Qualifications Update: Psychology Qualifications Update: Psychology

3 Unit Structure Many of the skills knowledge and understanding from current Higher are evident in the new Higher e.g. research methods and psychological approaches and theories Qualification is benchmarked to SCQF level 6 and so equal to the current Higher in demand Approval from SQA is required to deliver the qualification Key messages: Key messages: Points of stability

New Unit titles – Research – Individual Behaviour – Social Behaviour Higher Units are hierarchical with National 5 Units Flexibility and choice in content and contexts for learning and teaching and for Unit assessment Key messages: Key messages: Points of change - Units

Course assessment includes an assignment and a question paper The assignment will be based on a research brief provided by SQA and requires primary research skills The question paper is 1.5 hours - shorter than current paper which lasts 2.5 hours All questions in the question paper must be answered: there are no options Key messages: Key messages: Points of change - Course Assessment

Assessment Support Schedule 2013/14 Sept 13 CfE Update Letter Oct 13 Unit Assessment Support (Package 1) Feb 14 Unit Assessment Support (Package 2) Feb 14 Higher Specimen Question Paper Mar 14 Coursework General Assessment Information Apr 14 Unit Assessment Support (Package 3) May 14 Update Mandatory Documents Jun 14 Update Unit Assessment Support

Psychology Unit Assessment at Higher

Unit assessment - recap Flexible and open Assessment Standards and Evidence Requirements in Units Greater range of techniques and methodologies for assessment – encouraged Assessments can be designed to provide evidence across more than one outcome or Unit – combined assessments More opportunities to gather naturally occurring evidence – assessment as part of learning and teaching

Unit Assessment Support purpose As at National 5, Assessment Support will be provided which you can use to: Assess your candidates Adapt for your own assessment programmes Help you develop your own assessments

Unit Assessment Support at Higher – key features Valid from August 2014 Complements and supports learning and teaching Assess competence against Unit Outcomes and Assessment Standards Designed to encourage professional judgement Provide broad-based tasks – allow assessors to choose appropriate context and forms of evidence Show range of approaches to generating assessment evidence Give information on the type of evidence which could be gathered

Unit assessment support packages at Higher - approaches Package 1 Unit by Unit approach – discrete assessment tasks for each Unit Package 2 Portfolio approach – naturally occurring evidence Package 3 Combined approach – groups Outcomes and Assessment Standards from different Units

Assessment Support Package Example Unit by Unit approach: Discrete assessment tasks for each Unit Psychology: Research Psychology: Individual Behaviour Psychology: Social Behaviour

Assessment Support Package Example Each pack covers Outcome and assessment standards Overview of assessment Evidence to be gathered Judging evidence table Recording documentation Appendix 1 – assessment for candidates

Assessment Support Package Example Unit by Unit approach: key issues Columns 1 – 3 in the judging evidence table set out the standard for Unit assessment. Column 4 offers guidance and is different in each pack re-assessment only on Outcome or Assessment Standard that has not been met

Workshop Aims To understand the assessment and evidence requirements of the Unit Assessment Support for the Higher Units provided To consider a range of ways of generating evidence for the Higher Unit Assessment Support provided

Workshop Task In small groups of 2-3, choose one Unit to look at and discuss: the assessment task in the Unit Assessment Support provided how to generate evidence for the Unit Assessment Support provided how to make assessment judgments for the Unit Assessment Support provided

Psychology Higher Course Assessment

Course Assessment at Higher Course Assessment at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher assesses Added Value Courses at Higher are normally assessed by one or two Components Courses at Higher are graded A – D, as at present Controlled Assessment of setting, conducting and marking For Psychology there are 2 Components – Assignment – Question Paper

Higher psychology - Assignment Setting; conducting and marking Set by SQA – Research Assignment building on current good practice Independent of Unit assessment – 40 marks – Word limits Conducted under some supervision – Guidance on authentication of candidate work Marked by SQA – Criteria for marking based on application of skills knowledge and understanding

Higher psychology – Question Paper Setting; conducting and marking Set by SQA – 3 sections with questions of a total value of 20 marks in each section – Samples from mandatory content as set out in the Course Assessment Specification – May use scenarios Conducted under controlled conditions – 1 hour 30 minutes Marked by SQA – 60 marks

Progression from National 5 National 5 assignment: – Skills knowledge and understanding are benchmarked at SCQF level 5 – Assignment task is to plan a piece of small scale research Higher assignment – Skills knowledge and understanding are benchmarked at SCQF level 6 – Assignment task is the candidate’s report of their own primary research, based on a research brief

Progression from National 5 National 5 Question Paper: – Skills knowledge and understanding are benchmarked at SCQF level 5 – 50 marks Higher Question Paper – Skills knowledge and understanding are benchmarked at SCQF level 6 – 60 Marks – Can sample a greater breadth of knowledge and understanding

Workshop 2: Aim To understand the requirements of Higher Course Assessments Materials provided: – FIOCA: Further Information on Course Assessment

Workshop 2: Task Following on from your discussion in Workshop 1, and using the materials provided, discuss: the requirements of the Higher Course Assessment how these requirements build on the Higher Units how these requirements build on National 5