Assessment and Certification
This short course supports wide variety of approaches to assessment. Many learning outcomes lend themselves to once-off assessment. Assessment in these learning outcomes is supported by a range of homework tasks outlined in the supporting lesson plans for each of the four strands.
Other learning outcomes can be assessed on an ongoing basis as students engage in different learning activities such as discussing, explaining, researching, presenting, planning and carrying out project work etc.
Students reflect upon and make judgements about their own and others’ learning. They plan the next steps for their learning, based on feedback they receive. Ongoing assessment of this kind can support the student to progress on their learning journey and in preparing for assessment related to certification in the short course (see below).
Assessment for Certification
Assessment for certification will be school-based.
There are two assessment tasks: completion of a Project Record and a Reflection Journal.
The Reflection Journal is maintained by the student throughout the course and is marked by the teacher on completion of the course. The Project Record can be completed and marked in Second or Third Year. Work from First Year is not included as part of assessment for certification.
The tasks will be weighted as follows:
Project Record Reflection Journal
60% 40%
Reflection Journal
The Reflection Journal is maintained by students to help them reflect on their learning throughout the course.
The journal is a very useful resource for students in their learning journey, and particularly, as they engage in their projects, reflect upon their progress and create their Project Record.
Although students should be encouraged to make the journal their own, they are advised that the teacher will periodically provide feedback to them on their journal entries. Towards the end of the short course, each student submits their journal to the teacher for marking. The journal can be awarded up to 40% of the total marks.
The journal can be in written, digital, audio or visual form. The journal should include:
- A summary of information they have learned
- Reflection on skills they have developed
- A record of particular insights they have gained
- Questions with which they are still left
- Reflection on what they have learned from this and what it means for their own lives or for the future
(See Appendix 1: Guidance for the Reflection Journal).
Project Record
Students are required to complete at least three projects across the four strands of the course and must create a Project Record for one action taken during the short course. The projects chosen should relate to different strands of the course and be undertaken over the period of the course. The Project Record is allocated a weighting of 60% of the total marks. While it is assessed for certification at a particular point in time, it is developed over time and in that way can capture both the project activities and the student’s reflections upon completion of the project.
Projects often involve students working with others. This can be a very valuable learning experience and supports differentiation. However, the student’s individual role and contribution to the project will be the focus of assessment for certification.
The Project Record may be produced in written, digital, audio or visual form. Regardless of the format chosen, students should ensure that their individual Project Record communicates:
- Why I chose this project
- What the aims of my project were
- What means I chose to achieve the aims
(See Appendix 2: Guidance for the Project Record).
Rationale for the Assessment Tasks
Assessment in Money Matters is directly related to the aim and learning outcomes of the short course. It allows students to choose some aspects of what they will present for assessment and the format they will present it in. It gives students opportunities to set goals, meet deadlines and take responsibility for gathering evidence of their learning. This will promote a sense of student self-efficacy.
The course also places a strong emphasis on the development of skills, particularly personal finance skills, as well as those that build the students’ capacity to reflect on their learning and the activities they engage in as part of their project work. Both assessment tasks, the Reflection Journal and the Project Record, draw on learning outcomes from across the course as well as literacy, numeracy and other key skills.
Features of Quality
Features of quality related to student work on the Reflection Journal and Project Record are set out below. In general terms, these can be used by students and teachers to support their discussions about and judgements of the work generated in response to the assessment task. More specifically, the features of quality are the criteria used by teachers to assess, mark and discuss the student’s work on the assessment tasks.
Distinction
- The journal provides a complete and comprehensive overview of the student’s learning during the short course
- The entries show informed and considered personal insights on the topics
- There is clear evidence of a capacity to reflect on how the learning is influencing the student’s skills, attitudes, opinions and/or behaviours
Higher Merit
- The journal provides a complete and comprehensive overview of the student’s learning during the short course
- The entries show considered and personal insights on the topics
- There is some evidence of a capacity to reflect on how the learning is influencing the student’s skills, attitudes, opinions and/or behaviour
Merit
- The journal provides a fairly complete and comprehensive overview of the student’s learning during the short course
- The entries demonstrate some personal insights on the topics and not simply a summary of information or of other peoples’ views
- A limited capacity to reflect on how the learning is influencing their skills, attitudes, opinions and/or behaviour is evident
Achieved
- The journal provides a basic record of the topics that have been studied during the short course
- There are a few personal insights on the topics
- The entries provide very limited reflection on how the learning is influencing the student’s skills, attitudes, opinions and/or behaviours
Partially Achieved
- The entries provide a very basic summary of information
- There are very few personal insights on the topics
- The journal shows no evidence of reflection on how the learning is influencing the student’s skills, attitudes, opinions and/or behaviours
Project Record
The Project Record may be produced in written, digital, audio or visual form. Regardless of the format chosen, students should ensure that their individual Project Record communicates:
- Why I chose this project
- What the aims of my project were and what means I chose to achieve the aims
- How I sourced and used research
- How I worked with others in carrying out the project activities
- How I organized and managed myself
- Key moments or milestones
- Any challenges I encountered
- Evidence of my individual participation in the project activities
- My overall reflections on what I have learned through planning and participating in the project activities
- What I/we achieved
Distinction
- The project record is complete and presented in a comprehensive and well synthesised manner
- It captures and conveys how the student fully engaged in the action and the student’s reflections on the action are of excellent quality
- The medium of communication chosen for the action record is used effectively and displays a high level of creativity
Higher Merit
- The project record is complete and presented in an organised and clear manner
- It includes convincing evidence of how the student was engaged in the project activities and provides good reflections upon it
- The medium of communication chosen for the action record is used effectively and shows creativity
Merit
- The project record is largely complete and presented in an organised manner with reasonable clarity
- It includes evidence of the student’s engagement in the project activities and some reflection upon it
- The medium of communication chosen for the project record is used to good effect but is not fully exploited
Achieved
- The project record has some omissions but overall is complete and is presented in an organised manner
- There is evidence of how the student engaged in the project activities but limited reflection upon it
- The medium of communication chosen for the project record is appropriate but not used to good effect
Partially Achieved
- The project record provides a very basic summary of information although it may lack organisation and clarity
- There is some evidence of engagement in the project activities but very limited reflection upon it
- The medium of communication chosen for the project record is used in a very basic manner
