Computing Science

CPD Presentation

Internal Verification of National 4 and National 5 Units

Learning Objectives

When to undertake internal assessment How to check the validity of assessment

activities How to check assessment judgements How to internally verify How to prepare for external verification

Purpose of Assessment Generate evidence from candidates to enable achievement of the

Outcomes and Assessment Standards for the Unit.

– Assessment can take place at any point when the assessor is confident that the candidate is ready to be assessed.

– The Assessor can use any valid assessment activity which covers any number of Outcomes and Assessment Standards.

– An assessment could take place at the end of the learning or evidence can be gathered during the learning as part of on-going tasks completed by the candidates.

– Although you must have evidence that covers all Outcomes and Assessment Standards for each candidate you can still generate this through group work.

Approach to Assessment

You can use or adapt any SQA produced Unit Assessment Support Pack (UASP):

– there are 2 UASP for each Unit– there is also 1 UASP illustrating a portfolio approach for both

Units

You are strongly advised to use SQA’s Prior Verification service:– this ensures that the assessment is in line with national

standards– there is no charge for this service

For further information please visit:

http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/63004.html

Approach to AssessmentWhen creating an assessment you must always refer to the Outcomes, Assessment Standards and Evidence Requirements in the relevant Unit Specification.

You should also refer to the “Judging the Evidence” tables in the relevant UASP for guidance to help you ensure that:

tasks are appropriate

all Assessment Standards are covered

Assessment Judgements

You must always refer to the Outcomes, Assessment Standards and Evidence Requirements in the relevant Unit Specification.

Ensure the evidence meets Assessment Standards

For guidance you should also refer to the “Judging the Evidence” tables in the relevant UASP which can be found on the SQA secure website.

Internal VerificationEach centre should have its own documented Internal Verification Policy.

The purpose of Internal Verification is to:

support assessors check approaches to assessment are in line with national standardsfacilitating standardisation exercises sample assessment decisions and ensure these are consistent across all assessorsmaintain assessment and verification records

For further information please visit:

http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/InternalVerificationGuideforSQAcentres.pdf

Verification Events Undertaken by a team of Nominees from each Local Authority under

the supervision of the Principal Verifier

Purpose of verification

– confirmation that the approaches to assessment are in line with national standards

– confirmation that assessment judgements are in line with national standards

– confirmation of the effectiveness of internal quality assurance – identification of good practice – provision of developmental advice

What the External Verifier Requires Evidence of the centre’s internal quality assurance processes.

For each candidate in the sample – details entered on verification sample form and candidate

evidence flyleaf, and on the centre’s candidate assessment record or equivalent.

– the assessment or other stimulus that generated the judged candidate evidence. (It helps if the assessment standards are noted on the assessment)

– the candidate’s evidence with the assessment judgement. (It helps if the assessor make comments)

Please refer to SQA’s guidance at: www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/Evidence_required_for_verificationevents.pdf

Verification Event Outcomes There are 3 possible outcomes at each level Accepted

– Approaches to assessment for all candidates at that level are in line with national standards

– Assessment judgements for all candidates are in line with national standards

Accepted*– Overall the approaches to assessments and judgements are in

line with national standards but some recommendations have been made

Not Accepted– Significant issue with approaches to assessment – Significant issue with assessment judgements– A hold will be placed on certification in this subject for this centre– Verifier will state what corrective action is required– Centre must take the corrective action

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