Assessment Task 2: Project
Information for students
In this task, you are required to demonstrate your skills and knowledge by working through a number of activities and completing and submitting a project portfolio.
This assessment is to be completed in the simulated work environment in ECA College.
Required
You will need access to:
a suitable place to complete activities that replicates a business environment including a meeting space and computer and internet access
• your learning resources and other information for reference
• Project Portfolio template
• Simulation Pack (if you need a case study).
Timing
Your assessor will advise you of the due date of these submissions.
Submit
• Project Portfolio Section 1
• Project Portfolio Section 2
• Project Portfolio Section 3
Assessment criteria
For your performance to be deemed satisfactory in this assessment task, you must satisfactorily address all of the assessment criteria. If part of this task is not satisfactorily completed, you will be asked to complete further assessment to demonstrate competence.
Activities
Complete the following activities:
1. Carefully read the following:
This project requires you to plan, conduct and report on one applied research topic that is relevant to an organisation’s strategic practices and outcomes. The research must involve complex ideas and concepts. As part of the assessment you, you will:
• choose a topic to research.
• plan and develop an applied research strategy.
• collect and analyse data.
• document and present your research findings.
Vocational education and training is all about gaining and developing practical skills that are industry relevant and that can help you to succeed in your chosen career. For this reason, we are giving you the choice to base this research project on your own business, one you work in or a familiar with, or you can use the case study provided. This will mean that you are applying your knowledge and skills in a relevant, practical and meaningful way to your own situation!
If you are basing this assessment on your own business, you must choose a research topic that is relevant to your organisation’s strategic practices and outcomes and that involves complex ideas and concepts. It is important that you are able to access enough information to be able to do your assessment. As a minimum this should include workplace documentation related to applied research and the organisation’s strategic outcomes (e.g. applied research policy).
If you intend using your organisation in the project you need obtain prior approval from your assessor. To enable your assessor to make their decision you will need to provide your assessor with details of your organisation; access to the right staff and; the company’s policies and procedures.
Approval must be obtained before week three of the unit.
If you are using the case study, all relevant information is contained in the Simulation pack. You are to choose one of the topics in the research statement and use it as a basis for an applied research project for King Edward VII College. To ensure that you are able to draw on a range of data sources for your research, your fellow students and/or the staff at your RTO can be questioned, and their responses included as part of your research report. An RTO has been chosen as the case study organisation because:
• it is an area in which you have experience, being a student.
• you have access to students attending an RTO and staff who work in one (for role-play data collection).
• there is a lot of information available on the VET sector, international students, learning theory, institutional management, etc.
You will be collecting evidence for this unit in a Project Portfolio. The steps you need to take are outlined below.

2. Preparation
Make sure you are familiar with the organisation you are basing this assessment on and have read through the necessary background information. For the case study business, this is all of the documents included in the Simulation Pack.
Once you have reviewed the documents, choose a research topic/task.
If you are using the case study, select one of the topics in the Research Statement in the Simulation Pack.
If it’s your own business or a business where you are working or are familiar with, have your business and research topic approved by your assessor.
Read through the requirements of Section 1, 2 and 3 of your Project Portfolio.
Section 1: Plan and develop an applied research strategy
3. Plan and develop an applied research strategy
Start working on Section 1 of your Project Portfolio. To do this, you need to:
• list at least three objectives/goals of the organisation. (See Project Portfolio Template Section1, Question 1)
• describe your role in the organisation. (See Project Portfolio Template Section1, Question 1)
• explain how your research task is relevant to the strategic practices and outcomes of the organisation and how it will help your organisation to achieve improved organisational outcomes. (See Project Portfolio Template Section1, Question 2)
• describe your research task, including purpose, hypothesis, target group’s profile and needs, context and data requirements. (See Project Portfolio Template Section1, Question 3)
Meet with at least one relevant stakeholder to clarify and confirm the purpose and requirements of your chosen research task (e.g. what will be researched, why are you doing the research task, how will it help the organisation, when will the research be done, how you will document and present research etc.). Also make sure you understand the stakeholder’s requirements for how your research is documented and presented.
If you are using your workplace for this project the stakeholder must be a senior level manager.
If you are using the simulation pack the stakeholder will be the CEO of King Edward VII College (your assessor)
This meeting should take 5 to 10 minutes.
As part of the meeting apply listening and questioning techniques to check or clarify understanding. Make sure you use vocabulary that is:
• specialised (i.e. use terms that are associated with the specific task and with applied research).
• appropriate to the context and audience (e.g. professional and formal if you are meeting with a superior or client).
