4. ASSESSMENT
The purposes of assessment are to provide feedback to students and parents about learning that has occurred, to provide feedback to teachers about the teaching and learning processes, and to provide information on which to base judgments about how well students meet the general objectives of the course. In designing an assessment program, it is important that the assessment tasks, conditions and criteria are compatible with the general objectives and the learning experiences. Assessment then is an integral aspect of a course of study. It can be formative or summative. The distinction between formative and summative assessment lies in the purpose for which that assessment is used.
Formative assessment is used to provide feedback to students, parents, and teachers about achievement over the course of study. This enables students and teachers to identify the students’’ strengths and weaknesses so students may improve their achievement and better manage their own learning. The formative techniques used should be similar to summative assessment techniques, which students will meet later in the course. This provides students with experience in responding to particular types of tasks, under suitable conditions. So that students can prepare for assessment tasks it is advisable that each assessment technique be used formatively before being used summatively.
Summative assessment, while also providing feedback to students, parents and teachers, provides cumulative information on which levels of achievement are determined at exit from the course of study. It follows, therefore, that it is necessary to plan the range of assessment techniques and instruments/tasks to be used, when they will be administered, and how they contribute to the determination of exit levels of achievement. Students’’ achievements are matched to the standards of exit criteria, which are derived from the general objectives of the course. Thus, summative assessment provides the information for certification at the end of the course.
8.1 Underlying principles of exit assessment
The QSA’’s policy on exit assessment requires consideration to be given to the following principles when devising an assessment program for the two-year course of study:
• Information is gathered through a process of continuous assessment. • Balance of assessments is a balance over the course of study and not necessarily a
balance over a semester or between semesters.
• Exit achievement levels are devised from student achievement in all areas identified in the syllabus as being mandatory.
• Assessment of a student’’s achievement is in the significant aspects of the course of study identified in the syllabus and the school’’s work program.
• Selective updating of a student’’s profile of achievement is undertaken over the course of study.
• Exit assessment is devised to provide the fullest and latest information on a student’’s achievement in the course of study.
These principles are to be considered together and not individually in the development of an assessment program. Exit assessment must satisfy concurrently the six principles associated with it.
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Continuous assessment
The major operating principle is ““continuous assessment””. The process of continuous assessment provides the framework in which all the other five principles —— balance, mandatory aspects of the syllabus, significant aspects of the course, selective updating, and fullest and latest information —— exist and operate.
This is the means by which assessment instruments are administered at suitable intervals and by which information on student achievement is collected. It involves a continuous gathering of information and the making of judgments in terms of the stated criteria and standards throughout the two-year course of study.
Decisions about levels of achievement are based on information gathered, through the process of continuous assessment, at points in the course of study appropriate to the organisation of the learning experiences. Levels of achievement must not be based on students’’ responses to a single assessment task at the end of a course or instruments set at arbitrary intervals that are unrelated to the developmental course of study.
Balance
Balance of assessments is a balance over the course of study and not necessarily a balance within a semester or between semesters.
Within the two-year course for Religion and Ethics it is necessary to establish a suitable balance in the general objectives, assessment techniques and instruments/tasks, conditions of assessment, and across the criteria. The exit criteria are to have equal emphasis across the range of summative assessment. The exit assessment program must ensure an appropriate balance over the course of study as a whole.
Mandatory aspects of the syllabus
Judgment of student achievement at exit from a two-year course of study must be derived from information gathered about student achievement in those aspects stated in the syllabus as being mandatory, namely:
• the general objectives of Knowledge and understanding, Processing skills and Communication skills and
• the study area core and the selected elective topics. The exit criteria and standards stated in section 8.5 must be used to make the judgment of
student achievement at exit from a two-year course of study.
Significant aspects of the course of study
Significant aspects refer to those areas in the school’’s course of study selected from the choices permitted by the syllabus. Significant aspects can complement mandatory aspects, or be separate items additional to them. They will be determined by the context of the school and the needs of students at that school to provide choice of learning experiences appropriate to the location of the school, the local environment and the resources available.
The significant aspects must be consistent with the general objectives of the syllabus and complement the developmental nature of learning in the course over two years.
Selective updating
In conjunction with the principle of fullest and latest information, information on student achievement should be selectively updated throughout the course.
Selective updating is related to the developmental nature of the two-year course of study and operates within the context of continuous assessment. As subject matter is treated at
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increasing levels of complexity, assessment information gathered at earlier stages of the course may no longer be representative of student achievement. The information therefore should be selectively and continually updated (not averaged) to accurately reflect student achievement.
The following conceptions of the principle of selective updating apply:
• a systemic whole subject-group approach in which considerations about the whole group of students are made according to the developmental nature of the course and, in turn, the assessment program —— in this conception, developmental aspects of the course are revisited so that later summative assessment replaces earlier formative information
• an act of decision making about individual students —— deciding from a set of assessment results the subset which meets syllabus requirements and typically represents a student’’s achievements, thus forming the basis for a decision about a level of achievement —— in the application of decisions about individual students, the set of assessment results does not have to be the same for all students.
