Moderation of the FSA Best Practice

Linda Meyer

INTEGRATED FSA

The FSA for the qualification will focus on the extent to which a learner can demonstrate applied competence. Applied competence, in terms of the NQF is evidenced through learners ability to integrate concepts, ideas and actions in authentic, real-life contexts and is expressed as practical, foundational and reflexive competence

PURPOSE

The final integrated summative assessment refers to the process of making judgments about achievement. This is carried out when a learner is ready to be assessed at the end of a learnership or full qualification. The FSA will be set by a registered assessor appointed by the Certification/Outsourced Partner after notification from the provider/assessor that the candidates are ready.

FSA

Practical competence - demonstrated ability to perform a set of tasks and actions in authentic contexts Foundational competence demonstrated understanding of what we are doing and why we are doing it Reflexive competence - demonstrated ability to integrate our performances with our understanding so that we are able to adapt to changed circumstances and explain the reason behind these adaptations.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

In setting the FSA, SETQAA would like Certification/ Outsourced Partners and/or assessors to take note of the different assessment methods and encourage the use of a wide variety of methods.

SETTING OF FINAL INTEGRATED SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT (FSA)

Function and role of the Certification Partner/Outsourced Partners The Certification/Outsourced Partner is responsible for setting of the FSA at NQF Level 4, with a memorandum of model answers and a grid showing its linkages with the assessment criteria of the qualification.

FSA

All FSA tools and memoranda, even in draft form, are the property of the Services SETA ETQA and may not be revealed to, or discussed with any unauthorized person. The highly confidential nature of these assessment instruments must be safeguarded at all times.

FSA

If the assessment instrument and memoranda are stored on computer, thorough security measures must be taken to prevent any illegal access to these files. The contents of the assessment instrument must reflect the relevant unit standards and qualification and must not be biased towards any particular textbook or learning material.

FSA

A second assessment instrument should be set as standby assessment instrument. SETQAA have the right to propose the use of either assessment instruments for the FSA, if necessary.

FSA
The Certification/Outsourced Partner must ensure that the assessment instruments are not identical. The Certification/Outsourced Partner must also ensure that neither of these assessment instruments are the same as any previous assessment instruments.

MODERATION CRITERIA

The moderator must ensure that the assessment instrument is aligned with the purpose and rationale of the qualification and that it complies with the applicable SAQA level descriptor. Draft assessment instruments must fall within the ambit and in accordance with the guideline document.

Functions and role of the moderator

After the Certification/Outsourced Partner has set the FSA instrument, with a memorandum of model answers, an internal moderator, appointed by the Certification/Outsourced Partner, must moderate all draft assessment instruments and memoranda for the assessment instruments under his/her jurisdiction.

Functions and role of the moderator

During the moderation, the assessment instrument and memoranda are to be objectively assessed by the moderator with regard to the following:

Functions and role of the moderator cont.

The moderator must verify that papers set for the FSA`s are not identical. The moderator must verify that the Unit Standards are appropriate to the registered qualification.

Functions and role of the moderator

The moderator must ensure that the final summative integrated assessment instrument is aligned with the purpose and rationale of the qualification and that it complies with the applicable SAQA level descriptor.

Functions and role of the moderator

The moderator must ensure that the final integrated assessment instruments must fall within the ambit and in accordance with this guideline document. The extent to which the prescribed Unit Standards are covered as well as the assurance that nothing is asked that is outside the scope of the Unit Standard/Qualification must be verified.

Functions and role of the moderator

The spread and number of marks allocated according to the weighting and credits as per the registered learnership/qualification must be assessed.

Functions and role of the moderator

The effectiveness of the type of assessment methods used, written questions, essays, paragraphs, case studies, must be assessed.

Functions and role of the moderator

The questions, terminology, numbering, spelling, punctuation, sentence construction, units, and symbols must be clear, unambiguous and grammatically correct so that candidates will know exactly what is expected of them.

Functions and role of the moderator

The length of the assessment instrument must take into account the time allocated as well as reading time. The draft assessment instrument must be of such a length that a wellprepared learner will be able to answer it comfortably within the time allocated, with reasonable time remaining for revision.

Functions and role of the moderator

It should be borne in mind that it takes considerable time to read through certain assessment instruments. The memorandum must ensure that model answers give enough detail for the assessor of the FSA to conduct an accurate and fair assessment.

