Learning Outcomes

1. Seminar for Third Consultation on New Senior Secondary Curriculum and Assessment FrameworkBusiness, Accounting and Financial StudiesPublic AssessmentOctober 2006

2. Learning Outcomes • The public assessment of this subject is based on the NSS Curriculum and Assessment Guide (S4-6) Business, Accounting and Financial Studies (BAFS) jointly prepared by the CDC and HKEAA • Candidates have to refer to the Guide for the knowledge, understanding and skills they are required to demonstrate in the assessment.

3. Assessment Objectives • demonstrate knowledge and understanding of different areas of business; • apply such knowledge and understanding to familiar and novel situations; • analyse, synthesise and evaluate information in the context of business decisions, taking into account the integrated and dynamic nature of business problems; and • communicate facts, opinions, and suggestions in an effective manner

4. Proposed Assessment Framework

5. Public Examination Paper 1 Section A (60%) − multiple choice questions Section B (40%) − short questions All questions are compulsory. Paper 2 Candidates are expected to integrate their knowledge and skills learnt in the compulsory part to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the module

6. Question Types Which of the following descriptions about the World Trade Organisation is INCORRECT? A. It monitors national trade policies. B. It acts as a channel for settling international trade disputes. C. It provides technical assistance and support to the less developed member countries. D. It provides export credit insurance to exporters from the member countries. Paper 1 (Compulsory part) Multiple-choice questions 2005 CE Commerce 2 Q9

7. Question Types Paper 1 (Compulsory part) Multiple-choice questions Web-based Teacher Development Course on Personal Finance for TE Teachers Unit 1 – Assessment

8. Question Types Valor Company acquired a machine on 1 January 2002. The machine has an estimated useful life of 5 years. The depreciation charge for the first three years was calculated for this machine using two different depreciation methods as follows: Paper 2A (Accounting module) Short questions 2006 HKCE Principles of Accounts Q2(B) You are required to: • State three causes of depreciation. • Calculate the cost of the machine and its estimated residual value. (c) Prepare journal entries to record the disposal of the machine based on the straight‑line method, assuming that the machine was sold on 30 September 2005 for $36 000 on credit. (Narrations are not required)

9. Question Types Paper 2A (Accounting module) application problems 2006 HKAL Principles of Accounts 2 Q5

10. Question Types Paper 2A (Accounting module) Case/theory questions 2006 HKAL Principles of Accounts 2 Q3

11. Question Types (A) The director of a limited company read the following in the newspaper: “The Financial Secretary said in the 2001-02 Budget Speech that starting from the accounts for fiscal year 2002-03, two separate sets of Annual Accounts of the Government would be published, one under the existing cash accounting convention and the other prepared on an accrual basis.” Explain to the director how the two bases differ and whether the company could switch between them.   (B) “Every balance sheet of a company shall give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at the end of its financial year, and every profit and loss account of a company shall give a true and fair view of the profit or loss of the company for the financial year.” (Source: S123(1), Hong Kong Companies Ordinance) How can a true and fair view be achieved in the context of the Hong Kong financial reporting environment? Paper 2A (Accounting module) Case/theory questions Sample HKAL Principles of Accounts 2 Q4

12. Question Types Paper 2B (Business management module) Short questions 2005 HKAL Business Studies 1 Q4 試為一家現金短缺的公司，建議三個可改善短期現金狀況的方法。

