Moderation process for year 12 Authority subject:
The assessment in Authority subjects is externally moderated. The QSA operates a moderation system that is built upon a close partnership with schools. The moderation process is summarised below.
The Quality Assurance is undertaken by officers of the QSA, members of district panels and members of state panels. The Quality Assurance of Authority subjects include the following processes:
• development of a syllabus
• approval of schools’ work programs
• monitoring at the end of Year 11
• verification near the end of Year 12
• comparability of standards across the state
• confirmation (R6, SAI checking)
• random sampling of standards post-verification.
Schools are responsible for the implementation of QSA syllabuses. This includes:
• Design of learning and assessment
• Decisions about student achievement
• Reporting to the QSA on student achievement or standards at particular points of schooling and for certification.
(This is different to school internal reporting processes.)
The moderation process comprises of 7 phases:
Phase 1: Syllabus development:
Learning Area Reference Committees develop syllabuses for QSA approval. Schools write work programs.
Phase 2: Work program approval:
District review panels ensure that work programs meet syllabus requirements. QSA approves work programs. Schools teach and assess students according to their approved work programs.
Teachers use the syllabus standards descriptors to make judgments about the extent to which students have fulfilled the general objectives of the course. A criteria sheet is a tool to help make judgments about the demonstration of learning (Balney & Maidment, 2013). Teacher judgments provide information that may be used for a variety of purposes, including informing quality teaching practices and effective learning experiences and improving learning outcomes for individuals and cohorts of students. It is a feedback mechanism in continuous assessment.
As an evidenced-based system, judgments must be supported by evidence. Evidence of student performance/response and judgments must be collected for each instrument. This can include written responses, products, evidence of performance (e.g. recorded evidence, journals, transcripts or teacher annotations). Evidence of student responses and teacher judgment is retained for all students, one significant reason being for moderation purposes.
Phase 3: Monitoring:
Monitoring occurs halfway through the senior course of study. QSA provides advice from monitoring on the Form R3.
The focus of monitoring is to advise schools about:
• the school’s implementation of the course
• the effectiveness of assessment: gives students opportunities to show they understand the criteria across the range of standards
• the school’s decisions about interim Levels of Achievement.
Phase 4: Verification:
Verification occurs at the beginning of Term 4 of the Year 12 course. The Form R6 is a record of the verification process.
District review panels advise schools about:
• How appropriate the schools’ judgments are about students’ achievements
• Whether the assessment instruments allow students to show they have demonstrated achievement across all criteria and standards.
After verification, students complete additional assessment, and further evidence of student achievement is collected. Student placements at the completion of the course are also recorded on the Form R6.
Phase 5: Comparability:
State review panels ensure judgments are comparable across the state.
Phase 6: Confirmation:
QSA checks school results and confirms levels of achievement.
Phase 7: Random sampling:
QSA assures the process by randomly sampling student folios.
Student outcomes:
The Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) is issued to students who have achieved
· an amount of learning
· at a set standard
· in a set pattern and
· have met literacy and numeracy requirements
Each student who finishes Year 12 receives a Senior Statement in December of that year.
(Source: QSA, 2012)
The assessment in Authority subjects is externally moderated. The QSA operates a moderation system that is built upon a close partnership with schools. The moderation process is summarised below.
The Quality Assurance is undertaken by officers of the QSA, members of district panels and members of state panels. The Quality Assurance of Authority subjects include the following processes:
• development of a syllabus
• approval of schools’ work programs
• monitoring at the end of Year 11
• verification near the end of Year 12
• comparability of standards across the state
• confirmation (R6, SAI checking)
• random sampling of standards post-verification.
Schools are responsible for the implementation of QSA syllabuses. This includes:
• Design of learning and assessment
• Decisions about student achievement
• Reporting to the QSA on student achievement or standards at particular points of schooling and for certification.
(This is different to school internal reporting processes.)
The moderation process comprises of 7 phases:
Phase 1: Syllabus development:
Learning Area Reference Committees develop syllabuses for QSA approval. Schools write work programs.
Phase 2: Work program approval:
District review panels ensure that work programs meet syllabus requirements. QSA approves work programs. Schools teach and assess students according to their approved work programs.
Teachers use the syllabus standards descriptors to make judgments about the extent to which students have fulfilled the general objectives of the course. A criteria sheet is a tool to help make judgments about the demonstration of learning (Balney & Maidment, 2013). Teacher judgments provide information that may be used for a variety of purposes, including informing quality teaching practices and effective learning experiences and improving learning outcomes for individuals and cohorts of students. It is a feedback mechanism in continuous assessment.
As an evidenced-based system, judgments must be supported by evidence. Evidence of student performance/response and judgments must be collected for each instrument. This can include written responses, products, evidence of performance (e.g. recorded evidence, journals, transcripts or teacher annotations). Evidence of student responses and teacher judgment is retained for all students, one significant reason being for moderation purposes.
Phase 3: Monitoring:
Monitoring occurs halfway through the senior course of study. QSA provides advice from monitoring on the Form R3.
The focus of monitoring is to advise schools about:
• the school’s implementation of the course
• the effectiveness of assessment: gives students opportunities to show they understand the criteria across the range of standards
• the school’s decisions about interim Levels of Achievement.
Phase 4: Verification:
Verification occurs at the beginning of Term 4 of the Year 12 course. The Form R6 is a record of the verification process.
District review panels advise schools about:
• How appropriate the schools’ judgments are about students’ achievements
• Whether the assessment instruments allow students to show they have demonstrated achievement across all criteria and standards.
After verification, students complete additional assessment, and further evidence of student achievement is collected. Student placements at the completion of the course are also recorded on the Form R6.
Phase 5: Comparability:
State review panels ensure judgments are comparable across the state.
Phase 6: Confirmation:
QSA checks school results and confirms levels of achievement.
Phase 7: Random sampling:
QSA assures the process by randomly sampling student folios.
Student outcomes:
The Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) is issued to students who have achieved
· an amount of learning
· at a set standard
· in a set pattern and
· have met literacy and numeracy requirements
Each student who finishes Year 12 receives a Senior Statement in December of that year.
(Source: QSA, 2012)