Assessment

For Units 1–4, assessment tasks should be a part of the regular teaching and learning program and should not add unduly to student workload. Students should be clearly informed of the timelines and the conditions under which assessment tasks are to be conducted, including whether any resources are permitted.

Points to consider in developing an assessment task:

1. List the relevant content from the areas of study and the relevant key knowledge and key skills for the outcomes.
2. Develop the assessment task according to the specifications in the study design. It is possible for students in the same class to undertake different tasks, or variations of components for a task; however, teachers must ensure that the tasks or variations are comparable in scope and demand.
3. Identify the qualities and characteristics that you are looking for in a student response and map these to the criteria, descriptors, rubrics or marking schemes being used to assess level of achievement.
4. Identify the nature and sequence of teaching and learning activities to cover the relevant content, as well as the key knowledge and key skills outlined in the study design, and provide for different learning styles.
5. Decide what is the most appropriate time to set the task. This decision is the result of several considerations, including:
   • the estimated time it will take to cover the relevant content from the areas of study and the relevant key knowledge and key skills for the outcomes
   • the possible need to provide preparatory activities or tasks
   • the likely length of time required for students to complete the task
   • when tasks are being conducted in other studies and the workload implications for students.

All assessments for Units 1 and 2 are school-based. The determination of an S or N for Units 1 and 2 is a separate consideration from the assessment of levels of achievement.

Procedures for assessing levels of achievement in Units 1 and 2 are a matter for schools to decide. Schools have flexibility in deciding how many and which assessment tasks they use for each outcome, provided that these decisions are in accordance with VCE Product Design and Technologies Study Design and VCE assessment principles.

Teachers should note the cognitive demand of the command terms in the outcome statements to determine the type of teaching and learning activities and the evidence of student understanding that will be needed for students to demonstrate satisfactory completion of each outcome.

Unit 3 – Sample approach to developing an assessment task

Step 1

• List the key knowledge and key skills.
• The VCE Product Design and Technologies Study Design provides details of the key knowledge and key skills related to Unit 3 Outcome 1 and Unit 3 Area of Study 1: Influences on design, development and production of products.

Step 2

• The Outcome 1 assessment tasks are listed on page 33 of the VCE Product Design and Technologies Study Design.
• In this example, students must critique examples of ethical product design and innovation within industrial settings.

Step 3

• Examine the assessment advice. The performance descriptors should be fully understood because they give a clear indication of qualities and characteristics that are required in a student response. Note, the performance descriptors need to be tailored to suit the requirements of the assessment task.

Step 4

• Identify the key knowledge and key skills and the qualities and characteristics that you are looking for in a student response and design the criteria and a marking scheme.

Step 5

• Identify the nature and sequence of the teaching and learning activities. Plan a sequence of teaching and learning activities that will develop pre-task knowledge and skills in relation to ethical product design and innovation within industrial settings.

Teaching the pre-task knowledge and skills

Use the key knowledge and key skills for Unit 3 Outcome 1 to ensure that students are able to:

• describe methods of manufacturing processes in different production settings
• compare technologies used in different scales of manufacturing, regarding their viability in different contexts and influence on productivity
• discuss sustainability frameworks that influence design, manufacturing and marketing in industry
• analyse the impact of planned obsolescence on sustainability and other ethical considerations
• compare and critique the impacts of the use of technologies in production processes and experimental and alternative materials for both consumers and producers.

Step 6

Design the assessment task

• Choose the assessment task type from the range of options listed in the study design. For Unit 3 Outcome 1, the assessment task can be any one or a combination of case study analysis, research inquiry, or an oral presentation using multimedia (presented face-to-face or recorded as a video or podcast).
• This task requires students to complete a case study analysis. The specific task is a critical analysis of the production of a fast fashion garment or commercially produced furniture item.
• Format the assessment task in such a way that it allows students to demonstrate the highest level of performance and the qualities and characteristics that define this.
• In this example, select a fast fashion garment or commercially produced furniture item for students to carry out a case study on. When selecting the product, consider how it allows students to clearly demonstrate their understanding of the content being assessed. The product should be carefully considered to ensure that it is a product students can apply their understanding to, is able to demonstrate the criteria for assessment, and allows adequate scope for critical analysis. It should not be a product the student has studied in the teaching and learning activities.

Ask students to:

• identify the raw material, method of manufacture and technologies used in the manufacture of the product, and investigate the ways these reveal the ethical considerations that were made during the design process’
• evaluate and explain the effectiveness of the sustainability frameworks and strategies used in the product, such as the Six Rs, circular economy or life cycle assessment (LCA)
• select one sustainability framework or strategy and discuss how it may influence design, manufacturing and marketing of the product
• describe and discuss the benefits and issues for both the consumer and manufacturer and the sustainability issues associated with the product’s planned obsolescence
• outline how the designer and manufacture have addressed innovation in the product and suggest ways in which the product could be improved in areas of materials, processes and sustainability.

Marking the task

The performance descriptors can be adapted into a marking scheme, which should be explained to students before they start the task.

