Alignment of standards review continues

Work on the alignment of standards with the NZ Curriculum is continuing with the gathering of subject writing groups in Wellington in early August. The purpose was to revise the second draft of the level 1 standards following sector consultation and complete first drafts of level 2 standards.

NZQA Qualifications Development and Tertiary Moderation manager Linda Glogau said the sector was now starting to get a better feel for what any changes might look like. "We are keeping people informed by posting draft versions of the new standards on the Ministry of Education's Te Kete Ipurangi (TKI) website."

The next step was to trial the draft level 1 standards and accompanying assessment support material. This will provide a 'fitness for purpose' check.

The draft level 2 standards will be initially trialled before going out for sector consultation later in 2010. Here is a draft timetable for the new standards:

The standards writing process has undergone a slight transformation, with the subject associations still writing the standards but facilitation, administration and co-ordination by the Ministry of Education and NZQA. "We now have a stronger role in facilitating the process with the subject associations being able to focus on writing the standards."

Linda says articulating the distinction between the three grade criteria (Achieved, Merit, Excellence) is one of the hardest areas for the subject writing groups. "We have asked the writers to focus on providing greater clarity for assessors, using the explanatory notes within the standards to provide more detail and clarify expectations."

Changes to the standards will also have ripple effects for the Industry Training Organisations (ITOs) and tertiary sectors. A number of ITO and other national qualifications contain some of the standards being reviewed. NZQA is liaising with those ITOs where there will be an impact on their qualifications.

NZQA is also reviewing unit standards which no longer have a link to the NZ Curriculum but which should be kept due to high tertiary use.

"We also expect that some ITOs may be interested in taking over and refocusing some of the standards currently designated for expiry. One ITO has already approached NZQA in this regard," Linda says

"Tertiary organisations will be looking at what is happening to the curriculum-based unit standards to see what changes they will need to make."

With some of the standards now becoming externally assessed achievement standards with examinations in November, some students may complete their courses early in the year and would have to wait until November for external assessment.

Tertiary organisations have been asked to respond to this issue so it can be managed.

Two Ministry of Education staff work on the draft standards during the gathering of subject writing groups in Wellington in early August, they are: Nigel Hill (left) team leader, secondary outcomes, and Geoff Gibbs, curriculum facilitator, secondary education.