In-Service Teacher Training Assessment in IGCSE Chemistry 0620 Session 3: Mark schemes and Examiners Reports

Welcome Introductions Background Aim of training 1. It is important that you introduce yourself and outline your experience. The delegates should then introduce themselves and outline their experience. (It is often a good idea to get the delegates to write this information down as it is unlikely you will remember it - unless you already know the delegates, in which case you may wish to skip this slide.) 2. Explain the background to the training, such as: who requested it; where the training is from (a pack acquired from CIE for self delivery, adapted for your own needs); why they are taking part. 3. Explain that the aim of the training is to give teachers a greater understanding of the assessment process so that they will feel in a better position to prepare their students for the examination. By improving teachers’ understanding of the process they will be able to guide and prepare students to help ensure that candidate performance is maximised.

Session 3 looks at: Using the mark scheme Using the Examiner Report Additional resources for IGCSE Chemistry Explain the main points of this session.

Using mark schemes (1): The importance of mark schemes Give the allocation of marks Indicate the range of acceptable answers Give examples of unacceptable answers Give an indication of what Examiners are looking for in an answer Explain that mark schemes are brief summaries of what the examining team consider to be acceptable. They are developed through considerable discussion between the Principal Examiner and his/ her team. Teachers should be encouraged to study the allocation of marks to questions with 2 or more marks – it is likely that similar marking points may arise in future papers. Explain that candidates should be encouraged to write the number of points commensurate with the number of marks. Note, however, that one mark is sometimes given for two points of information provided by the candidate! The range of acceptable and unacceptable answers should also be studied, since these often recur year after year e.g. the unacceptability of the word ‘clear’ for ‘colourless’ e.g. in the test for a C=C double bond. Stress that the Examiners give credit to scientifically correct answers even though they may not appear on the mark scheme. Mark schemes also give information about how the examiners interpret the syllabus.

Using mark schemes (2): Use with the Examiner Report The mark scheme and Examiner Report: Both give information about each part of each question Should be used side by side to analyse students’ answers to questions Provide information which can be passed on to students Explain that, in order to get the best benefit from the e Examiner Report, it should be studied in tandem with the mark scheme. Teachers may find it useful to download both documents from the CIE Teacher Support website and look at them side by side. Reasons for the rejection of some answers are often given in the Examiner Report and common misconceptions are commented on. It is often useful to make a note of these and try to integrate these points into teaching plans. Although the range of unacceptable answers for specific questions are commented on in the mark scheme, the Examiner Report may give information about which of these incorrect answers are most frequent.

Using mark schemes (3): Analysis of candidate scripts Take each question in turn and do the following: Make yourself familiar with the mark scheme Mark the questions showing clearly where you gave each mark Refer to the marking guidelines given in Session 2 When you have finished, compare your marks with those of the Examiner. This is a rather lengthy exercise which may best be done as ‘homework’ by the delegates. Alternatively, one or two of the questions only could be marked in the session. Handout 3.5(a) - Analysis of candidate scripts - gives a number of questions which pose marking problems. The question papers can be downloaded from this CD. Use the following papers: June 2003 Paper 2 for Script B June 2003 paper 3 for Scripts C and D June 2002 paper 6 for Script F Handout 3.5(b) shows where the marks are awarded and this could be given out separately at a later stage. [If training is carried out over a number of days, the feedback and analysis could be given later.]

Using Examiner Reports (1): The importance of the reports The range of candidate misconceptions is addressed Areas of weakness of the candidates as a whole are highlighted Reasons are suggested for common incorrect answers The range of acceptable answers are commented on Delegates should have access to a copy of the Principal Examiner Report for June 2003. Explain that the purpose of the Examiner Report is to explain to teachers where the candidates have failed to achieve their marks and to highlight errors. Many of these errors have persisted over a number of years and these need to be addressed by teachers. Information may also be given about the level of difficulty of the question by reference to the approximate proportion of candidates achieving certain marks. Information is also given about the range of acceptable answers encountered. Sometimes reasons for why these answers are acceptable or not are given. Answers to numerical problems are also given. If time, delegates should study the Examiner Report for Papers 2 and 3 for the June 2003 session and answer the questions in Handout 3.7. The Examiner Report also provides general comments of a constructive nature regarding paperwork and concerns over the practical papers (especially the coursework component).

Using Examiner Reports(2): Analysis of contents Misreading of questions Incorrect reference or lack of reference to the stem of a question Incorrect extraction of information from a table Errors in writing equations Explain to delegates that they should use the Examiner Report they have been given (analysis of Papers 2 and 3 only) to answer the questions posed on the slide and Handout 3.7 – ‘Analysis of the Examiner Report’. (The questions are also on the handout.) If time is short, this exercise could be done outside the session. The slide focuses on some uses of the report. It highlights how teachers can use it to improve student performance by identifying the areas where students make common errors.