Criteria for moderation of the FSA instrument

Standard of the paper (validity, reliability and fairness) Questions of various types e.g. Multiple Choice Questions, Case studies, paragraphs, data response, essay, etc Questions from which candidates are to choose are they of equal difficulty level Correct distribution in terms of cognitive levels (Blooms Taxonomy)

Blooms Taxonomy

In 1956, Benjamin Bloom, a professor at the University of Chicago, shared his famous "Taxonomy of Educational Objectives". Bloom had identified six levels of cognitive complexity that have been used over the past 40 years to make sure that instruction stimulates and develops learners' higher-order thinking skills. The Levels are: Knowledge : Rote memory skills (facts, terms, procedures, classification systems) Comprehension : The ability to translate, paraphrase, interpret or extrapolate material. Application : The capacity to transfer knowledge from one setting to another. Analysis : The ability to discover and differentiate the component parts of a larger whole. Synthesis : The ability to weave component parts into a coherent whole. Evaluation : The ability to judge the value or use of information using a set of standards.

Blooms Taxonomy

1. Knowledge: remembering of previously learned material; recall (facts or whole theories); bringing to mind. Terms: defines, describes, identifies, lists, matches, names. 2. Comprehension: grasping the meaning of material; interpreting (explaining or summarizing); predicting outcome and effects (estimating future trends). Terms: convert, defend, distinguish, estimate, explain, generalize, rewrite. 3. Application: ability to use learned material in a new situation; apply rules, laws, methods, theories. Terms: changes, computes, demonstrates, operates, shows, uses, solves. 4. Analysis: breaking down into parts; understanding organization, clarifying, concluding. Identify parts: See Related Order; Relationships; Clarify. Terms: distinguish, diagrams, outlines, relates, breaks down, discriminates, subdivides. 5. Synthesis: ability to put parts together to form a new whole; unique communication; set of abstract relations. Terms: combines, complies, composes, creates, designs, rearranges. 6. Evaluation: ability to judge value for purpose; base on criteria; support judgment with reason. (No guessing). Terms: appraises, criticizes, compares, supports, concludes, discriminates, contrasts, summarizes, explains.

Blooms Taxonomy

.Knowledge (finding out) a. Use - records, films, videos, models, events, media, diagrams, books... b. observed behavior - ask match, discover, locate, observe, listen. 2. Comprehension (understanding) a. Use - trends, consequences, tables, cartoons.... b. observed behavior - chart, associate, contrast, interpret, compare. 3. Application (making use of the knowledge) a. use - collection, diary, photographs, sculpture, illustration. b. observed behavior - list, construct, teach, paint, manipulate, report. 4. Analysis questions (taking apart the known) a. use - graph, survey, diagram, chart, questionnaire, report.... b. observed behavior - classify, categorize, dissect, advertise, survey. 5. Synthesis (putting things together in another way) a. use - article, radio show, video, puppet show, inventions, poetry, short story... b. observed behavior - combine, invent, compose, hypothesis, create, produce, write. 6. Evaluation (judging outcomes) a. use - letters, group with discussion panel, court trial, survey, selfevaluation, value, allusions... b. observed behavior - judge, debate, evaluating, editorialize, recommend.

Criteria for moderation of the FSA instrument

Overall: how does the standard of the assessment instrument compare in relation to other qualifications/s assessment instruments and previous assessment instruments.

Criteria for moderation of the FSA instrument

Intellectually challenging and allowing for creative responses from candidates Suitability of examples and illustrations Relationship between mark allocation, level of difficulty and time allocation

Criteria for moderation of the FSA instrument

FSA do not count more than continuous assessment of providers the objective for the FSA is to check the standard across providers and across qualifications STANDARDISATION

Technical Criteria
Cover page with all relevant details such as time, unit standards and instructions to candidates Clarity of instructions to candidates Lay out: learner friendly Correct numbering

Technical Criteria
Mark/weighting allocation clearly indicated Quality of illustrations, graphs, tables etc must be print ready Complete memorandum with model answers with mark/weight allocation and provision for alternatives

Registered Unit Standards and Qualifications

Relevance to registered Qualification, i.e. unit standards, specific outcomes, assessment criteria Levels of questions Coverage of unit standards Weighting and spread of contents

History of tool

Full history of FSA (when it will be conducted, who will be assessed, when and where) with all drafts, internal moderators comments etc. must accompany the assessment instrument each time it is submitted to the external moderator (SETQAA)

Cognitive skills

What conceptual constructs of the unit standards does the assessment instrument deal with? e.g. reasoning ability
ability ability ability ability ability to to to to to communicate translate from verbal to symbolic compare and contrast see causal relationship express an argument clearly

