Controlled Assessments: overview

Outcomes:

•You will be familiar with the principles of controlled assessment – especially control levels

•You will be able to apply these principles to evaluating controlled assessments in the new GCSE specifications.

Three stages of controlled assessments: key issues

Task taking•Discouraging malpractice•Teachers confident to authenticate students’ work•Manageability: for students and teachersTask marking•High quality judgements

Task setting•Validity & reliability•Avoiding formulaic/predictable responses•Supporting good teaching & learning

Levels of controlHighest level:

• Tasks set, defined, marked by AB

Lowest level:

• Tasks set, defined, marked by teachers

Three levels of control (high, medium, low) +

Three stages: (task setting, task taking, task marking) = >>>>

Level of control:

Task setting Task taking Task marking

Low Teachers design tasks –to AB criteria

1 or 2 controls: rest defined by centre

Teachers are trained and mark.

Medium Teachers design tasks – get approval from AB

AB defines 3 or 4 of the key controls: rest defined by centre

Teachers mark, AB moderates and adjusts

High Set/approved by AB – e.g. a task bank

Five key controls: supervision, feedback,

time, collaboration resources,

AB marks task

All max high = external

assessment

All min low = too little control

In geography, control levels are medium-high:

p7

Level of control:

Task setting

Task taking Task marking

Medium Research:

AB defines: supervision, feedback, collaboration.

Teachers mark, AB moderates and adjusts

High Set/approved by AB – e.g. a task bank

Analysis and evaluation

of findings:

AB defines: supervision, feedback, time, collaboration, resources

Teacher directed >>>>>> individual student

QCA guidelines

SkillsContext: fieldwork• identifying, analysing and evaluating

geographical questions and issues• establishing appropriate sequences of

investigation • extracting and interpreting information • evaluating evidence and reaching

conclusions.

Task setting – high control

• single CA unit – may have more than one task.

• selected from comparable tasks (AB)

• replaced each year.

• centres contextualise

Task taking (1)Research/data collection

– limited control

• Authenticity: completed under teacher supervision

• Feedback level of teacher support defined by AB

• Collaboration possible but individual responses.

Task taking (2)

Analysis and evaluation of findings – high control

• Supervision - all work formally supervised. • Feedback - teacher support defined by AB• Collaboration - all work done independently.• Resource - specified by AB• Time – duration specified by AB

Task marking

medium control

• teachers mark the controlled assessment

• use AB mark schemes or criteria

• moderated by AB

AB X1 Fieldwork investigation 15%• Task setting: centre selects a task from AB list (high)• Task taking: pupils work under direct supervision at

all times (except for primary & secondary data collection) (medium-high?)

• Task marking: centres mark work with AB moderation (medium)

2. Issues enquiry (resource-based + research) 10%• Task setting: centre selects a task from AB list (high)• Task taking: pupils work under direct supervision at

all times (control level unclear)• Task marking: centres mark work with AB moderation

(medium).

AB Y

Two Controlled Assessments, at least one involving primary data collection

• Task setting: AB defines each task (no choice: very high)

• Task taking: variety of communication formats suggested, but no time or supervision levels defined (control level unclear)

• Task marking: centres mark work with AB moderation (medium).

AB Z

Geography research unit; fieldwork investigation• Task setting: centre selects a task from AB list

(which changes in rotation) (high)• Task taking: enquiry route set out in five phases

(planning > evaluation); supported by task sheets available from the AB. Clear time and supervision levels defined (control level limited> high)

• Task marking: centres mark work with AB moderation (medium).

QCA exemplar: Exploring the boundaries

Task summary• Unit: Population. • Enquiry into diversity and community cohesion in a

local multi-ethnic community. – planned and carried out local fieldwork – used a variety of new technologies.

• set by awarding body – adapted to use local resources – issue of local significance.

• assessed by the teacher – using AB criteria and externally moderated

Report for a Regional News Programme

Three enquiry questions:– Where do ethnic minority groups live in Kirklees today?– How have these areas changed in the last 25 years? – How do different South Asian residents perceive these

neighbourhoods? Format

– PowerPoint presentation with accompanying script – Moviemaker presentation or equivalent with dialogue. – could include spoken presentation, a dramatic reconstruction,

an animation, an interview, a debate, graphics and/or maps.Monitoring

– support and feedback provided where appropriate, – contribution of individual students noted– research logs, submitted as evidence.

ProcessInitial phase• teacher directed – criteria; TV broadcast; background; resourcesPlanning and analysis Research and fieldwork • Fieldwork; collaborative; some independentFinal evaluation and presentation• Construction of presentations • high control – independent work under direct teacher supervision

in set time. • feedback - best use of time, on task and answering technical

questions • TV news reports presented to the rest of the class. • presentations (CD) and research logs record students' attainment. Teacher marking

Process

• ABs draft specifications (2 per AB)

• Submitted to QCA– evaluated – recommendations

• Returned & revised by AB

• Resubmitted

• Approved by QCA?

• Available Sept 2008 - training

Choosing a specification

Think about:• Whether one or two controlled assessments

suits you better (e.g. 15%+10% or 25%)• Is the time for the CA right in the context of

the CA demands, and the time within the course?

• The nature of the tasks, e.g. support for individual fieldwork, local solutions, global enquiries; whether you want the whole enquiry assessed, predictability, interest…

E-scape

• Controlled Assessments in Geography

• Research project using digital technology

• Assessing process as well as product

• Paired assessments not criteria

Rebranding PorthcawlTraffic management in CheddarQuarry proposal in WiltshireRain forest clearance

End ‘product’ is a podcast for this activityAssessment is of the total workPodcast recorded digitally