Report on Assessment Ben Tsui

Manager (Biology), HKEAA

13 & 24 November 2014

Biology & Combined Science (Biology)

     

              

            

 

Overview of Exam Statistics Paper Biology CS(Bio)

1A (MC) Mean : 21 out of 35 (i.e. 58%)

Mean : 12 out of 24 (i.e. 50%)

1 (Mixed) ~42% ~34%

2 ~41% N.A.

SBA ~70% ~69%

Subject ~48% ~41%

Candidature 17648 2969

 

   

   

            

Marking Panels Biology CS(Bio)

1B‐1: Q.1,2,6,9

1B‐2: Q.3,4,8,10 1B‐3: Q.5,7,11

1B‐1: Q.1,4,7

1B‐2: Q.2,3,5 1B‐3: Q.6,8

2A: Human Physiology

2B: Applied Ecology

2C: Microorganisms & Humans 2D: Biotechnology

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Grading Expert Panel (Examiners, 5 ~ 6 persons)determine level boundaries/cut scores by making reference to • Level descriptors • Group Ability Indicator (GAI) • Viewing candidate samples

CS(Bio) graded by common items and viewing candidate samples Endorsement by Senior Management/Exam Board

   

Results Biology Level 5** 5*+ 5+ 4+ 3+ 2+ 1+

Percentage 1.7% 6.7% 16.8% 43.2% 69.2% 88.6% 96.6%

Combined Science (Biology) Level 5** 5*+ 5+ 4+ 3+ 2+ 1+

Percentage 0.7% 2.8% 6.7% 22.3% 52.8% 80.2% 94.3%

           

                     

Number of candidates at top levels (Bio) Level 2012 2013 2014

DSE 5** 275 (1.6%) 287 (1.6%) 300 (1.7%) DSE 5* 1049 (6.1%) 1182 (6.8%) 1183 (6.7%) DSE 5 2682 (15.6%) 2992 (16.7%) 2965 (16.8%)

Candidature 17191 17913 17648 Subject mean 50.9 54 47.6

       

 

     

   

Difficulties of MC items Biology

% of cand. correct >70% 50%-70% <50% No. of Q 10 15 11

CS Biology

% of cand. correct >70% 50%‐70% <50%

No. of Q 6 9 9

     

 

 

 

Difficulties of conventional questions Biology

%mark >60% 40%-60% <40% Question no. Q.1 Q.3,5,7,8,9 Q.2,4,6,10,11

CS Biology

%mark >60% 40%‐60% <40%

Question no. - Q.6,7 Q.1,2,3,4,5,8

                        

       • Mark equating was applied to the 4 questions in Paper 2

• After equating:

Elective Popularity Mean % mark Human Physiology 93% 42.4 Applied Ecology 65% 39.9 Microorganisms & Humans 11% 31.3 Biotechnology 31% 46.4

Mean marks for Paper 2

       

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Performance – Bio Vs CS Bio Common items Performance

Bio vs CS (Bio) Bio CS Bio

2 1 > 15%

3(a)&(c) 2 > 5%

4 3 > 7%

6(a)&(c) 4 > 9%

10(a) 5 > 3%

7 6 > 5%

9 7 > 6%

11 8 > 9%

               

                                        

           

Use of Paper 1 as anchor for SBA moderation • Subject committee appreciated and agreed the trend of inclusion questions related to SBA in Paper 1 – Increase students’ and teachers’ awareness of SBA in the learning and teaching of Biology

 

                    

                    

       

            

                       

                

       

                                                

Questions with common skills are included in Paper 1 so that its’ validity as reference for SBA moderation is increased, as supported by the high high correlation shown.

SBA

Overlapping learning outcomes and objectives in both written exam and SBA, which includes some common skills and abilities: (extracted from level descriptors) 1. Knowledge and understanding of

concepts 2. Apply concepts to various situations 3. Demonstrate thinking, problem‐solving

and analytical skills in various situations Written Exam 4. Communicate ideas in a succinct, logical

and coherent manner 5. Ability to design and conduction scientific

investigations, evaluate procedures, draw conclusion

                     

         

         

   

         

             

         

           

           

             

         

                   

Questions with skills that are common to SBA (Paper 1A) Qs Skills assessed % Correct

Q.3 Steps for using microscope* 59% (Bio); 50% (CS Bio)

Q.6 Measurement of dependent variable (P rate)* 70% (Bio)

Q.8 Control setup* 47% (Bio)

Q.9 Interpretation of graph (enzyme) 70% (Bio); 67% (CS Bio)

Q.17 Observation of specimen; Use of key 80% (Bio); 75% (CS Bio)

Q.21 Experimental design (transpiration rate)* 65% (Bio); 57% (CS Bio)

