GCE A2 PHOTOGRAPHY

Techniques, Resources and Skills for Improved Delivery

2012 - 2013

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Course Aims & Objectives• This course will:• Examine the structure, content and assessment of

the GCE A2 Photography specification• Outline the Assessment Objectives with particular

reference to AO3 and AO4• Consider delivery models at A2 for each Objective• Explain moderation principles• Inform delegates of the additional support and

resources available from OCR• Share good practice

AGENDA

Session 1: 1.30 – 2.30 Improved delivery presentation

Session 2: 2.30 – 3.30 Exemplar StandsSession 3: 3.30 – 4.00 Question and Answer Session

The OCR Art & Design SuiteYEAR 9 Entry Level Certificate Foundation year for GCSE

One portfolio unitOne Set work60% and 40%

YEAR 10YEAR 11

GCSE One PortfolioOne Set task60% and 40%

YEAR 12 AS One Coursework PortfolioOne Controlled Assignment60% and 40%

YEAR 13 A2 One Personal InvestigationOne Controlled Assignment60% and 40%

Recent developments in GCE A2 Photography

OVERVIEW

This presentation will.........

• Reflect ‘good practice’ in terms of the delivery of the GCE A2 Photography qualification through the exemplar material collected during the 2012 moderation period. There is no preferred way to deliver the specification. However, it is strongly suggested that Centres adopt and incorporate such practices into their course structure. Indeed, the well being of the qualification needs all of our individual approaches.

This presentation will........

Give an overview of the delivery of the GCE A2 Photography specification and highlight successful delivery. Please ask questions about the content and principles outlined during the presentation. However, if you wish to raise a concern that is particular to your Centre’s moderation please ask specific questions after the conclusion of this meeting.

Evolve with Qualifications• All qualifications are organic by nature and in this

respect A2 Photography is no different. Specifications, units, requirements, assessment principles, moderation structures, digital applications and approaches to presentation all evolve over time.

• Teachers should modify delivery structures in response to change and certainly not ‘force’ previous practice into a ‘new’ qualification.

• Successful Centres embrace the ‘change’

Centres should be familiar with:

• Exemplar ‘Personal Investigation’ materials• Exemplar ‘Controlled Assignment’ materials• The ‘Report on the Units 2012’• A2 Assessment Objectives• The requirements for moderation displays - all available on the OCR website

Candidates should set themes that:

• Are accessible and can be resourced in a way that genuinely stimulates initiative, imagination, interpretation and independence

• Encourage a appropriate response to the A2 Assessment Objectives

• Consider potential outcomes• Promote an ongoing dialogue between teacher and

candidate• Builds on AS experience

Teacher support and guidance to candidates when setting themes.

• The selected theme can be resourced in a way that genuinely stimulates initiative, imagination, interpretation and independence

• The selected theme is within the teachers experience• The selected theme offers confident teacher

guidance, especially in AO1• Promote an ongoing dialogue between teacher and

candidate• Teachers highlight potential from the AS experience

Teacher support and guidance to candidates when setting themes.

The selected theme should show advanced level skills, research, understanding,

organisation, selection and achievement.

Effective management of the transition from AS to A2 required.

A2 ASSESSMENT

OBJECTIVES

Assessment Objective 1DEVELOP

Candidates develop their ideas through sustained and focused investigations

informed by contextual and other sources, demonstrating analytical and

critical understanding

Assessment Objective 1DEVELOP

DEVELOP: ‘Do’• Show ‘analytical’ and

‘critical’ understanding• Make relevant connections• Undertake first hand study• Review as work progresses• Cultivate ‘ideas’• Make a personal response• Understand the Related

Personal Study

DEVELOP: ‘Don’t’• Use unrelated sources• Give only ‘factual’

information• Rely solely on the INTERNET• Overlook links with personal

interests or popular cultural contexts

• Confine developmental study to the start

Develop ideas informed by relevant context

Assessment Objective 2 EXPERIMENT

Candidates experiment with and select appropriate resources, media,

materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining their ideas as

their work develops.

Assessment Objective 2 EXPERIMENT

EXPLORE: ‘Do’• Refine ideas through

practical work• Use ‘digital’ manipulation• Show a connection between

experimentation and outcome(s)

• Show skill and achievement• Show accuracy in content• Do understand ‘effective

experimentation’

EXPLORE: ‘Don’t’• Undertake lots of unrelated

activities• Just use popular ‘filters’• Select inappropriately• Confuse ‘participation’ with

‘achievement’• Allow repetition to be a

substitute for exploration

Explore and experiment to refine the idea

Assessment Objective 3 RECORD

Candidates record in visual and/or other forms, ideas, observations and insights

relevant to their intentions, demonstrating an ability to reflect on their

work and progress.

