5. Checking and Confirming Assessment Results

Quality Assuring Assessment

Guidelines for Internal Verifiers

Draft V1.1 Table of Contents

1. Context

2. Purpose

3. Internal verification process

4. Verifying assessment procedures

5. Checking and confirming assessment results

6. Exemptions for other certification

7. Completing the internal verification report

8. Sampling

9. FETAC web candidate entry system

10. Appendices Appendix 1 Provider Assessment Process: Overview Appendix 2 Internal Verification Report Template

11. Glossary of Terms

12. Useful Links 1. Context FETAC published its policy on Quality Assuring Assessment in March 2006 see (www.fetac.ie/assessment/default.htm). This policy provides a framework for the quality assurance of assessment, in line with the requirements of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999.

In May 2007, FETAC published guidelines for providers to assist in the development of policies and procedures for the fair and consistent assessment of learners, see www.fetac.ie/assessmentguidelines/default.htm.

Registered providers responsibilities in relation to assessment are to put in place the following: (See flow chart in appendix 1) . an Assessment Process . an Authentication Process . a Results Approval Process . an Appeals Process.

These requirements apply to all registered providers from July 2008.

Internal verification is the process by which the provider’s assessment policies and procedures are checked by the provider itself.

The role of the internal verifier is central to the integrity of the provider’s process for quality assuring assessment.

It is the provider’s responsibility to assign an internal verifier(s) and manage the internal verification process. The way the provider organises it own internal verification process and assigns the internal verifier(s) will reflect their own context whilst ensuring consistency with FETAC guidelines.

The provider’s process for internal verification will identify the individuals/staff responsible within the centre for carrying out the activity and how the process is to be implemented.

2. Purpose These guidelines will assist the internal verifier in carrying out their role within the context of the provider’s own quality assured assessment, internal verification and authentication processes.

In addition to this document, the internal verifier will also need to be familiar with the following FETAC documentation;

. Quality Assuring Assessment Policy (www.fetac.ie/assessment/default.htm).

. Quality Assuring Assessment – Guidelines for Providers (www.fetac.ie/assessmentguidelines/default.htm)

All FETAC documentation and guidelines can be downloaded from; www.FETAC.ie 3. Internal verification process The internal verification process involves;  verifying that the provider’s assessment procedures have been applied across the range of assessment activities and  confirming assessment results by checking learner evidence exists and marks and grades are recorded accurately

Internal verification of assessment procedures and assessment results takes place on a sampling basis. The sample will be based on the provider’s own sampling strategy appropriate to local context. For further details and guidelines on sampling, please refer to section 4.4 of Quality Assurance Assessment, Guidelines for Providers.

The outcome of the internal verification process is an internal verification report. This report will be available to the external authenticator and results approval panel and will provide an auditable trail for FETAC monitoring.

The internal verifier will need to be familiar with; the provider’s quality assurance agreement and procedures, specifically the procedures within the centre for: . Fair and consistent assessment of learners . Internal verification, . External authentication; and . Results approval processes

The internal verifier will also need to be familiar with: . assessment requirements of the appropriate award standards . agreed assessment arrangements in validated programme(s).

3.1 Role of internal verifier The role of the internal verifier is to: . check adherence to the provider’s quality assured assessment procedures . check results are recorded for all learners being entered for the award . confirm the accuracy of assessment results for a sample of learner evidence . identify and correct any errors . note any irregularities and take corrective action . produce an internal verification report

As part of the provider’s own authentication and results approval processes, the internal verifier may be required to participate in and attend results approval panel meetings as appropriate. 4. Verifying Assessment Procedures The internal verifier will check adherence to the provider’s quality assured assessment procedures; this will be carried out by verifying that:

. the provider’s assessment policies and procedures are implemented across all programmes

. learner evidence matches the assessment requirements of the award standard by confirming assessment techniques used are appropriate

. learner evidence has been generated as agreed within the validated programme

. information on assessment was provided to learners i.e. submission dates, guidelines/briefs, assessment criteria

. appropriate documentation was issued to learners

. appropriate documentation was used to record learner results

The checklist provided in Appendix 2 may assist this process.

