Qualifications Update: Environmental Science Qualifications Update: Environmental Science

Qualifications Update:Environmental ScienceQualifications Update:Environmental Science

Provides progression from National 5 Environmental Science

Combines popular and relevant topics of study from Higher Managing Environmental Resources, Biology, Geology and Geography

Develops an increased depth and complexity of knowledge and understanding

Further develops higher order skillsOffers personalisation and choice Provides flexibility

Key messagesKey messages

Course Structure Course Structure

• 4 Units: – internally assessed by centres – externally verified by SQA– Pass/Fail

• Course assessment– Question Paper– Coursework (Assignment)

• Course assessment consisting of:– Question paper

• marked by SQA. • a specimen Question Paper and marking

instructions will be published February 2014, which meet the requirements of the Course Assessment Specification.

– Assignment • conducted by centres & marked by SQA. • Assignment Information will be published in March

2014, which meet the requirements of the Course Assessment Specification.


• SQA is currently developing Unit and Course assessment materials to support the Higher Environmental Science Course.

• Unit Assessment Support will provide three support packages that exemplify different approaches to assessment and gathering evidence. Centres will be free to develop their own assessment packages.

• Evidence for the achievement of Outcome 1 and Assessment Standards 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4 for one Unit in this Course can be used as evidence of the achievement of Outcome 1 and Assessment Standards 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4 in the other Units of this Course (except Researching Unit).


• Use valid and reliable assessments- SQA-produced Unit Assessment Support Packs- Centre devised assessments that have been prior verified- Your own assessments – strongly advise you have these prior verified

• Making assessment judgements- SQA packs are designed on a pass/fail basis- Use Judging Evidence Tables to make assessment judgments against Assessment

Standards- Judging Evidence Tables have commentary on how to meet each Assessment Standard- A task/activity can meet most or all of the Unit Outcome and Assessment Standards- Indicate on candidate’s work that Unit Assessment Standards have been met

• Unit Assessment complementing learning and teaching- Unit Assessment is open and flexible- Assessment should allow you space to prepare for Added Value/Course Assessment

Key messages Key messages from Verification (Round 1)

Assessment Support Schedule 2013/14 Assessment Support Schedule 2013/14

Sept 13 CfE Update Letter

Oct 13 Unit Assessment Support (Package 1)

Feb 14 Unit Assessment Support (Package 2)

Feb 14 Higher Specimen Question Paper

Mar 14 Coursework General Assessment Information

Apr 14 Unit Assessment Support (Package 3)

May 14 Update Mandatory Documents

Jun 14 Update Unit Assessment Support

Environmental ScienceUnit Assessment

at Higher

Environmental ScienceUnit Assessment

at Higher

Unit assessment - recapUnit assessment - recap• Flexible and open Assessment Standards and Evidence

Requirements in Units

• Greater range of techniques and methodologies for assessment – encouraged

• Assessments can be designed to provide evidence across more than one outcome or Unit – combined assessments

• More opportunities to gather naturally occurring evidence – assessment as part of learning and teaching

Unit Assessment Support purpose Unit Assessment Support purpose

As at National 5, Assessment Support will be provided which you can use to:

•Assess your candidates

•Adapt for your own assessment programmes

•Help you develop your own assessments

Unit Assessment Support at HigherUnit Assessment Support at Higher – key features – key features

• Valid from August 2014

• Complements and supports learning and teaching

• Assess competence against Unit Outcomes and Assessment Standards

• Designed to encourage professional judgement

• Provide broad-based tasks – allow assessors to choose appropriate context and forms of evidence

• Show range of approaches to generating assessment evidence

• Give information on the type of evidence which could be gathered

Summary of Requirements to pass a UnitSummary of Requirements to pass a UnitAssessment Standards can be achieved in a variety of waysAssessors should ensure that the work is the candidate’s own.

Summary of Requirements to pass a UnitSummary of Requirements to pass a UnitOutcome 1 All six Assessment Standards are required. They can be achieved through a number of activities

Outcome 1 is transferable and need only be overtaken once in the Course.

