Prep to Year 10 Assessment – Multi Domain Assessment Tasks

Antarctica Exploration

Geography and Thinking Processes, Level 5

This multi domain task and other presented in this section were developed by teachers for teachers.

Each group forms a team of students who imagine that they are going to represent Australia at the United Nations Junior Assembly.

They prepare and deliver a five-minute oral presentation that describes and explains the unique nature of Antarctica, identifies the threats that the area faces now and could face in the future, and makes recommendations for the continued responsible use of the area, taking into account the key stakeholders and their purpose(s). The groups support their oral presentations with PowerPoint or another digital presentation, a poster or a brochure or booklet.

Design Guidelines

This multi domain task and other presented in this section were developed by teachers for teachers.

Each group forms a team of students who imagine that they are going to represent Australia at the United Nations Junior Assembly.

They prepare and deliver a five-minute oral presentation that describes and explains the unique nature of Antarctica, identifies the threats that the area faces now and could face in the future, and makes recommendations for the continued responsible use of the area, taking into account the key stakeholders and their purpose(s). The groups support their oral presentations with PowerPoint or another digital presentation, a poster or a brochure or booklet.

Design question 1: Is the purpose of the task assessment FOR, AS or OF learning?

Purpose  Primary purpose: Assessment OF learning
Reflection  While the primary purpose of the task is assessment of learning, this task will also provide me with information about student knowledge, understanding and skills. This will enable me to decide what further work needs to be done with the students. Although we will not be continuing to use Antarctica as our context, the same kinds of skills and thinking processes to aid understanding will come into play, for example being able to demonstrate an understanding of environmental issues based on inquiry, and proposing ways of ensuring the sustainability of resources.

Design question 2: Which domains, dimensions, standards and levels did the learning and teaching program focus on?

Purpose	Reflection
Focus domains, dimensions, standards and levels in the learning and teaching program
Level 5 Geography Geographic knowledge and understanding	In order to build student knowledge and understanding of Antarctica, we have researched its geological history, viewed videos and visited the museum. Students have had further opportunity to gain an understanding of the environment by viewing weather records, comparing seasons, and examining global warming, and transport and living conditions. We have also explored the issue of who uses Antarctica.
Level 5 Thinking Processes Reasoning, processing and inquiry Reflection, evaluation and metacognition	In researching aspects of Antarctica, students have located and selected relevant information from a variety of resources and made use of a range of thinking tools and strategies, for example, Plus Minus Interesting (PMI), Other People’s Views (OPV), Alternatives Possibilities Choices (APC), Key Values Involved (KVI) and mind mapping, to explore issues associated with Antarctica. We have concentrated on selecting the most appropriate thinking tool for a given situation, in accordance with the Level 5 standard.

Design question 3: Which domains, dimensions, standards and levels will this assessment task focus on?

Purpose	Reflection
Level 5 Geography Geographic knowledge and understanding	In this task, I want to assess the students’ knowledge and understanding of the Level 5 Geography content because that has been the focus of the class work.
Levels 4 and 5 Thinking Processes Reasoning, processing and inquiry Reflection, evaluation and metacognition	In terms of thinking processes, I would like to assess students’ ability to select relevant information from appropriate sources in preparation for the presentation. I also want to assess the students’ abilities to use and evaluate the thinking tools (Level 4) as well as explain their purposes in this context (Level 5).
	The students have had a lot of previous experience working in groups and so the task will be completed as a group activity. It will involve the domains of Communication and Interpersonal Development. I have had other opportunities to assess the students’ abilities in these domains, however, so I won’t be assessing them again on this occasion. I am keen to keep Assessment as Learning processes in the forefront of student thinking and have designed an Individual Self-Assessment Sheet, which will also provide me with information about how and why the students selected specific thinking tools to assist them with this task.

Design question 4: What specific knowledge, skills and behaviours will this task focus on?

Purpose
Geography – Geographic knowledge and understanding

• knowledge of the characteristics that make Antarctica a unique environment
• understanding of the ways in which humans impact on the region
• understanding of the notion of environmental sustainability.
• ability to make recommendations for the future use of Antarctica and its resources.

Thinking Processes – Reasoning, processing and inquiry

• ability to consult a variety of sources, both print and non-print, and select from those sources relevant information to support the oral presentation.

Thinking Processes – Reflection, evaluation and metacognition

• ability to record and explain their choice of thinking tools, and include an evaluation of the effectiveness of that choice.

Reflection
In order to decide what I am looking for as part of student performance, I need to be very clear about the knowledge, understanding and skills that the task will focus on. I will communicate these to my students in the assessment criteria.

Design question 5: What will be the key features of the task?

Purpose
This is a group task.
Each group forms a team of students who imagine that they are going to represent Australia at the United Nations Junior Assembly. They prepare and deliver a five-minute oral presentation that:

• describes and explains the unique nature of Antarctica
• identifies the threats that the area faces now and will face in the future
• makes recommendations for the continued responsible use of the area, taking into account the key stakeholders and their purpose(s).

The oral presentation will be supported by one or more of the following:

• PowerPoint presentation
• other digital presentation such as digital story using Photo Story or Moviemaker
• poster
• brochure or booklet.

Students submit a hard copy of their presentation and the notes taken during their investigation. They include a bibliography, which demonstrates that they have referred to a wide and varied range of sources.

Each group member clearly defines their task within the group and takes an active role in the delivery of the presentation.

At the conclusion of the task, each student completes an Individual Self-Assessment Sheet that includes:

• an explanation of the thinking tools and strategies used, why they were chosen and how effective they were
• a reflection on what worked well and what would be done differently next time.

