Qualifications Update: Environmental Science Qualifications Update: Environmental Science

 Provides progression from National 5 Environmental Science  Combines popular and relevant topics of study from Higher Managing Environmental Resources, Biology, Geology and Geography  Develops an increased depth and complexity of knowledge and understanding  Further develops higher order skills  Offers personalisation and choice  Provides flexibility Key messages

Course Structure 4 Units: – internally assessed by centres – externally verified by SQA – Pass/Fail Course assessment – Question Paper – Coursework (Assignment)

Course assessment consisting of: – Question paper marked by SQA. a specimen Question Paper and marking instructions will be published February 2014, which meet the requirements of the Course Assessment Specification. – Assignment conducted by centres & marked by SQA. Assignment Information will be published in March 2014, which meet the requirements of the Course Assessment Specification. Key messages

SQA is currently developing Unit and Course assessment materials to support the Higher Environmental Science Course. Unit Assessment Support will provide three support packages that exemplify different approaches to assessment and gathering evidence. Centres will be free to develop their own assessment packages. Evidence for the achievement of Outcome 1 and Assessment Standards 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4 for one Unit in this Course can be used as evidence of the achievement of Outcome 1 and Assessment Standards 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4 in the other Units of this Course (except Researching Unit). Key messages

Use valid and reliable assessments -SQA-produced Unit Assessment Support Packs -Centre devised assessments that have been prior verified -Your own assessments – strongly advise you have these prior verified Making assessment judgements -SQA packs are designed on a pass/fail basis -Use Judging Evidence Tables to make assessment judgments against Assessment Standards -Judging Evidence Tables have commentary on how to meet each Assessment Standard -A task/activity can meet most or all of the Unit Outcome and Assessment Standards -Indicate on candidate’s work that Unit Assessment Standards have been met Unit Assessment complementing learning and teaching -Unit Assessment is open and flexible -Assessment should allow you space to prepare for Added Value/Course Assessment Key messages Key messages from Verification (Round 1)

Assessment Support Schedule 2013/14 Sept 13 CfE Update Letter Oct 13 Unit Assessment Support (Package 1) Feb 14 Unit Assessment Support (Package 2) Feb 14 Higher Specimen Question Paper Mar 14 Coursework General Assessment Information Apr 14 Unit Assessment Support (Package 3) May 14 Update Mandatory Documents Jun 14 Update Unit Assessment Support

Environmental Science Unit Assessment at Higher

Unit assessment - recap Flexible and open Assessment Standards and Evidence Requirements in Units Greater range of techniques and methodologies for assessment – encouraged Assessments can be designed to provide evidence across more than one outcome or Unit – combined assessments More opportunities to gather naturally occurring evidence – assessment as part of learning and teaching

Unit Assessment Support purpose As at National 5, Assessment Support will be provided which you can use to: Assess your candidates Adapt for your own assessment programmes Help you develop your own assessments

Unit Assessment Support at Higher – key features Valid from August 2014 Complements and supports learning and teaching Assess competence against Unit Outcomes and Assessment Standards Designed to encourage professional judgement Provide broad-based tasks – allow assessors to choose appropriate context and forms of evidence Show range of approaches to generating assessment evidence Give information on the type of evidence which could be gathered

Summary of Requirements to pass a Unit Assessment Standards can be achieved in a variety of ways Assessors should ensure that the work is the candidate’s own.

Summary of Requirements to pass a Unit Outcome 1 All six Assessment Standards are required. They can be achieved through a number of activities Outcome 1 is transferable and need only be overtaken once in the Course.

Summary of Requirements to pass a Unit Outcome 2 This can be achieved through a number of activities 2.1 at least half of the statements should be correct across the key areas of the Unit 2.2 the description of the application must be at an appropriate level 2.3 the description of the issue and its effect on environment/society must be at an appropriate level 2.4 all 4 problem solving skills (making predictions, selecting information, processing information and analysing information) must be achieved

Summary of Requirements to pass a Unit Outcome 2 Assessment Standard 2.1 is Unit specific Assessment Standards 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4 are transferable and need only be overtaken once in the Course.

Unit assessment support packages at Higher - approaches Package 1 Unit by Unit approach – discrete assessment tasks for each Unit Package 2 Combined approach – groups Outcomes and Assessment Standards from different Units Package 3 Portfolio approach – naturally occurring evidence

Assessment Package 1 This pack consists of three assessment activities for each Unit: Activity 1: a scientific report of an experiment to generate evidence for Outcome 1 Activity 2: a short report of a research investigation to generate evidence for Assessment Standards 2.2 and 2.3 Activity 3: a set of questions to generate evidence for Assessment Standards 2.1 and 2.4

Assessment Package 2 This pack consists of two assessment activities: Activity 1: an investigation of a key area of any Unit through research, a practical activity and problem solving, covering Outcome 1 and Assessment Standards 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4 Activity 2: a set of questions covering Assessment Standard 2.1. This generates evidence that the candidate is able to make accurate statements demonstrating knowledge and understanding gained throughout the Course

Assessment Package 3 Portfolio Approach This pack outlines the gathering of naturally occurring evidence

Re-assessment Assessment Standard 2.1 If you have given a test and the candidate fails AS 2.1 then for reassessment you could either:- give another test covering all the key areas analyse the candidate's performance in the first test and only reassess the key areas they didn't do well in Either way, candidates need to score 50% or more across the key areas and NOT 50% for each key area.

Re-assessment Assessment Standard 2.4 If a specific Problem Solving skill (eg selecting Information) is not achieved, then only that skill need be re-assessed If, after re-assessment, the candidate fails to demonstrate that Problem Solving skill within this Unit assessment, they could be given further assessment opportunities to demonstrate this skill, in the other Units of the Course

Environmental Science Higher Course Assessment

Course Assessment at Higher Course Assessment at National 5, and Higher assesses Added Value Courses at Higher are graded A – D, as at present For Environmental Science there are 2 Components – a question paper and an assignment

Higher – Question Paper Assesses ability to retain and integrate knowledge and understanding from across the Course content The weighting is approximately proportionate to the Units 100 Marks Duration - 2 hours 30 minutes

Higher – Question Paper Section 1 consist of a mix of restricted and extended response questions which has 100 marks

Higher – Assignment The assignment will require the candidate to carry out an in-depth study of a Environmental Science topic The topic will be chosen by the candidate (to be reviewed by the assessor) who will investigate/research the underlying Environmental Science Marked by SQA

Higher – Assignment This assignment has two stages: a research stage a communication stage, during which the report is written The research stage will be conducted under some supervision and control. The communication stage will be conducted under a high degree of supervision Duration: should be no more than 8 hours in total

Higher – Assignment Skills, knowledge and understanding Mark allocation Aim1 Applying knowledge and understanding of Environmental Science 4 Selecting information2 Processing and presenting data/information4 Analysing data/information2 Conclusion2 Evaluation3 Presentation2

Course Assessment at Higher ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE WORKSHOP 2 To understand the requirements of Higher Course assessment

Workshop 2 - Course Assessment Following on from your discussion and using the materials provided, discuss:  the requirements of the Higher Course Assessment  how these requirements build on the Higher Units  how these requirements build on National 5 (where appropriate ) What key points will you take back to your centre? Workshop Aims To understand the requirements of Higher Course Assessments Workshop Aims To understand the requirements of Higher Course Assessments