Category Archives: Moderation

Online learning spaces – the Learning Experience space

This is the second post in a series which describes some of our work on ‘content-free’ templates for educators and learners to use in CfE  learning.

learnex_logo3This space is on Glow O365, so it is best to log into Glow (eg on the Learning Spaces Community) before you explore the links below

What’s the thinking behind the Learning Experience space?

This space helps learners and educators co-create a learning experience starting from a bundle of Experiences and Outcomes.

It follows closely the approached offered by the NAR flowchart. In fact, there is a behind the scenes planner which may reduce some of the workload associated with some other methods of planning learning.

Nar flowchart

​​What does it do?

For the learner, they can be involved in devising learning intentions and success criteria, talking about their learning, showcasing learning and getting support when needed.

For the teacher, it makes the planning and delivery of a BGE learning experience a wee bit easier.

How do I get it?

The Learning Space template is on Glow O365 and is available to any member of staff from their school site. See How to create a Learning Experience Space for more details

Summary of support available

See also Online learning spaces – the Class Space

Taking a closer look at the National Assessment Resource: A professional learning resource

Education Scotland have recently developed this professional learning resource.  It provides an opportunity to reflect on effective practice in learning, teaching and assessment, drawing on the work published on the National Assessment Resource (NAR).  It also provides a structured look at the NAR flow chart as a tool for planning effective learning, teaching, moderation and assessment.

The resource can be used by individual practitioners keen to reflect and improve on their assessment practice as well as pairs, groups of practitioners, associated school groups (ASGs) or clusters working collegiately to reflect on and improve practice.

It is available to download from the Education Scotland website and welcome section on NAR.  There will be a Glow meet on Wednesday the 13th of February at 8:20am and Thursday the 14th at 4:15pm to explore the resource further.

Assessment Professional Learning Community on Glow

The assessment team at Education Scotland are developing a professional learning community on Glow, in collaboration with practitioners across Scotland.

There are a number of opportunities in our Learn area, including a suite of Glow meets from January to March 2013:

Date           Time                 Title

24.1.13      3:45 – 4:10    What is NAR?
29.1.13      8:20 – 8:45   The Moderation Process
31.1.13      3:45 – 4:10    The Moderation Process
06.2.13      8:20 – 8:45    Making Good Assessment Decisions
07.2.13      3:45 – 4:10    Making Good Assessment Decisions
13.2.13      8:20– 8:45     NAR professional learning resource
14.2.13      3:45 – 4:10    NAR professional learning resource
20.2.13      8:20 – 8:45    Profiling
21.2.13      3:45 – 4:10    Profiling
6.3.13        8:20 – 8:45    Glow to support assessment
7.3.13        3:45 – 4:10    Glow to support assessment

In the Share area, we continue to add a number of key power points which staff can use to explore the ideas in Building the Curriculum 5, including the ’10 key assessment messages’ and ‘What is NAR?’
You can always get help in our Support area and in the Change area you can add an intention of what you are going to do to improve assessment in the classroom, the wider school community, across the local authority or inter-authority.

I hope you will take the time to sign up and spread the word! And of course you are more than welcome to join us for the Glow meets and watch any you missed here: http://bit.ly/Teondr

Moderation Innovation Summit 31.8.12

As part of Education Scotland’s on-going commitment to moderation, practitioners from across the country gathered in Carnegie Conference Centre, Dunfermline for an Innovation Summit. The focus was on celebrating and sharing the good practice of the participants, all of whom had developed moderation projects of differing sizes which have now been successfully exemplified on the National Assessment Resource.

A highlight of the day was the presentation by Douglas Brown and Chris Morris from Glasgow who gave an excellent insight into how they worked with five other Glasgow secondary schools to develop a moderation CPD resource for use in departments. It was clear that their bright spot of good practice was extending across the city. There was high demand for the ‘little white book’ of moderation they had produced.

Sheila Quigley PTC at West Calder High School, who is recently seconded from her role to join the assessment team shared how her cluster took one Health and Well-being E&O and moderated the evidence of learning, looking closely at progression. The richness of the evidence gathered was inspiring.

Another highlight of the day was the Marketplace where the moderation projects were on display, facilitating a buzz of professional dialogue. George Sinclair, previously Head of Service in Moray and now Senior Education Officer and National Coordinator for Assessment, QA, and Moderation rounded the event up in the Marketplace. Having given a very clear and concise presentation on moderation earlier in the day, George left the participants inspired to build on the projects and embed the moderation good practice between classrooms, schools, clusters, local authorities and beyond.

All presentations from the day have been uploaded onto the Glow assessment section in the ‘events’ tab, where there are many good presentations and resources at your disposal.

EA Assessment Forum

Education Authority Assessment Coordinators gathered yesterday for the EA Assessment Forum in the Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow.  A range of presentations and workshops generated discussion, as the experience and insight of Assessment Coordinators from across the country was shared.  Presentations from the event can be found on the National Assessment Glow Group.

