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Following the Australian Government's comprehensive restructuring of vocational qualifications using competency based training, competency assessment has become a central focus of the 1990s. This paper offers a review of the history of these changes, and an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the reforms. Show less

The changes that have altered the government training policies in Australia in the past decade have been numerous and substantial. While many reports have been influential in the framing of current thinking, implementation can arguably be said to have begun with the formation of the former National Training Board and the introduction of National Competency Standards in 1991. The assumption that underpins this approach is that 'industry' is the best agency to determine training needs. Since 1991 there has been a steep learning curve for all concerned; many employers and some training providers, need additional opportunities to become familiar with the purpose and content of the standards. This study undertook a needs assessment of workplace trainer and assessment programs and standards. The paper reports on findings from a national study that investigated how industry, government bodies and training providers were using and interpreting the two sets of standards for Assessment and Workplace Trainer. The end result of the study was a revision, expansion and combination of the workplace trainer and assessment standards. It informed the development of specialist units that lead to a diploma in training and assessment systems. This research underpins the nationally endorsed Training Package for Assessment and Workplace Training.

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This study investigated the latent structure of vocational assessment decision-making. It also sought to examine how the background characteristics of the assessor (such as age, gender, assessment experience and location) affected the relationship between the constructs proposed as underpinning assessment decision-making. For each of the eight constructs explored, a set of rating scale items were developed to measure the intensity of the assessors' attitudes and beliefs.

The results of both the classical and item response analyses indicated that each of the scales had satisfactory measurement properties. Three alternative measurement models were then tested using structural equation modelling procedures. A two-factor orthogonal solution was determined to be the most appropriate model for explaining the interrelationships among the eight constructs of assessment decision-making. Whilst these two latent factors, referred to as the Process and Psychological domains of assessment decision-making, accounted for the variability in the assessors' attitudes and perceptions of the way in which they made decisions, there was no structural or causal relationship found between these two domains. The ways in which assessors purposefully gathered, synthesised, recorded and reported assessment information within a quality assurance framework was not influenced by a priori expectations of the candidate or by the interpretative framework they applied to process assessment information. The examination of the background characteristics of the assessor revealed important relationships among the constructs and highlighted the evidence-driven nature of the decision making process. The findings had direct implications for theoretical assessment models, as well as policy related issues for competency based assessment and the training of workplace assessors.

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