Assessment can be a challenging and scary time for some. In order to allay some of your fears Spectrum Training have compiled this handy Assessment Q&A for your reference. If your question isn’t answered below please contact us or discuss your question or concern with your course facilitator.
Program FAQ’s
All accredited training has compulsory assessment. The types of assessment will vary from course to course however you will need to complete more than one type of assessment for each course that you undertake with Spectrum Training.
There are numerous types of assessment and Spectrum Training ensure that a broad range of assessment methods are assessed for inclusion into each training program. When designing a training program Spectrum Training work with industry representatives, subject matter experts and course facilitators in order to ensure that the most relevant and effective types of assessment are used. Some examples of types of assessment are:
- Verbal questioning
- Written responses
- Essays and reports
- Direct observation
- Third party reports
- Formal and informal testing
- Portfolios
- Audio/video recordings
No one fails a competency-based assessment at Spectrum Training, you’re either competent or not yet competent. If you receive a grade of NC, or competency not achieved, you will be given the opportunity to resubmit your assessment task again. Generally, you can resubmit your assessment task as many times as needed in order to receive a grade of C, or competent, but in some cases there may be funding and fee restrictions on how many times you can resubmit your assessment.
In all cases your assessment is provided to your course facilitator. Your course facilitator will advise you of how and when to submit assessment. If you are studying a web-based training program you will submit your assessment via Spectrum Training’s training portal The Training Room.
We understand that there are a variety of file size limitations when emailing attachments. If you are unable to submit your assessment via email, and this is the method you have been asked to send it, please speak with your course facilitator or get in touch via our contact form.
In almost all cases your assessor is your course facilitator. In some cases Spectrum Training will utilise the services of a subject matter expert in order to make accurate assessment judgements, and in the case of complex assessments Spectrum Training use an assessment panel to ensure accurate and consistent judgements are made. When you receive your assessment back you will be notified of whom was involved in making the assessment decisions.
Depending upon the types of assessment submitted you will receive your grade between five and twenty business days from submission. In most cases you will receive your grade in five business days. In cases of complex assessment, assessment of multiple units at once, and recognition of prior learning (RPL) your assessment may take longer to process. If you have concerns about the time it has taken to receive your assessment results please discuss this with your course facilitator.
Of course you can. The appeals process is outlined in the student handbook and is also outlined here.
If you are a trainee it is very important that your employer provides you with enough time to complete your training and assessment tasks. If you are experiencing difficulty in this area please contact us or your Australian Apprenticeship Centre.