AQA A Level Science

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A-level Practical

Sciences

Catherine Witter,

Senior Adviser, Practical Sciences

Friday 8th

and Saturday 9th

January 2016

Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.Version 3.0

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Overview of this session:

• Common Practical Assessment Criteria (CPAC)

• Apparatus and Techniques

• Planning assessments and tracking student progress

• Practical work in action – Biology, Chemistry and Physics

• The Monitoring Visit

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Common Practical Assessment Criteria (CPAC)

1. Follows written procedures2. Applies investigative approaches and methods when using instruments

and equipment3. Safely uses a range of practical equipment and materials4. Makes and records observations5. Researches, references and reports

Slide 3 Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

12 core practical activities

In addition to the five Common Practical Assessment Criteria (CPAC) there are a number of Apparatus and Techniques which must also be addressed.

Slide 4

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AQA Practical endorsement online training

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CPAC 1 in action

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Staff guidelines CPAC 1 assessment

What would I expect to see

green

Voltmeter and ammeter connected correctly and on correct settings

Correct terminals on variable resistor with minimal prompting

Only one cell used without prompting

EMF reading taken when open circuit

Full range of readings taken from full extent of variable resistor to 3cm of end (by observation of expt)

Observe student switches off between readings (by observation)

CPAC 2 - Applies investigative approaches and methods when using instruments and equipment

Slide 7

CPAC 2 in action

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CPAC 3 - Safely uses a range of practical equipment and materials

Slide 9

The safety element in CPAC 3

Slide 10

The safety element in CPAC 3

CPAC 4 - Makes and records observations

Slide 12

CPAC1 and 4 in action

CPAC 4

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CPAC 5 - Researches, references and reports

Slide 15

CPAC 5 in action

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Any questions, comments or concerns?

Slide 17

Early indications are exciting listening!

What teachers think of the changes to practical work assessment

Copyright © AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.x of xVersion 3.0

Planning experiments against the A&T


Planning opportunities for CPAC assessment

Photo – email attachment slide 14 –

Planning experiments for assessment


Example of student/teacher in-class tracking


Another student tracker example

Another student tracker example

Many teachers are adapting the AQA tracker


I have also seen some use SIMs…




Slide 27

Why should teachers do more than 12 practicals?

There is a minimum requirement of 12 core practical activities to be offered to students, however:

• some techniques need more practise

• you can provide increased opportunities for students to develop a mastery against the five CPAC areas

• some students may be absent when you deliver the practical

• practical work works to underpin teaching and learning, helping students to fully grasp the harder theoretical concepts

• practical work should be embraced fully and students should not be limited to practical skill development – it is simply too important.


Biology

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Required practical example

Investigation into the effect of a named variable on the rate of an enzyme-controlled reaction

ATa Use appropriate apparatus to record a range quantitative measurements (to include mass, time, volume, temperature, length and pH)

ATb Use appropriate instrumentation to record quantitative measurements, such as a colorimeter or potometer

ATc Use a laboratory glassware apparatus for a variety of experimental techniques to include serial dilutions

Chemistry

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Measuring the EMF of an electrochemical cell

AT j Set up electrochemical cells and measuring voltages

AT k Safely and carefully handle solids and liquids, including corrosive, irritant, flammable and toxic substances

Physics

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Investigation into the variation of the frequency of stationary waves on a string with length, tension and mass per unit length of the string

ATa use appropriate analogue apparatus to record a range of measurements (toinclude length/distance, temperature, pressure, force, angles, volume) and tointerpolate between scale markings

ATb use appropriate digital instruments, including electrical multimeters, toobtain a range of measurements (to include time, current, voltage, resistance, mass)

ATc use methods to increase accuracy of measurements, such as timing overmultiple oscillations, or use of fiduciary marker, set square or plumb line



Slide 32


The monitoring visit

Slide 33

One of our practical advisers commented recently….

“The adviser training provided a lot of ‘food for thought/reflection’ with regard to how we manage the delivery of practical skills to young people as practising teachers.

It also was very useful to consider how what we do would be seen by colleagues coming in and observing us”.

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Thank you

Any questions?

Documents

AQA A Level Science