Qualifications Update: Computing Science

1. Qualifications Update: Computing Science

2. Key messages • New Course • Provides progression from National 5 Computing Science • Develops an increased depth and complexity of knowledge and understanding of Computing Science topics • Further develops higher order skills • Offers personalisation and choice • Provides flexibility

3. Course Structure • Two units, internally assessed by centres, externally verified by SQA, Pass/Fail • Course assessment consisting of: • Assignment, marked by centres, externally verified by SQA (60 marks) • Question paper, marked by SQA (90 marks) Both assignment and question paper contribute to final grade

4. Key messages from Verification (Round 1) • Use valid and reliable assessments • SQA-produced Unit Assessment Support Packs • Centre devised assessments that have been prior verified • Your own assessments – strongly advise you have these prior verified • Making assessment judgements • SQA packs are designed on a pass/fail basis • Use Judging Evidence Tables to make assessment judgments against Assessment Standards • Judging Evidence Tables have commentary on how to meet each Assessment Standard • A task/activity can meet most or all of the Unit Outcome and Assessment Standards • Indicate on candidate’s work that Unit Assessment Standards have been met • Unit Assessment complementing learning and teaching • Unit Assessment is open and flexible • Assessment should allow you space to prepare for Added Value/Course Assessment

5. Assessment Support Schedule 2013/14

6. Computing Science Unit Assessment at Higher

7. Unit assessment - recap • Flexible and open Assessment Standards and Evidence Requirements in Units • Greater range of techniques and methodologies for assessment – encouraged • Assessments can be designed to provide evidence across more than one Outcome – combined assessments • More opportunities to gather naturally occurring evidence – assessment as part of learning and teaching

8. Unit Assessment Support Packs As at National 5, three different Higher Unit Assessment Support packs will be provided . You can use these to: • assess your candidates • adapt for your own assessment programmes • make assessment judgements on Outcomes and individual Assessment Standards • understand the requirements for valid candidate evidence

9. Unit Assessment Support at Higher – key features • Valid from August 2014 • Complements and supports learning and teaching • Assess competence against Unit Outcomes and Assessment Standards • Provide broad-based tasks - allows 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

10. Unit assessment support packages at Higher - approaches Package 1 (published Oct 2013) • Unit-by-Unit approach - discrete assessment tasks for each Unit Package 2 (published Feb 2014) • Portfolio approach – using naturally occurring evidence Package 3 (Apr 2014) • Unit-by-Unit approach – discrete assessment tasks for each Unit

11. Assessment Support Package 1 UASP 1 is a Unit-by-Unit approach • Short set of tasks for each Outcome within each Unit • Tasks are flexible and can be used as is, adapted or replaced • Making Assessment Judgements tables - mandatory • Information on re-assessment • Instructions for candidates • Recording documentation • Examples of appropriate responses

12. Judging evidence for Information System Design and Development (Higher)Unit Assessment Support Pack 1

13. Assessment Support Package 2 UASP 2 – Portfolio approach • Combines both SDD and ISDD Units in one pack • Defined by use of naturally occurring evidence • Describes appropriate evidence and success criteria for each Assessment Standard • Independent work, with support • Re-assessment by Assessment Standard is possible

14. Assessment Support Package 3 UASP 3 - Unit-by-Unit approach • Currently being developed for publication in Apr 2014 • Different to UASP 1 – • SDD - one assessment task covering Outcomes 1 and 2, plus report for Outcome 3 • ISDD – one assessment task covering both Outcomes • Some examples of “candidate” responses with commentary

15. Updates & Support Thank you to all contributors! Updates to Unit Assessment Support packs CPD from Principal Verifier Sharing of prior verified Unit Assessment materials Senior Phase Benchmarking tool Education Scotland materials

16. Workshop 1 • Read • Take 10-15 minutes to read through the first Unit Assessment support packs. • Review • The Making Assessment Judgements tables. • Discuss • Other ideas or tasks for generating evidence for each Unit’s Outcomes and Assessment Standards with your colleagues.

17. Computing ScienceHigher Course Assessment

18. Course Assessment at Higher • Course Assessment at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher assesses Added Value • For Computing Science there are2Components – an Assignment and a Question Paper • Courses at Higher are graded A – D, as at present • Controlled Assessment of setting, conducting and marking

19. Higher – Question Paper • Assesses breadth of knowledge from across Course • Set by SQA and marked • Conducted by centres under controlled conditions • 90 marks = 60% of overall marks • Time - 2 hours • Format: • Section 1 (20 marks) – short answer questions • Section 2 – (70 marks) structured questions • SQA Standardised pseudocode

20. Higher – Assignment • Assesses skills, knowledge and understanding • Set by SQA – bank of 3 Assignments to choose from • Conducted by centres under controlled conditions • Marked and internally verified by centres • Externally verified by SQA • 60 marks (40% of total marks) awarded for: • analysing a problem • designing, implementing and testing a solution • reporting on that solution

21. Updates and Support Mandatory documents (May 2014) • Unit Specifications • Course Assessment Specification • Non-mandatory documents (June 2014) • Course and Unit Support Notes • Unit Assessment Support packs • Additional Support • N5 supplementary questions template • Other resources