1. Essentials of Management Examination
Level 4 Diploma in Business and Business Information Technology

2. Objectives
To understand and apply NCC Education guidance and best practice in centre marking and standardisation
To develop a good understanding of Learning Outcomes, Grade Descriptors and use of the Marking Scheme to improve accuracy of centre marking
To understand, detect and prevent malpractice in candidate work
To put that learning into practice for the unit.
To take back to your centre a model and materials to train others and undertake centre standardisation, for any NCC Education qualification, with confidence

3. Centre Standardisation – your experiences
How Do You Mark at Your Centre?
What is marking? What is moderation?
What procedures do you follow for marking & moderation?
What do you consider to be best practice in marking & moderation? Is this different to what you actually do at work?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of your current marking & moderation practice?
How do you train new members of staff to carry out marking?

4. How are assessments created?
An assessment (examination paper or assignment) is designed to test achievement using design principles:
Learning Outcomes (LOs)
Assessment Criteria
Grade Descriptors
The Qualification Specification provides these by Unit

5. How are assessments created?
Learning Outcome
Identifies the desired learning objectives of the Unit. Describes the value added to a candidate’s knowledge, understanding, skills and abilities through successful completion of the Unit. A candidate who passes the Unit will have demonstrated evidence of meeting all the Learning Objectives identified for the Unit.
Assessment Criteria
For each Learning Outcome, a description of the specific knowledge, skills and abilities that will be assessed in the Unit.
Grade Descriptor
For each Learning Outcome, a description at each grade awardable for a Unit, of the candidate’s achievement in the assessment(s)

6. What is the role of the Marking Scheme?
The mark scheme confirms the LOs being tested
The mark scheme provides acceptable responses for which marks are awarded that demonstrate LOs, Assessment Criteria and Grade Descriptors
The mark scheme makes it possible to differentiate between levels of achievement

7. Objectives of Centre Standardisation
Check reliability, authenticity and accuracy of assessment decisions across tutors/sites/cohorts delivering the unit/qualification
Improve consistency in tutor’s marking judgements
Identify tutor development/training needs – action plans
Share good marking practice
Compare marking quality over time
Vital component of centre’s quality assurance system – must include all tutors
Evidence of centre standardisation should be available for centre monitoring
Ideally happens in every assessment cycle

8. Centre Standardisation Model
First Marking
Second Marking
Standardisation Meeting
Moderation
Agree marks
Tutor development action plans
Records
Sample selection (where relevant)
There should be a standardization meeting after the release of each cycle of results and moderation reports to analyse the results and feedback. This needs to be face to face and have sufficient time set aside for it in the centre timetable.

9. First Marking
First marker marks candidate’s work, second marker checks marking of the first marker.
First marker must make marking decisions clear :
Ticks and comments indicate where and why the marks were awarded. Second marker can interpret marking, NCC Education moderators have evidence to confirm centre marking is useful for candidate feedback
Add summary of mark for each task and overall mark on the front page of the candidate’s assessment submission.
Link to Learning Outcomes (LOs) and Grade Descriptors - Review marking of whole assessment

10. Second Marking
Check the consistency and accuracy of first marking - challenge marks that cannot be justified.
When marking is challenged, indicate clearly where and why – supports centre standardisation meeting and NCC Education moderators understand final mark awarded by centre.
Second marker must be familiar with Learning Outcomes and Grade Descriptors and the Marking Scheme.

11. Standardisation Meeting
First and second markers meet
Review example NCC Education materials where available
Agree marking standards at each Grade Descriptor – what you expect to see
Review candidate work (a sample)
Agree final centre marks
Record justifications for final decisions - ensure it is clear to NCC Education moderators why marks are awarded.
Use a third marker to moderate sample of the agreed marking – for large cohorts, multiple tutors/sites
Plagiarism reports (Turnitin) also reviewed as part of agreeing final centre marks (authenticity check)

12. General Guidelines
The following should be included for the final submission to NCC Education:
A Turnitin report.
A statement of students having done their own work.
The documentation of the assignment
Marking Sheet/Scheme with explanations and actions
taken if plagiarism is discovered
Copies of all work sent for moderation should be kept at the centre

13. This could be for one of the following reasons:
Results not issued
This could be for one of the following reasons:
Students not registered, enrolled and paid for
Moderators are not happy with marking and centre is requested to remark and if remark not done in time for result release. Remark could be requested for one of the following:
Inconsistent or very lenient marking
Incorrect adding up
Not enough samples sent
Suspected plagiarism, or originality score too high and marker has taken no action
Assessment board halt release of results as have queries on plagiarism, malpractice etc.
Work sent to the incorrect address
Work sent too late

14. Relationship between LOs, Assessment criteria and GDs
The purpose of this session is to enable delegates to:
Build a common understanding of the marking process and the relationship between mark schemes, learning objectives assessment criteria and grade descriptors
Practise marking scripts using the marking scheme in order to gain a better understanding of how to use the marking scheme and what evidence constitutes a pass, merit and distinction grade
Be able to replicate the training on return to their centres
What is Plagiarism?

