Moderation a Mammoth Task

More than 40,000 pieces of students' work will be individually moderated when the Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia (SSABSA) undertakes standards setting of Year 12 assessment in the next few weeks.

Approximately 4000 packages of students' work are being delivered, sorted and shifted in preparation for this year's standards setting - previously referred to as moderation - the process by which SSABSA "double checks" the work of Year 12 students in subjects for which they do not sit a final exam.

More than 400 experienced teachers will take over the Underdale campus of the University of South Australia from November 26 to December 7 as they undertake this year's mammoth task.

SSABSA's Acting Chief Executive, Mr Antonio Mercurio said that approximately 4000 teachers taught more than 200 subjects in the State's 250 schools and education sites.

"In line with this, SSABSA needs to undertake an effective moderation - or 'double checking' process - so that students with similar capabilities will receive similar grades," he said.

"Standards setting enables SSABSA to apply a fair and consistent method of assessment, ensuring that comparable standards are applied throughout South Australia."

SSABSA uses two methods of standards setting to achieve this goal - statistical and non-statistical.

Statistical standards setting

Most of SSABSA's 62 Publicly Examined Subjects (PES) require students to sit an exam.

This involves the comparison of marks allocated by a teacher during the year with the public examination results for the same class.

The school assessed grade is then statistically adjusted according to the examination results, bringing the school assessed mark in line with the standards set by the exam.

Non-statistical standards setting

SSABSA's 151 School Assessed Subjects (SAS) and Publicly Assessed Subjects (PAS) and 12 of its PES are assessed using non-statistical standards setting.

This involves the inspection by moderators of student work that has previously been marked by teachers.

Teachers allocate grades to students during the year, with pieces of student work delivered to SSABSA for individual assessment and standards setting.

Marks are then adjusted in comparison with the standard of work achieved by other students in the same subject.

In addition to the massive end-of-year standards setting procedure, this is also undertaken throughout the year during visits to the school by a moderator.

This process of standards setting makes assessment standards for a particular subject comparable - and fair - for all students, regardless of the school they attend.

In doing so, the non-statistical method of standards setting ensures the same standard of school assessment is applied to all students in South Australia for a particular subject.

The following examples of standards setting for three different mathematics subjects enable a better understanding of these processes:

PES Mathematics 1

PES Mathematics 1 uses statistical standards setting.

Students undertake a program of school assessment, with grades awarded independently by the teacher throughout the year.

These school assessed marks are then compared with the students' end-of-year examination results and statistically adjusted to reflect the standard set in the exam.

This allows the final grades given to be fair and comparable across all schools, also ensuring individuals in a particular class are not adversely affected by the performance of other class members.

SAS Business and Applied Mathematics

SAS Business and Applied Mathematics uses non-statistical standards setting.

Teachers provide SSABSA with an assessment plan for approval for each semester of work. A team of moderators then provides ongoing support for teachers throughout the year to ensure the curriculum is set and maintained.

Each teacher has a contact moderator who provides support and guidance during the years and supervises assessment tasks.

Pieces of student work are then delivered to SSABSA in Term Four for individual monitoring by moderators for the final end-of-year standards setting.

Moderators award final grades and adjust the school assessed marks where necessary, ensuring comparable standards are set and maintained across all schools.

PES Quantitative Methods

PES Quantitative Methods uses a combination of statistical and non-statistical standards setting.

As with PES Mathematics 1, students sit an end-of-year exam, with the results statistically adjusted in comparison with their school assessed marks.

Students in this subject also are required to complete a major project.

This is delivered to SSABSA in Term Four for end-of-year standards setting, and individually assessed by moderators in line with the non-statistical process.

Mr Mercurio said that these methods of standards settings ensured the final results awarded to Year 12 students remained as fair and accurate as possible.

"With SSABSA responsible for processing thousands of student grades that have been awarded by hundreds of different teachers, this process enables us to double check the results of each and every Year 12 student," he said.

"This is a mammoth task, with the final moderation about to take place at Underdale made possible only through the efforts of hundreds of committed and experienced teachers who have 'put up their hands' to become Year 12 moderators.

"In doing so, SSABSA is able to apply consistency in grades across all schools, giving all Year 12 students in South Australia access to an equitable system of assessment."