Enhancing assessment capacity

1. Enhancing assessment capacity • For teachers of Authority and Authority-registered subjects

2. What are schools responsible for?

3. Syllabuses and implementation advice Years 11–12 subject pages

4. Years 11–12 subject pages More resources Scroll down

5. Where to find: Highlighted standards Highlighted standards

6. Highlighted standards

7. Where to find: Annotated sample responses Annotated sample student responses are available for many subjects

8. Annotated sample student responses

9. The artwork clearly embodies the intentions stated in the research phase The student makes informed decisions about media use Effective construction and clear communication of intended and explicit meaning applying deep knowledge and critical understanding of materials, technologies, techniques and processes Annotated non-written student responses

10. Assessment design Documents to assist assessment design

11. Context framework for assessment Adapted from: Queensland Studies Authority 2008, Building Student Success: A guide to the Queensland Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Framework, QSA, Brisbane.

12. Using the general objectives (GOs) to plan assessment Identify curriculum Syllabus/SAS General objectives Standards Developassessment Work program Assessment plan Consider teaching and learning experiences

13. Determining the GOs and standards • Using the syllabus and the school work program, determine which dimension/s of the GOs will be assessed. The dimension of the general objectives chosen for a particular assessment instrument • Synthesis and evaluation • By the conclusion of the course, students should: • synthesise information on health issues to make decisions, formulate actions and solutions • evaluate data and justify recommendations, conclusions, strategies …

14. Activity — identify a general objective • Choose one dimension of the general objectives for your subject, e.g. synthesis and evaluation. • Highlight each of the cognition words (action words). • Choose one general objective cognition word that matches a word you would like to work with on the handout list, e.g. justify.

15. Health Education example From: Health Education Senior Syllabus 2010, Queensland Studies Authority, p.4 • Synthesis and evaluation • Synthesis and evaluation uses information gained, including the application of concepts and theories, to make decisions, reach conclusions, solve problems and justify solutions and/or actions. • Synthesis is the creation of meaning and coherence from a wide variety of sources.

16. Evaluation involves the ability to use criteria and evidence to appraisethe extent to which alternative ideas, proposals or solutions to a problem are appropriate, effective or satisfying. • By the conclusion of the course, students should: • synthesise information on health issues to make decisions, formulateactions and solutions • evaluate data and justifyrecommendations, conclusions, strategies and actions • make decisions about strategies to communicate ideas.

17. Use the handoutPlanning learning experiences and assessment: Using the general objectives Activity — select a sample action Select the cognition word (sample action) that you are going to focus on and highlight this word.

18. Complete the element of the general objective that you are going to expand on. Activity — select an aspect of the GO

19. Consider what learning experiences could be used to develop this particular aspect of the general objectives. Activity — consider learning experiences

20. How could students demonstrate this learning in an assessment task/item? Activity — consider assessment Write some assessment ideas that might allow the students to demonstrate the aspect of the general objective.

21. Activity — completed sample

22. Making judgments about student responses Consider teaching and learning experiences Identify curriculum Syllabus/SAS General objectives Standards Developassessment Work program Assessment plan Makejudgments

23. Making judgments — alignment Standards matrix The dimension/s of the general objectives chosen for a particular assessment instrument Standards descriptors: drawn from syllabus dimension/s and standards to inform assessment design and instrument-specific criteria and standards (also known as a criteria sheet).

24. Making judgments — criteria and qualities • Criteria are the properties or characteristics by which student work is judged or appraised. • Criteria and standards link to the general objectives. • Standards descriptors are statements that succinctly convey required qualities or features that can be matched to student work at various standards.

25. Activity — making judgments • Use the Standards matrix • Highlight the degree words from A to E for the standard that best matches the general objective you have been working with.

26. Activity — making judgments

27. Activity — making judgments • Examine the standards from the syllabus you used for the activity. • Consider the assessment idea you have devised. Discuss Standard A and Standard CFinddifferencesbetween the qualitative words in the two standards and evidence that may be seen in student responses.

28. Using evidence to make judgments • Teachers make judgments about: • student responses to assessment instruments • levels of achievement using a folio of student responses.

29. Resources • Learning experiences and assessment instruments should be planned and refined with reference to: • Syllabus general objectives and standards • The school’s work program • Quality assuring senior assessment instruments: A tool for schools • Designing effective assessment instruments for Authority and Authority-registered subjects.

30. Constructing quality assessment Adapted from: Queensland Studies Authority 2008, Building Student Success: A guide to the Queensland Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Framework, QSA, Brisbane.