What is Health Studies about?
[ Video Resource ]
- Title: Health Studies
- Description: Health Studies Subject Expert Group members discuss their experiences in the Review of Achievement Standards
- Video Duration: 5 minutes
- Video URL: https://player.vimeo.com/video/571916865
- Transcript: In conversation with Nicola Potts Katrina Lemon Matt Stenbo Transcript below: The shift in assessments
In conversation with
Nicola Potts
Katrina Lemon
Matt Stenbo
Transcript below:
The shift in assessments, particularly in methods of assessment for external, have opened up some real possibilities to help look at the students learning’ in new ways, which is a really exciting opportunity.
The opportunity that we've been allowed to have a lot of scope in terms of developing frameworks, and expanding on the whakapapa of knowledge that has already been created.
Not neglecting that, but enhancing that, has been really exciting. Having the ability to be able to do that and be supported by the SEG. I'm hoping that students will see themselves in the learning more. That it will cater for diverse learners across our schooling system.
Absolutely and we will focus on, at level one, the individual, and where they're at. With our 15-16 year-olds, that's where they are at, eh?
They work well when they're talking about themselves. That's going to be a huge focus at level one. I think, they'll feel really comfortable in that zone, eh?
The Learning Matrix is an exciting new product. It's not something that we've had before within our NCEA system. It's kind of a distillation of what's important within The New Zealand Curriculum, and what we need to make sure, that students aren't missing out on learning. It's about developing those capabilities and skills that are going to enable those students to pathway into further learning in these subjects or in other areas as well.
That's where all the work that we did on the Significant Learning for our subject, and the Big Ideas, was so important. How we've gone back to that and refined it. That's been at the core really of where we've come from, eh?
We kept looking back and seeing, are we on the right track? One of the biggest changes that we're going to see is this real prioritisation of mana ōrite mō te mātauranga Māori.
I think this is something that our subject expert group here has been really focusing on. It's been difficult. It's been confronting. It's been a really hard task to look at how we can incorporate mana ōrite authentically across our products. It's been fantastic to work with people who are authentically investigating what that means and how to do that.
But in saying that, Matt, I think we were already... Our journey had already begun with the curriculum when it was written previously. To having te whare tapa whā was a great place to start for us. It was already there, so our learning had begun quite a while ago. Do you agree?
Yeah, and it was just about bringing te whare tapa whā to life in terms of how is that in a Māori context, and how do we develop resources from a mātauranga Māori perspective.
Yeah. I think the subject experts that we have on the group bring a fantastic range of skills and expertise together. It's been really wonderful to be able to draw from such incredible wealth of experience. I've already taken quite a lot of what I've learned into my classroom, and practiced for next year, when I'm hoping to be at a school that will trial what I've learned.
And particularly, the last group. We looked at all the different ranges of assessments that we can do now. I've got my year 11's currently doing an assessment based on something that I haven't done before, because of what I learnt from the RAS. It's fantastic for me. That's the thing that's been exciting.
The next steps in terms of resourcing and how we can bring the learning to life. So the conversation doesn't just stop with assessment. There's a lot of conversation ongoing from that, so how can we best support classroom teachers.
I think starting with the Learning Matrix is really valuable, and helping. If teachers look at the products in the order that they were created within our project. Starting with that Learning Matrix, and then looking through the standards to the assessment activities. That could be really valuable to help them understand how we got to what we got to.
Yeah, and next year, whether they're a part of the trial or not, it's really important that you look and try some activities. Try some things that we're recommending. It's all going to be on the website. We've all spent some time writing some really cool assessments and assessment schedules. Give it a go.
Mine would be around that the assessment is only an evidence part of the process, and to remember that. It's about the journey, and the hikoi towards the assessment. Looking at these assessments as that.
Yeah, and the assessment not driving the learning.
Exactly.
Subject-specific terms can be found in the glossary.
Health Studies is about engaging in three Key Areas of Learning — Food and Nutrition, Mental Health, and Relationships and Sexuality in relation to hauora, and the health and wellbeing of individuals, whānau, and communities. It is about the complex interconnections between the physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions of people’s lives.
