Hi all

 I have been teaching /leading DiDA for three years now and think that it is a great course. The real issue is that Edexcel cannot agree with each other let alone with any one who teaches it, this is really difficult as they never answer anyones questions promptly ethier.

I have found that if you read the SPB plus the teachers notes the walk through and the marking grid then you can usually make up your own mind as to what they want. If then later something is needed you just write a statement saying it was not asked for but has been completed in class.

I do find it very difficult to mark however and if anyone has some ideas they would be gratefully recieved.

We are just about to submit our first D101 - Check it Out projects. The kids have been far more enthusiastic completing this work compared to the old OCR Coursework projects.

Our issue is the marking of these SPBs - and you can't really start marking unitl the final submission of the whole eportfolio.

We seem unsure as to what 'Limited Guidance' and 'Worked Independently' really mean - how much can we comment on and ask pupils to "think if that is really suitable for that age-group". At what point have we given too much info so that they have recieved 'guidance' and not just 'interim feedback'?

Also - can I pick your brains about marks and levels? Looking at the Raw mark to Uniform marks pages of the Moderator's Reports - does this indicate that 30 Marks (out of 42) at Level 1 Unit 1 is 'normally' a Distinction i.e C equivalent? Or is it 36?? Or does it change after the Moderators compare notes???

36 marks for a Distinction at level 1.  However, that is after any alteration to the marks by Edexcel to give a Uniform Mark.  So it may be that you enter a group in December for a module and a student who gets 30 marks will get a distinction.  You enter another group for the same module in summer and it might take 36 marks for a distinction.  The raw mark needed varies slightly, but I've not seen it higher than the uniform mark so far, so I would tell your students that they need 36 to get a distinction to be on the safe side. 

Thanks

We have pupils completing Level 1, but I don't want to submit their work early (Dec 07) unless I am confident they will get a Distinction - the Holy Grail of 'C equivalence' for our SLT!

So if I submit work we reckon is worth say 34 raw marks in December, they student might not get a Distinction?

And if I submit work worth 34 raw marks in June 08 they might get a Distinction even if it is for the same Unit, same SPB etc???

Mmmmm!! 

Obviously I can't speak for Edexcel - I'm just a head of ICT, but I'd say that 34 raw marks is very likely to be a distinction - pretty sure one of my students got 30 or 31 and got a distinction last year.   Would it maybe be worth entering a few of your students' eportfolios in December and see what they come out with? 

Thanks

Seems that I shouldn't put them in with 30 or 31 just in case!

Maybe I'll submit the 32-38's only!!

This is our third year too.  It will also be our last.  I like the course and its objectives, however the assessment is far too complex and time consuming.  If the students can't easily self assess, then it's just not a winner.

So we'll be moving to "the other course" - you all know what that is, I'm sure.  The best bit about this new course?  The moderator comes into school, and you can sit down and discuss the assessment, face to face.

If DiDA worked in this way, we'd stick with it.

I have to agree with RA, although not about visiting moderators as that is environmentally unsound.

The IDEA and concept of DIDA was brilliant but the implimentation has been poor and we're moving to OCR Nationals.  The marking has been too vague and goalposts moved too many times for comfort.

Support is also insufficient and too slow coming and fees simply extortionate, £65 per student for a late entry? 

IF the DIDA marking and mark scheme can be sorted, changed and improved we will be back.  I will be keeping my eyes & ears open.

Hi,

Have you tried the Ask the Expert Service for subject specific questions?

http://www.edexcel.org.uk/about/ask/

If i put the e-mail address we'll get SPAM!

It puts you in touch with the Principal Examiners/Moderators, i.e. the people who help write the Spec. 

Stuart

Stuart,

Too little, too late I'm afraid.  As far as we are concerned the last 3 years have been a nightmare:

• Assessment criteria and methods have changed constantly. - marking grid, walkthrough, walkthrough version after version all of which differ from the advice at courses - when you can actually get on them!!   Advice from one person at EdExcel is contradicted by another, documentation contradicts other advice.
• At the outset we were promised further units, where are they?
• Awarded OSCA at first attempt (2006), then when moderated were marked down by nearly 50%
• £65 to change level from D201 to D101.  Why? This is akin to punative bank charges.
• Unable to get beyond the script reader on the phone. 
• Promised contact in 3 days by script readers, never happened - minimum was 8 after 3 additional calls from me.

I will reitterate what I have always been saying for last 2 years: Superb concept, excellent sales patter (which is why we chose it), extremely poor implimentation.

MMM - I'm trying to do all the right things - Went on Training courses recommended and trying to get OSCA'd but I am starting to agree with your comments

For the Unit 1 Level 1 OSCA, the Moderator appears to be using a Walk-through which is NOT the one on the SPB website - How can we get our marking correct when they are not using the same marking system?

Similarly on the Marking Unit 1 course (£130 plus expenses) the Senior Moderator told me that the Survey results document and the Database reports do not constitute part of the Publications - mark then as part of sections b and c only.

Guess what the OSCA Moderator says?? - You got it!

mga:

Our issue is the marking of these SPBs - and you can't really start marking unitl the final submission of the whole eportfolio.

You can mark but only give students an interim/indicative mark. To make it managable I combine the marks grid, marks guidance and walkthrough docs in to a single document that I use with students to assess their work as it goes on - basically 'using checkpoints'. I print them for ongoing use, fill it in electronically for moderation purposes if needed. You can see samples Ive uploaded to the TES forum - http://www.tes.co.uk/resources/Resource.aspx?resourceId=9908 There are more of them on the resources area of the MSN DIDA forum - http://groups.msn.com/EdexcelDIDAResources/welcome.msnw but you need to join to access the resources area.

mga:

We seem unsure as to what 'Limited Guidance' and 'Worked Independently' really mean - how much can we comment on and ask pupils to "think if that is really suitable for that age-group". At what point have we given too much info so that they have recieved 'guidance' and not just 'interim feedback'?

There is clarification about this somewhere on the website. My rule of thumb -

• Student gets feedback but makes own mind up what to do and does it - independant
• Student gets feedback and told what needs improving and possible suggestions as to what to do to improve but not how - limited guidance
• Student gets told what to do and how to do it - guidance

  mga:

  Also - can I pick your brains about marks and levels? Looking at the Raw mark to Uniform marks pages of the Moderator's Reports - does this indicate that 30 Marks (out of 42) at Level 1 Unit 1 is 'normally' a Distinction i.e C equivalent? Or is it 36?? Or does it change after the Moderators compare notes???

Grade boundaries are set at first moderation and shouldn't normally be changed thereafter for that SPB. Tip - submit at second or subsequent moderation point. Look at the published boundaries after the first moderation point: if your marks get through unchanged or are approved via OSCA, then you know where you stand when you submit raw marks. (The only time grade boundaries were changed was at the second mod. point for 0905 - QCA thought the first ones were too low.)

 Hope that helps