Reflection
This task will be completed largely in class, although students can do some of the research out of class if they wish. I estimate that they will need about four sessions to prepare their presentations, and then about three sessions for all of the groups to deliver their presentations.

Resources used as part of the learning associated with the task and which can be referred to again as necessary include:

• library resources on Antarctica – books and encyclopaedias
• videos: ‘Breaking the ice’, ‘Life in the freezer’ – David Attenborough and ‘Frozen Assert’ – Four Corners
• access to newspaper archives, for example, The Age, The Australian
• computer and internet access.

I have been explicit about the requirements of the task. Students will be issued with a Task Sheet (PDF - 26Kb) and I will share the individual assessment sheet (Word - 35Kb), rubric (PDF - 19Kb) and assessment criteria with them so that they are fully aware of the assessment process.

In allocating students to groups or teams, I have taken into account the range of abilities in the class, and the range of possible forms with which students can support their presentations, allowing students to have leeway for individual preferences and skills. The students have had experience of PowerPoint and other digital software, and they are aware of the structures and design features of a poster, brochure and booklet.

When assessing a group performance or product there is always some tension associated with providing an assessment of individual contributions. Therefore, I am insisting that the students provide evidence of their individual contribution, including notes, bibliography and the definition of their task within the group, as well as taking an active role in the presentation.

The Individual Self-Assessment Sheet will provide me with evidence about the student’s ability to choose and evaluate the most effective tool for a given purpose.

Design question 6: What key features of student performance am I expecting to see? What evidence am I looking for?

Standard
Geography – Geographic knowledge and understanding
At Level 5, students demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the characteristics of the regions of Australia and those surrounding it: Asia, the Pacific and Antarctica. They explain, using examples, how the interaction of physical processes and human activities create variations within the regions. They use evidence and appropriate geographical language to explain contrasts within smaller regions surrounding Australia. Students describe differences in culture, living conditions and outlook, including attitudes to environmental issues, in these regions. They demonstrate understanding of environmental issues based on inquiry and propose ways of ensuring the sustainability of resources.

Key features and evidence
Knowledge of the characteristics that make Antarctica a unique environment.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Lists the main characteristics of Antarctica	Describes three characteristics that make Antarctica a unique environment (landform, climate, animals)	Clearly describes the uniqueness of Antarctica and the processes that gave rise to it, that is, geological and biological history

Key features and evidence
Understanding of the ways in which humans impact on the region.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Shows an awareness of the impact of human intervention in Antarctica, but does not explain these clearly	Clearly describes some of the ways in which humans impact on Antarctica for example, hunting, fishing and tourism	Shows an awareness and understanding of the history of human intervention in Antarctica and the growing impact this has had over time

Key features and evidence
Understanding of the notion of environmental sustainability.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Identifies some conflicts in the use and management of resources in Antarctica	Shows an understanding of environmental sustainability by explaining threats to the Antarctic environment, for example, resource exploitation and pollution	Clearly identifies and explains the need for responsible resource management strategies, and makes recommendations for the future global use of these resources

Key features and evidence
Ability to make recommendations for the future use of Antarctica and its resources.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
The recommendations for the future use of resources are listed but not explained in detail	Makes recommendations for the future use of resources and explains these clearly	Clearly identifies and explains the need for responsible resource management strategies, and makes recommendations for the future global use of these resources

Standard
Thinking Processes – Reflection, evaluation and metacognition
At Level 5, students use a range of question types, and locate and select relevant information from varied sources when undertaking investigations. When identifying and synthesising relevant information, they use a range of appropriate strategies of reasoning and analysis to evaluate evidence and consider their own and others’ points of view. They use a range of discipline-based methodologies. They complete activities focusing on problem solving and decision making which involve an increasing number of variables and solutions.

Key features and evidence
Ability to consult a variety of sources, both print and non-print, and select from those sources relevant information to support the oral presentation.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Provides a limited bibliography. Notes are unsourced	Provides a bibliography, which includes a range of relevant and appropriate print and non-print sources. The notes are sourced accurately and reflected in the oral presentation	Provides an extensive bibliography, which includes a wide range of relevant, appropriate and credible print and non-print sources. Notes are relevant, detailed, accurately sourced and reflected in the oral presentation

Standard
Thinking Processes – Reflection, evaluation and metacognition
At Level 5, students explain the purpose of a range of thinking tools and use them in appropriate contexts. They use specific language to describe their thinking and reflect on their thinking processes during their investigations. They modify and evaluate their thinking strategies. They describe and explain changes that may occur in their ideas and beliefs over time.

Key features and evidence
Ability to record and explain choice of thinking tools and strategies and to evaluate the effectiveness of that choice.

Criteria or rubric

	At the level
Shows some ability to reflect on thinking processes by selecting, using and evaluating thinking tool(s)	Shows an ability to reflect on and evaluate thinking processes by selecting several thinking tools for use in this task, explaining why each was selected, identifying the most effective thinking tool and providing an evaluation of that effectiveness	Shows an ability to reflect and evaluate thinking processes by selecting the most appropriate thinking tools for differentiated purposes, evaluating their effectiveness and considering what other choices might have been made

Reflection
The key features that I have identified here represent a further ‘unpacking’ of knowledge, skills and understanding which underpin the standards. Once I have identified the key features, I differentiate likely levels of student performance, which I then incorporate into my rubric.

The process used to develop this multi domain assessment tasks was based on sound design principles and guidelines. Detailed information on this design process can be found on the Multi domain assessment tasks page.