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RTO Validation

May 07
0

RTO Enrolment Guidance

By | Become an RTO, Enrolment for RTOs, Follow the student journey - Enrolment, Follow the student journey for RTOs, How to setup an RTO, How to start an RTO, Register an RTO, RTO Business Planning, RTO Compliance, RTO Consulting, RTO Enrolment Guidance, RTO Info, RTO Internal audits - Enrolment, RTO Registration made easy, RTO setup experts, RTO specialists, RTO Validation, Validation | No Comments
RTO Enrolment

RTO Enrolment – Follow The Student Journey

Following The Student Journey Part 2 – RTO ENROLMENT

Following The Student Journey Blogs will allow you to quality assure your RTO. This is part 2 of a 6 part Blog update.

Last week we looked at Marketing and Recruitment – The first phase in the students journey.

This week we will look at Enrolment – The second phase in the student journey

ENROLMENT

As part of the enrolment process RTOs are responsible for informing and protecting students, protecting pre-paid fees by students, and providing credit for prior studies. It ensures  accurate advice is provided about a course to ensure it meets the needs before enrolment; that the student can understand all details associated with the course, their rights and obligations to make a more informed decision prior to enrolment.

We ask you to consider and ask yourself the following questions:

  1. Does your pre-enrolment information or enrolment agreement include the code, title and currency of the training product the student is or may be enrolled in as set out on training.gov.au?
  2. Does your pre-enrolment information include the expected duration time? (in all modes of delivery)
  3. Does your pre-enrolment information state all training and assessment locations? (all venues and delivery sites)
  4. Does your pre-enrolment information state all the delivery modes (a mix of delivery modes is required to accommodate for differing learner cohorts and experience levels)
  5. Does your pre-enrolment information state all work placement arrangements?
  6. Does your pre-enrolment information include information about any third-party arrangements for the delivery of the training and assessment and the contact details for the third parties. (only required if a 3rd party is utilized – Should you use a 3rd party to deliver your services, a robust 3rd party agreement should be developed and included on all enrolment information).
  7. Does your pre-enrolment information include information about educational and support services available to students: Considerations should include, developing an LLN Checklist/Test, Student Handbook, Support Services Policy, Code of Practice?
  8. Does your pre-enrolment information include information on potential implications for students accessing training subsidies or entitlement programs?
  9. Does your pre-enrolment information clearly state the organisation’s responsibilities to the students, including that the training organisation must; provide quality training and assessment, comply with the Standards for RTOs 2015, issue AQF certification?
  10. Does your pre-enrolment information include information on the rights of students, including; a complaints and appeals process, requiring a Complaints and Appeals Policy, Complaints and Appeals Register, Complaints and Appeals Form, a Complaints & Appeals Flowchart may be developed as an easy overview to educate your proposed staff on the process. Your Code of Practice should include this information, your Complaints & Appeals Policy should be placed on your website.
  11. Inability to deliver services – What happens if your organisation or a third party is unable to deliver the training and assessment? (What is your mechanism to safeguard this option?, what is your proposed RTO policy on your training and service guarantee, should a 3rd party not fulfill the service, the RTO closes or the RTO ownership changes hands?). Develop a Training Guarantee Policy, which should also be addressed, in part, in your Code of Practice
  12. Resources and Work placements – The pre-enrolment information or enrolment agreement includes information on resources and work placements including; anything a student needs to enrol in and complete the training and assessment (such as resources they will need to supply eg PPE, notepads, pens), whether students are required to source their own work placements (make it clear if work placements are required and who is responsible for sourcing, a comprehensive 3rd party/workplace supervisor agreement should be developed if this option is required).
  13. Does your organisation have a process for assessing whether each training product is appropriate for potential students. This includes if the mode of delivery is suitable for the students needs, if the level of the training product is appropriate for the students existing skills and abilities (Basic, intermediate or advanced skill level should be considered).
  14. Fees and refunds should address – all relevant fees a student will need to pay over the term of their enrolment, payment plan options, payment terms and conditions, including deposits and timeframes for payment (an RTO upfront learner fee threshold is $1,500, total fees can be taken but measures need to be in place for protection of fees. Payment plans may be considered as another option in this area).
  15. Refund terms and conditions, including if the student initiates the termination of enrolment, or the RTO is unable to provide the agreed services (Development of a refund policy including under what circumstances substantiate a refund and how administratively this will be affected).
  16. Learners’ rights as consumers including cooling-off periods. (A cooling off clause should be evident in your Learner Rights Policy).
  17. Fee and refund information considerations – What will your refund policy look like, what fees will be paid upfront, what happens on a cancellation of a course, what is the mechanism should a student be unable to complete a course due date, what circumstances will you consider a refund will be granted?
  18. Credit Transfer – who will authenticate AQF certification documentation from another RTO? What information will be presented to learners on this subject and what documents will it be included in? – eg Code of Practice, Enrolment Agreement)

Part 2 complete.

More next week.

Call us now to assist you to Become an RTO on 1300 933 037

We would love to help! www.impactworkforce.com.au

Nov 01
1

RTO Validation

By | Assessment validation, RTO Validation | No Comments
RTO validation

RTO Validation

RTO Validation – Part 1
Whilst we are getting close to the business end of the first validation milestone (50% of all programs on scope by March 2018). We are still finding many RTOs are continuing to struggle with this process. I note that too many RTOs in Australia are non compliant in their assessment activities and instruments. This is a major issue, one we hope validation will fix.
In some cases we are finding RTOs do not even have a policy, validation checklist, identified validators, schedule or plan. Because of this,  over the coming weeks we will provide insights and checklists for you all to view and use.

