IMPLEMENTING SCIENCE INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE CSEC SBA

WORKSHOP FOR SCIENCE TEACHERSOctober 17 and 18, 2013

Presenter: Dr. Marcia Rainford

Workshop Presenters

Chemistry: Dr. Marcia Rainford and Ms. Norda StephensonBiology: Mrs. Allison Peart and Mr. Rono MartinPhysics: Mr. Paul Bender

PURPOSE

To sensitize teachers to the requirements for planning and implementing the CSEC science investigations

To examine ways for monitoring students’ progress as a part of the science school-based assessment process

To create a shared understanding of the possibilities for suitable science investigations in physics, chemistry and biology.

Role Clarification

Questioning self: How do I view my responsibilities for the

SBA process?▪ Significant Important Marginal

Negligible

How do I view my responsibilities to the students?▪ Instructor Observer Guide

Critic

THE SBA

Individualises the curriculum to meet students’ needs

Each skill must be assessed at least three times over the two-year period.

Practical should be completed in the time allotted for the class

Notebooks should be collected at the end of the period.

Overview of Requirements for Science Investigations

The investigative project will be assessed for Planning and Design Analysis and Interpretation.

SBA SKILLS TO BE ASSESSED FOR CXC MODERATION

PROFILE SKILLS YEAR 1 YEAR 2 TOTAL

NTASMKS NTAS MKS

NTASMKS

XSM&M 1 10 2 20 3 30

90

(30*)ORR 1 10 2 20 3 30

P&D* 2 20 1 10 3 30

UK A&I 2 20 1 20 3 40 40(10*)

TOTAL 6 60 6 70 12 130 (40*)NTAS - Number of Times for Assessing Skills

Overview of Requirements for Science Investigations

Students pursuing two or more of the single science subjects may opt to carry out ONE investigation* only from any of these subjects.

The mark for the investigation is transferrable

The CXC Assessment Model

ASSESSMENT OF

CANDIDATE PERFORMAN

CE

EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT

PAPER 1 PAPER 2

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT

SBA (including)

Science Investigation

Implications for Science Departments

Long term planning for the development of students’ investigative skills

Selection of suitable investigation projects

Ensure that students and parents understand requirements for conducting investigations

Additional Administrative Responsibilities

Monitoring students’ choices

Building a culture of working with other professionals

Maintaining assessment quality

Ensuring the validity of the science investigations

Pros Cons Implications for SBA

Teachers can assess a wider range of achievement and can assess process as well as outcomes

Freedom from test anxiety means that assessment

Validity of teachers’ assessment depends on opportunities provided by school work

Bureaucratic moderation procedures could lead to assessment only including safe and routine assessment activities

Practical work should be aligned to content being taught and so be integrated into teaching

Ensuring the reliability of the science investigations

Pros Cons Implications for SBA

With appropriate training and moderation teachers’ assessment can reach satisfactory levels of reliability

Teachers’ assessment is often perceived as being, and can be unreliable and biased due to varying standards being applied

Use of common mark schemes

Implement standardization exercises as professional development activities to ensure consistency in use

Ensuring the praticability of the science investigations

Pros Cons Implications for SBAPupils’ learning time is increased by using classroom work rather than tests to assess progress

Responsibility for summative assessment can increase workload of teachers

process of moderating can be time-consuming

Training in the interpretation and use of assessment criteria is needed.

School administrators must demonstrate greater sensitivity to work load for teachers by monitoring the number of years 10 and 11 groups they allocate to teachers.

Teachers should use the opportunities to participate in within school CPD

Requirements for on-site moderation

The Council undertakes on-site moderation of the SBA conducted by visiting external Moderators.

The Moderator will make a first visit in Term 3 of Year 1.

Teachers must make available to the Moderator ALL Assessment Sheets (Record of Marks, Mark Schemes and the proposal for the Investigation).

Issues of Marking, Grading and Feedback

Laboratory

Activity

MARK SCHEME

STANDARDI-ZATION

MARKING AND

GRADING

FEEDBACK

Decisions to be made in groups Scope and sequence for grade 10 Who provides the problems for the

investigations? What are the minimum standards for

investigations? (consider implications for resources)

When are these to be done and over what period? – (consider time limits)

Where are the investigations to be done?