1. [Insert faculty Banner] Consistency of Teacher Judgement
Science 7-10

2. What is Consistency?
Consistency in relation to assessment occurs when teachers are able to make judgements about student learning that are not dependent on the individual teacher, student, location or time and are based on a shared understanding of syllabus standards of learning.

3. Consistency and Comparability
There are two important concepts underpinning the use of teacher judgement as a source of evidence of student achievement:
Consistency- judgements that accord with:
-Those previously made for individual students
-Those made for all other students in a range of contexts
Comparability – judgements that accord with those made by other teachers for individuals or groups of students
Both of these concepts are important in providing reliable
and valid evidence of student achievement using
judgements.

4. How is Consistency developed?
Consistency in making assessment judgements needs to develop by establishing procedures and structures to provide sufficient time on a regular basis, for teacher discussion about teaching, learning and assessment. This is the key to enhancing consistency:
Across assessment tasks
Across teachers of different classes
Across key learning areas (such as Creative Arts, Mathematics, HSIE)
Across time (within one key learning area over a period of years)
Across schools

5. How is Consistency developed?
Develop a shared understanding of syllabus outcomes
How do you form your expectations of what your students should achieve?
Sources of information:
- syllabus expectations
- shared professional expectations and discussion
Read and discuss. Teaching experience provides information of what students are expected to demonstrate at certain points in time. Professional discussion with colleagues clarifies understanding.

6. A shared understanding of syllabus outcomes
Informing judgement: What do you want the students to learn?
What parts of the syllabus do you currently draw on to inform your planning, teaching and assessing?
Knowledge and skills
Students learn about
Working scientifically
Students learn to
Quality teaching question #1: What do you want the students to learn? The syllabus provides a clear description of content and processes to be developed at each stage.

7. Faculty Planning for teaching and learning
What documents do you currently use to inform planning, teaching and assessing?
Syllabus outcomes and key ideas
Syllabus support documents

8. Science Faculty Planning
Faculties:
collaboratively plan teaching programs that clearly state the intended learning and embed assessment into that teaching and learning
collaboratively develop common understandings of assessment practices and/or tasks that reflect the syllabus – based planning and teaching
examine student work against the standard of the syllabus within or across grades/faculties and schools to moderate their judgements
A program overview should be constructed for each Stage to ensure that the outcomes and content from the syllabus are covered.
The syllabus recognises the hierarchical nature of most learning in Science. New learning typically builds upon earlier learning in the same, or a related, topic area from the syllabus. In this way, it is possible that students may have met content related to the unit of work at an earlier time. If the outcomes for the topic have been partially achieved, the unit should focus on consolidating and extending the students’ knowledge, skills and understanding.
The syllabus acknowledges that students learn in different ways and at different rates. This has major implications for programming and designing units of work. For example, teachers may need to incorporate a range of activities to accommodate the different ways students learn. Decisions will have to be made as to how best (within the context of available resources) to cater for the range of levels of students’ current knowledge, skills and understanding in science. The process of developing units of work follows:
identify the outcomes that will be highlighted in the unit of work
decide on the subject matter or focus of the unit
decide on the evidence of learning required and how students will demonstrate this in relation to the outcomes, and how this evidence will be gathered and recorded
select the relevant syllabus content for the identified outcomes relating to the knowledge, skills and understanding that students will develop
plan learning experiences identifying those that will provide evidence of learning
ensure a range of appropriate assessment strategies is used and meaningful feedback is given to students
provide opportunities for the teacher to reflect on student progress and modify future learning experiences accordingly.

9. Science Faculty Planning
Assessment occurs as an integral part of teaching and learning. Teacher instruction and assessment influence student learning and learning processes. This involves using assessment activities to clarify student understanding of concepts, and planning ways to remedy misconceptions and promote deeper understanding.
Science years 7-10 Advice on programming and Assessment BOS 2004 p13

10. Science Faculty Planning
The model emphasises that outcomes are central to the decisions teachers make about the learning to be undertaken and the evidence of learning that needs to be collected. This evidence enables teachers to provide students with feedback on their learning and to determine how well students are achieving in relation to these outcomes.
Model for developing integrated assessment activities.
Science Years 7–10 : Advice on Programming and Assessment, NSW BOS, 2004, page 15

11. What’s important? Why does that learning matter?
Students need to have and be able to use a body of knowledge called “science”
Students need to be scientifically literate
Students need to be able to use the scientific method when investigating
Students need to be able to show what they know and can do

12. How will my students demonstrate learning?
My students will:
Explain key scientific concepts and ideas
Individually plan and undertake scientific investigations
Apply knowledge and understanding of science to problem solving in familiar and unfamiliar contexts
Communicate what they know and can do

13. How well do you expect students to complete the task?
What is the expectation of student achievement at Stages 4, 5 and 6?
An understanding of the continuum of learning will provide clarification of syllabus expectations for your students.
Quality teaching question #4: How well do you expect them to do it? Explain that, as an introduction to the task, we will review the continuum of learning appropriate to the task.