[Insert faculty Banner]

Moderation in Practice

Science 7-10

What is moderation?

Moderation is a process where teachers compare judgements to either confirm or adjust them.

The process involves close collaboration to establish a shared understanding of what achievement of syllabus standards looks like and whether or not the student has demonstrated achievement of the syllabus standard. Teachers work towards making judgements that are consistent and comparable.

Why do we moderate?We moderate to: develop shared or common interpretations of

standards and expectations of what constitutes achievement of syllabus standards

develop shared understandings of what students’ achievements look like

develop accuracy and reliability in making judgements

ensure judgements are equitable in terms of implications for student learning

strengthen the value of teachers’ judgements inform well-targeted teaching programs

Moderation techniques in Science

Professional dialogue is the key to the moderation process

Discussion within the faculty Discussion external to the faculty Justification of teacher judgement

Two componentsAll teachers’ judgements have two aspects: the decision and the level of confidence in the decisionThese are built through professional dialogue

Examples of Professional Dialogue Discussion of syllabus framework Discussion of outcomes Share interpretations and understandings Collaboratively discuss work samples and

standards Shared understanding of expectation of student

achievement at a particular point

Professional dialogue

Kam “I think it’s an A.”

Sarah “No I can’t see evidence of …. So it’s a B.”

Kam “What about……..Can you see it now?”

Sarah “I hadn’t considered that. You’re correct. It’s an A.”

Kam “Let’s check what Tran thinks.”