Public Assessment

(g) carry out self-directed learning which includes the processes of setting goals, making and implementing plans, solving problems, analysing data, drawing conclusions, reporting findings and conducting evaluations

intervals. Students keep records of their skills levels as they move towards meeting the objectives.

(h) demonstrate an appreciation for the values of their own and other cultures, and for universal values, and be committed to becoming responsible and conscientious citizens

Teachers assess such affective qualities in students as demonstrated in external visits, data collection work in IES that involves external people/communities, and the ways in which they behave in the school

community.

(c) Inclusiveness

The assessments and examinations in the HKDSE need to accommodate the full spectrum of student aptitude and ability. This is reflected in the questions set for the public written examination and the marking criteria for both the written examination and the SBA.

(d) Standards-referencing

The reporting system is ―standards-referenced‖, i.e. student performance is matched against standards, which indicate what students have to know and are able to do to merit a certain level of performance.

(e) Informativeness

The HKDSE qualification and the associated assessment and examinations system provide useful information to all parties. First, it provides feedback to students on their performance and to teachers and schools on the quality of the teaching provided. Second, it communicates to parents, tertiary institutions, employers and the public at large what it is that students know and are able to do, in terms of how their performance matches the standards. Third, it facilitates selection decisions that are fair and defensible.

5.5.2 Assessment design

The table below shows the assessment design of the subject with effect from the 2016 HKDSE Examination. The assessment design is subject to continual refinement in the light of feedback. Full details are provided in the Regulations and Assessment Frameworks for the year of the examination and other supplementary documents, which are available on the HKEAA website (www.hkeaa.edu.hk/en/hkdse/assessment/assessment_framework/).

Component Part Weighting Duration

Public examination

Paper 1

Data-response questions Paper 2

Extended-response questions

50%

30%

2 hours

1 hour and 15 minutes

School-based

Assessment Independent Enquiry Study (IES) 20%

5.5.3 Public examinations

As has been stressed already, an enquiry approach is adopted in learning and teaching the subject – and this is reflected in the design of the written examination. The question format is not meant to imply that students have to identify certain correct answers – on the contrary, the approach used stresses that most issues are too complex to allow of simple solutions.

Although, of course, one needs to have knowledge of relevant facts in order to make judgments about issues, the examination does not focus on factual knowledge – indeed great care is taken to avoid questions which call for detailed factual recall. The emphasis is on assessing understanding and the extent to which students can demonstrate appropriate thinking skills.

In the examination, candidates should be able to (the numbers in brackets refer to assessment objectives stated in section 5.3):

● demonstrate a sound understanding of the key ideas, concepts and terminologies required to give an informed response to the question; (i)

● identify concepts from and/or apply concepts to contemporary issues appropriately, and in the latter case provide examples/evidence to support arguments whenever appropriate; (ii) and (iii)

● demonstrate an understanding of how certain themes/concepts are relevant to or manifested across the domains of self, society, nation, the world and the physical environment; (iv)

● provide reasons to justify the values they hold in analysing issues; (v)

● identify the values underlying different views on contemporary issues, and differentiate among facts, opinions and value judgments; (v) and (vii)

● draw critically upon their relevant experience and encounters within the community, and with the environment and technology; (vi)

● identify contradictions and dilemmas, including those with moral and social implications, from information related to controversial issues, and consider such issues from a range of perspectives so as to draw conclusions; (vii), (viii) and (ix)

● provide reasonable suggestions and appropriate solutions for problems; (viii)

● show openness and tolerance towards views, especially non-mainstream views that are supported by argument; (x)

● respond in a way that reflects a proper understanding of the requirements of the questions in the examination paper; (xii)

● communicate clearly and accurately in a concise, logical and systematic manner;

(xii)

● make effective use of data to describe, explain and deduce; (xiii) and

● make judgments based on a sound rationale. (xiii)

In each examination question, these abilities are organised into rubrics at different levels.

The number of levels and the content of the marking guidelines are specific to each examination question. The whole of the two examination papers – rather than each question or each paper – reflects an assessment of most if not all of the above abilities. For most questions, there are core question-specific criteria which candidates must meet in order to attain a certain level of performance. These requirements on the design of the questions and marking criteria produce more reliable marking while still maintaining the liberal nature of the subject in the sense that there are no model answers to the questions.

There are clearly different standpoints and conflicts of values on the more controversial issues considered in Liberal Studies. Answers will not be marked down because candidates‘

viewpoints / values differ from those of the markers – marks will be awarded on the basis of how well the arguments are developed, not on the underlying values.

Different types of items will be used to assess students‘ performance in a broad range of skills and abilities. The two papers consist of data-response questions and extended-response questions respectively.