Assessment for, as, and of learning should underpin all assessment practices in Stages 4 and 5 science. Science teaching and learning programs should incorporate a range of assessment strategies such as:

• diagnostic, formative and summative assessments
• first hand investigations
• gathering secondary information from sources
• written, oral, and design based presentations
• closed and open-ended tasks
• individual and group tasks.

In Stages 4 and 5, the Validation of Assessment 4 Learning and Individual Development (VALID) tests in Year 8 (mandatory) and Year 10 (optional) provide external assessment of student learning in science.

Assessment task critiquing tool

When creating an assessment task for Stages 4 or 5 science, consider the following reflection questions:

• Are there a manageable number of outcomes being assessed?
• Are outcomes the focus for the activities in the assessment task?
• Does the task assess what the students have had the opportunity to learn in class?
• Will the task produce what you want the students to demonstrate?
• Is the task the most appropriate way of assessing the outcomes?
• Do the demands of the task reflect the task weighting?
• Is the task efficient and manageable, for the teacher and the student?
• Will the task allow differentiation between students?
• Does the task clearly communicate what is expected?
• Is there a clear description of what students are expected to do?
• Does the task provide explicit marking criteria? Is this supported with a holistic or analytical marking rubric?
• Will the task produce enough evidence to make a sound judgement of students’ achievement?
• Will the task challenge all students?