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Theory and Practical Assessment Tasks
Students are required to complete various theory and practical assessment tasks for each subject to successfully complete their chosen course. AACI use a range of different assessment tools and methods over the duration of its courses that may include Review Questions, Multiple Choice Questions, Short Answer Questions, Projects, Inspection Checklists and Demonstrations (actual workplace and/or simulated practical tasks) and other types of assessment methods as considered appropriate for the course by AACI.
Practical assessment tasks for a unit shall require students to attend and/or be performed either in Animal Care facility, such as animal shelter, boarding facility, or any other approved animal care facility (a veterinary clinic or veterinary hospital is not mandatory (other than the Certificate IV for Veterinary Nursing)
Any on the job work placement experience at an Animal Care facility can be undertaken either on an unpaid (volunteer position) or paid employment basis.
AACI provides written assessment instructions for all theory and practical assessments. These assessment instructions are disclosed prior to enrolment as part of our pre-training review and are also detailed on our website https://aaci.edu.au and are contained at the front of Assessment Booklets (Theory and Practical) for each unit in the course.
In addition, any necessary written assessment conditions are contained either on our website, the course learner resources (Learner Guides), theory assessment booklets or practical assessment booklet.
To successfully achieve competency in this qualification, students will be required to satisfactorily complete the Assessment Tasks contained in both the theory and practical Assessment Booklets for each unit in the course. These Tasks are referenced in the Learner Resources and detailed in our Theory Assessment Booklet and Practical Assessment Booklet that include questioning, demonstrations including Observation Checklists and Workplace practice tasks.
Written Assessments and Video Assessments
Written assessment tasks require student to complete responses in the electronic AACI Assessment Booklets provided for each subject. Each Assessment Booklet shall provide a space to type up assessment responses requested. Completed assessment booklets are simply emailed to AACI from your AACI designated email account.
Assessment takes place throughout various points during the course duration. Theory Assessments responses are completed within the digital Theory Assessment Booklet but may include questioning, MCQs, Short Questions, assignments, Projects and Portfolios.
As an RTO AACI must physically see their students perform the practical demonstration tasks as required by the qualification training package. AACI use video assessments to ensure we meet this criteria. This provides greater accessibility and flexibility as well as lower course fees. Alternatively, you can arrange for an AACI Assessor to visit you, however, this does attract additional fees.
Every practical assessment video has detailed instructions on what needs to be included in the video. Using a modern smartphone is fine but it should not be excessive long and have a large file capacity.
AACI assessors shall assess your video and provided feedback on the demonstrations provided. This feedback will help you learn further as well as let you know how you did. Sometimes, instead of resubmitting a video, AACI will call you to bridge any gaps in your video.
Please stay relaxed as these videos should be relaxed and fun manner. Please email in your videos to AACI. Any minor mishaps are fine.
Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) Assessment
AACI determines the suitability of a course for a prospective student by conducting a pre-training review. This review maximises the chances of learners successfully completing their desired training. This may require you are complete the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Assessment evaluation using LLN Robot platform.
The outcome of any LLN assessment is to identify any gaps and advice on any learning support that is available to the individual learner prior to commencing their enrolment. AACI shall identify, for each learner, any additional support required and that this support is made available, either directly or via arrangements with an external provider.
What is Reasonable Adjustment?
Reasonable Adjustment is a measure or action taken by an education provider to enable learners with disability to participate in education and training on the same basis as learners without disability.
In some instances due to the surrounding circumstances it can be challenging for a student to complete an assessment as it is stated. This is especially if you have a physical or mental disability or learning difficulty. AACI is entitled to make reasonable adjustments to help you be successful in completing your training. The requirement for assessment remains at the required standard set out in the training package. AACI can change (adjust) how you are assessed and to determine whether the same learning outcomes occur. That is a student needs to meet the required standard in terms of abilities, skills and knowledge students to satisfactorily complete the course
For AACI to offer reasonable adjustment, you shall be required to disclose to us private information on your physical and/or mental disabilities or learning difficulties. This should ideally be done prior to enrolment as part of your LLN assessment. As reasonable adjustment needs to be justifiable and uphold the integrity of the competency standards AACI is sometimes limited in what we offer to meet your specific needs. In these instances the course may not be suitable for you.
Please note that students with disability that can be provided with reasonable adjustments to enable them to meet these inherent requirements, is subject to not resulting in unjustifiable hardship to AACI such excessive increase in the cost of delivery to facilitate the reasonable adjustment.
It is important to note, that if a student cannot meet the inherent requirements, even with adjustments, then they cannot complete the course.