Selective updating must not involve students reworking and resubmitting previously graded assessment tasks. Opportunities may be provided for students to complete and submit additional tasks. Such tasks may provide information for making judgments where achievement on an earlier task was unrepresentative or atypical, or there was insufficient information upon which to base a judgment.
Fullest and latest information
Judgments about student achievement made at exit from a school course of study must be based on the fullest and latest information available. This information is recorded on a student profile.
““Fullest”” refers to information about student achievement gathered across the range of general objectives. ““Latest”” refers to information about student achievement gathered from the most recent period in which the general objectives are assessed. As the assessment program in Religion and Ethics is developmental, fullest and latest information will most likely come from Year 12.
Information recorded on a student profile will consist of the latest assessment data on mandatory and significant aspects of the course, which includes the data gathered in the summative assessment program that is not superseded.
8.2 Form R9 Application to offer a SAS This form must be completed by the school and lodged with the QSA.
Study plan
A study plan indicating how the subject will be implemented and assessed in the school should be completed and retained by the school.
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Religion and Ethics Study Area Specification 8.3 Suggested assessment techniques
Assessment in this subject should cover a range of techniques with emphasis on practical tasks.
The following assessment techniques are appropriate for use in Religion and Ethics. A range of conditions should be established so that the teacher is able to confirm authorship of all student tasks.
Tasks that require a presentation should be described on specific assessment task sheets and steps required for completion of the task may be set out. This information should be more broadly based in Year 12 than in Year 11. Tasks in Year 12 should reflect similar learning experiences and assessment experienced in Year 11 so that students have some familiarity with the processes involved. Assessment tasks may also offer a variety of ways students may provide evidence of the knowledge and skills to be demonstrated e.g. production of a song, poem, film, booklet etc. The criteria being assessed should be clearly indicated and clearly relate to the criteria and standards given in table 2.
Response to stimulus
Assessment tasks listed below may be in response to a range of stimuli and may be presented using a variety of techniques such as various media, including paper-based text, screen-based text or multimodal presentations.
Stimulus material may include: • documents, e.g. letters, memoirs and diaries • newspaper and journal articles • brochures • graphs, charts, tables, statistics • guest speakers, interview person re. beliefs/life story • excursions • computer software packages • audio/video tapes, photographs, films, television programs, songs • visual and performing arts • oral histories • electronically acquired information.
Presentations
Presentations include practical and written student responses. Presentations may include those given below. They may be a combination of written and practical modes.
Presentations can occur in a range of situations, including one-to-one and small group presentations, and role plays. They should be accompanied by visual or other aids.
Presentations should be the outcome of research and evaluation and may take such forms as:
• a seminar presentation followed by a question––answer segment with the audience
• reviews
• artistic presentations including drama, music, art, dance, role play or moral drama, sculpture, photographic essay
• organisation and presentation of a class or school event e.g. ritual ceremony or service
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• a radio program or segment • interviews (audio or video) • a debate in which a problem is formally evaluated • a creation of an audiocassette or a videotape that is interpretive and interactive in nature • creation of interactive computer activities.
For interactive presentations, such as interviews, radio program/segment or debates, students should have suitably prepared questions or scripts. The conventions of a debate require a variety of roles from speakers. A modified format is recommended to ensure that students are given the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. Teachers should clearly set out the specific parameters of the task on the task sheet. The length and degree of complexity of presentations would be expected to increase as students progress through the program of study.
Teachers could observe students either preparing for or responding to a specific activity and keep records of observation about individual students. This is particularly useful when making judgments on student achievement in practical activities such as:
• planning, organising and presenting a class or school ritual, ceremony or event • role-playing in group situations • team tasks • working within a simulated or real community situation
• operating equipment • completing defined tasks within a designated timeline
Other forms of presentation —— biographies, folios, etc.
These should be the result of research and evaluation and may take such forms as:
• a researched biography with accompanying photos, sketches, documents etc.
• a folio of examples to demonstrate an undertaking, e.g. collection of songs, poems, websites that honour heroes
• images, scrapbook • creation of a board game • creation of a cartoon or comic book
Field study
A field study is a project that involves students in individual or group community visits or community service projects. It incorporates investigation processes involving decision making, goal setting and time management. A field study may require students to employ substantial learning activities. Interviews and reports may be part of the program of study. A journal may be kept for planning and tracking the activities involved in the trip. This may take the form of a logbook recording the activities in which the students are involved. It may include notes, sketches, photographs, outlines of plans, names of people they meet, the nature of the study, any difficulties they encounter, questions that need answering, reflections on what they learn in class and in the community, and comments on what they have learned.
