Qualifications Update:Practical Electronics

Qualifications Update:Practical Electronics

Developing qualifications Developing qualifications - drivers- drivers• Progression – provide progression from Es & Os and maximise

continuity between levels • More open and flexible requirements – fewer, broader

outcomes, more focus on skills• Assessment which supports learning - open evidence

requirements – choice of assessment approaches – opportunities for combined assessment

• Refreshed and relevant contexts for learning, providing challenge and enjoyment

• Personalisation and Choice – in content/contexts for Units - Added Value Unit at National 4 – coursework assessment at National 5

• Robust and credible – current high standards in qualifications will be maintained

CfE Levels

early years

1

2

3

4 SCQFLevels

12

3

4

Continues to 12

≈

Relationship between CfE and SCQF LevelsRelationship between CfE and SCQF Levels

• replaces and builds on the current Applied Practical Electronics (Intermediate 1) Course

• is practical and experiential in nature, and provides skills in, and an understanding of, electronics and its impact on society and environment

• provides a solid foundation for those considering further study, or a career, in electrical engineering and related disciplines

• provides a valuable complementary practical experience for those studying Engineering Science, Physics or other science Courses

KeyKey pointspoints

Key pointsKey points

• hierarchical Unit structure that provides progression from National 4 to National 5

• added value assessments that provide personalisation and choice in Practical Activities at National 4 and National 5

Unit StructureUnit Structure

National 4 National 5

Practical Electronics: Circuit design

Practical Electronics: Circuit design

Practical Electronics: Circuit simulation

Practical Electronics: Circuit simulation

Practical Electronics: Circuit construction

Practical Electronics: Circuit construction

Assessment Support Schedule 2012/13 Assessment Support Schedule 2012/13

Oct 12 N3 to N5 Unit Assessment Support (Package 1)

Feb 13 N3 to N5 Unit Assessment Support (Package 2)

Feb 13 N5 Specimen Question Paper

Apr 13 N3 to N5 Unit Assessment Support (Package 3)

Apr 13 N5 Specimen Coursework

Apr 13 N4 Added Value Assessment Support

Practical ElectronicsUnit Assessment

National 4 andNational 5

Practical ElectronicsUnit Assessment

National 4 andNational 5

Unit assessmentUnit assessment• Flexible and open Assessment Standards and Evidence

Requirements in Units

• Greater range of techniques and methodologies for assessment – encouraged through Unit assessment support packages

• 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 Unit Assessment Support packages – purpose packages – purpose

Assessment support packages 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 Unit Assessment Support packages – key featurespackages – 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 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

Unit assessment support Unit assessment support packages - approachespackages - approaches

for N4/N5 Practical Electronics….Package 1 (Oct 2012)• Portfolio approach – naturally occurring evidencePackage 2 (Feb 2013) • Unit by Unit approach – discrete assessment tasks

for each UnitPackage 3 (Apr 2013) • Combined approach – groups Outcomes and

Assessment Standards from different Units

Assessment Package 1Assessment Package 1• covers all 3 Units at each level• “portfolio” approach• use of naturally occurring evidence• independent work, with support• describes appropriate evidence and success criteria

for each assessment standard• re-assessment by assessment standard is possible• examples of “candidate” responses with

commentary

Assessment Package 2Assessment Package 2• 1 package per Unit at each level• short assessment tasks for each Outcome or

Assessment Standard• independent work, with support• re-assessment by assessment standard is possible• some examples of “candidate” responses with

commentary

Assessment Package 3Assessment Package 3• 1 package per level• course structure with assessment windows

suggested• combined assessment tasks, each covering several

outcomes or assessment standards• independent work, with support• re-assessment by assessment standard is possible• some examples of “candidate” responses with

commentary

Practical ElectronicsAdded Value Assessments:

- National 5 Course Assessment- National 4 Added Value Unit

Practical ElectronicsAdded Value Assessments:

- National 5 Course Assessment- National 4 Added Value Unit

Adding Value – National 4, Adding Value – National 4, National 5National 5

• Each Course at National 4 and National 5 includes assessment of Added Value

• For National 4, the added value is in an Added Value Unit - not graded

• For National 5, the added value is in the Course Assessment - graded A - D (as at present)

Added ValueAdded Value• Makes the Course more than the sum of its parts• Builds on current Course assessment and Group

Award approaches • Defined as breadth, challenge and/or application as

outlined in Building the Curriculum 5• May involve accumulation, assimilation, integration

and/or application of skills, knowledge and understanding

• May use 7 defined assessment methods (usually two of these)

Controlled AssessmentControlled Assessment• Where the assessment method is not a question paper,

SQA has introduced the concept of controlled assessment to ensure fairness and reliability

• 3 stages of assessment: Setting, Conducting, Marking the assessment

• Each will have a defined level of control: SQA-led activity, Shared responsibility between SQA and centres, Centre-led

• Subject-specific decisions, but mostly SQA-led activity in initial years

Added Value for Practical ElectronicsAdded Value for Practical Electronics

National 5•Practical activity (80 marks)

National 4•Practical activity (pass/fail)

National 5 – National 5 – Practical Activity• 80 marks (100% of award)• set by SQA (choice from bank)• supervised conditions• internally marked• applying skills and knowledge from all 3

Units to design and construct an electronic solution to a problem

• application and challenge

National 4 Added Value Unit National 4 Added Value Unit Practical Electronics ActivityPractical Electronics Activity

• criterion-based marking• similar to N5 Practical Activity• less complex task, and more structured

support• supervised conditions• internally marked• applying skills and knowledge from all 3 units• application and challenge