HOGWARTS PRIVATE Assessment Task

COLLEGE
Stage 6 Biology, Year 12 (HSC) 2018
Module 7- Infectious Diseases
TASK 3 OF 3: Information Report DATE OF ISSUE: Week 5 Term 2
MODE OF ASSESSMENT: In class Take-home DUE DATE:
Draft Report: Week 7 Term 2
Final Report: Week 9 Term 2
MARKS: /20 WEIGHTING: 20%
OUTCOMES TO BE ASSESSED:
BIO 12-14 Analyses infectious disease in terms of cause, transmission, management and the organism’s
response, including the human immune system
BIO 11/12-3 Conducts investigations to collect valid and reliable primary and secondary data and information
BIO 11/12-4 Selects and processes appropriate qualitative and quantitative data and information using a range of
appropriate media
BIO 11/12-5 Analyses and evaluates primary and secondary data and information
Bio 11/12-7 Communicates scientific understanding using suitable language and terminology for a specific
audience or purpose
IN THIS TASK YOU WILL BE ASSESSED ON HOW WELL YOU:
- Explain how your choice of infectious disease is caused and explain the mode of transmission to the host
and to humans
- Analyse how the host and human immune systems respond to your chosen infectious disease
- Analyse how your chosen infectious disease can be treated and controlled
- Discuss the methods of prevention
- Explain the health impacts your chosen infectious disease has to society
- Select and extract information from a range of reliable secondary sources and uses Harvard referencing
style correctly
- Effectively presents work
STUDENTS TO COMPLETE:
Student’s Name:

Biology Teacher’s Name:

CONTEXT:
In this module you have investigated transmission, responses, prevention, treatment and control for a variety of
infectious diseases within Australia and globally.
You will use the skills and knowledge obtained from this unit and prior modules to write an information report.
You will choose ONE of the following infectious diseases listed below to analyse the impacts it has to humans
and to society.
You must only choose ONE of these infectious diseases:
• Malaria
• Small Pox
• Ebola

TASK DESCRIPTION:
This is a research-based task where you will submit a Word-processed information report which analyses the
impacts of your chosen infectious disease has to humans and society.
- In your report you must include headings for each paragraph for example: Abstract, introduction, cause and
transmission, immune responses, treatment and control, prevention, impacts to society and conclusion.
- It must be within 1000-1500 words and use Harvard referencing where appropriate. Include in-text citations
as well as provide a reference list
https://library.westernsydney.edu.au/main/sites/default/files/cite_Harvard.pdf. You must use valid
and reliable secondary data and information from at least 5 peer-reviewed journal articles, books etc. Non-
credible websites should be avoided.
- Attached to this assessment task is a scaffolded draft to assist in writing the information report. You may
submit this draft on Week 7 Term 2 to receive feedback for the final information report.
 - Some class time will be allocated to conduct research and to ask questions.
INSTRUCTION FOR SUBMISSION:
- You may submit the scaffolded draft information report (attached on the following pages) in Week 7 Term 2
for feedback from your class teacher during class time
- You will submit a typed final information report within 1000-1500 words in Week 9 Term 2 to their class
teacher during class time
- The draft and final report should be stapled together
TIPS FOR SUCCESS:
- Utilise class time wisely
- Complete the scaffolded draft provided and get your teacher to provide feedback
- Submit a draft information report by Week 7 Term 2 for feedback
- Use feedback to improve final report
STATEMENT OF AUTHENTICITY AND ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
I certify that:
• The planning, development, content and presentation of this task is my own work in every respect
• It has not been copied from another person’s work or from books or from the internet or any other
source
• I have used appropriate research methods and have not used words, ideas, designs, skills, or
workmanship of others in the task or its development without appropriate acknowledgement

STUDENT SIGNATURE: ………………………………... DATE: …………………...

