Frequently Asked Questions – Independent Assessors
Assessor scope
Why did some Assessor’s scope reduce when they came across from Tranzqual to MITO?
MITO registered assessors are assessing on behalf of MITO, providing a pathway for
learners to access assessment against unit standards. The unit standards included on
Independent Assessor scope reflects MITO’s preferred pathway for the assessment of
these standards. Access to assessment for those unit standards no longer on an
Independent Assessor scope is via an alternative pathway.
Can all Independent Assessors have their scope confirmed and a copy sent to them?
MITO Independent Assessors were sent a copy of their scopes and individualised
assessment reporting forms (ARF-I) in December 2012. Assessors will be sent their current
scope on each re-registration.
Why are Class 2-5 licences/unit standards recognised on some assessors’ scopes but not
Class 1?
Successfully completing a heavy vehicle course fulfils the NZTA requirements for a heavy
vehicle driver licence. There is no parallel course for a Class 1 licence – you
can
only
become a fully licenced car driver in New Zealand by passing through the three stages of
the graduated driver licensing system, and only NZTA driver licensing agents can carry out
these assessments.
Unit standard 16605: Demonstrate knowledge and skills required for full Class 1 driver
licence was developed for use in qualifications only. In 2010 the decision was made to
expire this standard because it duplicates core driving competencies that are already
recognised in driving qualifications. The last date for assessment against unit standard
16605 was 31 December 2012.
Assessor registration and re-registration
Why do Independent Assessors need to pay the assessor registration fee?
MITO registered Independent Assessors are able to carry out assessment against individual
unit standards and submit the results to MITO. These assessment results are processed by
MITO and submitted to NZQA to record on the official learner transcript records. MITO
becomes the body responsible to NZQA for the assessment results and is responsible for
managing consistency of learner outcomes.
What happens if I do not re-register?
If your registration is not renewed any credits you report to MITO while unregistered will not
be lodged with NZQA. If you are de-registered you must return your assessor stamp to
MITO.
Is the Independent Assessor registration fee going to remain an annual fee?
Yes. The annual re-registration process allows MITO to ensure we hold up to date
information, that each assessor is complying with the terms of registration, and that only
active assessors remain registered.
If an assessor is ‘Workplace’, can the assessor type be changed to ‘Specialist’? This could
be more appropriate if it is not likely that they will assess 20 unit standards per year, but is
likely to assess 20 credits per year.
MITO Workplace Assessors are assessors who conduct assessment for learners who are
employed by the same company as the assessor, and who are signed into a MITO Training
Agreement to train towards a national qualification.
Assessor resources
What is the future cost of assessment resources likely to be?
Revised training and assessment material for the NZ Transport Agency’s (NZTA’s) is now
available. Please refer to the MITO website for pricing.
Assessment material is no longer available via the website as it was with Tranzqual. Is the
material going to be available via the website again in the future?
Assessment material is only available in hard-copy format because originals must be used.
Some Assessors advised that they need to check unit standards for updates prior to the
commencement of courses. They are currently required to do this through MITO and some
Assessors have experienced delays through this method. Are they able to gain access in the
future to this information independently as they did through Tranzqual?
MITO’s order form for resources includes the latest version of assessment material relating
to the current versions of unit standards/assessment standards. This is the easiest way to
check that what you have is current.
Feedback forms used to be included with the assessment schedules supplied with the
Tranzqual material. Can a similar form be provided as a stand alone form to enable
assessors to provide feedback to learners about their assessment decisions and enable the
learner to provide feedback about their training experiences?
Feedback to learners can be given in whatever way the assessor thinks is appropriate. If a
feedback form worked well for you, you may create one for your own use. Any feedback for
MITO can be emailed to mito.assessors@mito.org.nz.
Can assessors be updated via email or another suitable method to advise when assessment
material and/or versions of unit standards/assessment standards are updated/changed?
Yes. MITO will keep all assessors up to date via email. If your email address changes
please let us know.
Can MITO provide AS/NZ Standards and updates to Assessors?
MITO will explore the feasibility of providing these updates to Assessors.
Is it necessary to use the words “cumulative working days” in the learning and assessment
material for 24089. Could a plain English version of this statement be used instead?
MITO does use plain English in resources where possible and this has been reflected in the
revised NZTA material. However, in the material for 24089 ‘cumulative work day’ and
‘cumulative work period’ are used so that the learner can identify work time requirements
prescribed by the Land Transport Act, as per the unit standard requirements. These terms
are described in plain English in the definitions in the revised Study Guide.
Tranzqual provided a destruction document (approving the material destruction) to the
assessor once material was moderated. Can the assessor destroy it once moderation is
completed?
Assessment material should be held for a period of two years in case it is required for
moderation. Moderated material may be destroyed after two years.
Tranzqual used to send out a sheet of commonly found issues at moderation. Will MITO do
this?
Yes, sharing commonly found issues from moderation is a key way we can manage
consistency of learner outcomes.
Will the unit standards which are eligible for RCC be provided in booklet form? They have
been previously with Tranzqual.
MITO is currently working through its strategy for RCC.
