1. GCSE History Controlled Assessment Support Event December 2009

2. Agenda
NI Education and Skills Authority
Controlled Assessment in GCSE History
E-candidate record sheet
GCSE Support Package

3. Education and Skills
Authority

4. NI Education and Skills Authority
The NI Education and Skills Authority (ESA) will go live on 1st January 2010
ESA will have 7 Directorates
The current functions of CCEA will reside within the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment Directorate
Richard Hanna, currently Director of Education Strategy within CCEA has been appointed Director (Designate) of the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment Directorate

5. What will this mean for CCEA examinations?
CCEA examinations will continue in ESA
CCEA will continue to:
provide the same range and quality of services;
develop and operate quality specifications;
deliver zero defects in question setting, marking and awarding;
enhance and improve the support available to teachers and learners; and
introduce online innovations designed to make the examinations process more efficient and user-friendly
Change will occur on a gradual basis, but the service provided will remain the same

6. Moving Forward
The CCEA logo on our qualification certificates and support materials will be replaced with an ESA logo
Future awards made under ESA will have the same status as those awarded previously by CCEA
Awards provided will retain their value with universities and employers
In tandem with ESA, CCEA will ensure that students, teachers and all relevant stakeholders are made fully aware of the name change
Centres can be assured that the qualifications retain their currency as top class qualifications designed to suit the needs of Northern Ireland learners

7. Controlled Assessment
CCEA are supporting you in the change to controlled assessment by producing:
generic guidance to schools on controlled assessment (September 2009);
a dedicated controlled assessment microsite (30 October 2009);
teacher guidance to teachers;
student guidance to candidates; and
student guides.

8. Our GCSE Support Package
CCEA is committed to supporting teachers
and learners by producing:
student guides;
schemes of work;
textbook mapping;
subject microsites;
online past papers and mark schemes; and
chief examiner’s reports/principal moderator’s reports.

9. Controlled Assessment: Getting Ready
Purpose of session:
Communicate the changes
Confidence in managing the transition
Continued support

10. Controlled Assessment: An Overview
New internal assessment arrangements
3 stages:
Stage
Task
Control
stage 1
task setting
high
stage 2
task taking
limited and high
stage 3
task marking
medium
At each stage and within each stage there are
different levels of control to ensure reliability
and authenticity of students’ work.

11. Controlled Assessment: An Overview
Unit 3: Investigative Study
25% GCSE qualification
one task split into 2 questions
task completed under controlled conditions
6 themes – remain the same every year
2 questions – change every year
same task for both Foundation and Higher
assessed in the final summer series

12. Controlled Assessment: Stage 1 – Task Setting
high level of control
tasks set by CCEA
tasks released beginning of June every year
additional sources to accompany tasks
centres can use existing sources
minimum of 10 – maximum of 15 sources used throughout the task
centres to submit a copy of sources used to assist the moderation process
centres may not alter the task or sources provided by CCEA

13. Controlled Assessment Task Themes
6 broad themes:
Nazi Treatment of the Jewish Community
JFK
The Atomic Bomb
Civil Rights in the USA
Opposition and Support for the Vietnam War
The Arab Israeli Conflict

14. Task Setting: Question 1
Question 1: Analysing and explaining an historical event
or issue.
Assessment Objectives AO1 and AO2: assess the candidates’
ability to recall, select and communicate their knowledge and
understanding of history (AO1) and their understanding of the
past through explanation and analysis (AO2).
Worth 15 marks
Candidates:
do not need to refer specifically to sources
are not required to evaluate source material

15. Task Setting: Question 2
Question 2: Arguing the validity of interpretations relating
to an historical event or issue.
Assessment Objective AO3: assesses the candidates’ ability to understand, analyse and evaluate source material as part of an historical enquiry and how aspects of the past have been interpreted and represented in different ways as part of an historical enquiry.
Worth 35 marks
Candidates:
will be presented with an interpretation
must consider the interpretation against the evidence they have studied
make a judgement about the validity of the interpretation

16. Controlled Assessment: Stage 2 – Task Taking
4 parts:
Part (a) Introduction to the Investigative Study and Class Discussion
Part (b) Independent and Unsupervised Investigative Research
Part (c) Preparation for Writing
Part (d) Analysis and Evaluation of Findings (formal write-up)

17. Task Taking – Part (a) Introduction to the Investigative Study
Led by: teacher
Level of control: limited supervision
Time limit: 12 hours
Recommended approach
question 1: 3 hours teaching
question 2: 9 hours teaching

18. Task Taking – Part (a) Introduction to the Investigative Study
Role of teacher:
introduce the task to students
teach general overview of the theme
set activities to develop source evaluation and analysis skills
select a range of source material
discuss the sources with students
set activities to gauge students’ understanding of the key issues/sources
combination of whole class, group work and independent learning
combination of classwork and homework
unlimited feedback and guidance to students