Submission Receipt:
(Retained by Student)
Student Name
Subject
Teacher
Assessment Task
Assignment Received
Date Due
Date Submitted
Signed
HOGWARTS Stage 6, Year 12 Biology (HSC)
Report
PRIVATE MARKING RUBRIC AND FEEDBACK

COLLEGE
STUDENT NAME:
OUTCOMES ASSESSED CRITERIA ALLOCATED MARKS STUDENT MARK
 Identifies and make explicit relationships
between the impacts of your chosen
infectious disease to humans and
society
 Includes all 8 of the headings required 8-7
 Provides explicit cause and effect about
the health impacts of your chosen
infectious disease and supports this with
secondary sources
 Identifies and make thorough
relationships between the impacts of
your chosen infectious disease to
humans and society
 Includes between 5 and 7 of the
BIO 12-14 6-5
headings required
BIO 12/11-5
 Provides thorough cause and effect
about the health impacts of your chosen
infectious disease and supports this with
secondary sources
 Identifies and make sound relationships
between the impacts of your chosen
infectious disease to humans and
society
 Includes between 2 and 4 of the
4-3
headings required
 Provides some cause and effect about
the health impacts of your chosen
infectious disease and supports this with
secondary sources
  Identifies and make basic relationships
between the impacts of your chosen
infectious disease to humans and
society
 Includes 1 of the headings required
2-1
 Provides minimal cause and effect about
the health impacts of your chosen
infectious disease and supports this with
secondary sources
 Does not identify or make relationships
between the impacts of your chosen
infectious disease to humans and
society
0
 Does not include the headings required
 Does not provide cause and effect about
the health impacts of your chosen
infectious disease
 A selection of 5 or more reliable
secondary sources
 Correct use of Harvard referencing both 4
in-text and reference list
 A selection of 4 reliable secondary
sources
3
 Correct use of Harvard referencing both
in-text and reference list
BIO 11/12-3  A selection of 3 secondary sources
 Use of Harvard referencing both in-text 2
and reference list with some errors
 A selection of less than 3 secondary
sources
1
 Use of Harvard referencing both in-text
and reference list with some errors
 Provides no secondary sources nor in-
0
text and reference list
 Provides relevant graphs and photos
where appropriate and label them
correctly
 Excellent structure and presentation of 8-7
BIO 11/12-4 report; paragraphs flow well
BIO 11/12-7
 Adheres to the word count 1000-1500
words
 Provides some graphs and/or photos
6-5
and labels them correctly
 Good structure and presentation of
report; paragraphs flow well
 Adheres to the word count 1000-1500
 Provides either graphs or photos and
attempts to label them correctly
 Sound structure and presentation of 4-3
report
 Adheres to the word count 1000-1500
 Provides either graphs or photos, does
not label them correctly
 Basic structure and presentation of 2-1
report
 Adheres to the word count 1000-1500
 Does not provide graphs or photos
 Limited structure and presentation of
0
report
 Does not adhere to the word count
PEEL Scaffold- Paragraph structure
DRAFT Abstract
• Write this
section when
the report is
finished
• It is a general
summary of
the report
• Consists of
major points
and conclusions
• Include all
relevant
information

DRAFT Introduction
• Explanation of
what the
report is
focusing on
• Definitions of
terms need to
be included
• Details of how
the report is
arranged
DRAFT Main Idea 1
Point:
Topic sentence

Explanation:
Explain topic
sentence

Example:
Secondary
research to help
reader understand
your explanation

Link:
Linking statement
to tie example
back to the point
DRAFT Conclusion
• Summarises
main points of
the report
• Restates
research
question
• General
statement about
importance of
research
question,
implications for
the future.

DRAFT Reference List

• Show valid and
reliable
secondary
resources used

(minimum of 5)
 Reflection On My Achievement
Some questions you should consider when reflecting on your draft task after you have received
feedback

What did you do well?

What do you need to improve?

How do you plan to improve your report?

 Evaluation

Assessment in stage 6 is an essential component in student learning as it reflects teaching and

learning practices and supports students for future success (Butt, 2010). According to NSW
Education Standards Authority (NESA) assessment is defined as the process of classifying,
collecting and analysing information about student achievement. (NSW Education Standards
Authority, 2018). There are different forms of assessments which teachers need to understand so
they are applied to retrieve the correct information these include diagnostic, formative and
summative assessment (Harlen & James, 1997). Effective feedback is important in stage 6
assessment tasks as it highlights student’s strengths, areas to improve and suggestions on how
they can improve in the future (Hattie & Timperley, 2007). Assessment design is another important
factor to consider when developing a stage 6 assessment task. Principles of good assessment
need to be employed to ensure an effective assessment is designed. The principles include
fairness, appropriate, valid, reliable, transparent, authentic and manageable (Bloxham & Boyd,
2007). In the assessment attached, it is based on the Biology syllabus for year 12, stage 6
students and focuses on Module 7 Infectious Diseases. It requires students to write an information
report analysing the impacts of either Malaria, Small pox or Ebola to humans and society. This
paper will highlight the importance of assessment, feedback and assessment design.

