Developing and using Training and Assessment Strategies

A Training and Assessment Strategy (TAS) is a crucial document that outlines the RTO’s approach to delivering and assessing a particular course and helps the RTO to plan and manage training and assessment practices and resources.

The Standards for RTOs define TASs and practices as:?” … the approach of, and method adopted by, an RTO with respect to training and assessment designed to enable learners to meet the requirements of the training package or accredited course.”

How Training and Assessment Strategies (TAS) should be implemented?

The initial role of the TAS is to provide a framework for a consistent and comprehensive process to plan and document the design of a new course. Completing a TAS for each course helps RTOs to methodically design the course considering all critical aspects including the needs of the learners’ target group, interpreting competency requirements, setting course duration, defining delivery and assessment methods, and analysing required resources facilities and trainers.

Going through this initial planning exercise and completing this process in collaboration with industry and community stakeholders, gives the RTO the best chance to prepare a training product that will respond to needs of learners and industry. Documenting the outcomes of this process in a TAS provides further guidance for the RTO’s training and assessment practices.

When the course is implemented, the second role of a TAS is guidance and support for RTO staff throughout the whole student’s journey.

The course outcomes and identified workplace and educational pathways help course advisors to provide information to potential learners about the course and help them to align their own expectations and needs with the right course. Accurate information about course duration and delivery modes helps potential learners to make an informed decision and better understand their commitments with the RTO.

Entry requirements established in the TAS provides a framework for RTO enrolment staff to perform due diligence during the admission/enrolment process, to ensure only those learners for whom the course was created are accepted into the course.

Intelligence gathered during the industry and community engagement activities provides guidelines to set the best possible learning environment, including implementing simulated environments or the use of work placements.

Training duration, methods and schedules, provides a guide for RTO staff to plan, monitor, and document training practices, ensure consistency across the RTO, set quality expectations and determine accountabilities. Similarly, assessment methods and validation arrangements will guide implementing assessments that will support the AQF certification outcomes.

An effective TAS provides not only guidance for RTO staff, but also quality benchmarks to monitor training and assessment practices.

Why is it so difficult, tedious and time consuming?

Trainers, managers, CEOs often complain about the regulatory requirement to have a TAS.

Some complaints are about the level of difficulty of such a technical job, and we must start acknowledging the competencies required to plan the design of a competency-based course. RTOs must have internal capabilities to complete this job including skills to design learning programs that meet industry expectations and provide meaningful learning experiences; interpret training packages; design assessments including RPL; use a variety of technologies. Qualified trainers must be involved in this job. Sometimes compliance managers or other non-academic staff are required to create a TAS, but they may not necessarily hold the required skills to do it.

What are some of the tools we use in the workplace to support staff to complete their job? Systems, procedures, work instructions, templates. We will ensure relevant systems and tools are available to your RTO staff for the processes of designing, documenting, implementing, monitoring, and improving training and assessment practices.

Complaints about the tediousness of writing strategies often refer to some degree of repetitiveness of some steps, which sometimes is misinterpreted as duplication of information. We must have a TAS for a training product and in some cases the difference in two courses, based on the same qualification, may only be in the duration, the delivery mode, or some elective units; and an important part of the strategy may be similar. It is important for RTOs’ efficiencies that strategy are planned at different levels, and some RTOs can and should have adaptable strategies with pre-established modules and variations that staff can use to meet the needs of a specific learner cohort.

Yes, I agree it is a time-consuming process. Planning takes time, considering all aspects that affect the quality of training takes time, but you know what they say about failing to plan? Planning takes time, considering all aspects that affect the quality of training takes time, but you know what they say about failing to plan? Don’t forget, this is a teamwork, the workload must be shared by trainers, managers, and other stakeholders that will participate in the development or acquisition of resources, organising training logistics, recruiting students, and monitoring compliance. At any stage of the training cycle, whether you are designing the initial TAS, or updating a TAS based on feedback and evaluation data, this is always a teamwork. To organise this teamwork, RTOs need to establish and communicate not only the workflow arrangements and timeframes, but also every stakeholder’s responsibility.

The TAS is a live document.

The instructional design cycle is dynamic, continuous improvement is part of our DNA, your strategies and practices will evolve and adapt, and so should your documented TAS. Use a suitable version control system to document and track improvements and changes.

The compliance bit.

Having a TAS per course is not optional for RTOs; it is a regulatory requirement, Standard 1, clauses 1.1 – 1.4. According to ASQA, RTOs most frequent non-compliance is Standard 1. ASQA finds that: RTOs’ training and assessment strategies do not provide an accurate or sufficiently detailed framework for delivery and assessment; training and assessment strategies are not adapted to meet the needs of the various target groups; and RTOs’ delivery and assessment practices do not align with their TAS.

Some of the core elements included in a TAS:

• Qualification/Training Product: The TAS starts by identifying the specific qualification, course, or skill set, including the relevant code and title from the training package or accredited course.
• Target Group: The TAS should identify the target learner cohort(s), detailing any industry-specific needs, learner backgrounds, prerequisites, and any assumed industry knowledge or experience.
• Delivery Modes: This section describes how the training will be delivered. Common methods include face-to-face learning, online learning, work-based learning, distance, or a blend of these.
• Duration and Amount of Training: The TAS outlines the expected duration of the training and details regarding the amount of training provided, which is based on the existing skills and knowledge of the learners’ cohort.
• Trainers and Assessors: Information about the trainers and assessors' qualifications, experience and competence is included to ensure they meet regulatory and training package requirements.
• Assessment Methods: The strategy describes the assessment methods and tools used to determine if a learner has achieved the required skills and knowledge. This includes the timing of assessments, types of evidence to be collected and how assessments will be conducted, e.g. written tasks, observations, projects, etc.
• Resources: The TAS details the physical and material resources required for delivery and assessment, ensuring they meet industry standards. This could include specific equipment, facilities, or learning materials.
• Industry and Community Engagement: It is essential for RTOs to detail how they consulted with industry stakeholders to validate the strategy's relevance and applicability to industry needs and expectations. This ensures training and assessments are aligned with current industry practices and technologies.
• Pathways and Outcomes: The potential pathways for learners who undertake the training, such as further educational opportunities or job outcomes, are typically outlined.