K-6 Science and Technology Consistent teaching – Moderation K-6 Science and Technology © 2006 Curriculum K-12 Directorate, NSW Department of Education and Training

K-6 Science and Technology Moderation for consistent assessment judgements At identified points in time it is important to ensure that the assessment judgements are consistent across the teachers of a year cohort. Moderation is the process where teachers compare judgements to either confirm or adjust them. The process involves close collaboration to establish a shared understanding of what progression towards achievement of an outcome/s looks like and how well the student has demonstrated achievement of the outcome/s.

K-6 Science and Technology Moderation activity The following slides contain a number of student work samples for the facilitation of a moderation activity. The background information provides the context for the development of the student work samples. Use the assessment criteria to judge whether each sample suggests that the student’s learning is at ‘standard’ or whether it is above or below ‘standard’.

K-6 Science and Technology Assessing a SciTech worksample. Background to the learning A Year 5/6 class had visited an historic mining site. During the visit students were asked to explore and document the use of machinery to make the work of the miners easier. Design Task The teacher was aware that: the school’s Stage 3 SciTech program included a current focus on the Designing and Making Strand and the Products and Services Strand. Following the visit the class reported enthusiastically on their explorations of mining machinery and the teacher negotiated the following brief: “Design and model a machine that could be used at the mine site to make the work of miners easier.”

K-6 Science and Technology Assessing a SciTech worksample. Throughout the semester, the teacher has had the opportunity to assess different aspects of the processes of Investigating Scientifically and, Designing and Making. The design task resulted in the development and exploration of many rich ideas and a wide range of learning that was assessed through informal strategies. However, the teacher decided to use this design task as a context to formally assess the development of students’ generating and developing ideas. Background to assessment

K-6 Science and Technology Assessing a SciTech worksample. The teacher was aware of the reference in the Foundation Statements for students to “use a range of techniques ……… to communicate design ideas to specific audiences.” P8 Foundation Statements Over earlier Stages students had learnt to use sketches to generate design ideas. More recently students learnt about more formal techniques used to make working drawings, i.e. front views, side views and top views. Background to assessment (cont.)

K-6 Science and Technology Assessing a SciTech worksample. The teacher considered what type of evidence would show that the student could produce a “freehand drawing for use by other people”. (Big Ideas, Outcome 3.8) The following assessment criteria were negotiated with students. Their drawing should use a front view, top view and/or side view to show: – the work being done by the machine, e.g. lifting, moving, crushing – how the parts of the system (machine) work together to produce a result – the materials that would be used to construct the machine. Assessing The teacher collected and assessed the working drawings produced by all students. The following two slides show five of the working drawings. Use the assessment criteria to judge whether each sample suggests that the student’s learning is at ‘standard’ or whether it is above or below ‘standard’.

K-6 Science and Technology Sample 1 Sample 2 BelowAt standardAbove

K-6 Science and Technology BelowAt standardAbove Sample 3 Sample 4