Cognitive skills

Are these constructs representative of the best and latest developments in the training of this knowledge field? Are the questions challenging and allowing for creative responses from candidates? Suggested application of cognitive levels for an NQF Level 4 qualification is:
10% 20% 40% 30% knowledge comprehension application analysis, synthesis, evaluation

Language and bias

Correct terminology Appropriate language register for the level of the learner Avoidance of gender, race, cultural, provincial bias Clear and unambiguous specification of instructions within questions e.g. list, describe

Time
Relationship between difficulty level of questions and time Relationship between time and mark allocation and answer requirements

Internal Moderation

Is there evidence that the paper has been internally moderated? Quality, standard and relevance of input from internal moderator.

Competency of Assessor
Knowledge of assessor setting the FSA with regard to qualification. Knowledge, experience, expertise in assessment

Marking Memorandum

Correctness of memorandum Correspondence with questions. Alternative answers provided Does it facilitate assessment?

Alignment Grid

Did they use the grid showing the alignment of the instrument with the purpose, rational, assessment criteria and NQF level descriptor of the qualification as issued by the SSETA used?

Overall impression of the paper

Fairness of the assessment instrument as whole Will the assessment instrument as a whole assess the achievement of the purpose of the qualification and the exit level outcomes Recommendations for improvement or maintenance of qualification/unit standards. final acceptance/rejection of individual assessment questions and whole assessment instrument needs to be substantiated

REFERENCES OR RECORDS

ETQA-F 005 Final Integrated Summative Assessment Instrument

Only after written approval from the external moderator, SETQAA will approve and sign off the final assessment instrument and notify the Certification/Outsourced Partner to proceed with the distribution of the assessment instrument and conduct the assessment.

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT VS FINAL SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN QA OF ASSESSMENT PROCESSES

Provider internal assessors Provider internal moderators Certification/Outsourced Partner assessors Certification/Outsourced Partner moderators SETQAA external moderators SETQAA external verifiers

SETQAA DOC

PRACTICAL COMPONENT

THEORETICAL COMPONENT

TRAINING PROVIDER ASSESSMENT

Assessment should happen on a CONTINUOUS basis during learnership/training formative as well as summative Evidence gathered in PoE Internally moderated and reports submitted to SETQAA at regular specified intervals (See moderation policy) Externally moderated/verified by SETQAA PoE submitted for external moderation by CP at end of learning

FSA (PRACTICAL OBSERVATION)

Should be set and conducted CONTINUOUSLY and/or AT END of learnership/ qualification Set and assessed by registered assessors, moderated by registered moderators appointed by CP Externally verified by SETQAA

FSA (WRITTEN COMPONENT) Conducted AT END of learnership/Qualification Set and moderated by registered assessors and moderators appointed by CP Assessed and moderated by registered assessors and moderators appointed by CP Externally moderated/verified by SETQAA appointed moderators

FSA Moderation process

APPLICATION FOR MODERATION OF FINAL INTEGRATED SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT RECEIVED BY SSETQA EXTERNAL MODERATOR APPOINTED BY SSETQA NO COMMUNICATION PERMITTED BEWEEN DEVELOPER AND MODERATOR MODERATION OF FINAL INTEGRATED SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT / RPL TOOL

FSA Moderation process

PRELIMINARY REPORT PREPARED BY MODERATOR AFTER THE FSA/RPL TOOL HAS BEEN MODERATED - REMEDIATION IDENTIFIED TOOL SENT BACK TO DEVELOPER FOR REMEDIATION TO BE ADDRESSED THE DEVELOPER MAY REMEDIATE / REQUEST ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR APPEAL THE MODERATION DECISION THROUGH THE SSETA APPEALS PROCEDURE

FSA Moderation process

REMEDIATION COMPLETED SENT TO EXTERAL MODERATOR TO CONFIRM REMEDIATION & FINAL REPORT SUBMITTED ELECTRONIC VERSIONS SENT FSA/RPL TOOL REGISTERED ON DATABASE

The Certification/Outsourced Partner assures the rectification is done and sends the final draft together with the Moderators report to SETQAA for external moderation.

The Certification/Outsourced Partner assures the rectification is done and sends the final draft together with the Moderators report to SETQAA for external moderation.

Only after written approval from the external moderator, SETQAA will approve and sign off the final assessment instrument and notify the Certification Partner to proceed with the distribution of the assessment instrument and conduct the assessment.

Thank you