(Extension) senior syllabus 2020 v1.1

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Music Extension General

(Extension) senior syllabus 2020 v1.1

Review report

April 2023

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Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 | Copyright notice: www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/copyright — lists the full terms and conditions, which specify certain exceptions to the licence. |

Attribution (include the link): © State of Queensland (QCAA) 2023 www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/copyright.

Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority PO Box 307 Spring Hill QLD 4004 Australia 154 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane

Phone: (07) 3864 0299

Email: [email protected] Website: www.qcaa.qld.edu.au

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Introduction ______________________________________________ 1

Review __________________________________________________ 1

Definition... 1

Atypical review ... 1

Timeframe ... 1

Activities ... 2

Sources of feedback ... 2

Syllabus implementation survey ... 2

Syllabus targeted review focus groups ... 3

Review findings ... 3

Review outcomes ___________ 4 Summary of syllabus revisions 5

Music Extension (Composition) ... 5

Music Extension (Musicology) ... 6

Music Extension (Performance) ... 6

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Music Extension General (Extension) senior syllabus 2020 v1.1 Review report

Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority April 2023 Page 1 of 7

Introduction

Reviewing and revising syllabuses is integral to ensuring the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) provides a world-class curriculum, learning and assessment system for all Queensland schools.

The Music Extension General (Extension) senior syllabus 2020 v1.1 review report outlines the 2020–2024 syllabus review and revision process, including:

• the scope of the syllabus review

• the syllabus review activities conducted

• a summary of the syllabus review data

• the findings of the review

• a summary of the revisions.

Review

Definition

A syllabus review is an examination of a syllabus according to a set of principles. It is expected that one of five recommendations will be made at the conclusion of a review.

These recommendations are:

1. no action is taken 2. the syllabus is amended 3. the syllabus is revised 4. the syllabus is redeveloped 5. the syllabus is retired.

A review is conducted by the QCAA and includes consultation with external syllabus stakeholders via surveys, focus groups and reference groups. Internal analysis of data collected via QCAA quality assurance and external assessment processes is also conducted.

Atypical review

The 2020–2024 review and revision of General, Applied (Essential) and Short Course syllabuses is a unique review process given its proximity to the introduction of a new QCE system in 2019.

This means that syllabuses will only undergo revision in response to the findings of the review.

The scope and purpose of a revision is outlined in later sections of this report.

Timeframe

The review of General, Applied (Essential) and Short Course syllabuses commenced in early 2020 and concluded in November 2022.

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Activities

The review of General, Applied (Essential) and Short Course syllabuses involved the following activities:

• recording of ad hoc syllabus feedback in an official change log from March 2019 to November 2021

• analysis of confirmation, endorsement and external assessment 2020–2021 data to identify any syllabus performance issues

• release of the publicly accessible syllabus implementation survey from July to September 2021 to gather feedback from teachers, parents, students, industry and academics on all syllabuses

• analysis of quantitative and qualitative data gathered through the public survey to identify satisfaction ratings and common themes in feedback

• establishment of focus groups in mid-2022 to invite participants to state a clear and cohesive set of values for their subject, how the subject might need to change to remain current and contemporary, and what specific changes should be made to the syllabus as part of the revision process.

Through these activities, the QCAA engaged with more than 8200 stakeholders and received more than 20 000 specific and detailed items of written feedback about the syllabuses.

Sources of feedback

Syllabus implementation survey

The table below shows the number of participants in the syllabus implementation survey for this syllabus.

Stakeholders Survey participants

Teachers 20

Heads of department 20

School administrators 1

Sector representatives 0

Members of professional associations 0

Academics 0

Students 26

Parents/carers 0

Other 0

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Syllabus targeted review focus groups

The table below shows the number of focus group participants for this syllabus.

Focus group Participants

Music Extension — general focus 14

Review findings

Syllabus section or feedback area Satisfied responses to survey (% of total responses)

Course overview — Introduction 81.8%

Objectives (including explanatory paragraphs) 70.3%

Teaching and learning: Aboriginal perspectives and Torres Strait Islander perspectives

74.1%

Teaching and learning: Pedagogical and conceptual frameworks

85.2%

Teaching and learning: Subject matter 77.8%

Units 75.3%

Internal assessment techniques, descriptions, specifications and conditions

60.2%

Instrument-specific marking guides (ISMGs) 27.9%

External assessment 51.2%

Resources 33.3%

Review findings include:

• Stakeholders identified that some concepts need unpacking and clarification.

• Suggested changes to the syllabus included the embedding of Musicology into Performance and Composition.

