Qualifications Update: Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies Qualifications Update: Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies

Developing qualifications Progression More open and flexible requirements Assessment which supports learning Refreshed and relevant contexts for learning Personalisation and choice Robust and credible

CfE Levels early years SCQF Levels Continues to 12 ≈ Relationship between CfE and SCQF Levels

National 5 Specimen Question Paper Key points Added Value is captured in an assignment at National 4 in the Added Value Unit and by a question paper and a Coursework assignment at National 5 These provides opportunities for personalisation and choice as well as challenge and application Investigating skills from Standard Grade translated into the assignment

National 5 Specimen Question Paper Key points Taking the best of Standard Grade and Intermediate 2… There are three sections: World Religion, Morality & Belief and Religious & Philosophical Questions Some new contexts for study have been added, and others updated A renewed focus, particularly within World Religion, on exploring the connection between religious sources, beliefs and practices and the significance of these in the contemporary world The question paper will assess the skills of: analysing religious, moral and philosophical questions, and applying detailed knowledge and understanding to present detailed and reasoned views. These skills may be sampled in any section of the question paper.

National 5 Specimen Question Paper Key points Questions will have a range of marks between 3 and 8 More marks available for in-depth analysis, building a link to Higher More marks available in individual skills questions for the development of individual points Flexible routes to full marks in skills questions (change from Standard Grade) The skills of investigation and using sources will be assessed in the assignment

Unit Structure National 3National 4National 5 World Religion Morality and Belief Religious and Philosophical Questions Added Value Unit: Assignment

New Quality Assurance arrangements Will cover new National 1 to National 5 from 2013/14 New arrangements will promote shared understanding of national standards through a collaborative and partnership approach New ‘Nominee’ role - provides a pool of nationally trained experts Increased verification in the first 3 years, then an approach based on information gathered Verification in Nov/Dec, Feb and Apr/May - allows for early identification of issues and support/guidance to be given

Unit Assessment Support Packs - key messages Are available on the SQA Secure Website, are confidential documents and should be treated as such and held securely Use one of three approaches to generating evidence: Unit by Unit approach Combined approach Portfolio approach Assessors may use the assessments provided in UASPs as they are to adapt to develop their own assessments They will be made available in Word format for this purpose

Unit Assessment Support Packs - key messages Valid from August 2013 encourage professional judgment allow assessors to chose appropriate contexts and forms of evidence support, motivate and challenge learners Each pack provides details of a broad based task type of evidence to be gathered how this is to be judged against assessment standards an example of a Candidate Assessment and how it should be assessed Most important aspect for SQA is that standards are met and that all evidence is authentically the candidate’s own work

Unit Assessment Support Packs - key messages Assessment approaches should support and be consistent with learning and teaching approaches and the needs of individual candidates Assessment judgments are made on a pass fail basis Contexts may be changed to suit or be made more relevant to candidates, but must of the same level of demand and difficulty Where assessment is by observation or oral questioning, evidence should include assessor comments that show clearly the basis on which assessment judgments have been made UAS packs also include examples of recording documentation: assessors may adapt these to suit local needs and approaches

Assessment Support Schedule 2012/13 Oct 12 to Mar 13 N3 to N5 Unit Assessment Support (Package 1) Feb 13 N3 to N5 Unit Assessment Support (Package 2) Feb 13 N5 Specimen Question Paper Apr 13 N3 to N5 Unit Assessment Support (Package 3) Apr 13 N5 Specimen Coursework Apr 13 N4 Added Value Assessment Support

Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies Unit Assessment National 3 to National 5

Unit assessment Flexible and open Assessment Standards and Evidence Requirements in Units Greater range of techniques and methodologies for assessment – encouraged through Unit assessment support packages 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 packages – purpose Assessment support packages 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 packages – key features Valid from August 2013 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 and how this is to be judged against Assessment Standards

Unit assessment support packages - 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 – evidence generated assessment standard by assessment standard

Assessment Package 1 World ReligionMorality and BeliefReligious and Philosophical Questions You can use the illustrative examples provided and adapt these to suit the contexts that your learners have studied or the kind of approach that would suit them best N3 Oral presentation Skill: commenting on the significance of a religious belief, practice or source Context: Islam Visual product Skill: expressing a viewpoint on a moral question and responses Context: Death Penalty Responses to questions Skill: outlining religious and philosophical questions and responses Context: Life after Death N4 Responses to questions Skill: commenting on the significance of a religious belief, practice or source Context: Judaism Oral presentation Skill: expressing a reasoned view on a moral question and responses Context: Gender Visual product Skill: presenting a conclusion on a religious and philosophical question and responses Context: Existence of God N5 Visual product Skill: commenting on the significance of a religious belief, practice or source Context: Buddhism Oral presentation Skill: expressing a reasoned view on a moral question and responses Context: Marriage/Divorce Responses to questions Skill: presenting a reasoned conclusion on a religious and philosophical question and responses Context: Problem of Evil

Assessment Package 1 Although a range of approaches to gathering evidence for Unit assessment have been illustrated: – the standard applied is the same irrespective of the approach taken – it is the skills, knowledge and understanding as specified in the Assessment Standards which are being assessed – do not inflate the demands of the Unit – there should be consistency in conditions across different techniques – all approaches should be manageable for candidates and centres

