Enhancing assessment capacityFor teachers of Authority and Authority-registered subjects

What are schools responsible for?

Years 11–12 subject pages

Syllabuses and implementation advice

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More resources

Years 11–12 subject pages

Highlighted standards

Where to find: Highlighted standards

Highlighted standards

Annotated sample student responses are available for many subjects

Where to find: Annotated sample responses

Annotated sample student responses

Annotated non-written student responses

Effective construction and clear communication of intended and explicit meaning applying deep knowledge and critical understanding of materials, technologies, techniques and processes

The student makes informed decisions about

media use

The artwork clearly embodies the intentions stated in the research phase

Documents to assist assessment design

Assessment design

Context framework for assessment

Adapted from: Queensland Studies Authority 2008, Building Student Success: A guide to the Queensland Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Framework, QSA, Brisbane.

Identify curriculum

Syllabus/SAS

General objectivesStandards

Using the general objectives (GOs) to plan assessment

Developassessment

Work programAssessment plan

Consider teaching and

learning experiences

Synthesis and evaluation

By the conclusion of the course, students should:

• synthesise information on health issues to make decisions, formulate actions and solutions

• evaluate data and justify recommendations, conclusions, strategies …

Determining the GOs and standards

Using the syllabus and the school work program, determine which dimension/s of the GOs will be assessed.

The dimension of the general objectives chosen for a particular assessment instrument

Activity — identify a general objective

• Choose one dimension of the general objectives for your subject, e.g. synthesis and evaluation.

• Highlight each of the cognition words (action words).

• Choose one general objective cognition word that matches a word you would like to work with on the handout list, e.g. justify.

Health Education example

Synthesis and evaluation

Synthesis and evaluation uses information gained, including the application of concepts and theories, to make decisions, reach conclusions, solve problems and justify solutions and/or actions.

Synthesis is the creation of meaning and coherence from a wide variety of sources.

From: Health Education Senior Syllabus 2010, Queensland Studies Authority, p.4

By the conclusion of the course, students should:• synthesise information on health issues to make

decisions, formulate actions and solutions• evaluate data and justify recommendations,

conclusions, strategies and actions • make decisions about strategies to communicate

ideas.

Evaluation involves the ability to use criteria and evidence to appraise the extent to which alternative ideas, proposals or solutions to a problem are appropriate, effective or satisfying.

Activity — select a sample action

Use the handout Planning learning experiences and assessment: Using the general objectives

Select the cognition word (sample action) that you are going to focus on and highlight this word.

Complete the element of the general objective that you are going to expand on.

Activity — select an aspect of the GO

Consider what learning experiences could be used to develop this particular aspect of the general objectives.

Activity — consider learning experiences

How could students demonstrate this learning in an assessment task/item?

Activity — consider assessment

Write some assessment ideas that might allow the students to demonstrate the aspect of the general objective.

Activity — completed sample

Consider teaching and

learning experiences

Making judgments about student responses

Makejudgments

Identify curriculum

Syllabus/SAS

General objectivesStandards

Developassessment

Work programAssessment plan

Making judgments — alignment

The dimension/s of the general objectives chosen for a particular assessment instrument

Standards descriptors: drawn from syllabus dimension/s and standards to inform assessment design and instrument-specific criteria and standards (also known as a criteria sheet).

Standards matrix

• Criteria are the properties or characteristics by which student work is judged or appraised.

• Criteria and standards link to the general objectives.

• Standards descriptors are statements that succinctly convey required qualities or features that can be matched to student work at various standards.

Making judgments — criteria and qualities

Use the Standards matrix

Highlight the degree words from A to E for the standard that best matches the general objective you have been working with.

Activity — making judgments

Activity — making judgmentsStandard A Standard C

The student work has the following characteristics:

•insightful synthesis of significant information and ideas providing discerning decisions, actions or solutions

•synthesis of information and ideas providing decisions,

actions or solutions

•critical evaluation that comprehensively justifies recommendations, conclusions, strategies and actions

• evaluation and brief justifications of recommendations, conclusions, strategies and actions

• discerning and effective choice of communication strategies that enhance meaning and impact.

• suitable choice of communication strategies that convey meaning.

Activity — making judgments• Examine the standards from the syllabus you

used for the activity.

• Consider the assessment idea you have devised.

Discuss Standard A and Standard C Find differences between the qualitative words in the two standards and evidence that may be seen in student responses.

Standard A Standard C

• critical evaluation that comprehensively justifies recommendations, conclusions, strategies and actions

• evaluation and brief justifications of recommendations, conclusions, strategies and actions

Using evidence to make judgments

Teachers make judgments about:• student responses to assessment instruments• levels of achievement using a folio of student

responses.

Resources

Learning experiences and assessment instruments should be planned and refined with reference to:• Syllabus general objectives and standards• The school’s work program • Quality assuring senior assessment instruments:

A tool for schools• Designing effective assessment instruments for Authority and Authority-registered subjects.

Constructing quality assessment

Adapted from: Queensland Studies Authority 2008, Building Student Success: A guide to the Queensland Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Framework, QSA, Brisbane.