13. Question Types NuWear is a casual wear retail chain in Hong Kong targeting children and young people. It entered the Mainland market several years ago. Over the last three years, NuWear has set up more than 30 stores in the major cities in the Mainland. Despite massive advertising and promotion efforts, sales were far from satisfactory. In fact, NuWear’s Mainland operation has been in the red in the past two years. To deal with this situation, Mary and John, directors of the company, held a meeting to sort out the future strategy for the Mainland market. Mary suggested: ‘Sales in the Mainland remain very low. We’d better find some ways to stop bleeding. I suggest setting a standard for the net profit margin so that all shops failing to meet this standard would be closed down.’ John disagreed: ‘Relying on the net profit margin alone is too rigid and mechanical. Moreover, closing down branch shops would affect our image and arouse negative speculation. Our expansion in the last few years was just too fast and most salespersons did not receive enough training. Our customers are not happy with the services provided by them. Besides, the relationship between the management and the salespersons at the shops is not good. Most managers are from Hong Kong whereas the salespersons are recruited from the Mainland. The managers always complain about the difficulties in managing the Mainland salespersons whom they regard as typical Theory-X employees. However, I disagree with this. I believe there may be communication problems between them.’ Paper 2B (Business management module) Case studies 2005 HKAL Business Studies 1 Q7 Questions: (a) Suggest two possible benefits to NuWear of entering the Mainland market. (b) Besides being too rigid and mechanical, explain two limitations of using the net profit margin as the only criterion to decide on branch closures. (c) With reference to the characteristics of service, give two reasons to explain why training of salespersons is an important factor affecting sales. (d) (i) List three of the major characteristics of Theory X employees. (ii) Explain three ways to effectively manage Theory X salespersons. (e) Describe two possible communication barriers that may exist between Hong Kong managers and Mainland staff.

14. Question Types 假設你是某大型貿易公司的人力資源經理，正為銷售人員與會計文員設計報酬制度。 (a) 比較這兩個報酬制度不同之處。 (b) 解釋為什麼這兩個報酬制度會有所不同。 Paper 2B (Business management module) Essay questions 2006 HKAL Business Studies 2 Q7

15. School-based Assessment (SBA) • Assessments administered in schools and marked by the students’ own teachers • Enhance validity • More reliable assessment • Promote a positive washback effect

16. SBA Design • focus on skills that cannot be readily assessed through the public examination • focus on achievement or performance rather than on attitude or effort • as an integral part of ongoing classroom learning and teaching • practicable and can be implemented readily within schools and classrooms without undue cost to the school or to students

17. SBA Design • caters for the diversity of students • comprehensive set of guidelines and scoring rubrics to ensure that student performance is assessed consistently • final product or performance can readily be authenticated by the teacher as the work of the student concerned

18. SBA Design • in-class and out-of-school time commitment reasonable and consistent with the expected time commitment for the weighting given to SBA • consider the state of planning for SBA and the readiness of schools to implement SBA in this subject

19. School-based Assessment Tests and examinations Presentations on business cases/issues Business exposure Enterprise experience

20. Uniqueness of SBA in BAFS Values & Attitudes Integrated business knowledge and skills Simulated / Real-life Situation Observer or Player Skills Knowledge

21. Assessment Task S5 • a written artifact of not more than 3 word-processed A4 pages S6 • written presentation and • oral presentation of not more than 10 mins, followed by a Q&A session of about 10 mins

22. SBA Activities SBA activities may be carried out on a group or individual basis, but assessment task mustbe done as individual work

23. Assessment Criteria (Annex 2) • Business knowledge and understanding • display of subject knowledge • application of knowledge • integration of knowledge • Analysis skills for business decision-making • prioritisation of issues • information collection • information evaluation • Business presentation skills • organisation • use of presentation aids • time management • speaking • non-verbal communication • engaging the audience • responding to questions

24. Mark Allocation

25. Annex 1

26. Annex 3

27. SBA Marks • reflect the rank order of its students as well as the relative differences between students’ achievements • will be moderated to provide comparability across schools • students are required to keep good custody of their work for inspection and authentication purposes until the release of exam results

28. Estimated Time Commitment Per student • in-class: ~6 hours (60 mins x 3 worksheets x 2 tasks) • oral presentation: 10+10 mins • outside-class: 12-25 hours Per class • worksheets: ~6 hours • presentation: ~15 hours [(10+10) mins x 40 students]

29. Implementation schedule • SBA new to business subject(s) • variations in school readiness • ‘new’ curriculum: require more time for the better planning of suitable SBA activities

30. Phased Implementation

31. Development Work Ahead • Developing sample papers • Conducting pilot tests • Trying out SBA criteria • Standard-setting and drafting level descriptors • Compiling annotated exemplars • Assessment training

32. School Survey 15 questions on 3 areas • Alignment between assessment objectives and curriculum aims and objectives • Public examination • Paper structure • Weighting • Duration • School-based assessment • Weighting • Design • Required teacher efforts • Required student efforts • Authentication • Implementation schedule

33. Comments and suggestions welcome Thank You!