Optional teacher-selected evidence (OTSE)

The purpose of OTSE is to clarify standards, help improve assessment practice and to increase teacher confidence when making assessment judgements. Teachers may ask specific questions of the moderator about task design, interpreting standards and judging student work. It is not to verify teacher marking or to pre-moderate assessment tasks.

Teachers may submit an assessment task and ask questions about the design of the task. Student work is not required. For sample questions, see Sample questions for teacher-selected evidence.

Teachers may submit assessed student work to obtain written feedback from the moderator. They must include the questions they wish to have answered. For sample questions, see Sample questions for teacher-selected evidence.

OTSE materials can be sent at any time of the year or with the school's moderation submission. If OTSE materials are sent with the school's moderation submission moderator feedback will be provided separately.

There is no specific turnaround time for samples sent outside the school submission date, as this depends on moderator capacity.

Selection of OTSE materials

OTSE can relate to any standard, not just those standards selected for external moderation. Questions could be related to some of the randomly selected samples submitted for moderation or other student work.

Other assessment materials do not need to be sent with the samples, unless they will assist the moderator in understanding the question.

If the question relates to a difference between grades, it is recommended that paired samples of student work at either side of the grade boundary be sent. A paired sample consists of one below the grade boundary and one above, which illustrate a point of difference in making assessment judgements.

Submitting OTSE

1. The teacher and Head of Department or Principal's Nominee complete the Secondary Moderation Cover Sheet. Download either:
   • Secondary Moderation Cover Sheet - Optional teacher-selected evidence (DOC, 104KB)
   • Secondary Moderation Cover Sheet - Optional teacher-selected evidence Maori (DOC, 109KB).
2. Send the cover sheet and OTSE materials to:
   • the nominated moderator in NZQA's courier bag, if part of the school's moderation submission, or
   • NZQA Secondary Moderation, if sent at any other time of the year.