EDU221

Moderation

Task 1

Moderation
Assessment is a key role within the schooling sector and with such importance it is vital that
the work students are submitting is being graded equally. To certify that the standards are
consistent from school to school teachers take part in a practice known as moderation.
Moderation is a process that allows students work to be evaluated by a panel of teachers to
ensure fair grades are being distributed across all schools. The education system requires
comparable standards across all classrooms to reassure students, parents, school
administrators and teachers that the quality of work being assessed is that of the same at
another school. The process requires evidence, standards and includes the teachers
professional judgments of the students responses to a specific task. The education sector
emphasises the importance of consistency within assessment and implemented the
moderation process into all year levels from P-12. The model of moderation may vary but the
purpose of achieving agreement of level of standards remains the same. Criteria and
standards based assessment, curriculum alignment, on balanced judgments, consensus,
feedback and the model of moderation all play an important role which will be discussed in
the following essay.
Moderation is a process where teachers compare judgements to either confirm or
adjust them. The process involves close collaboration to establish a shared
understanding of what achievement of syllabus standards looks like and whether or
not the student has demonstrated achievement of the syllabus standard. Teachers work
towards making judgements that are consistent and comparable.
(Curriculum Support, 2011 n.p.)

Embedded throughout the education system are standard based assessments that measure the
quality of work by students. These standards aim to set expectations that the students are to
reach in order to achieve a specific grade (Klenowski, 2011). Standard based assessments
guide teachers in their practices and provide insight into the level of achievement obtained by
their students (QSA, 2012). In Queensland, a common language is used across the standard
based assessments that describe the quality of work they expect from students (Klenowski,
2011). Klenowski (2011) articulates that this allows teachers to become familiar with and
develop an understanding of what the standards are asking for, which they can pass on to
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their students. Standards are used in the moderation process as they allow teachers to clearly
find regularities and inconsistencies within the students marks (Klenowski, 2011). Without
the involvement of standards, assessors would not able to appoint appropriate and fair grades
to students work. Sadler (2012) stated that standards are the basis for which teachers are able
to make their professional judgments of the students work. It is anticipated that by
incorporating standards within the moderation process it will result in all assessors attaining
more consistency in the grades and develop a common understanding of what the criteria is
asking for (Connolly, Klenowski & Wyatt-Smith, 2012). With the Queensland Education
System using a standard framework of A E, teachers collect a variety of samples from
students work demonstrating each level of standard (QSA, 2012). The purpose of
educational standards are to provide achievement descriptors to measure the quality of
students work rather than comparing them with other students responses (Sadler, 1987). The
task specific descriptors are what teachers use to reference when grading their students work
(QSA, 2012I). Teachers should have a shared understanding of what the students work has
to demonstrate in order to achieve a certain standard (QSA, 2012I). As Sadler (2012) noted
teachers interpret the standards differently which can cause discrepancy in the marking
process. Moderation is a procedure that aims to reduce these discrepancies by allowing
teachers to negotiate their interpretations, reaching a mutual understanding of what the tasks
require and level of work needed to reach those standards (QSA, 2012). Standard based
assessments are utilised throughout the practice of moderation to ensure that teachers are
consistently measuring students work against fair criteria.
The professional judgments teachers make on students work, greatly impacts the childs
learning opportunities; therefore it is critical that all judgments are made consistent and
reliable. The judgments teachers make dont only affect the students in their classroom (QSA,
2012I) The Queensland Study Authority (2012) states that the consistency of teacher
judgments should extend from the classroom, through the school, across the state and ideally
around the country to ensure no student is disadvantaged. Research from Connolly et al.
(2012) discovered that when making judgements teachers used evidence and knowledge from
a variety of sources. Regardless of who is grading the assessment piece, the mark assigned
should be neutral; this is where the practice of moderation comes in (Sadler, 2012). Adie,
Klenowski & Wyatt-Smith (2011) state that it is a core focus of the moderation process to
ensure that consistent, comparable and related teacher judgments are made. For teachers,
moderation operates as a practice of quality assurance of their ability to sustain on-balanced
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judgments when marking assessments (Klenowski & Wyatt-Smith, 2011). Teachers take part
in discussions where they evaluate and analyse the way they have interpreted the standard of
the students work in relation to the educational requirements (Klenowski & Wyatt-Smith,
2011). It is these interpretations that cause teachers to have inconsistencies in their judgments
of the quality of students work (Adie et al. 2011). There are various factors that can
influence a teacher when making judgments other than the quality of the work in front of
them (Sadler, n.d). Mentioned by Sadler (n.d) teachers judgments can be partial to various
factors, these include of: their existing knowledge of the student and the quality of work they
have submitted before, the effort a student may or may not have put in and own personal
perceptions of a student. These personal factors can lead to bias and unjustified judgments
that affect the students results (Ecclestone, 2001). Furthermore, it is noted that the level of
standards various teachers have can fluctuate greatly (Sadler, n.d). Sadler (2012) articulated
that discrepancies within teacher judgments can occur due to the perceptions they have
regarding quality. Where a teacher may be more lenient in marking, others could judge quite
sternly resulting in irregularities (Sadler, n.d). Moderation is a practice that intends to
minimise these discrepancies and ensure same standards are being applied to parallel
responses (Sadler, n.d). It is through open discussion that teachers are able to ensure the
judgments they are making on assessment pieces are on-balanced and consistent over similar
work.
Throughout the moderation process it is expected that teachers will reach a mutual agreement
on the level of standard each work sample displays, this is known as consensus. Consensus
moderation is a practice implemented within the Queensland Education System (Readman &