Summary of Requirements to pass a UnitSummary of Requirements to pass a UnitOutcome 2 This can be achieved through a number of activities 2.1 at least half of the statements should be correct across the key areas of the Unit2.2 the description of the application must be at an

appropriate level2.3 the description of the issue and its effect on environment/society must be at an appropriate level2.4 all 4 problem solving skills (making predictions, selecting information, processing information and analysing

information) must be achieved

Summary of Requirements to pass a UnitSummary of Requirements to pass a UnitOutcome 2Assessment Standard 2.1 is Unit specific

Assessment Standards 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4 are transferable and need only be overtaken once in the Course.

Unit assessment support Unit assessment support packages at Higher - approachespackages at Higher - approaches

Package 1 • Unit by Unit approach – discrete assessment

tasks for each UnitPackage 2 • Combined approach – groups Outcomes and

Assessment Standards from different UnitsPackage 3 • Portfolio approach – naturally occurring

evidence

AssessmentAssessment Package 1Package 1

This pack consists of three assessment activities for each Unit: Activity 1: a scientific report of an experiment to generate evidence for Outcome 1•Activity 2: a short report of a research investigation to generate evidence for Assessment Standards 2.2 and 2.3•Activity 3: a set of questions to generate evidence for Assessment Standards 2.1 and 2.4


This pack consists of two assessment activities: Activity 1: an investigation of a key area of any Unit

through research, a practical activity and problem solving, covering Outcome 1 and Assessment Standards 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4

Activity 2: a set of questions covering Assessment Standard 2.1. This generates evidence that the candidate is able to make accurate statements demonstrating knowledge and understanding gained throughout the Course


Portfolio ApproachThis pack outlines the gathering of naturally occurring

evidence

Re-assessment Re-assessment Assessment Standard 2.1Assessment Standard 2.1

If you have given a test and the candidate fails AS 2.1 then for reassessment you could either:-•give another test covering all the key areas•analyse the candidate's performance in the first test and only reassess the key areas they didn't do well inEither way, candidates need to score 50% or more across the key areas and NOT 50% for each key area.

Re-assessment Re-assessment Assessment Standard 2.4Assessment Standard 2.4

• If a specific Problem Solving skill (eg selecting Information) is not achieved, then only that skill need be re-assessed

• If, after re-assessment, the candidate fails to demonstrate that Problem Solving skill within this Unit assessment, they could be given further assessment opportunities to demonstrate this skill, in the other Units of the Course

Environmental ScienceHigher Course Assessment

Environmental ScienceHigher Course Assessment

Course Assessment at HigherCourse Assessment at Higher• Course Assessment at National 5, and Higher

assesses Added Value

• Courses at Higher are graded A – D, as at present

• For Environmental Science there are 2 Components – a question paper and an assignment

Higher – Higher – Question PaperQuestion Paper• Assesses ability to retain and integrate knowledge

and understanding from across the Course content

• The weighting is approximately proportionate to the Units

• 100 Marks • Duration - 2 hours 30 minutes

Higher – Higher – Question PaperQuestion Paper• Section 1 consist of a mix of restricted and

extended response questions which has 100 marks

Higher – Higher – Assignment Assignment • The assignment will require the candidate to carry

out an in-depth study of a Environmental Science topic

• The topic will be chosen by the candidate (to be reviewed by the assessor) who will investigate/research the underlying Environmental Science

• Marked by SQA

Higher – Higher – Assignment Assignment This assignment has two stages:•a research stage•a communication stage, during which the report is writtenThe research stage will be conducted under some supervision and control.The communication stage will be conducted under a high degree of supervisionDuration: should be no more than 8 hours in total

Higher – Higher – Assignment Assignment Skills, knowledge and understanding Mark

allocationAim 1Applying knowledge and understanding of Environmental Science 4

Selecting information 2

Processing and presenting data/information 4

Analysing data/information 2

Conclusion 2

Evaluation 3

Presentation 2

Course Assessment at HigherCourse Assessment at Higher

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCEWORKSHOP 2

To understand the requirements of Higher Course

assessment

Workshop 2 - Course AssessmentWorkshop 2 - Course Assessment

• Following on from your discussion and using the materials provided, discuss:

the requirements of the Higher Course Assessment how these requirements build on the Higher Units how these requirements build on National 5 (where

appropriate)

What key points will you take back to your centre?

Workshop Aims•To understand the requirements of Higher Course Assessments