5. Checking and confirming assessment results For all learners requesting certification the internal verifier will:

. obtain a provisional results report(s) for the learner group(s) (the FETAC online web entry system may be used to generate this report)

. confirm results are recorded for all learners being entered on the report

. confirm evidence is available for all learner results recorded

If learner results or evidence is missing; corrective action will need to be taken as per internal quality assurance procedures.

On a sample of learners the internal verifier will:

. check marks are totalled and percentage marks calculated correctly

. check marks are transferred correctly from learner evidence to learner marking sheet/record

. check percentage marks and grades allocated are consistent with FETAC grading bands

. note errors and record corrections made

. identify any irregularities, notify appropriate staff and take corrective action if required as per agreed procedures

. complete an internal verification report 6. Exemptions for other Certification . Learners following a programme of learning leading to a FETAC (NCVA) Major Award may be exempted from completing some elements of the programme (eg learning, assessment) if they can show that they have previously achieved those elements via another nationally recognised and valid certification system.

Some exemptions are automatically available (ECDL holders and some Junior/Leaving Certificate holders – see FETAC Guide pages 28 and 36) but others require the exemption-seeker to make an application directly to FETAC.

The outcome of the application is communicated by FETAC to the provider. If successful, the provider, when submitting results to FETAC (for all learners following the same programme as the applicant) indicates which results were ‘attained’ (notionally) via the exemption process.

Where results were attained through an exemption process, the Internal Verifier checks;

. ‘results’ entry procedures are applied correctly and the code assigned by FETAC is appropriately entered in the certification system at time of entry.

. all original documentation relating to the exemption (including FETAC correspondence) is available.

7. Completing the Internal Verification Report The internal verifier will complete an internal verification report confirming the outcome of the internal verification process. The report forms the evidence that the internal verification process has taken place.

A template is provided in appendix 3 for this report or a provider may devise their own template consistent with internal documentation. The report should be signed and made available on request to the following:

. the External Authenticator . Results Approval Panel . FETAC monitoring

8. Sampling This is the mechanism by which the internal verifier will select a sample of learner evidence to enable them to confirm that:

. assessment procedures are adhered to . assessment results are document and recorded as per the provider’s procedures

The sample should provide sufficient evidence, to enable the internal verifier to confirm that assessment procedures have been adhered to for the group of learners for which the centre is requesting Certification.

The sample may be based on; . a sample of evidence from a specific programme or learner group . a sample of evidence from a sample of programmes/learner groups

Process . apply the provider’s sampling strategy . agree what programme(s) or learner group(s) the sample is to be taken from . select the sample of evidence for the sample of learner evidence . verify adherence to assessment procedures (as outlined in section 4 above) . check and confirm learner results (as outlined in section 5 above)

Guidelines on sampling are provided in section 4 (p31) of the FETAC document Quality Assuring Assessment, Guidelines for Providers.

9. FETAC Web Candidate Entry The FETAC web candidate entry system is the system which is used by providers to enter final approved results for learners to request Certification from FETAC.

The system may also be used by providers to record and enter learner results and to generate results reports to facilitate the authentication and results approval processes.

Provisional results can be entered for learners and the following reports can be generated from the online web entry system to facilitate the internal verification process.

