Field          Social Sciences

 

Review of History Level 2 achievement and unit standards

 

Unit standards

Subfield

Domain

ID

Social Science Studies

History

5821-5830

 

Achievement standards

Domain

ID

Subject reference

History

90465

History 2.1

90466

History 2.2

90467

History 2.3

90468

History 2.4

90469

History 2.5

90470

History 2.6

 

The Ministry of Education and NZQA National Qualifications Services have completed a review of the achievement and unit standards listed above.

 

New Registration date                           December 2011

 

Date new versions published             December 2011

 

Planned review date                              December 2014

 

Summary of review and consultation process

 

In 2008 the Ministry of Education (MoE) and NZQA began to review achievement and unit standards in light of the revised New Zealand Curriculum (NZC).  This Alignment of Standards (AoS) review also addressed duplication of outcomes, credit parity, fairness, consistency, and coherence.  The AoS review was guided by the revised NZC itself and the Principles for Standards Review.  A copy of the NZC is available at: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum.

 

Teacher subject associations were involved in the review, and draft achievement standards were the focus of wide consultation, especially with secondary schools and teachers.  Extensive resources, including student exemplars, were also developed to support these standards, and are available on the MoE and/or the NZQA websites.

 

The review of unit standards included consultation with tertiary providers to assess continued relevance and likely future use of the standards.  Unit standards that duplicate achievement standard outcomes and those without the likelihood of future tertiary use were recommended for expiry.

 

National consultation was undertaken in 2010, with the results analysed by Research New Zealand.  The responses were generally positive.

 

The review of these Level 2 unit and achievement standards was completed in time for implementation in schools in 2012.  The review of unit and achievement standards at Level 1 was completed in time for implementation in schools in 2011.  Standards at Level 3 will be implemented in 2013.

 

Main changes resulting from the review

 

·         All NZC Level 7 (NZQF Level 2) outcomes derived from the NZC are now assessed using achievement standards, and there are no longer any unit standards linked to the NZC.

·         Existing achievement standards were reviewed and new achievement standards were developed to align with the NZC.  See table below.

·         Grading criteria for achievement standards were reviewed in accordance with the Standards Review Guidelines.

·         Unit standards that recognised similar outcomes as achievement standards were recommended for expiry.  See table below.

 

For a more detailed description of the review of, and the changes to, the History standards see the appendix at the end of this report.

 

Impact on Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR)

(Formerly known as AMAP)

 

All new and review category B achievement standards have been registered on CMR 0233.

 

Impact of changes on NCEA Exclusions List

 

For transition purposes, the following exclusions will apply for new achievement standards.

 

Achievement standard

Excluded against each of these standards

91229

5821, 90465

91230

5823, 90466

91231

90467

91232

5824, 5826

 

Review Categories and changes to classification, title, level, and credits

 

The following summary shows the changes made to the standards as a result of the review.  All changes are in bold.  Where a new or a new version of an externally assessed achievement standard is registered, the following designation appears after the title [Externally Assessed].

 

Key to review category

A

Dates changed, but no other changes are made - the new version of the standard carries the same ID and a new version number

B

Changes made, but the overall outcome remains the same - the new version of the standard carries the same ID and a new version number

C

Major changes that necessitate the registration of a replacement achievement standard with a new ID

D

Achievement standard will expire and not be replaced

 

Externally assessed achievement standards categorised as category C or D expire at the end of

December 2011

 

Internally assessed achievement standards and unit standards categorised as category C or D expire at the end of

December 2012

 

Social Sciences > Social Science Studies > History

ID

 

Title

Level

Credit

Review Category

5821

 

90465

91229

 

 

 

2.1

Define and plan an historical investigation under supervision

Plan and carry out an historical inquiry

Carry out an inquiry of an historical event or place that is of significance to New Zealanders

2

 

2

2

 

4

 

4

4

 

C

 

C

 

5822

 

Examine historical resources

2

4

D

5823

 