Driver licence training
Why are there two methods of obtaining Class 2-5 licences available to the public (courses
through Providers and Independent Assessors versus AA Driver Licensing)?
If a learner is aged 25 or older they can have the time requirement waived by successfully
completing an approved heavy vehicle course. There is still a requirement for the learner to
pass the licence theory test at a driver licensing agent; the approved heavy vehicle course
is an alternative to sitting a full licence practical driving test after holding a learner licence
for at least six months.
How can MITO ensure consistency between delivery of training and assessment of the two
methods of obtaining Class 2-5 licences?
New Zealand has a driver licensing system to make sure that everyone who drives on our
roads has the skills and knowledge necessary to be a safe driver. Accelerated courses
involving unit standard assessment is one way of demonstrating this to NZTA testing
agents.
Do assessors need to purchase new stocks of the new Driver Licensing Training packs
when they have existing stocks?
You can continue to use your old stock until it is depleted. However, you can no longer
purchase the old material. The revised material is available for purchase from MITO’s
website.
Assessment
What are MITO’s guidelines around different assessors from different organisations carrying
out reassessment on the same learner?
If a learner chooses to undertake reassessment against a unit standard with a different
course provider/assessor it must be for the whole unit standard.
Can assessments be completed in any language?
No. All assessment resources must be in English and any written answers must be in
English.
Reporting assessment results
What are assessors obligations regarding reporting credits?
MITO registered assessors must report achievement of credit. NZQA accredited
organisations have an obligation to transfer learner achievement of credits for unit
standards to the NZQA Record of Learning database.
Do assessors need to report NYC results to MITO?
No.
The terminology for reporting C and NYC results has changed. From now on a learner will
be assessed as Achieved (A) or Not Yet Achieved (NYA). NYA results do not need to be
reported to MITO.
What happens if an assessor cannot get a learner’s NSN?
If a learner does not know their National Student Number (NSN) they can call NZQA on
0800 697 296 to obtain it.
If a learner does not have a NSN number, they need to complete and send in an NZQA
registration form to get one before you can report the results to MITO.
The form for obtaining an NSN number can be downloaded from the NZQA website at
http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/assets/Providers-and-partners/Reporting-to-NZQA/NZQARegistration-Form.doc.
The form may be posted or faxed to NZQA (contact details in the footer of the form). It may
also be scanned and emailed to tertiary.records@NZQA.govt.nz.
MITO is looking at how we can support this going forward and what costs may be involved.
When an Assessor is carrying out assessment for a school, who is responsible for
registering the credits with MITO?
If a school has consent to assess MITO unit standards they are responsible for reporting
credit to NZQA using their own provider code. If the school has an MOU with MITO they
are responsible for reporting the credits to NZQA using MITO’s provider code.
Are schools required to report any assessment results within 10 working days?
In order for schools to maintain consent to assess against standards, schools must
accurately report credits for students within 3 months of assessment, unless NZQA has
approved a different reporting timeframe.
BESS
Currently Log Book training (24089) is delivered with the Class 2 driver’s licence. It is not
compulsory to complete log books with this licence so when drivers progress to Class 4 they
may require retraining. Would NZTA and MITO consider delivering 24089 at Class 4 rather
than Class 2 as it currently is?
While there are some exemptions from keeping logbooks (refer to
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/factsheets/02/02.html), these exemptions do not exempt
drivers from complying with the work time requirements. Therefore, it is important that
logbook training is part of all heavy driver licence requirements.
Registration of achieved assessment results within 10 working days has been accepted in
general by all assessors. Often 24089 Log Books is completed and assessed during the
course but the licence (class 2, 3, 4 or 5) may not be assessed for up to two weeks or a
month later depending on assessment requirements.
Does MITO still require 24089 to be registered within 10 working days or can it be registered
when the class licence for the same learner is achieved?
MITO has an obligation to transfer learner achievement of credits for unit standards to the
NZQA Record of Learning database in a timely manner. Credit achievement for unit
standard 24089 must be submitted to MITO within 10 working days of the assessment
regardless of any other pending assessment results.
MITO
Who are the contact people at MITO for Assessors to call with questions or requests around
the following Transport and Logistic areas?
•
Enrolments
•
Arranging assessment services
•
Assessment material requests/enquiries
•
Assessment reporting
All enquiries to MITO can be made through Freephone 0800 88 21 21. If you explain what it
is you wish to talk about you will be transferred to the most appropriate person for you to talk
with.
What Transport and Logistics expertise exists within MITO?
MITO’s policy is to engage subject matter experts from the industry to ensure training
material is consistent with best practice.
Does MITO have a longer term plan to discontinue Independent Assessors and put all
assessment via Polytechs and PTEs?
MITO’s independent Assessors provide an alternative pathway for learners to achieve unit
standard assessment where entering into a Training Agreement towards a national
qualification is not desirable.
Other
Is it acceptable practice for MITO Assessors to use their MITO Assessor stamp on NZTA
documentation?
Yes, on NZTA driver licensing and license endorsement documents.
Do all learners signed up for National Certificates have to go through literacy and numeracy
testing?
Yes.