AACI as an RTO is obligated to provide reasonable adjustment to ensure maximum participation of learners with a disability. Reasonable Adjustment is designed to make it possible for learners with disability to:
What Reasonable Adjustments are available for Physical Disabilities?
For example, if a student is hard of hearing or deaf, we can provide support through written formats, and provide scripts of any learning or assessment components that are audible. Access to Auslan interpreters can also be arranged; however the cost for this is born by the students. You can also purchase equipment, such as electronic stethoscopes, which can assist you to perform your tasks. For students who have low vision, we could provide electronic resources so their text-to-speech software can read the learner’s guide.
However, we also have to consider the assessment requirements.
Exemplar 1: If you are required as part of the course to visually assess an animal’s behavior, and you have low vision, this poses a greater challenge to make reasonable adjustments. Being able to assess an animal’s behavior prior to handling is an essential skill for working with animals to keep yourself and others safe, as well as meet course requirements. We cannot remove that requirement. Depending on your vision abilities and the flexibility of the workplace, there may be some adjustments that can assist you to still meet the requirements and work safely.
If you have a physical disability which limits your ability to move or manipulate objects, or stand for long periods of time, this can impact your ability to undertake standard tasks that veterinary nurses or animal carers may need to do and by extension, the course requirements – such as lift and restrain animals or assist in theatre. Sometimes, we can change assessment requirements without changing outcomes.
Exemplar 2: If for example if you are limited to only lifting 10kg or under, an RTO can change requirements from demonstrating lifting large dogs to small ones, as this would still meet unit requirements.
AACI encourages you to discuss your ability limitations with us so we can verify what the minimum requirements are to meet the inherent course requirements and make adjustments where we can do so. For the practical requirements, you will also need to have a workplace willing and able to accommodate any changes necessary. You should discuss this with us prior to enrolment.
What Reasonable Adjustments are available for Learning Difficulties?
Depending on the severity and range of learning difficulty you have, this shall impact on the type of changes AACI can make.
For Students that are dyslexic, AACI may be able to provide you with a different format of Learner Resources that utilise accessibility software.
Any students that find drafting long assessments problematic, AACI may be able to provide you with opportunities to answer your assessments in another medium; this may include oral responses or video of assessment tasks. As this adjustment would not change the assessment outcomes the necessary standard for the assessments in the courses can still be achieved.
AACI encourages you to discuss your learning difficulties with us so we can determine what assistance we are able to give. AACI as limits of the range of support services we can provide, however we can direct you to external service providers that are better funded. Ultimately, you know your own abilities the best and what works for you, so you will be involved in all decisions for reasonable adjustment.
Are Time Extensions Available to the Standard Course Duration?
All AACI students are entitled to apply for an extension for the completion of their course provided they have completed a minimum of assessments.
These are a range of eligibility conditions and a student needs to satisfy for requiring an assessment extension. For students that require reasonable adjustment (eg extra time to complete work) AACI, we may waive eligibility requirements for extensions.
Students are encourage to request extra course duration time due to a disability. Please discuss these matters with AACI mentors prior to enrolling or at the commencement of your course rather than the end of your course. Please read the AACI Student Information Guide for further information and communicate with AACI as soon as you are aware of any issues.
AACI delivers VET, Vocational Education and Training, courses in Animal Care.
These VET courses are competency based training. This is different to how you are accessed at high school or at university. VET is designed to develop workplace skills and knowledge, and determine whether a student can perform a task to a required standard.
Students must demonstrate competency in all skills and knowledge that are required by the unit of competency (subject) that comprise your course.
Competency is achieved by receiving a total 100% score covering all the required skills and knowledge demonstrated by student by submitting responses that may be assessed by one or more assessment method.
You cannot be partially competent at a task at work. Students who receive a score of less than 100% in assessment tasks shall be required to resubmit. Only when all required skills and knowledge have been demonstrated in one or more assessment methods, will the student be assessed as competent.
If a student does not achieve 100% competency for an assessment in three attempts, the student will be provided with extra mentoring to develop the skills and knowledge required to achieve competency. Thereafter, a qualified trainer and assessor may interview the student to identify specific learning support requirement and/or make a judgment of their competency and record the outcome on the student’s master assessment document or as a note on the student management system.
This competency based system permits resubmission of assessments by student. If you have missed out discussing a point or if you have not provided a detailed response you can asked to resubmit.
Please note that being asked to resubmit an assessment is not a fail. It simply means we have not finished our assessment of you yet as we need more information to determine competency.
If your assessment is deemed ‘not yet competent” (“NYC”)’ in a particular subject (unit of competency) by your assessor our support services are always available. You will be provided with personal coaching and given the opportunity to resubmit the Activity. If a student is deemed ‘not yet competent” (“NYC”)’ in an assessment activity and/or Unit of Competency, written feedback will be sent back to you to provide with the opportunity to resubmit the Activity.
