Case study in ‘assessment benchmarking’: implementing Information Technology Training Package ICA99 [in] TAFE NSW

This paper is a case study report on the ‘assessment benchmarking’ activities conducted by the Information Technology [IT], Arts and Media Division, in conjunction with teachers, Heads of Faculties, and DET [Department of Education and Training] support units (e.g. VEAC [Vocational Education and Assessment Centre]), in TAFE NSW colleges in respect to the implementation of the Information Technology Training Package (ICA99). The delivery of IT VET [vocational education and training] in TAFE NSW, and of assessment in particular, is carried out against a background of a: diversity of ‘learning and assessment pathways’ leading to a TP [training package] qualification; geographical (metro/country) spread of IT provision; wide diversity and large numbers of students and teachers involved in the process; communication and support infrastructure (policy, systems, people, etc.). Against this background, this paper highlights the issues that are at the core of ‘assessment benchmarking’, documents the process, and illustrates practices with specific examples. As a result, we have found that implementing AQTF [Australian Qualifications Training Framework] ‘assessment benchmarking’ in IT courses in TAFE NSW has led to the development of ‘TAFE NSW state wide’ approaches, practices and solutions, which are presented in this paper, but has also raised other interesting questions and posed new challenges for the future.