Ākonga can explore Māori and Pacific knowledge bases, values, and practices related to hauora and wellbeing. They can learn about hauora as a body of knowledge, and learn about models of health such as Te Whare Tapa Whā and Fonofale.
Through Health Studies, ākonga can learn about how kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga, and whanaungatanga contribute to the hauora of individuals, whānau, and communities.
By engaging in this subject, ākonga develop further understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand as a bicultural nation, with diverse viewpoints on hauora, health, and wellbeing. They can learn about how actions can enhance hauora, and explore ways to manage change situations that impact health and wellbeing. They learn that hauora is more than a matter of personal choice and individual responsibility.
In this subject, ākonga develop understanding of current issues related to food, nutrition, and health, and learn how a range of factors influence wellbeing. This learning can help ākonga understand what contributes to healthy relationships, and develop strategies to strengthen their sense of identity and self-worth.
There are sensitivities to learning about, and being assessed on, hauora and wellbeing issues. Given these sensitivities, a strengths-based approach must be taken with the subject's learning tasks and assessment activities.
Ākonga can learn foundational knowledge and skills that can lead to diverse future pathways, including becoming a teacher, and working or studying in the health, community services, government, hospitality, and science sectors.
Subject-specific terms can be found in the glossary.
Health Studies is about engaging in three Key Areas of Learning — Food and Nutrition, Mental Health, and Relationships and Sexuality in relation to hauora, and the health and wellbeing of individuals, whānau, and communities. It is about the complex interconnections between the physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions of people’s lives.
Ākonga can explore Māori and Pacific knowledge bases, values, and practices related to hauora and wellbeing. They can learn about hauora as a body of knowledge, and learn about models of health such as Te Whare Tapa Whā and Fonofale.
Through Health Studies, ākonga can learn about how kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga, and whanaungatanga contribute to the hauora of individuals, whānau, and communities.
By engaging in this subject, ākonga develop further understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand as a bicultural nation, with diverse viewpoints on hauora, health, and wellbeing. They can learn about how actions can enhance hauora, and explore ways to manage change situations that impact health and wellbeing. They learn that hauora is more than a matter of personal choice and individual responsibility.
In this subject, ākonga develop understanding of current issues related to food, nutrition, and health, and learn how a range of factors influence wellbeing. This learning can help ākonga understand what contributes to healthy relationships, and develop strategies to strengthen their sense of identity and self-worth.
There are sensitivities to learning about, and being assessed on, hauora and wellbeing issues. Given these sensitivities, a strengths-based approach must be taken with the subject's learning tasks and assessment activities.
Ākonga can learn foundational knowledge and skills that can lead to diverse future pathways, including becoming a teacher, and working or studying in the health, community services, government, hospitality, and science sectors.
Big Ideas and Significant Learning
This section outlines the meaning of, and connection between, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning, which together form the Learning Matrix. It then explains each Health Studies Big Idea.
The Health and Physical Education Learning Area, including its whakataukī, inform this subject's Significant Learning – learning that is critical for students to know, understand, and do in relation to a subject by the end of each Curriculum Level. This covers knowledge, skills, competencies, and attitudes. It also includes level-appropriate contexts students should encounter in their education. The Learning Area's whakataukī is:
He oranga ngākau, he pikinga waiora
Positive feelings in your heart will raise your sense of self-worth
The subject's Big Ideas and Significant Learning are collated into a Learning Matrix for Curriculum Level 6. Teachers can use the Learning Matrix as a tool to construct learning programmes that cover all the not-to-be-missed learning in a subject.
There is no prescribed order to the Learning Matrix. A programme of learning might begin with a context that is relevant to the local area of the school or an idea that students are particularly interested in. This context or topic must relate to at least one Big Idea and may also link to other Big Ideas.
There are four Big Ideas in Health Studies. The nature of this subject as a discipline means aspects of Significant Learning often cross over multiple Big Ideas, and vice versa.
