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Taqa Assessor Award Essay

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1.1 Assessment is about judging if, how and what level of learning has taken place. An assessor's function is to decide if a learner has developed skills, knowledge, understanding and competence in a particular field as well as if the learner is showing the attitude required for the application of the learning within that field. Assessing is not the same as evaluating. Rather than the focus being on the programme or course the learner is on (evaluation), the focus is instead on the learner and their development. Assessors need to determine a learner's knowledge and performance against a set of pre-defined criteria. These criteria may be set up to assess learning for an eventual formal qualification in a particular topic or job role. …show more content…

work based practice) or questioning of the learner around relevant topics or learner led activities such as written assignments, work based products (e.g. letters, reports or presentations) or reflective statements. Assessments of these can occur as they go along (formative) or at the end (summative). With all of the activities carried our by the learner (with or without the assessor) the assessor needs to make decisions on the learner's competence in relation to the requirements of the qualification. The assessor should make their judgements of success or not and provide constructive feedback to the learner in a way that best suits the individual. If any further action is necessary for the completion of the qualification criteria (i.e. more training, description of knowledge or other evidence of ability) then a further plan should be agreed to achieve this. All such information discussed and agreed should be recorded appropriately at each stage. At any stage of the assessment process the progress of the learner can be reviewed and plans can be amended, updated or changed in agreement with the learner and according to need. This allows: learners to raise issues relevant to their needs for completion of the qualification; assessors opportunities to amend assessment plans if it becomes necessary; and flexibility if environmental or other factors arise (such as issues relating to any third party involved in the

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