The report concludes with a series of recommendations for the future implementation of the HSC assessment programme. The committee provided considerable assistance in the implementation of the school assessment initiative.
1 INTRODUCTION
A number of appendices relating to the various phases of the project are included separately from the body of the report. The report from this review of the HSC Assessment program is therefore structured as follows;.
2 A BACKGROUND TO HSC ASSESSMENTS
The introduction of the School Assessment as a separate component of HSC results reporting had a significant impact on schools. However, with the introduction of the Assessment System, it became clear that the teachers had.
3 SOME THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR HSC ASSESSMENT
That is, test constructors should be more concerned with obtaining criterion and content validity of the HSC. In the context of the HSC, it is recognized that the external examination does not and cannot address all course outcomes.
4 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT AND EXAMINATION MARKS
It shows the difference between the average of the raw grade and the average of the moderated grade relative to the average of the exam grade. 4 The need for moderation is evident from many facts:. i) Country-level exchange rate correlations increase moderately from a median of 0.76 to a median of 0.90. ii) Scatterplots between schools' raw grade averages and exam averages show a wide spread, with some schools having raw grade averages significantly higher than their exam averages.
5 PHASE 1 : FOCUS GROUPS
In the process, many of the students showed a perceptive and quite mature appreciation for the philosophy underlying the grading program. Again, this reflected the teacher's and student's respective roles within the assessment process. This was not so much of an issue in metropolitan schools where many teachers are involved in HSC marking.
This was one of the first issues raised in each discussion with the teachers. Homework assessment tasks should be included in the assessment programme, but should be monitored at all times to ensure the credibility of the submitted work as much as possible. The students believed that greater coordination between teachers was needed in the assessment.
6 PHASE 2 : SCHOOL AND STUDENT SURVEYS
There was a general feeling that the introduction of the HSC assessment program had increased student stress. Approx. 80% of respondents agreed that there is an increasing trend for HSC assessment tasks to mirror the external HSC exams. By far the strongest responses concerned the link between the assessment and HSC grades and the mirroring of the HSC exams in assessment tasks.
This is seen by many as an attack on the integrity and spirit of the HSC assessment program. Other types of assessment tasks (e.g. fieldwork, workbooks/process journals, presentations and performances) were also part of the assessment process (usually only a minor part) for approximately 50% - 70% of respondents. About 45% of respondents agreed (15% strong) that they had to do too many HSC assessment tasks.
7 FINDINGS FROM THE HSC SUBJECT EVALUATIONS
Subjects
The course evaluations were conducted in two phases, with each course assigned to one of the phases. Teachers of all subjects rated 'clearly indicate what is testable' and 'clearly indicate what will be assessed' very highly. These findings reinforce teachers' beliefs about the importance of assessment processes in changes in the HSC system.
8 PHASE 3 : THE FEEDBACK SEMINARS
The issue of whether 'home assignments' should be part of the GWK assessment program has been a vexing question. Frequent mention was made of the support the Council could provide to schools to help with their implementation of the GWK assessment programme. The most important issue to emerge from the feedback seminars that was not evident from the school survey was the issue of training and development needs arising from the move to the Standards Based Assessment predicted in the Government's HSC White Paper.
Assessment was seen as the focus of training and development activities associated with the implementation of the HSC White Paper initiatives and Standards Based. With the exception of the training and development issues raised above, the feedback seminars have confirmed the issues previously identified in the focus groups and surveys. While there was variation in the views expressed at the seminars, a number of trends emerged that need to be addressed if the HSC assessment program is to be improved to meet the changing context of the HSC program.
9 A SYNTHESIS OF THE FINDINGS AND SOME RECOMMENDATIONS
Although a move to more prescribing by the board was favored by many teachers, the current flexibility of the HSC Assessment program received considerable support. The board provides advice and guidance on the issue of the authenticity of students' work when undertaking homework. On the basis of the current definition of the school assessment and the different extent of the external tests in the various subjects, there is no single answer or explanation for the conditions raised by the teachers.
In each case it is seen that the scope of the external examination includes most of the syllabus objectives and results in the high correlations. In English, the scope of the external examination is less extensive, leading to lower correlations. Teachers have expressed their concern that the Board has not yet explained to schools the likely impact of the proposed standards-based assessment and reporting on their in-school processes.