This section outlines the meaning of, and connection between, the Big Ideas and Significant Learning, which together form the Learning Matrix. It then explains each Health Studies Big Idea.
The Health and Physical Education Learning Area, including its whakataukī, inform this subject's Significant Learning – learning that is critical for students to know, understand, and do in relation to a subject by the end of each Curriculum Level. This covers knowledge, skills, competencies, and attitudes. It also includes level-appropriate contexts students should encounter in their education. The Learning Area's whakataukī is:
He oranga ngākau, he pikinga waiora
Positive feelings in your heart will raise your sense of self-worth
The subject's Big Ideas and Significant Learning are collated into a Learning Matrix for Curriculum Level 6. Teachers can use the Learning Matrix as a tool to construct learning programmes that cover all the not-to-be-missed learning in a subject.
There is no prescribed order to the Learning Matrix. A programme of learning might begin with a context that is relevant to the local area of the school or an idea that students are particularly interested in. This context or topic must relate to at least one Big Idea and may also link to other Big Ideas.
There are four Big Ideas in Health Studies. The nature of this subject as a discipline means aspects of Significant Learning often cross over multiple Big Ideas, and vice versa.
Big Idea Body:
Health and wellbeing are understood in diverse ways according to a person's values, cultures, experiences, identities, and worldview. To approach health and wellbeing in a holistic way is to understand the multiple, interrelated dimensions of health and wellbeing as it relates to individuals, whānau, communities, and the surrounding environment.
This Big Idea is about hauora as an important Māori body of knowledge, which encompasses and connects physical, social, mental and emotional, and spiritual wellness, and the appropriate practices associated with holistic wellbeing.
Part of learning about hauora and indigenous knowledge bases, values, and practices involves looking at the four dimensions – taha hinengaro (mental health), taha wairua (spiritual health), taha tinana (physical health), and taha whānau (family health) – as an interconnected whole, where one dimension does not exist in isolation, and no dimension should be privileged over others.
Thinking of hauora as a holistic body of knowledge opens opportunities for ākonga to better understand themselves, their whānau, and communities in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Hauora needs to be approached through a holistic understanding
Health and wellbeing are understood in diverse ways according to a person's values, cultures, experiences, identities, and worldview. To approach health and wellbeing in a holistic way is to understand the multiple, interrelated dimensions of health and wellbeing as it relates to individuals, whānau, communities, and the surrounding environment.
This Big Idea is about hauora as an important Māori body of knowledge, which encompasses and connects physical, social, mental and emotional, and spiritual wellness, and the appropriate practices associated with holistic wellbeing.
Part of learning about hauora and indigenous knowledge bases, values, and practices involves looking at the four dimensions – taha hinengaro (mental health), taha wairua (spiritual health), taha tinana (physical health), and taha whānau (family health) – as an interconnected whole, where one dimension does not exist in isolation, and no dimension should be privileged over others.
Thinking of hauora as a holistic body of knowledge opens opportunities for ākonga to better understand themselves, their whānau, and communities in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Big Idea Body:
This Big Idea is about how the practice of whakawhanaungatanga is critical to the health and wellbeing of individuals, whānau, and communities.
Kaitiakitanga refers to Māori environmental management and sustainability practices that have evolved to protect and enhance the mauri of the whenua.
By exploring this Big Idea, ākonga can learn about diverse cultures' ways of creating and nurturing relationships, and understand how mana and identity are connected with the sense of self-worth. Through this understanding, ākonga can develop skills to build relationships and enable mutual care, and foster attitudes and values that support the wellbeing of themselves and others.
Kaitiakitanga and whakawhanaungatanga are vital for the wellbeing and sense of self-worth of individuals, whānau, and communities
This Big Idea is about how the practice of whakawhanaungatanga is critical to the health and wellbeing of individuals, whānau, and communities.
Kaitiakitanga refers to Māori environmental management and sustainability practices that have evolved to protect and enhance the mauri of the whenua.
