Introducing Unit Specifications and Unit Assessment Support Packs

Graphic CommunicationNational 4 & 5

Unit Assessment

Assessments can be designed to provide evidence across more than one Unit or Outcome – combined assessments

Evidence requirements for units is open and flexible – the candidate or assessor may choose the most suitable evidence

Greater range of techniques and methodologies for assessment – encouraged through Unit assessment support packages. E.g. written, graphical, verbal etc

More opportunities to gather naturally occurring evidence – assessment as part of learning and teaching. If a learner creates an isometric drawing as part of naturally occurring course work, it can be used to provide evidence

Unit Structure

National 4 National 5

Unit: 2D Graphic Communication Unit: 2D Graphic Communication

Unit: 3D & PictorialGraphic Communication

Unit: 3D & PictorialGraphic Communication

Added Value Unit Course Assignment

Key points: Graphic Communication Units Standards remain the same:

N4 = SG General 4 = Int 1 CN5 = SG Credit 2 = Int 2 C

Drawing boards may be used to support unit assessment & added value/assignment assessments but drawing skills will not be assessed in the N5 QP.

Have a hierarchical Unit structure that provides progression from National 4 to Higher

Have added value assessment that increases personalisation and choice; encourages a flexible response.

Unit Specifications

Unit 3D and Pictorial Graphic Communication

Outcome Outcome 1 Produce and interpret pictorial sketches, drawings and 3D models by:

Assessment Standard

1.2 Using graphic communication equipment to produce pictorial drawings and 3D computer-aided design/draughting models of everyday objects and/or geometric shapes and forms to within an accuracy of 1mm

1.3...

The Units are subdivided into Outcomes andAssessment Standards, as shown:

Unit Specifications

Evidence Requirements for Units: 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 this occurs.

Evidence should be gathered in combination with other outcomes where possible, either from the same Unit or in combination with the other Unit.

Evidence may also be gathered for individual outcomes where appropriate; this may include tests or evidence drawings.

Unit Assessment Support Packages - purposeUASPs can be used to:

• Assess your candidates

• Adapt for your own assessment programmes

• Help you develop your own assessments

• We will look at all three options today

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 Assessment Standards

Graphic Communication UASPs

Package 1 Combined Unit Assessment at N4 and N5

Package 2 Unit by Unit approach N4 and N5 – discrete

assessment tasks for each Unit

Package 3 Portfolio Approach to N4 and N5 – allows centres to

devise their own means of generating assessment evidence

National 4 Added Value Unit

Makes the Course more than the sum of its parts Response to a brief Focus on challenge and application of Graphic

Communication skills, knowledge and understanding

It will be a Controlled Assessment – and include setting, conducting and marking

Internally marked, externally verified pass or fail

N5 Internal Assessment of Course Components

Controlled assessment is SQA’s approach to developing assessments (setting), the conditions of assessment (conducting), and marking assessments (marking).

SQA is introducing controlled assessment for non-question paper components; Added Value Unit (N4), Assignment (N5)

N5 Performance (speaking and listening)Controlled assessmentThis Added Value Unit/Assignment is:

Set by SQA Conducted under a high degree of supervision

and control in your centre  Evidence will be internally marked by centre in

line with SQA marking instructions. Marking will be quality assured by SQA.

Moving on

Workshops 1 and 2 will give you the opportunity to look at the Unit Specifications and Unit Assessment Support Packs in detail.