St Bernard’s College 1 March 2017 Terry Burrell and Rachael Shaw Scholarship Biology 2017 Thinking Critically and Communicating Coherently Postdoctoral Research Fellow School of Biological Sciences Research interests Animal Cognition, Animal Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution. St Bernard’s College 1 March 2017 Terry Burrell and Rachael Shaw

Outline of this session A closer look at the Scholarship Performance Standard & Specs. What is Critical Thinking? Presentation and workshop with VUW researchers to develop Critical Thinking skills. Where to from here?

Outline of this session Is an award not a qualification Will not generate credits Will appear on Record of Learning Scholarship Biology Exam date- Monday 20th November (am) Results sent mid-February 2018

A closer look at the Scholarship standard Assessment Specification Scholarship Performance Standard

Those performance descriptors At Scholarship level – the student will demonstrate aspects of high level: analysis and critical thinking integration, synthesis and application of highly developed knowledge, skills and understanding to complex situations logical development, precision and clarity of ideas.

Those performance descriptors At Outstanding performance level– the student will demonstrate, in a sustained manner, aspects of: perception and insight sophisticated integration and abstraction independent reflection and extrapolation convincing communication

Marking of Scholarship Biology 2016 exam -3 compulsory questions of equal value. Expect 3 eight-mark questions in 2017 Each question marked 0 to 8 = total All students are ranked then cut-off point for each subject determined. In 2016 – anything above 14/24 gained a Biology Scholarship

7-8 = outstanding = strong evidence of integration and synthesis, as good as could be expected under exam conditions, coherent, lucid, accurate, comprehensive… 5-6 = clear scholarship level 4 = marginal response NZQA aim to award up to 3% of each cohort with a scholarship award and up to 0.4% with outstanding scholarship.

2011 2012 2013 2014 Level 3 cohort 8544 8987 9038 9470 Schol Bio Entries 1492 1587 1675 1599 Actually sat Schol Bio 1140 1282 1235 1213 Gained Scholarship 230 288 257 259 Outstanding scholarship 34 39 31 28 % of Level 3 cohort 2.69% 3.2% 3.03% 2015 10329 1695 1288 288 32 3.10% 2016 data not yet published but: Roughly 17% of Level 3 students sit scholarship. 2015 - 22 % of those who sat Schol Bio gained the award plus another 2.5 % achieved an Outstanding Scholarship

Markers report on Scholarship exams What successful students did well: Addressed all aspects of each question … …with some parts of each question in great depth Gave detailed answers to 2/3 questions Applied a wide, accurate knowledge of biological concepts… to unfamiliar contexts Integrated resource material into responses Did not “brain dump” (TB) Thoroughly planned answers…Coherent, precise, logical writing…not waffle!

What unsuccessful students did: Did not use resource information given Lacked breadth and depth in answers Repeated resource information rather than answering the question (or ignored it altogether) Wrote biologically incorrect information Wrote correct but irrelevant information… “Brain dumped” Used generalisations and did not define terms Showed little evidence of planning their answers Failed to recognise/link key biological ideas…

Warning!!! “Student need to write legibly.” 2015 Scholarship Bio marker report (and 2011, 2012, 2013…) “Some scripts were very difficult to read or words were illegible. In such instances, candidates placed themselves at risk of not having all the evidence or responses acknowledged.”

Recommendations from markers: Students should spend time using the pages provided to plan answers that address the question and follow the question structure… Do not use long introductions that restate the information in the question or in the resource material. Link key biological ideas coherently.

So what are these key biological ideas that need to be linked together coherently? Important to “know what you know!!!” Let’s brainstorm to see what you already know! Ecological and Evolutionary Concepts and Processes:

Lets look at recent Scholarship Questions: Spot the recurring themes!!!

For each question there is a basic principle to discuss, and several key points/concepts/ideas that show the scope of the question/the amount of detail required. These basic principles are to do with evolution, genetics and ecology (including plant & animal behaviour).

So we need to: Sift relevant information from given resource Identify key biological concepts and processes involved (and terms) Make connections, spot inter-relationships, see the “big picture” Consider a range of viewpoints and evaluate bias, validity etc PLAN a logical, well-sequenced answer before writing

When writing: Follow the plan/answer the question Incorporate given information/examples Integrate knowledge from beyond the question Use appropriate biological vocab Be coherent and concise Avoid repetition and irrelevancies Balance time between questions

So what is critical thinking? Dr Rachael Shaw Postdoctoral Research Fellow School of Biological Sciences Research interests Animal Cognition, Animal Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution.

So what is critical thinking?

So… questions will be about: evolution, genetics, ecology and behaviour… This seems to cover a huge amount of information – but you already know a lot!!!

Need to apply Critical thinking to what you already know!

Good luck on Scholarship day Enjoy!!!