2. Revised National 5 Course Assessment Environmental Science

3. Update on session 2016/17
Increase in entries from 194 in 2016 to 290 in 2017
Course assessment performed as planned so no adjustments to grade boundaries
Performance improved: 45% A-C rate in 2016
57% A-C rate in 2017
More detailed feedback in Course Report

4. Revised National 5 Qualifications
Course Specification
Course Assignment Task
Specimen Question Paper and Marking Instructions
Course Support Notes
Assignment exemplars and commentaries
Course Report 2017

5. Revised Course Assessment
Question paper
100 marks (previously 80)
2.5 hours (previously 2hrs)
new section
Assignment
20 marks (scaled to 25 to maintain 80/20 weighting)
Mandatory experimental/fieldwork
Conditions of assessment

6. Course Content Retain unit titles as “organisers” of content.
Clarification on depth of coverage required:
quantitative techniques
definitions included
legislation updated
inclusion of experimental/fieldwork techniques and apparatus

7. Revised National Qualifications
Higher
Similar timescale to National 5
Plan for similar changes to National 5
Feedback on content

8. Revised National Qualifications
National 3 and 4 units
Unit Specifications and Unit Assessment Support Pack updates
including National 4 Added Value Unit

9. Assignment

10. Course Report assignment comments
Standard improving
Candidates increasingly well prepared, with clear understanding of requirements, good layout and organisation of reports
BUT
Significant number demonstrating literacy issues
Topics not always appropriate
Data sometimes too complex to process appropriately

11. Item performance
Available marks
Average marks
% achievement
1. Aim 1
1.00
100
2a. Application of ES (why?)
0.75 75
2b. Application of ES (impact)
0.91 91
3. Select 2 relevant sources 2
1.21 60
4. Select info from sources
1.55 78
5a. Processing 2 sources (calcs, graphs)
0.98 49
5b. Present info in 2 different formats
1.36 68
5c. Labelling of graphs/tables
0.52 52
5d. Comparison of data from 2 sources
0.46 46
6. Conclusion
0.43 43
7. KU of ES 3
1.68 56
8a. Title & headings
0.80 80
8b. Referencing
0.85 85
8c. Report structure 20
13.29
66%

12. Item mark frequency (%) in 20171 2 3
1. Aim
100 -
2a. Application of ES (why?) 25 75
2b. Application of ES (impact) 9 91
3. Select 2 relevant sources 27 48
4. Select info from sources 12 21 67
5a. Processing 2 sources (calcs, graphs) 32 39 29
5b. Present info in 2 different formats 16 31 52
5c. Labelling of graphs/tables
5d. Comparison of data from 2 sources 54 46
6. Conclusion 57 43
7. KU of ES 14
8a. Title & headings 20 80
8b. Referencing 15 85
8c. Report structure

13. Revised assignment must involve an experiment or fieldwork  raw data
can involve group work (max of 4 per group), with sharing of data within group but not between groups
secondary data from internet, books or journals, for comparison with experimental/fieldwork data
research conducted under some supervision and control
report writing conducted under high degree of supervision and control
1.5 hours max for report writing stage, though does not have to be continuous

14. High degree of supervision and control Some supervision and control
Use of resources tightly prescribed
Candidates within direct sight
Display materials covered over
No access to , internet, mobile phone
Candidates work independently
No interaction with other candidates
No assistance of any description
Candidates do not need to be directly supervised at all times
Use of resources, including internet, is not tightly prescribed
Work submitted is candidate’s own

15. Teachers should… Ensure candidate is ready to be assessed
Go over assignment requirements carefully with candidates
Provide guidance about topics, which could include provision of a list of supporting resources (min of 6 sources; candidates to select from list, do not need to use them all)
Provide instructions for experiment/fieldwork
Ensure appropriate risk assessment has been carried out and provide guidance to candidates on safe and correct use of chemicals and equipment
Meet with each candidate to agree topic
Meet with each candidate to ensure aim is achievable, is appropriate, meets H&S considerations, likely availability of supporting resources
Ensure that the report submitted is the candidate’s own work