The following reports are available; results report by;

. individual learner . minor award or learner group . major award

These reports may assist the internal verifier in carrying out their role. Appendix 1 Providers’ Assessment Process Overview: 5 Key Stages

1. Assessment

. establish and implement assessment policies, processes and procedures . devise assessment instruments, marking schemes and assessment criteria . assess and judge learner evidence . record outcome

2. Authentication Process

a) Internal verification - verify that all assessment procedures have been applied - monitor the outcome of the Assessment Process i.e. the assessment results on a sample basis b) External authentication - assign an external authenticator per award based on broad award/field of learning expertise - external authenticator to moderate assessment results by sampling learner evidence according to the providers own sampling strategy

3. Results Approval . establish a Results Approval Panel . approve and sign-off assessment results . make results available to learners

4. Appeals Process . establish an Appeals Process . allow a minimum of 14 days for learners to lodge an appeal of the assessment process or result . process all appeals

5. Request for Certification . submit all learner results to FETAC . when doing so, flag results under appeal Appendix 2

Internal Verification Report (Template)

This template is provided as a tool for providers. A provider may however devise their own internal verification report. They must ensure the process outline for internal verification is adhered to and verified in the report.

Registered Provider/Centre Name:

Registered Number:

Named award(s) and codes (Include Major and Minor awards) . Named award(s) for which results are being internally verified . (sampled) .

Date of internal verification:

Internal verifier(s): (names and 1. Name: Signature: signatures of staff member(s) carrying out the internal verification) 2. Name: Signature:

3. Name: Signature: Assessment processes and procedures Verification of adherence to provider’s assessment procedures. Commentary should be provided as appropriate.

Basis on which sample of learner evidence was selected (i.e. Identify learner groups and total learner population being sampled and sample size selected) Assessment procedures Comment as appropriate (If ‘No’ – identify issues arising and corrective action taken)

I (we) confirm that the assessment procedures as agreed through this provider’s quality assurance have been applied across all assessment activities for this award.

Tick as appropriate

Internal verifier(s)

Name: …………………………………………………………………………………………....

Signature: ………………………………..………Date:…………………………………………… Internal verification Monitoring assessment results

Total number of learners for whom evidence were sampled:……….……. Number of learners in the sample:...... Appendix 10 Glossary of Terms1

. l e n n s

l i i s

Please complete for b t d e d . b ? y t r

a l d d n n l e t a d a o i e l

e e i e l i a c t each named e c r a

? d t b a e a m r e v p s y r n r v r a l r a e i a o t e l e e

award/group of a r r r i o c

u w s e n e p e ? c u r e n q a e

i r s p n

r q o learner results t r r n i n g d n a s p t e n

e n h r e a e

c e h e s e c t d a

t d verified l i c r

C b e n t d m a , v

n t e r w

e n A s e u e s

e n t t t r g e r T k t t e i d n m e e i r l a s n c d c E e u e v i a p e n f n e n c l F i h e f m

a m a l o m s u l m s h

e d d t o s s s a e d i r k

c r s v t e e r e o

s w l I a e l s

a c o h d s f t s s a c e

n H m t a s a r a n s a i o I a l t W Comments/action points (if ‘No’ please identify Named award title Yes NO Yes No Ye No Ye No issues/make recommendations) s

Award that which is conferred granted or given by an awarding body and which records that a learner has acquired a standard of knowledge, skill or competence

Award Standards standards of knowledge, skill or competence that must be demonstrated by the learner for achievement of the award

Corrective Action refers to an action taken/implemented by the provider to correct/deal with any errors, omissions or deliberate acts by staff or learners which may impact on the validity of the assessment process.

Learner Evidence material produced by the learner to demonstrate achievement of the standards for the award

Programme a learning experience designed and offered by a provider; within the state, based on predetermined national standards and leading to a FETAC award

1 For a detailed Glossary of Terms, please refer to Appendix 4 Quality Assurance in Further Education & Training – Policy and Guidelines v1.2 Provisional Results this refers to learner results which have not yet been authenticated or finally approved through the results approval process.

Quality Assurance The system(s) put in place by a provider to maintain and improve the quality of its programme(s) 9. Useful Links www.fetac.ie -to download award specifications (module descriptors) www.fetac.ie/qa/.default.htm www.fetac.ie/assessment/default.htm www.fetac.ie/assessmentguidelines/default.htm www.fetac.ie/validation/default.htm www.sfe.ie