Using Examiner Reports(2): Analysis of contents Advice for future candidates Careless use of words (which may result in candidates being penalised) Poor quality of diagrams Explain to delegates that they should use the Examiner Report they have been given (analysis of Papers 2 and 3 only) to answer the questions posed on the slide and Handout 3.7 – ‘Analysis of the Examiner Report’. (The questions are also on the handout.) If time is short, this exercise could be done outside the session. The slide focuses on some uses of the report. It highlights how teachers can use it to improve student performance by identifying the areas where students make common errors.

Using Examiner Reports(3): Teaching aims and the Examiner Report It is useful to analyse the Examiner Reports over a number of years There are a number of misconceptions that regularly reappear There are a number of specific areas which students find conceptually difficult Explain that if the Examiner Report is studied over a number of years, some common misconceptions and areas of difficulty can be highlighted. Teachers can then use this information to enable them to improve or modify their teaching. There are several ways by which this can be done: make a list of the common misconceptions over the past few years and integrate these into the scheme of work use the list of common misconceptions during examination revision sessions. This is especially useful where information extraction from tables and diagrams are involved. Delegates could be asked to study the Examiner Report they have in front of them and find out where the Principal Examiner has drawn attention to recurring misconceptions.

Additional resources (1): Schemes of work and tests The scheme of work has 10 units which may contain: Questions Online tests Simulations and simulation notes The CIE Teacher Support website includes Schemes of Work for most subjects, including IGCSE Chemistry. The schemes of work are being continuously updated. The 10 units are: Periodic Table (1) Air and Water Acids, Bases and Salts Organic Chemistry (1) Chemical Analysis Techniques Amount of Substance Periodic Table (2) Electrochemistry and Redox Organic Chemistry (2) (10)Bonding and Structure. Each Unit has examples of past examination questions associated with it. The questions on the site may be modified to make your own tests by cutting and pasting. Units also contain online test material. Simulations are also available with the schemes of work.

Additional resources (2): Online test materials Test material related to each section of the scheme of work are available There are 20 interactive questions per section Full explanations of why particular answers are correct are available for each question Explain that each unit of the scheme of work will be supported by an online test. Each consists of 20 questions, which may be multiple choice, multiple completion or questions involving input of information. In ‘learn mode’, information is given not only as to the correct answer but also reasons why the other answers are incorrect. Tests ar also available in ‘exam mode’. CIE is also developing an IGCSE Chemistry Revision CD-ROM for students, which will include test material. Look out for information on this in your Centre’s copies of the International Outlook and on the CIE website.

Additional resources (3): Other resources recommended by CIE Standards booklets Specimen papers IGCSE Chemistry Past Papers on CD Toolkit IGCSE Chemistry endorsed textbooks Standards Booklet and Specimen Papers are a good starting point for teachers new to the syllabus and give a good overview of style, format and what is required in the way of answers An additional resource containing past exam questions and mark schemes is the IGCSE Chemistry Toolkit CD. The CD was developed specifically for teachers as a took for quick and easy creation of mock exams and revision purposes. Key features include full search on words, phrases or syllabus topics in past papers; ability to copy and paste questions and mark schemes to enable creation of papers; individual questions linked to the corresponding answer in the mark scheme; questions tagged with syllabus topic to enable quick and easy creation of themed material. The CD can be ordered from CIE Publications. Two textbooks have been endorsed for use with the IGCSE Chemistry syllabus: IGCSE Chemistry by Earl & Wilford (2002) John Murray and Chemistry: IGCSE by Harwood (2003) Cambridge University Press. Both books reflect the content of the syllabus and they are valuable teaching tools.

Additional resources (4): Other resources recommended by CIE Teaching and Assessing Skills in Practical Science Planning for Practical Science in Secondary Schools Resource lists Teaching and Assessing Skills in Practical Science focuses on practical skills because this is the area of the science curriculum that poses greatest challenges to teachers and students. Written by an experienced teacher and examiner, it includes lots of practical tips and advice. Published in CIE’s series ‘Cambridge Professional Development for Teachers’. The book can be ordered from CIE Publications. Planning for Practical Science in Secondary Schools is a booklet for laboratory technicians and Heads of Science. It covers issues such as planning laboratory accommodation, setting up and resourcing the laboratory and preparation room, and the apparatus needed for each of the sciences. The booklet can be ordered from CIE Publications. Resource list: IGCSE Chemistry pages of the CIE public website includes a list of all material that can be used for teaching IGCSE Chemistry, including books, websites and multimedia material. The list is updated as and when new material is published. It is well worth referring to this list.

Closing comments Closing comments Discuss with delegates that they should now be familiar with the syllabus and have started to consider how they will use this knowledge to enhance their teaching and assessment methods. Emphasise that teaching methods should develop the skills as outlined by the assessment objectives. e.g. teaching methods should develop the skills of application and formative assessment methods should assess the extent to which this skill has been developed.