19. Task Taking – Part (b) Independent and Unsupervised Investigative Research
Led by: student
Level of control: limited supervision
Time limit: 6 hours
Recommended approach
question 1: 2 hours
question 2: 4 hours

20. Task Taking – Part (b) Independent and Unsupervised Investigative Research
Role of students:
carry out some independent research
select and record information to use as evidence in formal write-up
reference work

21. Task Taking – Part (c) Preparation for Writing
Led by: teacher
Level of control: high
Time limit: 6 hours
Recommended approach
question 1: 2 hours
question 2: 4 hours

22. Task Taking – Part (c) Preparation for Writing
Sources + Individual research + Notes = Preparation for writing
students prepare their responses to the two task questions
make brief notes
structure and plan their responses
plans should not be drafts
all work must be completed in controlled
conditions

23. Task Taking – Part (c) Preparation for Writing
High level of control:
no interaction between students
limited teacher interaction with students
all work completed under formal supervision

24. Task Taking – Part (d) Analysis and Evaluation of Findings (formal write-up)
Led by: teacher
Level of control: high
Time limit: 3 hours
Recommended approach:
question 1:
question 2:
15 marks
35 marks
1 hour
2 hours
500–700 word guide
1000–1300 word guide

25. Task Taking – Part (d) Analysis and Evaluation of Findings (formal write-up)
students write responses to two task questions
3 hour time limit must not be exceeded
word guide 2000 words
handwritten or word processed responses
split across several sessions – work retained securely

26. Task Taking – Part (d) Analysis and Evaluation of Findings (formal write-up)
Students will have access to:
task questions
sources
additional research
own notes and plans
Teachers must ensure:
notes and plans do not include long paragraphs
no draft answers
if using computers - no Internet or intranet connection
students cannot store their work on memory sticks

27. Task Taking – Part (d) Analysis and Evaluation of Findings (formal write-up)
High level of control:
no interaction between students
limited teacher interaction with students
all work completed under formal supervision

28. Task Taking – Part (d) Analysis and Evaluation of Findings (formal write-up)
On completion of write-up:
all work collected in – preparation notes, plans, bibliography and responses.
stored securely
not to be returned to students

29. Controlled Assessment: Stage 3 – Task Marking
Level of control: medium
internally marked and standardised
annotation – assist moderation process

30. Controlled Assessment: Stage 3 – Task Marking
Authentication:
all students must sign Candidate Record Sheet (CRS)
teachers to sign the CRS to confirm:
work produced is solely that of the student concerned
work carried out under the required conditions
record any individual guidance given in part (c) and/or (d)
record a mark of zero if candidates cannot confirm the authenticity of work

31. Controlled Assessment: Stage 3 – Task Marking
External moderation:
CCEA will moderate work
1st May sample required
presentation of work

32. Controlled Assessment: Supporting Students
Student Booklet:
detailed ‘student friendly’ guidance
support sheets
visual aids
key words glossary

33. As a local awarding body:
Supporting you
As a local awarding body:
we provide specifications that are relevant on a global, national and local level; and
we hold local support events free of charge.

34. Contact Us CCEA is an accessible awarding body.
Our contact details are:
Officer with Subject Responsibility
Clare McAuley
(028) ext 2906
Specification Support Officer
Arlene Ashfield
(028) ext 2291

35. Online Accessibility
Visit our website to download support
material and access the latest
information:

36. e-Candidate Record Sheet (e-CRS)
A method of completing candidate record sheets and submitting them directly to CCEA by computer (from home or school).
Piloted since 2006.
56 centres participated 2008/09.
3 GCSE subjects –ICT, English Literature & Home Economics.

37. e-Candidate Record Sheet (e-CRS)
2009/10
e-CRS available to all centres for ICT, English Literature & Home Economics (current specification).
e-CRS available to all centres for all GCSE controlled assessment units offered in Summer 2010.
2010/11
ICT & English Literature (current specification) available to all centres.
CCEA’s intention is that e-CRS be used by all centres for all GCSE controlled assessment units – Summer 2011.

38. e-Candidate Record Sheet (e-CRS)
Advantages
All calculations on candidate record sheet done automatically:
- reduced error.
eg GCSE English Literature. →
Assignment A
45 out of 50
Assignment B
46 out of 50
Assignment C
48 out of 50
Summative mark for assignment
(Total mark 139 divided by 3) 46
Less to fill in:
- centre details filled in automatically
- candidate details filled in automatically
No duplication:
- no TAC1 forms required – marks submitted through e-CRS.
- no TAC2 form required - information recorded on e-CRS system.

39. e-Candidate Record Sheet (e-CRS)
Training
2009/10 (interested centres)
online tutorial
centre visits (if required)
2010/11 (all centres)
demonstration at Agreement Trials

40. e-Candidate Record Sheet (e-CRS)
What’s next?
Centres (Head of Departments) will be invited, by letter, to participate in Summer 2010.
For more information contact:
Donna Mullan
extn 2230
Brendan McDowell