APPENDICES
A The Steering Committee and Project Team
B Chronology - HSC Milestones C Survey Instruments
C1 School Survey C2 Student Survey
D Statistical Findings From School Survey
E Statistical Findings From Student Survey
APPENDIX A THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND PROJECT TEAM
Ht was a founding member of the Board of Studies and served on the Board as a nominee of the NSW Secondary Heads Council from 1990 to 1998. University of Western Sydney (Nepean) and an executive member of the NSW Secondary Heads Council. John Cook is Director, Examinations and Assessment at the Office of the Board of Studies and was Convener of the Project Team.
Prior to accepting this appointment, she was for many years Liaison Officer for the Office of the Board of Studies, Metropolitan West. Andrew Goodyer is Principal Project Officer within the Office of the Board of Studies and brought a strong research background to the review, particularly in relation to the use of survey instruments. Bob MacCann heads the Measurement and Research Services Unit within the Office of the Council.
APPENDIX B CHRONOLOGY
HSC MILESTONES
APPENDIX C1
- Location
- Gender Composition in Years 11 and 12 Co-educational
- For each of the subject areas listed below, please indicate the approximate number of HSC Assessment Tasks (per 2 Unit course), the types of tasks used and the range of weightings assigned to tasks in your
- To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements as they apply to your school?
- To what extent have the following issues relating to student completion of assessment tasks been a problem at your school
- To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements as they apply to your school?
- To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements as they apply to your school?
- How useful are the following Board of Studies materials in the development and operation of the HSC Assessment program in your school?
- To what extent do you agree or disagree'with the following statements as they apply to your school?
How well this goal is currently being met by the HSC assessment program at your school. For each of the subject areas listed below, provide the approximate number of HSC assessment tasks (per 2-unit course), the types of tasks used, and the range of weights assigned to tasks in your tasks (per 2-unit course) , the types of tasks used, and the range of weights assigned to tasks in your school. There is an increasing tendency for HSC assessment tasks to mirror external HSC research.
How useful are the following Study Board materials in the development and operation of the GWK assessment program in your school. Assessment program in your school. a) GSK assessment: A guide to developing procedures in schools (Council booklet published 1997). To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements as they apply to your school. a) Students have a clear understanding of three school's policies and requirements in relation to GWK assessment.
APPENDIX C2
Where is your school located?
Is your school
Major Minor None Don't Problem Problem Problem Know (a) Students performing HSC assessment tasks who are. The points in this section refer to the HSC assessment tasks in your HSC courses. Do not include duties done as part of preparatory (year 11) courses or courses that do not have HSC assessment duties.
Write in the table below:. i) The average (approximate) number of HSC assessment tasks you must complete in your courses;. ii) The name of the course with the most HSC assessment tasks and how many tasks are in that course;. iii). The name of the course with the fewest HSC assessment tasks and how many tasks are in that course. 9 To what extent are the following types of tasks generally part of the HSE assessment tasks in your.
APPENDIX D STATISTICAL FINDINGS FROM SCHOOL SURVEY
Description of Sample and Respondents
How well the aim was currently being met by the HSC Assessment Program in their school. About 40% of respondents agreed (10% strongly) that the closing date for submission of HSC Assessment marks to the Board is too early. There is increased workload and other pressures on teachers as a result of the HSE Assessment programme.
Only 10% of respondents believed that the introduction of the HSC Assessment program had reduced student stress, with about 75% disagreeing (20% strongly). About 80% of respondents agreed (35% strongly) that there is increasing workload and other pressures on teachers as a result of the HSC Assessment program. About 80%o agreed (25% strong) that there is an increasing tendency for HSC assessment tasks to mirror external HSC research.
STATISTICAL FINDINGS FROM STUDENT SURVEY
APPENDIX E
Students were asked to indicate the average number of HSC assessment tasks they had to complete in each of their subjects. Respondents were asked to indicate the extent to which different types of tasks were part of the HSC assessment tasks in their courses. HSC mock exams made up the majority of assessment tasks for over 90% of respondents and a smaller proportion for the rest.
Annual/half-yearly exams made up a large part of the assessment tasks for around 65% of respondents and a small part for most of the rest. Fieldwork and workbooks/process diaries formed part of the assessment tasks for about 50%> of respondents, making up a large proportion for approx. Presentations and performances made up a large part of the assessment tasks for about 20%) of the respondents and a small part for about 50%.