90466

 

91230

 

 

 

 

 

2.2

Communicate historical information in an essay and another mode

Communicate historical ideas to demonstrate understanding of an historical context

Examine an historical event or place that is of significance to New Zealanders

2

 

2

 

2

4

 

4

 

5

C

 

C

 

5824

 

5826

 

91232

 

 

 

 

2.4

Explain the different experiences of people in historical settings

Explain perspectives of people in an historical setting

Interpret different perspectives of people in an historical event that is of significance to New Zealanders

2

 

2

 

2

4

 

4

 

5

C

 

C

 

5825

 

Explain the influence of an historical force

2

4

D

5827

 

Explain industrialisation and social change in an historical setting

2

4

D

5828

 

Explain nationalism or international relations or the search for security in an historical setting

2

4

D

5829

 

Explain government and political change in an historical setting

2

4

D

5830

 

Explain imperialism and the emergence of national identity in an historical setting

2

4

D

90467

91231

 

2.3

 

Examine evidence in historical sources

Examine sources of an historical event that is of significance to New Zealanders [Externally Assessed]

2

2

4

4

C

 

90468

 

Examine perspectives and responses of, and demonstrate empathy for, people in an historical setting

2

4

D

90469

 

Examine how a force or movement in an historical setting influenced people's lives, in an essay

2

4

D

90470

 

Examine individual or group identity in an historical setting, in an essay

2

4

D

91233

2.5

Examine causes and consequences of a significant historical event [Externally Assessed]

2

5

New

91234

2.6

Examine how a significant historical event affected New Zealand society [Externally Assessed]

2

5

New

Appendix

Development of L2 Standards

The new standards have been derived from the new Level 7 History Achievement Objectives as found in the New Zealand Curriculum.  Prior to the 2007 New Zealand Curriculum History did not have a separate curriculum document.

 

Process of Aligning Standards with the New Zealand Curriculum

It was discussed if, and how, the current standards reflected the intent of the achievement objectives as stated in the new curriculum.  Reference was also made to the front end of the document, including the Social Sciences Learning Area Statement, the Principles, the Values, Effective Pedagogy and the Key Competencies as a part of this process.  The titles in the matrix include key words and phrases taken from the achievement objectives but not exclusively so as it was felt that this would be too constraining for effective assessment in some instances.

 

Addressing Duplication

Careful consideration of the unit standards showed that there was either significant duplication with the achievement standards, or the unit standards were rendered redundant by the changes in the new curriculum.  It is proposed that all History unit standards at Level 2 expire.

 

Addressing Credit Parity

The decisions made regarding credit parity were based on the guideline of one credit representing ten notional hours of learning time.  External standards will remain at a maximum of three.  This is consideration around reliability of samples of student evidence as indicated in the Principles for Standards Review.  In most instances the number of credits currently allocated was retained based on positive sector feedback.

 

External and Internal Assessment

Sector feedback, previous reviews of the standards, and best practice research into external and internal assessment provided the basis for our decision to change the allocation of internal/external assessments at both Levels 1 and 3.  At each level there is now a balance of three internal and three external standards.

 

Changes have been made to reflect the new curriculum, to provide a balance between internal and external assessment opportunities, and to show clearer progression from one level to the next.

 

AS91230 (2.2) Examine an historical event or place that is of significance to New Zealanders

This standard has been developed so that a teaching and learning programme can cover both a planned inquiry into, and an examination of, an historical event or place, or just one of these.  Assessment can then use either both or one of the standards 2.1 and 2.2

 

AS91232 (2.4) Interpret different perspectives of people in an historical event that is of significance to New Zealanders

The title has changed since the June 2009 matrix consultation to bring it more in line with the New Zealand Curriculum History achievement objectives at Level 7.

 

AS91234 (2.6) Examine how a significant historical event affected New Zealand society

The title and the standard have changed to bring the standard more into line with the New Zealand Curriculum History Achievement Objectives at Level 7.