Sharing learning and teaching ideas for early to second level

Participating in in-service today provided an opportunity to talk with practitioners around learning and teaching in science and share some of the ways in which Education  Scotland can provide support. Issues explored included assessment and moderation, a shared understanding of standards, progression, meeting the needs of learners, transitions, using effective partnerships and keeping the curriculum alive and relevant to inspire young learners.

The following were used to exemplify support for practitioners:

STEM Central

Weather and Climate Change

Exploring Climate Change

Marks on the Landscape

Glow TV

Education Scotland Learning blog – sharing by the Development Officers in Education Scotland

STEM Central in Motion blog – sharing by practitioners and partners

Food for Thought leaflet and poster – we will shortly be developing the new Food Security context for STEM Central

STEM Central Learning Journeys from the Sound context, early years and first level due for publication later this month, and the draft second level journeys due for publication within the next few months

Journey to Excellence

NAR (National Assessment Resource)

and

Glow Science

Practitioners shared resources they also find useful such as Planet Science , I’m a Scientist, get me out of here and I’m an Engineer, get me out of here.

Moderation in Practice – What does it mean to you?

Join us on Tuesday 29th May at 4pm in Glow TV to find out more about what moderation can mean to you. A number of personnel from local authorities and Education Scotland will take part in an open discussion around ‘participating in moderation activities – the opportunities and challenges it presents’

During this session practitioners from across the country will share their experiences of moderation in practice. There will be practitioners from all sectors participating in this event, relating their experiences: within their own establishment or sector, across different sectors and in particular at key points of transition.

Practitioners who have participated in the Quality Assurance and Moderation exemplars on the NAR will relate their experiences. The Quality Assurance and Moderation Team in Education Scotland will give an update on work being developed at present to support the moderation process.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV.

CfE & Glow News – February Issue

The CfE and Glow News update provides you with information about Curriculum for Excellence and support for practitioners, along with all the latest developments within Glow. Read it here.

To sign up for this newsletter, please click here.

Planning for Learning, Teaching and Assessment in RME

A new resource has been developed to support practitioners in planning for effective learning, teaching and assessment in RME. This resource takes you through the process of unpacking the Es and Os to gathering evidence. There are tasks for staff to undertake and help develop your thinking. There is also an interactive powerpoint presentation and templates for you to use. The resource can be found by clicking here.

CfE & Glow News e-update – January

The CfE and Glow News e-update provides you with updates on Curriculum for Excellence and support for practitioners, along with all the latest developments within Glow.

Click here to view the newsletter or click on the links below.

Read the January issue to find out about the following:

Award in Volunteering Skills

The Award in Volunteering Skills at SCQF Levels 3, 4 and 5 provides formal recognition of volunteering activity. Through participation in volunteering activities, candidates will develop a range of skills and personal development experiences which will help to prepare them for responsibility, further education and employment.

Candidates learn about the context of volunteering; plan a volunteering placement; review and reflect on their own skills and volunteering experience; and complete an investigative project.

More information is available here.

Using NAR to Support Local Moderation

The National Assessment Resource contains a variety of support materials, one of which supports local moderation: Using NAR to Support Local Moderation: Planning for Learning, Teaching, Assessment and Local Moderation.

This support material is designed to aid practitioners in the process of local moderation, from the initial planning of the learning—through to evaluating the learning and the learner. 

This document is available for download from the National Assessment Resource homepage.

National Quality Assurance Group Training

The Assessment Team have been working to prepare for a National Quality Assurance Group (NQAG) training event tomorrow.  NQAG members comprise practitioners from all Scottish Government sectors and representatives from education authorities, the college sector, higher education, Education Scotland and the Scottish Qualifications Authority.  The NQAG quality assure material before it is published to the National Assessment Resource (NAR).  A quality mark is added to materials that NQAG identify as particularly strong examples.

Falkirk Council – Agreeing Standards INSET

Falkirk Council have uploaded moderation CPD material from a recent INSET to the National Assessment Glow Group.  The Primary and Secondary material contains a short introductory interview with Carol Paton, Curriculum Support Officer at Falkirk Council: http://glo.li/uMUqCX

Success Criteria for reading, writing and listening and talking at 2nd and 3rd levels

I was at a moderation meeting in East Dunbartonshire last week.  Practitioners there have been doing lots of work on looking at the Es and Os at 2nd and 3rd level and have been considering success criteria that demonstrate learners’ progression through each level.  I thought that what they have produced  might be interesting  to help other teachers develop their shared understanding of the Es and Os.  I’ve posted them in the Emerging CfE Practice section in the assessment and moderation documents store.  Let me know if you find them helpful.  Many thanks to C Edwardson of Kirkintilloch High School for sharing her materials.  To access please click here (you will need your Glow password)