By exploring this Big Idea, ākonga can learn about diverse cultures' ways of creating and nurturing relationships, and understand how mana and identity are connected with the sense of self-worth. Through this understanding, ākonga can develop skills to build relationships and enable mutual care, and foster attitudes and values that support the wellbeing of themselves and others.
Big Idea Body:
This Big Idea is about how perspectives of wellbeing are not static and linear – they change continually as the result of the interaction between a broad and complex range of political, environmental, social, cultural, and other factors in seen and unseen ways.
Ākonga can learn about how perspectives can influence the wellbeing of others and, similarly, how a societal perspective can impact the wellbeing of individuals. They can explore complexities and interconnectedness of Māori and Pacific perspectives of wellbeing. They can think about how and where in their lives they experience the practice of manaakitanga, or caring for others.
By exploring this Big Idea, ākonga can learn to identify the impact of diverse attitudes, values, and perspectives on wellbeing. This learning will help ākonga understand that hauora is not just a matter of personal choice and individual responsibility, and see how a range of health-promotion actions are needed at personal, interpersonal, and societal levels to enhance hauora.
Personal, interpersonal, and societal perspectives of wellbeing and manaakitanga are complex and interconnected
This Big Idea is about how perspectives of wellbeing are not static and linear – they change continually as the result of the interaction between a broad and complex range of political, environmental, social, cultural, and other factors in seen and unseen ways.
Ākonga can learn about how perspectives can influence the wellbeing of others and, similarly, how a societal perspective can impact the wellbeing of individuals. They can explore complexities and interconnectedness of Māori and Pacific perspectives of wellbeing. They can think about how and where in their lives they experience the practice of manaakitanga, or caring for others.
By exploring this Big Idea, ākonga can learn to identify the impact of diverse attitudes, values, and perspectives on wellbeing. This learning will help ākonga understand that hauora is not just a matter of personal choice and individual responsibility, and see how a range of health-promotion actions are needed at personal, interpersonal, and societal levels to enhance hauora.
Big Idea Body:
This Big Idea is about how hauora and positive wellbeing outcomes for all people and communities are only possible when inequities are addressed and all members of society are treated fairly. Therefore, social justice principles and aims have been integral to the development of diverse approaches to hauora and wellbeing.
By exploring this Big Idea, ākonga can understand how social constructs and inequitable distribution of power within relationships can create injustice, and affect multiple generations of people. This understanding can help ākonga learn to recognise sources and instances of injustice, and how hauora, health, and wellbeing are enabled through strategies and actions based on fairness and equity.
Social justice principles of fairness and inclusivity are central to hauora and wellbeing
This Big Idea is about how hauora and positive wellbeing outcomes for all people and communities are only possible when inequities are addressed and all members of society are treated fairly. Therefore, social justice principles and aims have been integral to the development of diverse approaches to hauora and wellbeing.
By exploring this Big Idea, ākonga can understand how social constructs and inequitable distribution of power within relationships can create injustice, and affect multiple generations of people. This understanding can help ākonga learn to recognise sources and instances of injustice, and how hauora, health, and wellbeing are enabled through strategies and actions based on fairness and equity.
Key Competencies in Health Studies
Health Studies provides learners with opportunities to develop the curriculum Key Competencies in practical and engaging contexts.
Thinking
Students of Health Studies will:
- understand sensitivities around health and wellbeing contexts and perspectives
- think about ethics related to health, food, and wellbeing issues
- learn to identify and analyse unfairness and exclusiveness in different situations
- think about attitudes and values that influence choices or behaviours related to health, food, or wellbeing
- perceive different experiences of individuals, their whānau, and groups in a situation related to health, food, or wellbeing
- think critically about a health or food issue that affects wellbeing
- learn to recognise situations of injustice and identify actions that could be taken to make communities and society fairer and more inclusive
- make sense of health and wellbeing through a diversity of lenses and perspectives
- think about ethical dilemmas related to health and wellbeing issues
- gain confidence and strategies to analyse perspectives and messages about food and nutrition, mental health, and relationships and sexuality.
