Moderation of Year 12 student assessments to begin this week

More than 4000 teachers are meeting across the state this week as part of the moderation procedures for Queensland’s system of school-based assessment in Years 11 and 12.

Education and Training Minister Rod Welford said the process of moderation ensured that student results in the same subject were comparable no matter the school attended.

“These 4000 specially-trained, practising teachers are members of about 400 Queensland Studies Authority panels that will be reviewing student work in 50 Authority subjects,” Mr Welford said.

“The panels will meet at 13 locations across the state from 15–25 February.

“They will be looking at samples of student work to advise how well schools implemented courses of study in Year 11, and providing feedback on standards of assessment and student achievement.”

Mr Welford said teachers were the backbone of Queensland’s system of school-based assessment.

“In addition to their work in the classroom, many panel members travel long distances, work evenings or give up their weekends to meet together and moderate students’ work,” he said.

“The success of the system relies on their rigour and dedication.”

Panels will meet again later in the year to review updated student folios and confirm standards of achievement for the Queensland Certificate of Education.

Students’ results in Authority subjects are also used in the calculation of Overall Positions for tertiary entrance.

Mr Welford said a survey of review panel members in 2007 found Queensland’s system of externally-moderated school-based assessment was highly regarded.

“An overwhelming majority of the more than 600 panellists sampled said the system was working either well or very well,” he said.

“Research has also shown our system produces reliable and comparable assessment of student achievement at higher levels than typically found in the marking of public exams.

“A further strength is that students are judged on their performance over two years of study, rather than in one-off ‘high stakes’ exams.

“Using a range of assessment approaches – including oral exams, presentations, group work and written tests – encourages deeper understanding of a topic and engages students’ higher-order thinking skills.”

Media contact: Marnie Stitz or Emma Clarey on 3237 1000