Geography CPD Presentation

Introducing Unit Specifications and Unit Assessment Support Packs National 3, 4 and 5

Unit Assessment  Assessments can be designed to provide evidence across more than one Unit or Outcome – combined assessments  Flexible and open Evidence Requirements in Units  Greater range of techniques and methodologies for assessment – encouraged through Unit Assessment Support Packs (UASP)  More opportunities to gather evidence as part of learning and teaching

National 3National 4National 5 Geography: Physical Environments Geography: Human Environments Geography: Global Issues Added Value Unit: Assignment Unit Structure

Key points: Geography Units  standards remain consistent  feature the best approaches of the current Geography Units  have a hierarchical Unit structure that provides progression from National 3 to Higher  has an Added Value Unit Assessment at National 4 that allows for personalisation and choice in the assignment  contexts of physical and human environments  Global Issues Unit provides the opportunity for interactions to be studied

National 4 Physical Environments Unit Specification Outcome 1 The learner will: Use a limited range of mapping skills in geographical contexts in the United Kingdom by:  1.1 Interpreting geographical information from two sources in order to identify and describe any patterns which are found  1.2 Presenting geographical information in at least two straightforward ways

National 4 Physical Environments Unit Specification Outcome 2 The learner will: Draw on straightforward knowledge and understanding of physical environments and weather in the United Kingdom by:  2.1 Describing key features of one landscape type in the United Kingdom  2.2 Giving brief explanations of the formation of one landscape type in the United Kingdom

National 4 Physical Environments Unit Specification Outcome 2  2.3 Giving descriptions and brief explanations of factors affecting weather conditions and weather systems in the United Kingdom  2.4 Giving brief descriptions of the possible land uses and brief explanations of a landscape management issue for one landscape type in the United Kingdom

National 4 Physical Environments Unit Specification Evidence Requirements for this Unit:  Assessors should use their professional judgement, subject knowledge and experience, and understanding of their learners, to determine the most appropriate ways to generate evidence and the conditions and contexts in which they are used.  Evidence should be gathered in combination with other Outcomes where possible, either from this Unit or in combination with the Outcomes from the Human Environment or Global Issues Unit. Evidence may also be gathered for individual Outcomes where appropriate.

National 4 Physical Environments Unit Specification For this Unit learners will be required to provide evidence of by:  Naming 2 sources for information gathered  Presenting geographical Information in two ways  Written responses e.g. answering questions, making posters, leaflets etc.  Oral responses e.g. talks, electronic presentations etc.

Unit Assessment Support Pack (UASP)- purpose UASP can help you to:  Assess your candidates  Create your own assessments

UASPs – 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 a 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 Outcomes and Assessment Standards

Geography UASPs Package 1  Unit by Unit approach N3, N4 and N5 – discrete assessment tasks for each Unit Package 2  Combined across 2 Units with ‘top up’ tasks to cover all Outcomes in 3rd Unit Package 3  Portfolio Approach

National 4 Added Value Unit – Geography Assignment  Must use SQA UASP for 2014 and 2015  Experience challenge and application  Focus on research and use of information relating to a geographical topic or issue  Assesses skills in choosing a topic, collecting information, organising information, using factual knowledge, interpreting maps or fieldwork evidence and presenting findings using a candidate chosen method  Internally assessed as pass/fail by centres

The Verification Process

Principles  Centres have used an assessment approach which is in line with national standards  Centres have made judgements of their candidates’ work which are in line with national standards  Centres have quality assured the decisions reached through internal verification

Materials Required  All relevant SQA forms and paperwork  The Assessment Task eg question paper, leaflet instructions  The judging evidence materials eg marking scheme, judging evidence table  Candidate evidence

Verification Outcomes  Accepted  Accepted*  Not Accepted

Verification Stages  Approach to Assessment i.Assessment Task ii.Judging Evidence Materials  Assessment Judgements

Verification Feedback  Outcome Record  External Verification Report

Verification Follow Up  Accepted No further action required by Centre  Accepted* Centre to implement recommendations as appropriate  Not Accepted Centre to resubmit materials to SQA after Required Actions have been addressed before the date of qualification.