Assessment is the fundamental factor between teaching and learning as data gathered from tasks
can indicate teaching and learning strategies have or have not been successful (Butt, 2010).
Assessment is essentially the measure of student progress in terms of knowledge, understanding
and/or skills which can be analysed. However, there are various forms of assessment including
diagnostic, formative and summative that are useful to acquire different information about student
progress before a unit of work, during a unit of work and at the end of a unit of work, respectively
(Stobart, 2008). These forms of assessments can be expresses as formal or informal, though
summative assessments are usually only formal (Harlen & James, 1997). Informal assessments
can include observations, group discussions or questioning and can be less intimidating for
students to express their knowledge (Harlen & James, 1997). Disadvantages of this is that it may
be difficult to collect information for analysis and students may not take these forms of assessment
as seriously comparing to formal assessments (Harlen & James, 1997). Formal assessment can
include exams, essays or projects and allow teachers to generate a mark which can be used for
analysis (Harlen & James, 1997). Formal assessments have its benefits however, it also
possesses disadvantages as high-stake assessments such as the Higher School Certificate (HSC)
may be stressful for students causing them to not test well (Harlen & James, 1997). Since high-
stake assessments like the HSC in stage 6 are not likely to be disregarded by NESA, it is
important for teachers and the school to prepare students and suggest strategies to overcome
some stressful and anxious behaviours (Harlen & James, 1997). In the attached assessment task,
it is designed to assess the knowledge, understanding and skills at the end of Module 7. It is an
example of a formal summative assessment that students are permitted to submit on the due date.

Feedback is an essential component of student learning as it is useful for the development of

student’s achievement. It does this by clarifying how their knowledge, skills and understanding are
progressing in relation to syllabus outcomes and content (Hattie & Timperley, 2007). As well as
this, it offers students with advice on how to improve their learning and which areas they should
focus on. However, feedback is only beneficial if it is effective. According to Hattie and Timperley
(2007) effective feedback must answer three questions including; Where am I going?, How am I
going?, and Where to next?. The first question refers to the learning goals of the students (Hattie
& Timperley, 2007). By establishing learning goals, it can promote positive attitudes to achieve the
goal and motivate students to persist through challenging obstacles in the task (Bargh, Gollwitzer,
Lee-Chai, Barndollar & Trotschel, 2001). To support this, research from Black and William (1998)
found that providing students with challenging assessments and effective feedback correlates with
higher student engagement and therefore, greater success. Consequently, setting learning
objectives is beneficial for students to stay motivated and achieve their goals (Black & William,
1998). The second question involves providing information relating to elements of an assessment
task (Hattie & Timperley, 2007). The third question is about the future possibilities of student
learning in which gives suggestions and recommendations to be implemented in the future (Hattie
& Timperley, 2007). These three levels can be seen in the attached assessment task under the
rubric. The questions include the student’s strengths, where they can improve on and what they
can do for future tasks. It also includes which areas students have improved on from the draft
submission they could have submitted. The draft submission itself allows the teacher to give
written feedback to students so they can implement the advice into the final task. Students also
have a section for self-reflection and feedback on their draft. This allows them to think about which
aspects they believe they have done well.