Q.27 Interpretation of graph (breathing) 62% (Bio); 60% (CS Bio)

Q.28 Interpretation of graph (menstrual cycle) 53% (Bio); 49% (CS Bio)

Q.31 Interpretation of graph (predator and prey) 51% (Bio); 41% (CS Bio)

Q.36 Experimental design (auxins)* 77% (Bio); 71% (CS Bio)

* Questions with contexts directly related to scientific investigation / SBA

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Questions with skills that are common to SBA (Paper 1B)

Qs Skills assessed Mean % score

2(a) Observation of photomicrograph (trachea) 42% (Bio); 26% (CS Bio)

3(a) Draw conclusion 51% (Bio); 42% (CS Bio)

4 (a) Drawing*; (b) Observation of photomicrograph (stem) (b) 28% (Bio); 20% (CS Bio)

5(b) Interpretation of graph (succession) 33% (Bio)

6(a) Interpretation of graph (number of genes & gene expression) 25% (Bio); 14% (CS Bio)

6(c) Experimental design (enzyme)* 26% (Bio); 18% (CS Bio)

7(b) Results interpretation (membrane permeability)* 38% (Bio); 32% (CS Bio)

9 Interpretation of data: (a) & (b) identify trends & patterns) ; (c) correlation of data

46% (Bio); 39% (CS Bio)

10(a) Interpretation of graph (photoreceptors) 19% (Bio); 15% (CS Bio)

11 Organise & present relevant information in a coherent manner 29% (Bio); 19% (CS Bio)

* Questions with contexts directly related to scientific investigation / SBA Red colour indicated questions with mean mark below the paper mean

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           Exam Year Paper 1 Paper 2

2012 0.64 0.60

2013 0.73 0.64

2014 0.72 0.68

• Since 2013, questions with skills that were common to SBA were incorporated in the Paper 1

• High correlations between Paper 1 and SBA were demonstrated since then

Correlation of SBA and Bio Paper 1

                

                        

                                                    

                                      

                                                                           

 

General comments: • Candidates did well in straightforward questions that required recall

of biological knowledge. • When there were daily life scenarios that required an understanding

of the situation and application of knowledge, they simply recitedtextbook materials on the relevant topics without adaptation.

• Candidates’ performance in questions related to scientificinvestigation was unsatisfactory. – They were weak at identifying the cell types shown in a

photomicrograph and failed to reproduce a proportional drawing that resembled the specimen.

– It is worth noting that many candidates simply repeated the data given and failed to point out the trends or patterns. Hence, they failed to relate or explain the trends or patterns with the relevant biologicalknowledge.

                            

                                  

                                     

                                

                        

Recommendations: Training in experimental design and analytic skills for datainterpretation and deduction should be strengthened. • by exposing candidates to a wider range of experiments,

including both qualitative and quantitative ones, either as an SBA activity or a learning and teaching one.

• emphasis should be put on the use of a control experiment,how to compare data and identify trends, and on the language used in comparison, making deductions and reporting

It is only through constructed learning activities that theseessential skills can be imparted.

                                          

                            

                      

                      

Make good use of SBA • Provide a wide variety of practical experiences to students (drawing, use of microscope, field study,qualitative experiment, quantitative experiment) • Progressive – From simple tasks (grab basic skills) to more complicated tasks (train students on higher order thinking skills; provide challenge to more able students) – From worksheets (straightforward, discreet) to full reports (select & organise knowledge; present ideas inparagraph form in a coherent manner)

                

           

             

                            

                                                        

  

                                        

                                      

                      

Do your SBA tasks help students learning those common skills?

Task / Format Practical related skills / common skills

Biological drawings Use of microscope, observation and drawing skills

Qualitative experiments

Simple treatment of variable, simple design, simple comparison and analysis , limited discussion, straightforward conclusion

Quantitative experiments

May required complicated treatment of variables, data analysis includes identification of trends and patterns, discussion involves ‘describe & explain’ of data and ‘validity & reliability’ of data, conclusion may be more complex

Worksheets with Q&A only

Simple, discreet and straightforward, Qs may help students focus on the area of discussion but also limited the responses given by the students

Full reports Selection and application of relevant knowledge and concepts, guiding questions may lead students to think, less restrictions to the responses given by the students, organisation and presentation of ideas in a coherent manner

       

         

 

     

     

     

       

   

Important dates for public exam Event Date

Markers Recruitment 20 Nov – 11 Dec, 2014 (tentative)

Exam Day 22 April, 2015

Markers’ Meeting 30 April, 2015 (tentative)

OSM Training 1 May, 2015 (tentative)

Marking Period 1‐28 May, 2015

Release of results 15 July, 2015 (tentative)

Remarking ~ 21‐31 July (tentative)