Using language, symbols, and text
Students of Health Studies will:
- use health promotion models to explain concepts and behaviours
- use models and frameworks to explain the complexity of health and wellbeing issues where social justice is a consideration
- understand how diverse interpretations and use of language, symbols, and text about health and food influence the decisions and behaviours of individuals and communities
- develop subject-specific literacy to understand the language and strategies for meaning-making
- learn the vocabulary and symbols of different models of health and wellbeing
- develop understanding of verbal and non-verbal language associated with food customs and contexts
- understand why Health Studies takes a strengths-based approach that focuses on health promotion and healing.
Relating to others
Students of Health Studies will:
- gain insight into the consultation processes and methods of Māori, Pacific, and disability communities that enable the voices and views of a diverse range of stakeholders to be heard
- develop empathy with a diverse range of perspectives and contexts about health, food, and wellbeing
- learn about interpretations of health and wellbeing within their peer group and communities
- experience the lived practices of diverse cultures.
Managing self
Students of Health Studies will:
- learn to take personal responsibility to treat others fairly and include them
- understand how collective actions contribute to social justice at a local, community, or national level
- establish personal meanings as attached to diverse lenses on health and wellbeing.
Participating and contributing
Students of Health Studies will:
- understand how participation and contribution is integral to Māori and Pacific communities' food traditions and health models
- learn how boundaries can be established, and safe participation can occur in kōrero, talanoa, and wānanga
- understand how collective actions contribute to social justice at a local, community, or national level
- gain confidence in making collective decisions and participating in kōrero about health, food, or wellbeing issues
- think about strategies for managing conflict and tensions within groups and society.
Key Competencies
This section of The New Zealand Curriculum Online offers specific guidance to school leaders and teachers on integrating the Key Competencies into the daily activities of the school and its Teaching and Learning Programmes.
Health Studies provides learners with opportunities to develop the curriculum Key Competencies in practical and engaging contexts.
Thinking
Students of Health Studies will:
- understand sensitivities around health and wellbeing contexts and perspectives
- think about ethics related to health, food, and wellbeing issues
- learn to identify and analyse unfairness and exclusiveness in different situations
- think about attitudes and values that influence choices or behaviours related to health, food, or wellbeing
- perceive different experiences of individuals, their whānau, and groups in a situation related to health, food, or wellbeing
- think critically about a health or food issue that affects wellbeing
- learn to recognise situations of injustice and identify actions that could be taken to make communities and society fairer and more inclusive
- make sense of health and wellbeing through a diversity of lenses and perspectives
- think about ethical dilemmas related to health and wellbeing issues
- gain confidence and strategies to analyse perspectives and messages about food and nutrition, mental health, and relationships and sexuality.
Using language, symbols, and text
Students of Health Studies will:
- use health promotion models to explain concepts and behaviours
- use models and frameworks to explain the complexity of health and wellbeing issues where social justice is a consideration
- understand how diverse interpretations and use of language, symbols, and text about health and food influence the decisions and behaviours of individuals and communities
- develop subject-specific literacy to understand the language and strategies for meaning-making
- learn the vocabulary and symbols of different models of health and wellbeing
- develop understanding of verbal and non-verbal language associated with food customs and contexts
- understand why Health Studies takes a strengths-based approach that focuses on health promotion and healing.
Relating to others
Students of Health Studies will:
- gain insight into the consultation processes and methods of Māori, Pacific, and disability communities that enable the voices and views of a diverse range of stakeholders to be heard
- develop empathy with a diverse range of perspectives and contexts about health, food, and wellbeing
- learn about interpretations of health and wellbeing within their peer group and communities
- experience the lived practices of diverse cultures.
Managing self
Students of Health Studies will:
- learn to take personal responsibility to treat others fairly and include them
- understand how collective actions contribute to social justice at a local, community, or national level
- establish personal meanings as attached to diverse lenses on health and wellbeing.
