Fair & Consistent Assessment of Learners

Assessment of Learners:

In the majority of cases, the tutor is responsible for assessing learner evidence. This means that in addition to teaching/delivering a programme, the tutor will also be responsible for assessing, marking, and grading the learner's evidence.

Staff, Tutor & Learner Information Guides

• GNC Learner Information Guide

• College-Learner Agreement

• Certification Process

Learner Information Website

Security of Assessment-Related Processes and Material

This policy refers to briefs/examination papers and marking schemes and will be managed by the Programme coordinator.

• A bank of exams for each module and a minimum of three (3) Briefs per assessment will be digitally held and maintained by the programme coordinator.

• The above documents will be kept digitally and secured using recognised security protocols.

• The required number of Briefs or Assessments per class will be downloaded and rotated regularly from the Module Assessment Folder.

• An attendance sheet regulates the examinations and matches the number of exam papers handed to the Exam Supervisor.

• The examination sheet is signed by all learners and signed off by the exam supervisor.

• This attendance sheet will be stored digitally for Twelve (12) months post-exam.

Learner Portfolio

The learner's portfolios are returned and signed in by the learner and a staff member for learner assessment.

• All portfolios are stored securely in a designated area in the sales office.

• The tutor collects portfolios and signs them out, witnessed by a staff member, into the Tutor Portfolio collection log.

• The tutor returns the portfolios within the agreed time frame, and the tutor and a member of staff re-sign them. They are then locked away in the designated area before entry into the QBS system or the PHECC RI Faculty Management Portal.

• Completed and submitted assessment work will be stored in a secure designated area. Portfolios will be kept until the certification and appeals cycle is completed and securely shredded.

Under Glin National College's Quality Assuring Assessment, learners must acknowledge that the assessment work they presented is their work and is commonly part of the issued brief, which is included with their submitted work.

A Tutor (assessor) may confirm that the assessment evidence is reliable and genuine by the following methods:

• Questioning the learner

• Authorship statement

• Personal statements

These systems are monitored as part of the certification processes, which can be a maximum of six (6) Times per year in the case of QQI certification.

Consistency of Marking Between Assessors

The policy to ensure fairness and consistency of marking is managed by the Academic Standards Quality Officer, supported by Tutors and the QQI coordinators/PHECC Instructors, and is based on the following.

Module Marking Criteria to be made available on Glin National College's Website (these standards are generated as part of the module validation and approval processes and must be in line with QQI module component specifications and PHECC Training & Education Standards appropriately)

Glin National College's Module Briefs include guidelines, which are supported, e.g., by the marking scheme being broken down by questions raised.

Glin National College's learner performance log monitors result in comparisons. The log is currently updated according to the QQI and PHECC certification submission calendar.

Model Answers are provided in the Module Master folder, and they give indicated mark values. Module portfolio feedback shows the reasons for deducted marks.

Glin National College monitors fairness and consistency of marking by using the following three (3) methods.

• Internal Verification, which is based on learner achieved grade sample-based (Unsuccessful, Successful, Pass, Merit or Distinction)

• External Authentication, which is based on learner achieved grade sample-based (Unsuccessful, Successful, Pass, Merit or Distinction)

• Module Learner Performance log is compiled for each submission period by the QQI coordinator and is made available for Internal Verifiers and External Authentications.

Learners' Responsibilities in the Assessment Process

Learners have several responsibilities concerning assessment, which are described below:

1. Unless otherwise approved by Glin National College, learners are expected to attend all teaching days.

2. Learners are expected to actively engage in the assessment activities provided on their programmes and act on feedback provided by their Tutors.

3. Learners must familiarise themselves with the marking schemes, assessment criteria, and learning outcomes against which their work will be assessed.

4. Learners must ensure that they fully understand assessment guidelines and briefs and seek advice and guidance if necessary.

5. Learners are expected to submit legible work for assessment as required.

6. Learners must ensure that they meet all assessment deadlines or that approval for an extension has been granted before the original deadline.

7. Learners must understand what constitutes academic misconduct and plagiarism and ensure they do not commit such offences when preparing for assessment.

Workplace Assessment

Assessment that involves requirements of workplace experience evidence.

Evidence Collection

Assessors are required to collect evidence drawn from a range of sources. The evidence may be collected by the assessor only, the assessor and the candidate, or a third party such as a workplace supervisor or manager. It can be a mix of current and past evidence. The focus should be on gathering quality evidence that is valid, sufficient, current and authentic. The quality evidence is crucial to the assessment process and the judgement made. It is essential to ensure that the evidence requirements of the relevant Training Module are met and monitored in an ongoing way.

Internal Verification

QQI defines internal verification as the process by which the provider’s assessment policies and procedures are checked and monitored on a sampling basis. This would include reviewing and monitoring all aspects of assessment practices, including checking that the provider’s assessment procedures have been applied consistently across assessment activities and verifying the accuracy of assessment results.

Internal verification ensures that students on PHECC-approved courses receive fair and equal support, free from discrimination and administered by unbiased, competent and well-informed faculty members. It also ensures that the standards remain consistent and transparent across the recognised institutions and student population.

External Authentication