Introducing Unit Specifications and Unit Assessment Support Packs

2. Introducing Unit Specifications and Unit Assessment Support Packs Graphic Communication National 4 & 5

3. Unit Assessment • Assessments can be designed to provide evidence across more than one Unit or Outcome – combined assessments • Evidence requirements for units is open and flexible – the candidate or assessor may choose the most suitable evidence • Greater range of techniques and methodologies for assessment – encouraged through Unit assessment support packages. E.g. written, graphical, verbal etc • More opportunities to gather naturally occurring evidence – assessment as part of learning and teaching. If a learner creates an isometric drawing as part of naturally occurring course work, it can be used to provide evidence

4. Unit Structure

5. Key points: Graphic Communication Units • Standards remain the same: N4 = SG General 4 = Int 1 C N5 = SG Credit 2 = Int 2 C • Drawing boards may be used to support unit assessment & added value/assignment assessments but drawing skills will not be assessed in the N5 QP. • Have a hierarchical Unit structure that provides progression from National 4 to Higher  • Have added value assessment that increases personalisation and choice; encourages a flexible response.

6. Unit Specifications The Units are subdivided into Outcomes and Assessment Standards, as shown:

7. Unit Specifications Evidence Requirements for Units: • Assessors should use their professional judgement, subject knowledge and experience and understanding of their learners to determine the most appropriate ways to generate evidence and the conditions and contexts in which this occurs. • Evidence should be gathered in combination with other outcomes where possible, either from the same Unit or in combination with the other Unit. • Evidence may also be gathered for individual outcomes where appropriate; this may include tests or evidence drawings.

8. Unit Assessment Support Packages - purpose UASPs can be used to: • Assess your candidates • Adapt for your own assessment programmes • Help you develop your own assessments • We will look at all three options today

9. UASPs – key features • Valid from August 2013 • Designed to encourage professional judgement • Provide broad-based tasks – allow assessors to choose appropriate context and forms of evidence • Show a range of approaches to generating assessment evidence • Give information on the type of evidence which could be gathered and how this is to be judged against Assessment Standards

10. Graphic Communication UASPs Package 1 • Combined Unit Assessment at N4 and N5 Package 2 • Unit by Unit approach N4 and N5 – discrete assessment tasks for each Unit Package 3 • Portfolio Approach to N4 and N5 – allows centres to devise their own means of generating assessment evidence

11. National 4 Added Value Unit • Makes the Course more than the sum of its parts • Response to a brief • Focus on challenge and application of Graphic Communication skills, knowledge and understanding • It will be a Controlled Assessment – and include setting, conducting and marking • Internally marked, externally verified passorfail

12. N5 Internal Assessment of Course Components • Controlled assessment is SQA’s approach to developing assessments (setting), the conditions of assessment (conducting), and marking assessments (marking). • SQA is introducing controlled assessment for non-question paper components; Added Value Unit (N4), Assignment (N5)

13. N5 Performance (speaking and listening) Controlled assessment This Added Value Unit/Assignment is: • Set by SQA • Conducted under a high degree of supervision and control in your centre  • Evidence will be internally marked by centre in line with SQA marking instructions. • Marking will be quality assured by SQA.

14. Moving on • Workshops 1 and 2 will give you the opportunity to look at the Unit Specifications and Unit Assessment Support Packs in detail.