Key points from Unit Assessment Support packs Assessment Overview – This document contains generic prompts which can be adapted to different contexts – Also a worked-through example – this is illustrative only – Evidence in one form may be supplemented with evidence in other forms Assessment conditions – Candidates should have sufficient time to complete the task – Level of teacher/lecturer support should be appropriate for level but evidence must be the candidate's own work – When group work is used – evidence of individual achievement is required Evidence to be retained – Sufficient for QA purposes – Practical approaches to retaining evidence e.g. candidate responses/product, assessor checklists, supplementary material Reassessment – SQA policy continues to apply – Only need to reassess specific Outcomes or assessment standards not yet met

Key points from Unit Assessment Support packs Teacher prompts and questioning may be used to: – Confirm evidence is candidate’s own work – For clarification/confirmation of standard being met – To supplement oral/visual/written presentation if necessary Judging evidence – Standards need to be consistently applied, irrespective of the approach taken to generating evidence – General principles and specific exemplification given – Column 4 is adaptable to different contexts – Candidates may provide evidence of meeting the standard outwith the specific prompt – this should be credited Candidate task – Illustrative only – Centres encouraged to adapt to their own contexts

Workshop 1 Task 1 Use the materials provided: In small groups of 2-3, discuss – The assessment tasks illustrated – Approaches to generating evidence – Making judgements How could you use the Unit Assessment materials to support you in your own centres?

RMPS Added Value Assessments: - National 5 Course Assessment - National 4 Added Value Unit

Adding Value – National 4, National 5 Each Course at National 4 and National 5 includes assessment of Added Value For National 4, the added value is in an Added Value Unit - not graded For National 5, the added value is in the Course Assessment - graded A - D (as at present)

Added Value Makes the Course more than the sum of its parts Builds on current Course assessment and Group Award approaches Defined as breadth, challenge and/or application as outlined in Building the Curriculum 5 May involve accumulation, assimilation, integration and/or application of skills, knowledge and understanding Uses one or two of 7 defined assessment methods

Controlled Assessment Where the assessment method is not a question paper, SQA has introduced the concept of controlled assessment to ensure fairness and reliability 3 stages of assessment: Setting, Conducting, Marking the assessment Each will have a defined level of control: SQA-led activity, Shared responsibility between SQA and centres, Centre-led Subject-specific decisions, but mostly SQA-led activity in initial years

National 5 – Course Assessment Two components – Question Paper (75%) – Assignment (25%) Broad parity between skills and knowledge and understanding across the whole course assessment Externally assessed

National 5 – Question Paper Draws on approaches and formats familiar from Standard Grade Credit and Intermediate 2 Out of 60 marks Three sections each worth 20 marks: World Religion, Morality and Belief, and Religious and Philosophical Questions There will be a choice of contexts in each section Will assess the skills of analysing religious, moral and philosophical questions, and applying detailed knowledge and understanding to present detailed and reasoned views Greater emphasis on knowledge and understanding than skills (34 marks: 26 marks) Range of marks – 3 - 8

National 5 – Question Paper “Describe” questions require candidates to make relevant factual points. These may be either a number of separate points or a single point which is developed. These should be key points but may not be connected.

National 5 – Question Paper Each developed points in describe questions may be awarded up to 4 marks More open questions where candidates may demonstrate their knowledge of specific contexts studied e.g. Possible religious views on a particular issue Flexibility in the routes to achieve full marks

National 5 – Question Paper Explain…/ what reasons might there be for..? “Explain” questions require candidates to make at least two relevant points that clarify the issue or question involved. These should be key points and will include reference to relevant abstract ideas, although these need not be fully explained.

National 5 – Question Paper Do you agree? / Would people agree with…? / Should people accept..? / Is it true that…? Give reasons for your answer. These types of questions require candidates to give a relevant point of view/justification/assessment of a given statement. The candidate may fully agree, fully disagree or make points on both sides. All are equally acceptable as a route to full marks. Candidates may answer from their own perspective or belief, describe a perspective or belief held by others, or combine these. All are acceptable as a route to full marks.

National 5 – Question Paper In the World Religion section, there will be a focus on the link between religious sources, beliefs and practices, and on the significance of these in the contemporary world. More marks are available for in-depth analysis, building a link to Higher. More marks are available in skills questions for the development of individual points. There are flexible routes to full marks in skills questions

National 5 – Assignment Opportunity for learner personalisation and choice Out of 20 marks Externally assessed Evidence produced in controlled assessment in up to 1 hour Assesses the skills of investigation and using sources

National 5 – Assignment Greater emphasis on skills than knowledge and understanding (14 marks: 6 marks) Brief available on-line – does not change from year to year Generic marking instructions available on-line

National 4 Added Value Unit Assignment Opportunity for learner personalisation and choice Flexibility in how the learner presents findings Internally assessed by centres and externally quality assured by SQA Conducted under some supervision and control

National 4 Added Value Unit Assignment Support materials produced by SQA to provide advice and guidance on: – the degree of support which may be provided – assessment conditions – nature and amount of evidence to be retained for quality assurance purposes – Making assessment judgements

Relationship between National 4 and National 5 Assignment Designed to provide progression and articulation – the process at National 4 is designed to lead on to the product at National 5 Aims to support learners moving between levels and provide flexibility for centres

Relationship between National 4 and National 5 Assignment No automatic ‘fall-back’ to level below Necessary to show attainment of assessment standards of N4 Added Value Unit: – retain evidence – subject to quality assurance – enter candidate for AVU at N4

Workshop 2 Task 2 Use the materials provided: – Further information on Course assessment at N5 – Assignment read across document In small groups of 2-3, discuss – National 4 Added Value Unit – National 5 Course Assessment Question Paper Assignment – Relationship between the N4 AVU Assignment and the N5 Course work component - Assignment