you start looking at simulated assessments that you need to include ways to ensure the Dimensions of competency are met.
The assessment strategies selected for a course should complement each other, rather than require unnecessary duplication of work by the learner. Where learning has occurred in the workplace, consider what evidence is available to demonstrate competence, in preference to applying additional assessment tasks.
Once you have reviewed all the evidence then you are ready to make a judgement of competency.