Sample questions for Optional Teacher-Selected Evidence (OTSE)

Question 1

I gave Student F Merit and Student G Excellence. Was this right?

Answer

The purpose of the optional teacher selected evidence (see SecQual S2008/013) is for an assessor to get specific feedback on an assessment issue related to making decisions about student work rather than just more moderation of student work. You have not asked a question or identified a specific issue. In this standard the key difference between Merit and Excellence relates to the conclusion. Explanatory note 8 for this standard further explains the requirements.

Question 2

To what degree must the reason given be thoroughly explained for Excellence? I only gave Student A Merit because although he said why the change had occurred the explanation did not seem thorough enough. For Student B, I gave an Excellence because he was more thorough by stating an effect. Is this what is meant by thorough? Am I on the right track?

Answer

You are correct in thinking that the main cause of a grade difference for this standard is how thorough the explanation given is. Making a distinction between an explanation and a thorough explanation by identifying something like an effect is appropriate because it goes beyond just stating why in an explanation. Explanatory note 8 gives some further examples about what thorough may include, e.g. the explanation is linked to a model, rule or idea. Student B has been thorough by stating an effect and Student A has just left it at an explanation, Merit level, which lacked detail.

Question 3

We have confirmed this grade as Not Achieved because there is a pattern of tense and syntax errors that we feel is intrusive and therefore does not meet the fourth criterion. Do you agree?

Answer

Yes, we agree with your decision. The key word is "pattern" and there are a number of tense and syntax errors which suggest that the writer is not confident in their usage. The first sentence begins, "The sun was climbing the sky as it sheds its light" (past and present tense). On its own this could be excused as a "minor error". However, the writer continues this pattern with, "the waves were crashing on the beach bringing starfish that looks like little flashes in the sky". This is another example of past and present tense confusion. There are other examples of this mis-use throughout the work. There is a similar pattern with syntax errors. There are run-on sentences ("the sheep stopped eating to stare at me some leapt away in fright"), sentence fragments ("then I went to the other paddock. After seeing the lambs.") and some sentences which could be described as rambling. Together, these syntax problems make it difficult to follow the story and are therefore regarded as "intrusive".

Question 4

Student A presented sound technological practice and what we think is a "quality outcome" for her technology issue. We awarded Merit. Student B's outcome is quite clever, but not particularly practical for the issue she explored. We have awarded Achieved to Student B. But at Level 1, would this actually be Merit for the "outcome"?

Answer

To achieve at Merit, students need to be presenting a quality outcome that addresses the requirements of the brief. As the outcome is not a particularly practical solution to address the issue, it only addresses the essential requirements of the brief. Therefore this work should be awarded an Achieved grade. To be awarded a Merit grade, the outcome must meet the requirements (not just essential requirements) of the brief. Explanatory Note 7 states that a quality outcome (Merit) is one that is fit for the purpose for which it was intended and conforms to relevant codes of practice. Although this outcome is clever, Student B would need to show more evidence of how it is fit for purpose.

Question 5

Does the amount of detail provided by these two students provide adequate descriptions for Achieved and explanations for Merit?

Answer

Yes. The first piece of work exemplifies a sufficient description (Achieved) because the idea is clearly expressed and is accurate. The second piece of work exemplifies an adequate explanation (Merit) because, in addition to the requirements of a description being met, the evidence goes on to justify why this is the case, which is the requirement for an explanation.

Question 6

I think that Student B has achieved a higher grade than Student A because of the way they apply the process in their work. I'm not exactly sure how much evidence is needed for the Excellence grade and how much I should penalise Student A for the minor errors.

Answer

Both students have applied the process, as required by the achievement criteria. Student B has accurately applied all steps in the process, with detail to support the application of each step (Excellence). Student A has accurately applied most steps in the process - some of the application is incorrect. Detail is not consistently provided throughout the application of the process. Student A has achieved with Merit.

Question 7

I think the evidence supplied by Student A is at Excellence level as they have developed their ideas "convincingly" but is it credible? The standard asks for it to be credible and to pretend you can fly does not sound credible. Student B is doubtful, but at least the idea is credible. Is being credible enough for Excellence?

Answer

This standard does require an idea to be developed convincingly for Excellence. EN6 states that convincingly can refer to the overall effect of the ideas which could be seen as relevant, credible, persuasive or innovative. Note that this is not an exhaustive list. Other factors, such as the writer making you believe that what they are saying is true even if it is not credible, may be convincing . So when Student A is describing how they learned to fly you know it is not credible but it does sound convincing by the way they describe the feelings they got from flying. On the other hand Student B has used a police-like style when writing their 'accident report' and that does sound convincing. In both cases these students are convincing.

Question 8

We did not give the standard to Students A and G as their referencing was not correct. Why did the moderator give them this standard last year?

Answer

If you disagree with a moderator decision you can send the materials back to NZQA as an Appeal and state why. In this standard there is no requirement for students to reference, or to reference correctly, in the achievement criteria. In fact referencing is not mentioned. In the Explanatory Notes it does ask students to acknowledge their sources but there is no prescribed format. It is not part of the criteria and should not affect the award of the grade. However, referencing is a convention that should be encouraged. You may allow an opportunity for the referencing to be corrected. I would encourage your students to do more than just list website home pages - specific URLs are better. If you had a specific concern about the materials they have used then that is an authenticity issue and you should follow your school procedures on how to deal with that.

Question 9

I have attached two samples of student work, A & B, and am not sure which is above Merit and which is below. Both have recognised some concepts and defined some concepts and applied some concepts. But how many do they need?

Answer

How many is not prescribed by the standard. The assessor needs to be confident that sufficient evidence has been provided to demonstrate that the student can recognise, define or apply the concepts. The difference between each level depends on the combination of these factors, rather than the quantity. So Achieved is "recognise or define or apply", Merit is "recognise and define or apply" and Excellence is "recognise and define and apply". Student A has recognised several concepts but has not defined or applied any concepts so they have done enough for Achieved for this part of the achievement criteria. They also need to meet the other parts of the achievement criteria. Student B has not recognised any concepts, but because they have defined and applied some concepts they do meet the criteria for Achieved. Recognising concepts is required for Merit and Excellence.

Question 10

This standard uses the word "research" and states that the teacher must only guide and support the student. So I have given them as much guidance as I can. However, last year the moderator said that too much guidance meant that the students had not achieved. So with Student A I told them what to research but student B chose their own thing. So was it okay to say what to research as I didn't tell them how to do it?

Answer

This standard requires the research to be student-driven. It explains that the role of the teacher is only to guide and support the student throughout the research at this level. The student is to select the primary product, either from a list provided by the teacher or from the student's own research. Teacher support gives general information only, e.g. in the form of broad questions, or resource suggestions. For student A you have told them what to research by stating low-fat milk in the instructions, so you have not let them select the primary product, even from a list. For student B it appears you have told them to research the logging industry and they have chosen MDF manufacturing. In this case you have allowed them to select the product but their selection is not a primary product. It is a manufactured or secondary product. I suggest next time that you build in milestones to check what they have selected and to give back broad advice or question their choice, rather than prescribing it. Check that they have chosen a primary product grown locally in the area on a commercial basis. In this case, both students have met the criteria for Merit in all other respects but neither are comprehensive, as noted by yourself, which is required for Excellence.