A Statement of Attainment will be awarded once you are deemed competent in all assessment tasks for a particular subject (unit of competency) or a full qualification certificate if all subjects/units of a course are completed satisfactory.
Assessment Appeals
Students may wish to challenge an Assessment competency outcome by:
AACI has a formal Appeals Procedure and Process that is available from our website. In summary, you have the right to represent yourself at all forums where the issue is being discussed and you will have the matter heard within 7 Business Days. The outcomes and the reasons for the decision shall be given to you in writing. (Please Refer to AACI Assessment Policy & Procedure).
Students will be advised of the result of that meeting within ten (10) working days. The appeal will either be:
In the event of a grievance not being resolved internally within ten (10) working days, the student will be advised in writing of external grievance procedures through the Department of Training and Employment or as required by ASQA
Student Support and Assistance
AACI student support services are available directly with our staff over the phone or via email or live chat. A student support officer is appointed to each student to guide you and support you through the course and any learning difficulties you may experience. .
Apart from course, learning and LLN support services and information for students, AACI also has staff with Counselling qualifications available and information about external support services and assistance providers.
AACI conducts a series of webinars to assist students in completing their course as we as Zoom meetings. Apart from course, learning and LLN support services and information for students AACI also has staff with Counselling qualifications available and information about external support services and assistance providers.
Live Online Chat
If an issue is too difficult to discuss via email AACI and/or A Live Online Chat. Students in our Learning Centre simply click the Chat Now box and follow the prompts and support shall be available in a few minutes.
Live chat is suitable not only for assessment but also for quick administration or feedback questions. It also allows for demonstrations to occur to help students understand the content of a subject or multiple points on their assessment feedback. If an enquiry is deemed too complex for Live Online Chat, then we will inform the student and arrange to phone them.
Assessment Marking Times
AACI has one of the fastest assessment marking turnaround times in the VET industry of 7 business days. Most other RTOS take 14-21 days to provide feedback to students on their submitted assessments.
Once you upload your assessments and requested it be Marked, our qualified Assessors shall responded within 7 days.
AACI is aware that many people are already working in the Animal Care sector and gained the knowledge and skills from their previous experiences.
In such cases, AACI will consider formally recognizing this through a process known as (Recognition of Prior Learning) or simply RPL.
RPL is an assessment process that involves assessment of a student’s relevant prior learning (including formal, informal and non-formal learning) to determine if they hold the same level of skill and knowledge as someone who has studied the course.
For example a letter from a current or previous boss or Continuing Professional Development (CPD) certificates are not enough evidence. AACI assessors must see you perform skills to verify your competency level as well as have evidence of your knowledge. RPL is different to a credit transfer, which occurs when a student has already completed the unit in another course.
If you would like to apply for RPL for a particular unit of study, then you must supply evidence of your prior skills and knowledge needed to achieve the standard of competency required. In addition, you must also demonstrate the currency of those skills and knowledge.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is available to all students. You may apply for it at any stage of your enrolment or course.
If you cannot provide evidence of the currency of your skills and knowledge in your nominated units, depending upon the assessment of your application, you may be offered an “Assessment-Only RPL” wherein you can complete the assessment tasks for your nominated units from the comfort of your own home without the need to attend classes.
In such a case you will not be provided any learning manuals and are encouraged to research various sources of regulations.
If you are marked competent, then you will receive a transcript of your results. (Refer to AACI Recognition Policy & Procedure)
Please read the AACI Student Information Guide for further information and communicate with AACI as soon as you are aware of any issues.
For credit transfer you must provide formal qualifications that may include certificates, Statements of Attainment and other forms of qualifications that have units of competency that are identical or deemed the same. That is, if the evidence provided contains these in the documents and they have a corresponding unit code then credit transfer will be granted.
If competency for an old unit of study was previously achieved that is not part of the new Training Package course then Credit Transfer shall not be available.
If you have any questions regarding the Recognition pathways available including the RPL Process or eligibility for Credit Transfer, please read our policies and procedure in the area and contact AACI by either
Email [email protected] Call 03 5261 9214.
Credit Transfer can occur prior to or at enrolment and/or during the study period to enhance academic efficiency for the student at no charge.
Please refer to our Student Information Guide and our AACI Recognition Policy & Procedure for further information.
AACI is a specialist Animal Care and Veterinary Nursing training provider accredited with Australian Standards Quality Authority (ASQA).
Australian Animal Care Institute (ABN 88 652 496 109) is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO No: 45823) registered by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where Australians live, learn and work. Copyright All Rights Reserved.