We start off with the humble Policy & Procedure. Use this as a guide, a start point, to develop your own Policy & Procedure for Validation.

1.Policy Outline

This policy is designed to ensure that the RTO is able to ensure assessment instruments effectively address the requirements of the relevant Training Package (or accredited course) and the associated unit(s) of competency and qualifications on scope. This allows the RTO to ensure assessments are conducted in accordance with the principles of assessment and rules of evidence and identify areas for improvement.
The following procedure will ensure that the validation process occurs in a systematic and consistent manner with appropriate evidence of the validation activities being maintained in accordance with the Standards for RTO’s 2015.
Validation is a quality review process. It involves the checking of the assessment tool produces valid, reliable, sufficient, current and authentic evidence to enable reasonable judgements of competency to be made. The validation processes will review the assessment instruments and related documents to identify if any further changes are required to improve the quality and consistency of assessment outcomes.

2. Procedure and Overview
Assessment instruments for all Units of Competency or Qualifications on scope are to be validated at least once through the life of the associated Training Package or Accredited Course. Validation activities must be undertaken in a systematic manner and all validation activities will be scheduled through the ‘Validation Schedule’ including identifying the units or qualifications that are to be validated at each session.
The RTO Training Manager shall ensure that a ‘Validation Schedule’ is maintained that identifies when it is planned that each Unit of Competency/Qualification included on the RTO’s Scope of Registration is to undertake validation. The Validation Schedule is to be for a period of five years and must ensure that all units are validated over a five year period, with at least 50% of units scheduled for validation in the first three (3) years, and then the remaining 50% of units in the following Two (2) years.

2.1 The Validation Schedule<
The Validation Schedule must include the following details:
• Proposed dates for the validation of each unit
• The documents to be reviewed as part of the validation
• Participants in the validation activity
To ensure regular validation sessions occur, the sessions will be scheduled approximately every 3 months (each quarter) for each industry area the RTO is providing training and assessment services.
This schedule is to be updated annually.

2.2 Validation Process
All validation activities are to be documented using the ‘Validation Checklist’. The validation process of each Unit of Competency/Qulaification is to be documented by completing the ‘Validation Checklist’ which must be submitted to the Training Manager at the conclusion of each validation session. This checklist will ensure the Assessment instruments for an individual Unit of Competency are appropriate and address the Training Package requirements. Where any gaps are identified the required action is to be documented on the checklist.

The validation process is to include a review of:

  • The assessment system being implemented by the RTO
  • The assessment tools and processes for individual units
  • A sample of assessment judgements

The assessment instruments must be reviewed to ensure the assessment instruments:

  • Meet the Standards for RTO’s 2015
  • Meet the requirements of the relevant Training Package and Unit of Competency/Qualification
  • Meet the Principles of Assessment & Rules of Evidence requirements
  • Address and incorporate the Critical Aspects of Assessment and Evidence of the Unit of Competency/Qualification
  • Address and incorporate the Required Skills and Knowledge of the Unit of Competency/Qualification
  • Follow the unit of competency suggested assessment methods
  • Meets the Principles of Assessment
  • Meet the Rules of Assessment
  • Addresses Employability skills
  • Sufficient evidence is collected from the student

The validation sessions are also required to include the reviewing of previously conducted assessments from sample student files the assessments are being used in accordance with the Rules of Evidence. The number of student files to be reviewed must be sufficient to ensure that the result of the review of students’ work is reliable and an accurate reflection of all the assessments in the unit being reviewed.

2.3 Validators
Validation of all units (other than those from the Training and Education Training Package) are to be conducted by person(s) who do not deliver or assess the unit being validated for the RTO. The validator (s) must collectively have:

  •  Vocational competencies and current industry skills relevant to the unit being validated
  •  Current knowledge and skills in vocational teaching, learning and assessment
  •  The Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or the Assessor skills Set (TAESS00001)

The responsibility for determining the validators will be the RTO Training Manager.

2.4 Results, Action, & Recording of Validation Activities

The results and outcomes of the validation activity must be documented using the ‘Validation Checklist’
Where the validation process identifies issues which need attention, measures will be implemented to ensure that all assessments comply with the requirements of accuracy, consistency and fairness. Measures may include:

  • Revision of the assessment system and processes
  • Revision of the assessment tools
  • Revision of marking guides
  • Development of additional assessment tools/tasks
  • Professional development activities for assessors
RTO validation review

Validation

2.5 Amending Relevant Documents
Once the results and outcomes are obtained through the validation activities, relevant RTO documentation may be required to be amended such as:

  • Training & Assessment Strategy
  • Assessment instruments
  • Assessment Resources

This process will be supported by the continuous improvement processes and relevant management and / or staff meetings. The Training Manager shall ensure that all evidence of validation activities are maintained appropriately. This includes Validation Checklists, copies of materials reviewed, and evidence of implementation of identified improvements. Version control will be amended to effect each reported change and amendment.All validation activities are to be recorded and documented using the ‘Validation Checklist’ and the Training Manager shall ensure evidence of all validation activities are collected and reviewed through the RTO meetings and quality assurance systems.

 

Happy validating!