16. Teachers must not… Provide: a template or model answers an aim
a set of experimental data
a blank or pre-populated table for results
feedback on results; candidates who identify a problem themselves should be allowed to repeat experiment
Read the reports (at any stage) or provide any form of feedback
Give candidates an opportunity to re-draft their work
Allow the same report to be submitted for more than one subject

17. Materials which CAN be used at report writing stage
Instructions for Candidates
Candidate’s raw data from experiment or fieldwork
Printouts of internet or literature data, including ref for source of data
Info on underlying environmental science
Experimental method, if appropriate

18. Materials which must NOT be taken into the report writing stage
Draft of a report
Draft of a description of the underlying environmental science
Specimen calculation or set of calculations for mean or derived values
Pre-prepared graph(s)
Draft comparison of data
Draft conclusion
Draft evaluation of experimental/fieldwork procedure
Assignment Marking Instructions

19. Revised assignment marking instructions
Identification of changes in the new set of Marking Instructions.
Applying these to an assignment exemplar.

20. Question Paper

21. Key messages
A cross-curricular approach incorporating elements of managing environmental resources, biology, chemistry, geography, geology and physics.
Different disciplines give Environmental Science its own identity.
Requires input from a variety of subject specialists for marking and writing.

22. Question paper – specific issues
Based on 2017 paper:
learn definitions
remind candidates to use units
take time to plot or draw accurately
take time to label axes appropriately when drawing graphs
some calculation questions are worth 2 marks
Note - these issues also appear at Higher level, and year on year, so teachers are encouraged to read the Course Report – contains information on challenging areas and advice for future.

23. Developing the question paper: level of demand and difficulty
Approx 30% of marks are ‘A’ type and approx. 50% are ‘C’ type.
Some questions will therefore be more challenging or complex than others.
A question worth, for example, 3 marks, may have 1 mark which is considered to be more challenging/complex to attain than the other 2 marks, ie 1 ‘A’ type mark.

24. Developing the question paper: mandatory content
Minor adjustments to mandatory content:
removal of some content, eg legislation
exemplification, eg definitions
clarification
expansion of sampling methods (to assist with new Section 2)
Copy of amended mandatory content in packs.

25. Developing the question paper:
balancing the mandatory content/skills/KU
♦ Living Environment (33 +/- 6 marks)
♦ Earth’s Resources (33 +/- 6 marks)
♦ Sustainability (33 +/- 6 marks)

26. Command words Calculate Compare Decide Define Describe Determine
Estimate
Evaluate
Explain
Give, list, name, state
Identify
Predict
Select
Suggest
Evidence from question paper that candidates require guidance on the meaning of these command words.

27. Changes to the structure and length of the paper for 2018

28. New layout of question paper
Removal of units  additional 20 marks in question paper
Section 1 – restricted response questions
Section 2 – application of environmental science
Section 3 – extended response questions

29. Focus on new section 2: Question 14
A decision must be made about whether or not to grant permission for the proposed quarry development.
Using the evidence from the sources and your knowledge of environmental science, decide whether or not permission should be granted.
Justify your answer.
(4 marks)

30. Focus on new section 2: Question 14
Examples of other potential questions based on the same booklet resource.

31. Workshop – alternative Section 2 scenario
Sampling (quantitative and/or qualitative methods, why the need for sampling and future monitoring).
Impact of associated human activities on biodiversity (ie building and operating the centre and using the bike tracks).
Economic, environmental and social aspects of the development eg habitat loss, changes in species distribution, change in use of land.
Conflicts between various users of the area eg cyclists vs walkers.

32. Workshop – alternative Section 2 scenario
Role of statutory agencies in the development of the centre.
Potential for eg soil/path/track erosion if facilities not properly maintained.
Sustainability of materials used in construction (renewable vs non-renewable materials).
Energy usage (wind turbines, solar panels, maybe ground source heat pumps).
Greenhouse gas emissions.
Waste management.