Good assessment design is essential when creating a task as it should reveal information it is
designed to. There are principles for good assessment design which need to be followed to create
a successful assessment task. The principles include being fair, appropriate, valid, reliable,
transparent, authentic and manageable (Bloxham & Boyd, 2007). A fair assessment task allows all
students equitable and equal opportunity to show the knowledge and skills of their learning
(Bloxham & Boyd, 2007). In the assessment attached it is fair to students as it contains
differentiation and scaffolding. Differentiation is illustrated as students can pick which infectious
disease they want to write the information report about. Some students may have a current
understanding or general interest in one infectious disease options given and therefore, can
showcase their understanding and skills more effectively compared to the other two options.
Hence, differentiation is important as it can lead to greater student learning. Scaffolding is also
provided in the assessment task to give each student equal opportunity for assistance (Bloxham &
Boyd, 2007). The scaffold in this assessment is a structure of the information report. It contains
what students should be including in each section of the report. The scaffold is also used as the
draft submission where students may fill in and hand back for feedback. Shepard (2005) draws
information from work of Vygotsky (1978) to suggest that scaffolding and formative assessment
are fundamentally the same as both cater to the development of learning. Formative assessment
is where information is collected and analysed to give the student additional support to meet there
needs (Shepard, 2005). Therefore, the scaffold provided in the task demonstrates a form of
formative assessment when students submit the draft. A fair assessment is also about ensuring
students have exposure and practise with knowledge and skills needed to undertake the task
(Bloxham & Boyd, 2007). Hence, it can be assumed that the students would have been taught and
practiced through the unit how to research effectively, write an information report, how to reference
and understand the concepts in infectious diseases.

Assessments are appropriate and valid when the method is suitable for the intended learning
outcomes being assessed (Bloxham & Boyd, 2007). The assessment task should only measure
what the student is learning. In the attached assessment, it is considered an appropriate and valid
as it is assessing the knowledge and skills outcomes within Module 7 (Bloxham & Boyd, 2007).
The task is also reliable as it includes one marking criteria for all students which provides
consistency. Clear expectations or transparency is an essential principle of good assessment
(Bloxham & Boyd, 2007). The students need to understand what they are required to do in order to
succeed, this can be illustrated by including a clear task description and a set of criteria and
standards. The task description as well as the criteria are both included in the assessment task
thus, clearly outlining what the students should do to succeed (Bloxham & Boyd, 2007). The task
assists students with future work as they can use skills learnt beyond school. By achieving this, it
makes the assessment authentic which motivates students to complete the task (Bloxham & Boyd,
2007). The assessment is manageable as it gives student sufficient amount of time to complete
the task (Bloxham & Boyd, 2007). They are given four weeks to submit the final task and can
submit the draft report two weeks after the issue date. It is important not to overload the student
with too much work as this can have negative results.

In conclusion, effective assessment is important in stage 6 to test relevant knowledge,

understanding and/or skills. Different types of assessment need to be used accurately to
successfully extract the correct information. In the assessment attached it has aspects of both
formative and summative assessment as the task is assessing the module at the end of the unit
while containing areas of feedback. It also includes principles of good assessment to make the
assessment effective.
References

Bargh, J. A., Gollwitzer, P. M., Lee-Chai, A., Barndollar, K., & Trotschel, R. (2001). The automated
will: Nonconscious activation and pursuit of behavioral goals. Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology, 81(6), 1014–1027.

Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education,
5(1), 7–75.

Bloxham, S., & Boyd, P.F. (2007). Developing effective assessment in higher education: A
practical guide. Retrieved from
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uwsau/reader.action?docID=332673&query=

Butt, G. (2010). Making assessment matter. Retrieved from

https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uwsau/reader.action?docID=601664&query=

Harlen, W., & James, M. (1997). Assessment and learning: Differences and relationships between
formative and summative assessment. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy &
Practice, 4(3), 365-379. doi: 10.1080/0969594970040304

Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1),
81-112.

NSW Education Standards Authority. (2018). Purpose of assessment. Retrieved 30 April, 2018,
from http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/Understanding-the-
curriculum/assessment/assessment-in-practice/purpose-of-assessment

Shepard, L. A. (2005). Linking formative assessment to scaffolding. Educational Leadership,

63(3), 67-70

Stobart, G. (2008). Testing times: The uses and abuses of assessment. Retrieved from
https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=qy7gph-
xBisC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=testing+times:+the+uses+and+abuses+of+assessment+2008&ot
s=6Nx0Cec9j5&sig=3YHuOgYyrTfEWhCXMHELZIAx1TI#v=onepage&q=testing%20times%3
A%20the%20uses%20and%20abuses%20of%20assessment%202008&f=false

Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes.
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press