Participating and contributing
Students of Health Studies will:
- understand how participation and contribution is integral to Māori and Pacific communities' food traditions and health models
- learn how boundaries can be established, and safe participation can occur in kōrero, talanoa, and wānanga
- understand how collective actions contribute to social justice at a local, community, or national level
- gain confidence in making collective decisions and participating in kōrero about health, food, or wellbeing issues
- think about strategies for managing conflict and tensions within groups and society.
Key Competencies
This section of The New Zealand Curriculum Online offers specific guidance to school leaders and teachers on integrating the Key Competencies into the daily activities of the school and its Teaching and Learning Programmes.
Connections
Health Studies is connected with the subject Physical Education. They both stem from the Health and Physical Education Learning Area within The New Zealand Curriculum, with a shared whakatuakī and focus on wellbeing.
Health Studies is connected with the subject Physical Education. They both stem from the Health and Physical Education Learning Area within The New Zealand Curriculum, with a shared whakatuakī and focus on wellbeing.
Learning Pathway
The knowledge and experiences that ākonga gain through their engagement with Health Studies can lead to a wide range of pathways.
The health sector, such as:
- care, support, and rehabilitation of people
- diagnosing and treating people
- health promotion and advice
- medical research and testing
- providing technical support and equipment to healthcare professionals.
Community services, such as:
- working with people of different ages, life stages, abilities, and cultures
- counselling and therapy
- helping people with personal development and life decisions
- community support and care.
Hospitality, such as:
- working with food and drink.
The science sector, such as:
- analysing and interpreting results and data related to health and wellbeing
- research, investigation, and experiments into an area of health or nutritional science.
Management and consulting, such as:
- the recruitment, training, and development of staff in any health or wellbeing-related workplace
- health and wellbeing marketing and communications.
Education, such as:
- helping children, young people, or adults learn about health and wellbeing
- planning programmes and classes about health and wellbeing.
Government and law, such as:
- development of policies and regulations related to health and wellbeing
- writing, researching, analysing, and evaluating information about health and wellbeing.
The knowledge and experiences that ākonga gain through their engagement with Health Studies can lead to a wide range of pathways.
The health sector, such as:
- care, support, and rehabilitation of people
- diagnosing and treating people
- health promotion and advice
- medical research and testing
- providing technical support and equipment to healthcare professionals.
Community services, such as:
- working with people of different ages, life stages, abilities, and cultures
- counselling and therapy
- helping people with personal development and life decisions
- community support and care.
Hospitality, such as:
- working with food and drink.
The science sector, such as:
- analysing and interpreting results and data related to health and wellbeing
- research, investigation, and experiments into an area of health or nutritional science.
Management and consulting, such as:
- the recruitment, training, and development of staff in any health or wellbeing-related workplace
- health and wellbeing marketing and communications.
Education, such as:
- helping children, young people, or adults learn about health and wellbeing
- planning programmes and classes about health and wellbeing.
Government and law, such as:
- development of policies and regulations related to health and wellbeing
- writing, researching, analysing, and evaluating information about health and wellbeing.
Introduction to Sample Course Outlines
Sample Course Outlines are being produced to help teachers and schools understand the new NCEA Learning Matrix and Achievement Standards. Examples of how a year-long Health Studies course could be constructed using the new Learning Matrix and Achievement Standards are provided here. They are indicative only and do not mandate any particular context or approach.
Sample Course Outlines are being produced to help teachers and schools understand the new NCEA Learning Matrix and Achievement Standards. Examples of how a year-long Health Studies course could be constructed using the new Learning Matrix and Achievement Standards are provided here. They are indicative only and do not mandate any particular context or approach.
Assessment Matrix
Conditions of Assessment for internally assessed standards
Conditions of Assessment
These Conditions provide guidelines for assessment against internally assessed Achievement Standards. Guidance is provided on:
- specific requirements for all assessments against this Standard
- appropriate ways of, and conditions for, gathering evidence
- ensuring that evidence is authentic.