When to assess students

The teacher must decide the most appropriate time to set this task. This decision is the result of several considerations, including:

• the estimated time it will take to cover the key knowledge and key skills for the outcome
• when tasks are being conducted in other subjects and the workload implications for students.

For the example above, students are given one lesson for the task. The length of time allowed for writing the case study is to be determined by the teacher and should enable the typical student in the school cohort to complete the task. It is important that the time available is the same for all students. Students should be told the length of time available at the beginning of the task.

Students are assessed according to the criteria on the marking scheme.

The teacher should provide feedback to the student about their performance, according to the criteria for assessment.

Unit 4 – Sample approach to developing an assessment task

Step 1

• List the key knowledge and key skills.
• The VCE Product Design and Technologies Study Design provides details of the key knowledge and key skills related to Unit 4 Area of Study 2: Evaluation and speculative design.

Step 2

• The Outcome 2 assessment tasks are listed on page 38 of the VCE Product Design and Technologies Study Design.
• In this example, students must synthesise data to evaluate a range of products, and make judgments about the success of each product. Students should also discuss product designs in regard to entrepreneurial activity, innovation and sustainability and / or other ethical considerations.

Step 3

• Examine the assessment advice. The performance descriptors should be fully understood because they give a clear indication of the qualities and characteristics that are required in a student response. Note, the performance descriptors need to be tailored to suit the requirements of the assessment task.

Step 4

• Identify the key knowledge and key skills and the qualities and characteristics that you are looking for in a student response and design the criteria and a marking scheme.

Step 5

• Identify the nature and sequence of the teaching and learning activities. Plan a sequence of teaching and learning activities that will develop pre-task knowledge and skills in evaluating a range of products, and in discussing product designs in regard to innovation, sustainability and worldviews.

Teaching the pre-task knowledge and skills

Use the key knowledge and key skills for Unit 4 Outcome 2 to ensure that students are able to:

• discuss the importance of research and development (R&D)
• describe the product development process in industry by analysing products that integrate new and emerging technologies
• use speculative design thinking to discuss and analyse strategies that encourage innovation and entrepreneurial activities
• discuss sustainability and other ethical considerations for products that use new and emerging technologies
• construct qualitative and quantitative research to collect data on a range of products, applying ethical considerations and using digital technologies where appropriate
• collate, interpret and synthesise data to evaluate the success of a range of products
• use data to justify enhancements and / or improvements to a range of products.

Step 6

Design the assessment task

• Choose the assessment task type from the range of options listed in the study design. For Unit 4 Outcome 2 the assessment task can be any one or a combination of data analysis, product analysis, research inquiry or an oral presentation using multimedia (presented face-to-face or recorded as a video or podcast).
• This task requires students to complete an oral presentation using multimedia (recorded as a video). The specific task is an oral presentation that evaluates two products by making judgments about the success of each product, and by discussing the product designs in relation to innovation and sustainability. The video should be no longer than five minutes.
• Format the assessment task in such a way that it allows students to demonstrate the highest level of performance and the qualities and characteristics that define this.
• In this example, the teacher selects two products that use different new and emerging technologies and includes both quantitative and qualitative data for students to synthesise and make judgements about each product’s success. When selecting the products, consider how they allow students to clearly demonstrate their understanding of the content being assessed. The products should be carefully selected to ensure they are products the student can apply their understanding to, are able to demonstrate the criteria for assessment, and allow adequate scope for synthesis of data. They should not be products the student has studied in the teaching and learning activities.

Ask students to address the following when developing their five-minute presentation:

• Describe how new and emerging technologies are integrated into both products and what sustainability and / or worldview issues are associated with these technologies.
• Use both quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate the success of each product. What factors did you take into consideration to determine this? Use the data to justify one enhancement and / or improvement to both products.
• Use speculative thinking to discuss and analyse strategies that could encourage innovation and entrepreneurial activities related to these products.

Alternatively, you may decide for the student to evaluate the product they designed and produced as part of their School-assessed Task (SAT). This assessment task could be modified for students to present a five-minute oral presentation that evaluates this product, with students using data they have collected as part of the teaching and learning program.

Marking the task

The performance descriptors can be adapted into a marking scheme, which should be explained to students before they start the task.

When to assess students

The teacher must decide the most appropriate time to set this task. This decision is the result of several considerations, including:

• the estimated time it will take to cover the key knowledge and key skills for the outcome
• when tasks are being conducted in other subjects and the workload implications for students.

For the example above, students should be given a double lesson for the task. The length of time allowed for developing the oral presentation should be determined by the teacher and should enable the typical student in the school cohort to complete the task. It is important that the time available is the same for all students. Students should be told the length of time available at the beginning of the task. If the assessment task occurs in two separate lessons, the School-assessed Coursework (SAC) authentication form located on VASS must be used.

• Students are assessed according to the criteria on the marking scheme.

The teacher should provide feedback to the student about their performance, according to the criteria for assessment.

• Unit 3, Outcome 1
  
• Unit 4, Outcome 2