15. The Marking Process GX
Global Exams (GX)- marked and moderated by NCC Education. Although you do not mark these, understanding the marking process will identify how to help your candidates better prepare for the assessment.
Global Exam submissions are subject to rigorous processes of marking, moderation and scrutiny to ensure that submissions have been accurately and fairly assessed and graded to the Level standards.
Past papers and mark schemes available on Campus and for partner centres to use for practice.
What is Plagiarism?

16. The Marking Process - LX
Local Exams (LX)- marked by centres and moderated by NCC Education. Understanding the marking process will identify how to help your candidates better prepare for the assessment.
Local Exam submissions are subject to rigorous processes of moderation and scrutiny to ensure that submissions have been accurately and fairly assessed and graded to the Level standards.
Past papers and mark schemes available on Campus and for partner centres to use for practice.

17. The Marking Process - GA
Global Assignments (GA)- marked by centres and moderated by NCC Education. This session will focus on understanding the marking process of assignments to help you identify how to help your candidates better prepare for the assessment and ensure that you mark according to NCC Education guidelines taking into account learning objectives, assessment criteria, mark schemes and grade descriptors.
Past papers and mark schemes available on Campus and for partner centres to use for practice.

18. Assessing Learning using Learning Outcomes and
Assessment Criteria– EoM example
Assessment criteria
The learner can:
Discuss the roles and functions of managers within an organization
Evaluate the key skills needed to be a successful manager
Learning Outcome Analyse the function of management.
What is Plagiarism?
This information is found in the L4 Diploma in Business Qualification Unit Specification document. It is available on the NCC Education website, and a copy of valid sections is supplied today.

19. Learning Outcomes for ‘EoM’ See Qualification Unit Specification for further information on the Assessment Criteria for each Learning Outcome.
Learning Outcomes
Analyse the function of management.
Examine the management decision-making process.
Assess the use of management and organisational strategies.
Analyse how management can influence individual and group performance.
Examine theories of leadership and control.
What is Plagiarism?

20. Grade Descriptors Grade Descriptors.
What are Grade Descriptors? Grade descriptors show how a given level of performance will be reflected in a grade
Pass grade = Demonstrate adequate level of understanding
Merit grade = Demonstrate robust level of understanding
Distinction grade = Demonstrate highly comprehensive level of understanding
These then relate to each of the Unit Learning Outcomes
See Qualification Unit Specification for further information on the grade requirement for each Learning Outcome
What is Plagiarism?

21. Grade Descriptors - Example from some UoM Learning Outcomes
Pass
Merit
Distinction
Analyse the function of management.
Demonstrate adequate ability to analyse.
Demonstrate ability to provide detailed and coherent analysis.
Demonstrate ability to provide comprehensive lucid analysis.
Examine the management decision-making process.
Provide examination of the subject with some suitable examples and references.
Provide detailed examination of the subject with adequate use of appropriate examples and references.
Provide consistently critical and detailed examination of the subject with innovative use of highly appropriate references.
What is Plagiarism?

22. Marking of the EoM examination

23. Marking Activity
This is now your opportunity to practise marking and to reflect on evidence for learning outcomes and grade descriptors – based on actual candidate scripts
Activity to begin where you will be given 4 blank scripts and a blank Mark Sheet for each. You will work in pairs for 15 minutes to decide which is a fail, pass, merit and distinction. You can then use the commentaries and annotated Mark Schemes provided to check if your quick review was correct. The commentary provided will advise on what would have been present in the work if it was to have received higher or lower marks.
Mark a complete candidate script - then review your marks to compare with that awarded by the NCC Education marker
Discuss the written commentary on why the marker awarded the marks given.
Discuss the marking with a colleague and identify what the candidate would have had to have done to be awarded higher marks.
The QP, Mark Scheme and Qualification Unit Specification are available

24. Marking Summary
Does the answer match the responses in the marking scheme – exactly, with omissions, lacking in clarity or detail?
Does the answer relate to the instruction in the question - Define, Describe, Explain, Demonstrate
How does the answer paper relate to grades:
Pass grade = Demonstrate adequate level of understanding
Merit grade = Demonstrate robust level of understanding
Distinction grade = Demonstrate highly comprehensive level understanding
The Grade Descriptors for the EoMB Learning Outcomes are provided.

25. Summary
What have you learned? Reflections and insights from the marking process.
How will your preparation for candidate assessment change?
How will you take your learning back to your centre?
Any questions?

26. www.nccedu.com NCC Education Head Office The Towers
Towers Business Park
Wilmslow Road
Didsbury
Manchester
M20 2EZ
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0) 161 438 6200
F: +44 (0)
NCC Education South East Asia
Unit T3-11, Level 3
KPMG Tower
8 First Avenue
Bandar Utama
47800 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Malaysia
T: +60 (0)
F: +60 (0)
NCC Education Africa
The Vineyards
99 Jip de Jager Road
1st Floor
Vineyard Square South
Bellville
Cape Town
7530 South Africa T: +27 (0)
F: +27 (0)
NCC Education East Asia
Room 1218, Tower B
COFCO Plaza
8 Jianguomennei Ave
Dongcheng District
Beijing PR
China T: +86 (0) 10 6518 9327
F: +86 (0)