International Life Saving Federation

Overview

Definitions:

For the purposes of ILS and this Guideline, the following definitions apply.

Assessment means the process of collecting evidence of learners work to measure and make judgements about the achievement or non-achievement of specified skill and/or competence.

Assessment resources may be a profile of acceptable performance measures, templates/proformas, specific questions or activities, evidence/observation checklists, candidate self-assessment materials, or the procedures, information and instructions for the skill assessor and/or candidate.

Skill Assessor means someone who is appropriately qualified and registered to measure the achievement of a person’s specified skill and/or competence.

Examination means the act of giving candidates a test to determine what they know or have learned.

Purpose and application

The purpose of assessment is to confirm that an individual can perform to the standards expected in the workplace, as expressed in the competency standards. The key to competency assessment is that it is based on actual skills and knowledge that a person can demonstrate in the workplace or other contexts. A Skill Assessor, someone with considerable experience and/or certification in the area being assessed, reviews the evidence and verifies the person performing the skill.

An assessment process may involve single or multiple candidates being assessed against individual or multiple unit/s of competency in a process that includes a number of assessment events or activities over time.

The minimum competencies shown below are recommended by the International Life Saving Federation for a Skill Assessor.

ILS recognises that many of its Member Organisations may have standards which exceed these minimums, based on the circumstances presented in their own countries.

ILS encourages the highest possible standards in lifesaving, and merely provides the following as recommended minimum competencies.

Minimum recommended competencies

Skill Assessors typically require a minimum of the following four competencies.

• All candidates shall receive training in assessment of competency.
• All candidates shall demonstrate competency.
• Candidates shall have their training recorded and verified by the Instructor.
• Candidates must hold any necessary Licence(s) or Certificate(s) or other requirements/ordinances as applied by local/county/state/province or National authority(s).

Prerequisites

The pre-requisites for course attendance are as follows:

• Minimum age as established by the ILS Member Organisation
• Possess and practice for a minimum of 3 assessments as an understudy or 1 year (whichever comes first) the Certificate of the discipline to be Assessed
• Possess the Instructor Certificate
• Member of the ILS Member Organisation

Learning Outcome1: Plan and organise an assessment

This Learning Outcome addresses the competence of planning the assessment process and making the organisational arrangements which enable assessment to occur.

Assessment Criteria

The candidate is required to:

• Determine the focus of assessment by the purpose and context of the assessment, and through development of the assessment plan using any known benchmarks.
• Prepare the assessment plan with evidence needed to demonstrate competency, and ensuring the relevant assessment resources and people are available with appropriate timelines.
• Review the assessment plan ensuring the competency standards and resources reflect the operating environment, and the assessment plan is current.
• Organise assessment arrangements by identifying materials, physical and human resources, and ensuring assessment recording and reporting processes are in place.

Learning outcome 2: Assess competence of candidates

This Learning Outcome addresses the competence required to conduct competency assessment in accordance with a developed assessment plan through interpreting the collected evidence and making a judgement of competence against the specified competency standards.

Assessment Criteria

The candidate is required to:

• Establish and maintain the assessment environment by confirming all procedures for conducting the assessment with relevant people, including the candidate(s).
• Gather quality evidence by following the assessment plan, by organising and documenting evidence in a suitable format, and by working with the candidate in identifying opportunities to gather evidence.
• Support the candidates in gathering their own evidence by ensuring assessment adjustments are made with the candidate, and by ensuring all occupational health and safety issues are addressed.
• Make the assessment decision by examining and evaluating collected evidence and by delivering clear and constructive feedback to the candidate.
• Record and report the assessment decision promptly and accurately, ensuring all relevant parties are informed of the assessment outcome.
• Review the assessment process in consultation with relevant people to improve and modify future assessment practice, ensuring the review is documented.

Learning outcome 3: Participate in assessment validation

Validation is a process involving skill assessors working in collaboration to review, compare and evaluate their assessment process and their assessment outcomes. Validation may be undertaken prior to and post the assessment of candidates.

Assessment Criteria

The “participating skill assessor” is required to:

• Prepare for assessment ensuring that validation includes confirmation of the purpose, focus, context, documentation and evidence needed to demonstrate competency, with relevant people.
• Contribute to validation process through demonstration of active participation in validation sessions and activities that includes the review, comparison and evaluation of the overall assessment process.
• Contribute to the validation outcomes by collectively discussing and analysing the validation findings and recommendations to improve assessment practice.

Assessment Strategy

These learning outcomes may be assessed using continual assessment during the course or by a formal assessment at the end. The learning outcome assessment may also include an examination.

Skill Retention

It is recognized that the skills and knowledge needed to perform assessment should be retained through regular practice and continuing professional development (CPD) that could include recertification.

Range of Variables

Variables and their scopes:

Location

Assessment training should include both classroom and environmental practice.

Resources

ILS Member Federations will utilise their own materials or those available from other Member Federations or reference materials approved by ILS Education Committee.

Equipment

Assessment resources shall be provided by the ILS Member Organisation or their designated equipment manufacturers and suppliers.