• Some stakeholders suggested that the objectives could be clarified, with some cognitive verbs being replaced.

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Review outcomes

This syllabus will undergo a revision to make changes that:

• respond to syllabus implementation challenges identified by teachers

• ensure assessment is appropriate and effective

• improve the clarity in the syllabus for teachers and students to make expectations more transparent

• update and refine subject matter, where necessary.

Examples of changes include:

• changing a cognitive verb used in an objective

• rearranging topics or subject matter

• simplifying language in an ISMG performance-level descriptor

• adjusting assessment specifications or conditions based on endorsement and confirmation feedback

• updating topics and subject matter to be more contemporary.

During the review of the General, Applied (Essential) and Short Course syllabuses, it was evident that some stakeholders expect changes to syllabuses that are significantly beyond the scope of a syllabus revision and would require a syllabus redevelopment. Examples of changes that are beyond the scope of a revision include changes:

• to syllabus objectives that would require changes in assessment processes and ISMGs that would result in a significant change in practice

• to the number of summative assessments

• that significantly alter the nature of the external assessment, e.g. the percentage weighting, the technique, the objectives assessed

• to the purpose of the subject

• that would have a significant impact on school resources, e.g. the need for new textbooks or equipment.

The evaluation of the new Queensland Certificate of Education system is expected to report in early 2025. A future syllabus review, revision and redevelopment schedule will be developed in light of the findings from this evaluation and after further feedback on these revised syllabuses has been considered.

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Summary of syllabus revisions

The Music Extension syllabus will undergo refinement, including clarification of objectives, subject matter, assessment specifications, ISMGs and reporting standards in response to the findings of the review. Details of the changes are shown in the table below.

Music Extension (Composition)

Section Revision

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives

• Still under review

• Revisions to consider Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts (2019)

Syllabus objectives • Syllabus objectives refined and amended, reduced from 4 common objectives to 3 common objectives for increased clarity

• Explanatory paragraphs updated to reflect changes in syllabus objectives

Reporting standards • Reporting standards updated to reflect changes in syllabus objectives and ISMGs, and to focus on the composition specialisation

Subject matter • Subject matter refined to align with changes in syllabus objectives

Assessment 1A1 and IA2

• Option for students to write an arrangement removed

• Statement of intent

− response requirements increased from

▪ ‘written 200–400 words’ to ‘written up to 500 words’, or

▪ ‘filmed oral or audio explanation, 1–2 minutes’ to ‘up to 3 minutes filmed oral, filmed signed or audio (equivalent of up to 500 words)’

IA3

• Option for students to write an arrangement removed

▪ ‘filmed oral or audio equivalent, 1–2 minutes’ to ‘up to 3 minutes filmed oral, filmed signed or audio (equivalent of up to 500 words)’

• Response requirements for reflective statement increased from

− ‘written 300 words’ to ‘written up to 500 words, or

− ‘filmed oral or audio equivalent, 1–2 minutes’ to ‘up to 3 minutes filmed oral, filmed signed or audio (equivalent to up to 500 words)’

EA

• Assessment objectives updated to reflect changes in syllabus objectives

ISMGs • ISMGs (assessment objectives, criteria, performance-level descriptors and marks) refined and clarified, aligning with updated syllabus objectives

Glossary • Still under review

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Music Extension (Musicology)

Reporting standards • Reporting standards updated to reflect changes in syllabus objectives and ISMGs, and to focus on the musicology specialisation

Assessment IA3

EA

ISMGs • ISMGs (performance-level descriptors) refined and clarified Glossary • Still under review

Music Extension (Performance)

Reporting standards • Reporting standards updated to reflect changes in syllabus objectives and ISMGs, and to focus on the performance specialisation

Assessment 1A1 and IA2

• Performance length increased from ‘approximately 2–3 minutes’ to

‘up to 6 minutes’

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▪ ‘filmed oral or audio equivalent, 1–2 minutes’ to ‘up to 3 minutes filmed oral, filmed signed or audio (equivalent of up to 500 words)’

IA3

• Performance length increased from ‘approximately 5–6 minutes’ to

‘up to 8 minutes’

▪ ‘filmed oral or audio, 1–2 minutes’ to ‘up to 3 minutes filmed oral, filmed signed or audio (equivalent of up to 500 words)’

EA

ISMGs • ISMGs (assessment objectives, criteria, performance-level descriptors and marks) refined and clarified, aligning with updated syllabus objectives

Glossary • Still under review

(Extension) senior syllabus 2020 v1.1

Music Extension General