Assessors must be familiar with guidance on assessment practice in learning centres, including enforcing timeframes and deadlines. The NZQA website offers resources that would be useful to read in conjunction with these Conditions of Assessment.
The learning centre’s Assessment Policy and Conditions of Assessment must be consistent with NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess. This link includes guidance for managing internal moderation and the collection of evidence.
Gathering Evidence
Internal assessment provides considerable flexibility in the collection of evidence. Evidence can be collected in different ways to suit a range of teaching and learning styles, and a range of contexts of teaching and learning. Care needs to be taken to allow students opportunities to present their best evidence against the Standard(s) that are free from unnecessary constraints.
It is recommended that the design of assessment reflects and reinforces the ways students have been learning. Collection of evidence for the internally assessed Standards could include, but is not restricted to, an extended task, an investigation, digital evidence (such as recorded interviews, blogs, photographs, or film), or a portfolio of evidence.
A separate assessment event is not needed for each Standard. Often assessment can be integrated into one activity that collects evidence towards two or three different Standards from a programme of learning. Evidence can also be collected over time from a range of linked activities (for example, in a portfolio).
Effective assessment should suit the nature of the learning being assessed, provide opportunities to meet the diverse needs of all students, and be valid and fair.
Ensuring Authenticity of Evidence
Authenticity of student evidence needs to be assured regardless of the method of collecting evidence. This must be in line with the learning centre’s policy and NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess.
Ensure that the student’s evidence is individually identifiable and represents the student’s own work. This includes evidence submitted as part of a group assessment and evidence produced outside of class time or assessor supervision. For example, an investigation carried out over several sessions could include assessor observations, meeting with the student at a set milestone, or student’s use of a journal or photographic entries to record progress.
Conditions of Assessment
These Conditions provide guidelines for assessment against internally assessed Achievement Standards. Guidance is provided on:
- specific requirements for all assessments against this Standard
- appropriate ways of, and conditions for, gathering evidence
- ensuring that evidence is authentic.
Assessors must be familiar with guidance on assessment practice in learning centres, including enforcing timeframes and deadlines. The NZQA website offers resources that would be useful to read in conjunction with these Conditions of Assessment.
The learning centre’s Assessment Policy and Conditions of Assessment must be consistent with NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess. This link includes guidance for managing internal moderation and the collection of evidence.
Gathering Evidence
Internal assessment provides considerable flexibility in the collection of evidence. Evidence can be collected in different ways to suit a range of teaching and learning styles, and a range of contexts of teaching and learning. Care needs to be taken to allow students opportunities to present their best evidence against the Standard(s) that are free from unnecessary constraints.
It is recommended that the design of assessment reflects and reinforces the ways students have been learning. Collection of evidence for the internally assessed Standards could include, but is not restricted to, an extended task, an investigation, digital evidence (such as recorded interviews, blogs, photographs, or film), or a portfolio of evidence.
A separate assessment event is not needed for each Standard. Often assessment can be integrated into one activity that collects evidence towards two or three different Standards from a programme of learning. Evidence can also be collected over time from a range of linked activities (for example, in a portfolio).
Effective assessment should suit the nature of the learning being assessed, provide opportunities to meet the diverse needs of all students, and be valid and fair.
Ensuring Authenticity of Evidence
Authenticity of student evidence needs to be assured regardless of the method of collecting evidence. This must be in line with the learning centre’s policy and NZQA’s Assessment Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess.
Ensure that the student’s evidence is individually identifiable and represents the student’s own work. This includes evidence submitted as part of a group assessment and evidence produced outside of class time or assessor supervision. For example, an investigation carried out over several sessions could include assessor observations, meeting with the student at a set milestone, or student’s use of a journal or photographic entries to record progress.
Students may work on assessment responses in and out of class time. Students may present their findings in any media that allows the clear demonstration of meeting the requirements of the Achievement Standard.
Students may work on assessment responses in and out of class time. Students may present their findings in any media that allows the clear demonstration of meeting the requirements of the Standard.