Examples of presentations resulting from a field study could be:
• publishing a pamphlet, local paper, or small book, e.g. a brochure that provides information
• organising an event or a performance related to a religious festival
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• oral/visual presentation about the study. Objective and short-answer questions
These could include closed questions (those to which there is a limited or precise response) and structured short-answer open questions (for which a range of answers is possible). Objective and short-answer questions are usually presented in a formal test. They are mainly used as a quick effective method of assessing the student’’s grasp of the Knowledge and understanding objectives of the program of study.
Some examples are: • multiple-choice, one-word answers, definitions • questions requiring short answers or paragraph responses • alternative response • matching/classification • practical exercises —— graphs, tables, diagrams, statistics • compare and contrast terms.
Short written responses (100––600 words)
This technique is particularly useful with tasks requiring responses to open questions —— that is, those having a range of possible answers. These tasks may be given in a formal test or as an assignment to be completed outside the classroom. A variety of genres may be employed, including:
• short expository pieces of writing, case studies • short reports, songs, poetry • media response to stimulus • reviews of speakers, outings, films, music or songs • procedures or instructions for use
• editorials • letters to the editor • websites • brochures • pamphlets and advertisements • biographies, policies, charter of rights, mission statement, press release creed • flowcharts • posters and slogans.
Special consideration
Guidance about the nature and appropriateness of special consideration and special arrangements for particular students may be found in the policy statement on special consideration entitled Special Consideration Exemption and Special Arrangements in Senior Secondary School-Based Assessment (qsa.qld.edu.au/about/policy/index.html). This statement also provides guidance on responsibilities, principles and strategies that schools may need to consider.
To enable special consideration to be effective for students so identified, it is important that schools plan and implement strategies in the early stages of an assessment program and not
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at the point of deciding levels of achievement. The special consideration might involve alternative teaching approaches, assessment plans and learning experiences.
8.4 Exit criteria
Student performance is to be judged on three criteria: • Knowledge and understanding • Processing skills • Communication skills.
The three criteria contribute equally in determining a student’’s exit level of achievement and are defined as follows:
Criterion 1: Knowledge and understanding
This criterion is concerned with the content or underpinning knowledge contained in the course and includes:
• recalling and defining learned facts and key ideas relating to the studied material • identifying and describing a variety of ideas and perspectives on religious and ethical
issues
• comprehending key information and ideas about selected values, belief systems and religious traditions
• stating ways in which religion and ethics give expression to significant aspects of life. Criterion 2: Processing skills
This criterion refers to the reasoning and decision-making elements of Religion and Ethics. It involves problem-solving and organisational skills in individual and group situations and includes:
• applying key ideas and information and problem-solving skills • analysing the connections between beliefs, values and choices • comparing different points of view and evaluating responses to issues
• deciding how to approach tasks and organise time, resources and technology to solve problems and produce events, presentations and projects, independently or working in groups, within given time frames.
Criterion 3: Communication skills
This criterion refers to the gathering, recording and reporting on data and information, and communicating these in a variety of types of presentations. This includes:
• locating, accessing, collecting, organising and recording data, information and material • summarising, recording and communicating information relating to the studied material
and chosen context, using a variety of types of presentations
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Religion and Ethics Study Area Specification 8.5 Determining exit levels of achievement
On completion of the course of study, the school is required to award each student an exit level of achievement from one of the five categories:
Very High Achievement High Achievement Sound Achievement Limited Achievement. Very Limited Achievement.
The school must award an exit standard for each of the three criteria —— Knowledge and understanding, Processing skills, and Communication skills —— based on the principles of assessment described in this syllabus. The criteria are derived from the general objectives and are described in section 8.4. The standards associated with the three exit criteria are described in table 2. When teachers are determining a standard for each criterion, it is not always necessary for the student to have met each descriptor for a particular standard; the standard awarded should be informed by how the qualities of the work match the descriptors overall.
Of the seven key competencies, the five that are relevant to assessment in this subject1 are embedded in the descriptors in the standards matrix. The descriptors refer mainly to elements of communication and analysis. Students’’ facility with technology is included in the third criterion.
When standards have been determined in each of the three criteria, table 1 indicates the minimum requirements for awarding an exit level of achievement, where A represents the highest standard and E the lowest.
Table 1: Minimum requirements for exit levels of achievement
1 KC1: collecting, analysing and organising information; KC2: communicating ideas and information; KC3: planning and organising activities; KC4: working with others and in teams; KC7: using technology.
Very High Achievement
At least two Standard A results. The other result is to be no less than a B.
High Achievement
At least two Standard B results. The other result is to be no less than a C.
Sound Achievement
At least two Standard C results. The other result is to be no less than a D.
Limited Achievement
At least two standard D results.
Very Limited Achievement
Does not meet the requirements for Limited Achievement.
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