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What is Moderation?
External Moderation of Assessor Decisions
Trained moderators selected for their assessment and curriculum expertise carry out the external moderation of assessor decisions. The national moderator for each curriculum area monitors the work of moderators. Moderators ensure the confidentiality and security of all assessment materials and assessed work belonging to schools and students.
External moderation for the NQF is a mechanism by which NZQA can:
- check that the judgements teachers are making are at the national standard
- sample and evaluate the approaches teachers are taking to assessing student achievement.
Each school will have one submission date between February and October. The submission date is established at the conclusion of the previous submission round when schools are advised which standards have been selected for moderation.
Material for moderation must include a completed Moderation Cover Sheet and be placed in the appropriately labelled bag supplied by NZQA.
For unit standards the school must send the relevant assessment activity, schedule and four samples of student work to arrive by the submission date. The four samples should exemplify the range of assessor judgements at or near the grade boundary. If fewer than four samples are submitted the reason should be noted on the Moderation Cover Sheet.
For achievement standards the school must send the relevant assessment activity, schedule and eight samples of student work to arrive by the submission date. The eight samples should exemplify the range of assessor judgements at or near the grade boundaries. If fewer than eight samples are submitted the reason should be noted on the Moderation Cover Sheet.
Samples of student work may take the form of portfolios, written tests, research assignments, audiotapes, videotapes, photographs, CDs, models, computer discs, zip files or videos. When a recording is of a group the individual whose work is being submitted for moderation should be clearly identified for the moderator on the form Student Identification for Video/Audio Evidence.
In the case of individual performances, recordings should include only the performance of students whose work is being submitted for moderation.
Copies of completed moderation reports will be returned to the school along with the assessment material.
If a teacher wishes to lodge an appeal regarding the external moderation report, the Principal's Nominee must complete the Moderation Appeal Cover Sheet and send the material requested on the cover sheet to the school's School Relationship Manager at NZQA.
NZQA provides feedback to the Principal summarising information gained from the external moderation process for identified standards.
Allegations of teachers providing undue assistance to candidates may result in an investigation being conducted under terms which parallel those of Breaches of the Rules-External Assessment.
Last updated: 12 February 2008