Consistency of Teacher Judgement

1. Consistency of Teacher Judgement PDHPE 7-10

2. Assessment in PDHPE Assessment for learning Assessment of learning • Point in time judgement • Made against syllabus standards, CPDs or A-E scale • ongoing process • provides direction for teaching and learning

3. The relationship between A-E Grades and CPDs

4. A-E Grades • At the beginning of a reporting period, teachers will consider what students are expected to learn. • At the end of the reporting period, teachers will consider how well students have achieved. This is reported by using the common A-E grade scale.

5. Common Grade Scale

6. Course Performance Descriptors • Course performance descriptors describe the main features of a typical student's performance at each grade measured against the syllabus standards. • The final judgement of the most appropriate grade is made on the basis of available assessment information and with reference to the course performance descriptors.

7. What is consistency? • Consistency in relation to assessment occurs when teachers are able to make judgements about student learning that are not dependent on: • the individual teacher • student • location • time. • These are based on a shared understanding of syllabus standards of learning.

8. Why do we need consistency? To: • Develop shared or common interpretations of standards and expectations of what constitutes achievement of syllabus standards • Develop shared understandings of what students’ achievements look like • Develop accuracy and reliability in making judgements • Ensure judgements are equitable in terms of implications for student learning • Strengthen the value of teachers’ judgements • Inform well-targeted teaching programs

9. How can consistency be developed? • Participate in professional dialogue with colleagues. • Develop a common task across the grade and corporate mark. • Select individual work samples and discuss what the student demonstrates in the sample. • Build in structured time to meet with faculty members to discuss consistency issues. • Review work samples from other schools and discuss allocation of grades.

10. How can consistency be developed?

11. Getting to know the standards You become familiar with the standards by reading • the descriptions for each grade • the tasks and activities • the work samples, and • the grade commentaries.

12. Getting to know the standards • Think of students who have produced work of a similar standard to develop a “mental picture” of the knowledge, skills and understanding represented by that grade. • Discussions with your colleagues may also be helpful.

13. Participate in professional dialogue • Discuss the syllabus framework • Discuss outcomes and what they mean • Share interpretations and understandings • Use work samples collaboratively • Shared understanding of student achievement at a particular point

14. Using Work Samples • Work samples aligned to grades assist teachers to have a clear understanding of the standards at each grade level. • Teachers can use this information to assist them to consistently apply the Common Grade Scale to award grades to students.

15. Using Work Samples • The samples of work for a subject area for a particular grade, when taken collectively, enable teachers to clearly see the quality of work typically produced by students who will be awarded each grade at the end of the stage.

16. Assessment of learning in PDHPE Assessment of learning Allocation of grades • Point in time judgement • Made against syllabus standards, CPDs or A-E scale

17. Allocating Grades • Decision about the most appropriate grade should be an on-balance professional judgementthat: • is based on evidence gathered in a number of assessment activities, across a range of contexts and over a period of time • gives greater weight to those activities undertaken towards the end of the course • considers the maximum level of demonstrated student achievement • represents the best overall description of the student's achievement, at the end of Stage 5.

18. Choosing the right grade • Reporting with grades requires teachers to use their on-balance judgement in relation to standards. • This is a key professional skill.

19. Choosing the right grade • An on-balance judgment does not just focus on a single piece of work. • Teachers weigh up the assessment information collected for a student up to that point in time. • This information will come from both formal assessment activities and informal observations and will be built up over time and in different situations.

20. Processes for developing consistency • collaboratively plan teaching programs which clearly state the intended learning • collaboratively develop common assessment practices and/ tasks • examine student work against the syllabus standards.

21. Collaborative planning and quality assessment processes • Develop appropriate learning and assessment activities • Examine tasks to determine standard expected • Examine work samples against standards • Establish cut-offs between the grade levels • Go to PDHPE Unit website for a detailed process at: http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/secondary/pdhpe/pdhpe7_10/pdhpe7_10/index.htm

22. Resources

23. Contacts For further information contact: • Rosemary Davis CEO PDHPE Ph: 9886 7651 rosemary.davis@det.nsw.edu.au • Janice Atkin Senior Curriculum Adviser PDHPE Ph: 9886 7684 janice.atkin@det.nsw.edu.au