Assessment Objective 3 RECORD

RECORD: ‘Do’• Show skill in recording• Quality in photography• Understanding in written

work• Directly support ideas• Show insights• Show skill when using

materials or alternative media

RECORD: ‘Don’t’• Record without

consideration• Select subject matter that is

unrelated to intended outcomes

• Record without attention to detail

• Lose focus in interpreting observations or experiences

Record impacts directly into all the other AO’s

Assessment Objective 4 PRESENT

Candidates present a personal, informed and meaningful response

demonstrating critical understanding, realising intentions and, where

appropriate, making connections between visual, written, oral or other

elements

Assessment Objective 4 PRESENT

PRESENT: ‘Do’• Remember it is not just the

outcome• Consider the whole

submission• Consider how the outcome

relates to the preparatory work

• Select for assessment• Consider ‘quality’ not

‘quantity’

PRESENT: ‘Don’t’• Show the ‘good’ with the

‘bad’• Show a journey over ‘time’• Submit unrelated work to

accompany the work produced in response to the set ‘theme’

• Allow imbalance in meeting the AOs to impact upon ‘realisation’.

Select and present for assessment

Related Personal Study

1. Candidates select an overarching theme.

2. Quality of written communication.

3. Relates to rather than replace context for practical work.

4. Should support quality/understanding of practical work

Related Personal Study

1. Many approaches.2. Approaches evolving over

time.3. Supported by first hand

experience.4. Time considerations.5. Marked as part of the

Personal Investigation6. Presented for moderation

Key steps through the delivery of the A2 Photography specification

1. Candidates set a theme that opens a route through the AOs

2. Review and refine as work progress, especially AO3 and AO4.

3. Effective ‘select’ and ‘present’ for assessment

4. Establish a reliable rank order

5. Mark to the AOs

ASSESSMENT and

MODERATION

Centre Assessment

When marking teachers should.............

• Establish a reliable and accurate rank order

• Align rank orders where more than one teacher is marking

• Be objective - the candidate’s personality traits are not an Assessment Objective

When marking teachers should not...............

• Mark to grade boundaries• Mark holistically by ignoring

performance in each of the AOs

• Mark the course rather than individual candidates’ attainment

Preparation for Moderation

Preparation should• Ensure all paperwork is sent

to the moderator by the 31st May

• Respond to initial contact promptly

• Ensure the area for moderation display is private, quiet and secure

• Ensure all work is readily available should additional sampling be required

Preparation should not• Leave the candidate work as

disorganised collection of work

• Display for moderation in a noisy or public area of the Centre

• Compromise the moderation display for an end of year ‘Photography Exhibition’

Moderation

MODERATION WILL• Apply OCR national

standards• Use an OFQUAL sampling

system• Compare each sample to

the standards • Look for ‘trends’ and make

‘grouped’, ‘partial’ or ‘whole’ cohort recommendations to OCR

MODERATION WILL NOT• Change/Correct rank orders• Re-mark candidates• Place Special Consideration

candidates in the sample• Give numerical feedback in

the Centre or offer more than a brief verbal synopsis

• Provide mini INSET

Moderators will be aware of

• The complete range of marks• The compression or spread of marks• The number of candidates on a given ‘mark’• Clustering of marks• Teaching groups

Centres should recognise that:There is guidance and constraints on what moderators can and

cannot do (Ofqual, Code of Practice)

Thanking Centre’s essential contribution to this process

• Delivering courses that promote good practice• Candidates to achieve• Accurate and prompt administration• Effective and well-organised displays for moderation• Their co-operation in dispatching essential work for Award,

INSET and Training purposes• Continued support, suggestions and contributions to the

evolution of the Photography qualification

Summary

• Candidates undertake a GCE A2 Photography course under their teacher’s guidance and are selective in presenting the best of their work for Assessment.

• Teachers establish a course structure and timeframe that supports this principle.

• Projects set should cultivate knowledge and skills through the Assessment Objectives.

• Centre marking should accurately reflect individual achievement in response to the Assessment Objectives rather than participation in course activities.

• The focus at A2 is to show an advanced ability in the chosen area of study.

THANK YOU