What’s the purpose in the role of an Internal Quality Assurer?
All training companies must have an Internal Quality Assurer on their team. Quality Assurance takes place to make sure that the training provider is performing at the highest standard it can be.
The centre’s IQA will be accountable for the quality-checking of decisions made by the centre’s Assessors. This is done to ensure that these decisions and the Assessors’ methods, remain in line with the standards of the centre. A few of the tasks that an IQA can undertake are:
Assuring that all Assessors have been competently trained, skilled and performing their duties effectively.
Monitoring the centre’s assessment practices and procedures through the execution of sampling activities, such as;
Reviewing learners at different stages of programme delivery and assessment process
Evaluation of the effectiveness of assessment and planning
Making sure that assessment decisions are consistent and standardised
Ensure that the center’s equal and diverse policy followed;
A minimum of two standardisation sessions per year.
If quality assurance isn’t taking place, then there could be risks to the accuracy, consistency and fairness of the training and assessment methods. This could result in an enormous disadvantage for learners.
What is an IQA?
An IQA is an essential part of the education or assessment procedure. They are responsible for making sure things run smoothly. This is a matter of training and study that the apprentice undertakes; from the beginning to the final examination (and everything between!). An IQA helps with the standardisation process, which ensures that the assessments are fair and consistent between students.
The “internal” aspect of an IQA signifies that Quality Assurance is being taken into the training center in the centre, and by an internal member of staff. The job of an IQA often falls with the Manager or Supervisor of a training centre. If they’re not making their own assessments that are quality-assuring the IQA can also still work as an Assessor and perform both duties.
Responsibilities of An IQA
The daily duties of an IQA can vary, especially if they are continuing to evaluate while simultaneously assessing. Here are some of the general things that an IQA will be accountable for:
Verifying that Assessors are qualified within their roles
Plan and prepare activities that enable evaluation of assessments
Ensure the uniformity of assessment procedures (working in conjunction with Assessors as well as trainers and employers)
Observing both trainer and Assessor the performance of both and giving constructive feedback
Recording assessment of samples and making decisions or grades handed out
Meeting with the learners themselves
Facilitating and identifying best practices within the organization
Achieving an IQA within an organisation is very important in the context of assessments and making sure best practices are adhered to. It is common when issues are discovered when it comes to the delivery of an award, it can be traced to a lack of quality assurance within the business.
Benefits of Become An IQA
After we’ve detailed the role of an IQA and the certifications that you require to be one, let’s have an overview of the benefits of becoming an IQA.
Let’s get to the most crucial one first, which is earning money! In the average, IQAs earn approximately PS23,000-PS35,000 per year. This is an upgrade for Assessors with experience, since being an IQA can add value to the company. It will eliminate the need for organizations to employ an independent IQA to perform their quality inspection, since one of their employees can perform the task instead.
Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is another reason to become an IQA. As an Assessor, you’ll already be aware of the importance of keeping your CPD record up to date and obtaining an IQA qualification will help with this. Even if you don’t want to be a Lead IQA, even just completing the knowledge-based qualification will allow you improve the quality of your Assessors in the role you currently hold.
As of now, there are three IQA Certifications to choose from; However, only two of them can be used to earn Quality Assure.
Level 4 Award in Understanding the Internal Qualitative Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice
To begin, with the most basic of the IQA Qualifications, this course does not really qualify you to be assessed internally for quality assurance. However, the IQA qualification will provide you with the knowledge behind IQA. This makes this award an ideal way to earn CPD (Continuing Professional Development) particularly for Managers. Once you’ve completed this certification you will be able to:
The background and the principles of Internal Quality Assurance;
How to plan the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment;
Methods to monitor, maintain and increasing the quality of assessment internal to the organization;
How can you manage information in accordance with lawful and ethical requirements to ensure the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment.
Level 4 Award in the Internal Quality Evaluation Processes and Practice
Moving on to the next qualification, it’s an equivalent of the older Internal Verifiers qualification. It qualifies you to make assessments that are quality assured and assessment decisions, but it won’t allow you to become the IQA Lead of your school or training company. If you pass this exam you will learn and be able to:
Create the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment;
Maintain legal and good practice requirements when internally monitoring and maintaining the high quality of assessment;
Manage information relevant to the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment;
Internally assess, monitor and improve the quality of assessments.
Level 4 Certificate for Conducting in the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice
In the end, the most highly-regarded IQA qualificationis the Lead IQA. This is the perfect qualification for those who would like to become the Lead IQA at your training provider, as it provides you with all the knowledge required to not only have Quality Assure qualifications, but lead and manage the wh0le QAS process. With this qualification you will be able to be qualified to:
Quality Assure accreditation;
Take charge of and oversee the Internal Quality Assurance processes for a training centre;
Control other IQAs;
Develop and write Internal Quality Assurance policies and procedures;
Manage External Quality Assurance (EQA) visits.
What are these qualifications?
The vast majority who take the course towards becoming an IQA have been trained and certified as assessors. For the majority of people, the IQA training is the most natural path to take after their professional career as an assessor.
The role the role of an Internal Quality Assurer differs from the role one of an Assessor. So , it is crucial that you know what the roles of an IQA include.
If you’re already V1 or IV-certified or IV qualified, then it might be the case that you wish to be updated with the most current knowledge-based component of the IQA suite. If that is the case you should consider this Level 4 Award that only covers unit 1 is the right qualification for you.
The Level 4 Award that incorporates units 1 and 2 is the credential you’ll need if currently, or going to be internally ensuring the high quality of assessments.
Effectively, you’re evaluating the assessor! Every NVQ candidate must have an assessor and every assessor requires an Internal Quality Assuring.
You will need the Level 4 Certification in Leading the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice If you are going to be the head of IQA within your organisation.
This course will allow you to lead the process of ensuring that standards are met during the course of instruction and in the overall training institution. a whole.
What are the roles of an IQA?
If you are considering training to become an Internal Quality Assurer, then you could expect to have the following responsibilities to be a part of your job as an IQA:
Implement, manage and evaluate internal assessment and quality control systems
Help develop and train tutors as well as assessors
Monitor and improve the quality of assessment practice
Implement policies, procedures, and laws to ensure compliance with requirements from the outside or regulatory requirements
What is the IQA course in itself entail?
Obviously, it depends on which qualification you would be doing in relation to what your course would involve. Below are the titles of the three units , along with brief description of what they involve.
So , whether you’re doing the unit one, or the full three unit qualification, this quick overview of the unit should provide you with a clearer idea of the specifics you’ll cover in your course.
Unit 1 – Understanding The Principle and Methods for Internally Assuring the Qualitative Assessment
This is the knowledge based course. You will gain the knowledge and understanding needed to be able to internally verify the validity of the assessment.
The theoretical basis for the course includes the following areas involved within Internal Quality Assurance:
The Principles
The Techniques and
The Design
The delivery method used for this unit can either be via online or in classroom sessions.
Unit 2 – Internally Assure Quality of Assessment
This unit involves you putting the concepts into practice. In this course you will be expected to supervise two assessors, each with at least 2 candidates from their respective.
This is a competency-based unit, which means that it is required that you observe the two assessors.
Unit 3 – Create, Allocate and Control the Work of Individual Areas of Responsibilities
It is a second competency-based unit. As part of unit 3, you would learn to plan, allocate and supervise work in your personal area of responsibility. In addition, you would also be taught how to make any changes to original work plans.
The evidence from this unit would come from you working with real learners/staff/customers.
I hope this article has assisted you develop a greater knowledge of what an internal Quality Assurer’s job is and even more importantly to determine if this would be ideal for you.