This meeting is an essential assessment activity and must be conducted with your trainer/ assessor. You will be assessed on this if you are using the simulation pack
If you are using your workplace for this project, this meeting may take place with actual people who work for/are associated with your chosen business. This meeting can either be viewed in person by your assessor or you may video record the session for your assessor to watch and assess later. Your assessor can provide you with more details at this step.
Make sure you follow the instructions above and meet the timeframes allocated. If this session is not viewed in person by your assessor, you will attach proof of the meeting to Section 1 of your Project Portfolio.
Summarise the outcomes of your meeting with the stakeholder (See Project Portfolio Template Section1, Question 4)
Continue completing Section 1 of your Project Portfolio. To do this, you need to
• summarise legislation, regulations and codes of practice applicable to your applied research. (See Project Portfolio Template Section1, Question 5)
• summarise your organisation’s policies and procedures applicable to your applied research. (See Project Portfolio Template Section1, Question 6)
• summarise the tools and resources that may be used to assist with your applied research task. (See Project Portfolio Template Section1, Question 7)
• research and evaluate theories/methods/techniques/tools to collect, analyse data and maintain data integrity for your research task. (See Project Portfolio Template Section1, Question 8)
• identify technology and technology services that may be used to support your data collection and analysis. (See Project Portfolio Template Section1, Question 9)
• prepare a research strategy, considering the available tools and resources. (See Project Portfolio Template Section1, Question 10)
• analyse the limitations of your research, including the factors which may affect the reliability and validity of your data. (See Project Portfolio Template Section1, Question 11)
• prepare a research proposal or plan (See Project Portfolio Template Section1, Question 12) Your Research proposal or plan should be between 1200 and 1500 words
Make sure you have answered all questions in Project Portfolio Template Section 1.
Upload your work for Section 1 to Canvas
Your assessor will review your work and provide feedback
In addition to your responses to the questions in Project Portfolio Template Section 1, you are also required to upload certain documents as part of your evidence, namely;
• Evidence of your meeting with stakeholders if not observed by the trainer/assessor (Q4)
• Proof of Policies and Procedures (Q6)
• Proof of textual information sources (x3) (Q8)
• Research Plan or Proposal (Q12)
You will use the work done in this section of the Portfolio to collect and analyse data for your research task.
Section 2: Collect and Analyse data
4. Collect and analyse data.
Complete Section 2 of your Project Portfolio using the Project Portfolio Template Section 2 to guide your work. To do this, you need to:
• use technology and technology services to collect data for your research task. (Project Portfolio Template Section 2 Question 1)
• access any other sources of information or relevant contributors to your planned research. (Project Portfolio Template Section 2 Question 2)
• analyse your data to identify trends, changes or patterns. You must use mathematical information to conduct statistical analysis of your data. (Project Portfolio Template Section 2 Question 3)
• summarise your research findings.(Project Portfolio Template Section 2 Question 4)
• confirm the integrity of your collected data and analysis. (Project Portfolio Template Section 2 Question 5)
Make sure you have answered all questions in Project Portfolio Template Section 2.
Upload your work for Section 2 to Canvas
Your assessor will review your work and provide feedback
In addition to your responses to the questions in Project Portfolio Template Section 2, you are also required to upload certain documents as part of your evidence, namely;
• Proof of Technology use (Q1)
• Proof of technology service use (Q1)
• Proof of the use of other sources of information (Q2)
Section 3: Document and present research findings
5. Document and present your research findings.
Complete Section 3 of your Project Portfolio. Use the Project Portfolio Template Section 3 to guide your work
To do this, you need to document and present your findings in a manner consistent with stakeholder requirements.
a) Document and present your research findings. Using the work you have completed in Sections 1 and 2 prepare a comprehensive Research Report for submission to the CEO (your trainer). It is expected that the report will be approximately 1500 words.
b) You are required to prepare and deliver a short 5-7 minute oral presentation with supporting power point slides for the CEO (Your trainer). The Trainer will observe your presentation and evaluate your performance
During the presentation, demonstrate effective communication skills including:
• Speaking clearly and concisely
• Using non-verbal communication to assist with understanding
• Responding to questions as required
• Using active listening techniques.
Make sure you have answered all questions in Project Portfolio Template Section 3.
Upload your work for Section 3 to Canvas
Your assessor will review your work and provide feedback
In addition to your responses to the questions in Project Portfolio Template Section 3, you are also required to upload certain documents as part of your evidence, namely;
• Proof of documented and presented research findings