Allen, 2013). Here teachers actively participate in discussions and marking procedures of
students assessment responses to achieve a common understanding of the criteria and
standards of work (Readman & Allen, 2013). Reaching consensus consists of the teachers
reviewing judgments and understanding how the evidence they see from the students work is
matched to the criteria assigned to that specific task (QSA, 2012). As stated previously it is
clear that teachers acquire different interpretations of standards and the quality of students
work; consensus moderation is a process used to diminish these disparities and improve the
consistency of judgments around all assessors (Sadler, 2012). Sadler (n.d) addresses the fact
that consensus should be achieved between evaluators before the students collect their work.
Throughout the course of moderation the same work should be marked and graded by a
variety of assessors to ensure on-balanced judgments are being made (Sadler, n.d). In order
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for consensus to be reached Sadler (2012) stated that teachers have to have a common
understanding of two aspects, what establishes quality and how each standard of quality
should be portrayed. Furthermore Sadler (2012) goes on to suggest that the data collected
should be formally recorded. Recording these decisions ensures there is physical evidence to
refer to when seeking consensus (Sadler, 2012). Within a collaborated environment having
documented data prevents the chance of individuals dictating the conversations and
influencing the decisions of the other assessors (Sadler, 2012). Consensus is an important
achievement to reach within the moderation process as it confirms the credibility of the
quality being assessed and reassures students that the marks they receive are authentic
(Sadler, n.d). Consensus is a required element of moderation to certify consistency and
equality across the education system.
As moderation is a process that aims to improve the quality of teachers ability to assess
consistently, the responses gathered from the meeting can be used as feedback to benefit the
education system at all levels. Readman & Allen (2013) describe feedback as information
that is presented to learners regarding the standard of their work and acts as a guide on how
they can improve their development. In the process of moderation the learners receiving
feedback are not just the students who are being moderated (QSA, 2011). Queensland Study
Authority (2011) states that all sectors throughout the Queensland Education System receive
beneficial feedback from moderation, these include of: students, teachers, schools, parents
and the systems. Delivering high-quality feedback enables the learner to review their current
situation and make adjustments if needed (Readman & Allen, 2013). Students are benefited
from the process as they can be confident that similar standards of work are receiving
comparable grades and can be assured that the responses they are given are reliable and
constructive (QSA, 2011). Students can then use the feedback to make recommended
amendments to their work if they choose to (Readman & Allen, 2013). The Queensland
Study Authority (2011) also acknowledges that engaging in moderation can provide
significant feedback for teachers. This is an opportunity for teachers to refine their assessing
skills and ensure their judgments are qualitative and consistent (QSA, 2011). Teachers are
able to use the feedback received to identify which learning areas students are struggling in
and can plan for future teaching (QSA, 2011). Furthermore, the schools that participate in
moderation can be confident that the standards they are meeting are comparable with the
other schools throughout the state (QSA, 2011). The data gathered is valuable for schools as
it confirms the evidence from students work to education standards and if there are any
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inconsistencies the school can review their situation and make suitable adjustments where
needed (QSA, 2011). The feedback gathered can also be used to assure parents that the
achievements and learning needs of their children are accurate and reliable (QSA, 2011). In
addition, the educational systems also benefit from the feedback of moderation (QSA, 2011).
Here the systems are able to distinguish learner trends and provides this information to the
schools (QSA, 2011). It also reinforces the publics support in the system (QSA, 2011). It can
be stated that moderation provides valuable feedback for all sectors of education.
With the moderation process revolving around assessments undertaken by students it is
imperative that these assessment pieces all align with the curriculum. Readman & Allen
(2013) identify curriculum alignment as when any assessments students undertake are
correspondent with the educational learning outcomes. The Australian and Queensland
Curriculum have developed learning descriptors that teachers should base their learning and
assessment on in order to ensure consistency across the state (QSA, 2011). Klenowski (2011)
acknowledged that the alignment between the curriculum and assessment is essential to the
quality of schooling. This alignment is crucial within the moderation process as teachers
develop a common understanding of what the students need to present in order to reach
certain level of standards (Klenowski, 2011). Alignment to the curriculum has a positive
influence of the education system as it limits teachers from planning assessment specifically
to benefit national standard testing such as NAPLAN (Klenowski, 2011). When assessments
are misaligned from the curriculum it lowers the quality of teaching, affects the learners
progress and limits the way in which students portray their knowledge (Klenowski, 2011). It
is noted that teaching methods, standards and assessments should all be aligned with the
curriculum in order to achieve maximum benefits during the moderation process.
While moderation is process that is used widely throughout the education system, various
models of the practice have been developed. Throughout the schooling years up to grade 10
moderation can occur in three styles: expert, conferencing and calibration (QSA, 2012).
One of the various models of moderation is expert. The Queensland Study Authority (2012)
identifies the expert model as having three phases. First teachers individually grades the
students work, appointing them an A-E standard (QSA, 2010). A sample of each standard is
reviewed by an Expert who confirms the judgments made by the teacher (QSA, 2010).
During this process the expert will either deem the judgment suitable and consistent across
the standards or suggest that adjustments are made and give reason why (QSA, 2010). Then
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the teacher considers the experts recommendations and re-examines the students work if
needed (QSA, 2010). This process is beneficial as schools can be assured the standards
allocated are reliable (QSA, 2010). However, this process eliminates the valuable discussions
and interaction teacher can engage in throughout the process (QSA, 2010).
An alternative model of moderation is recognised as conferencing. Within the conferencing
process teachers begin by individually grading the students work, using the A E standards
(QSA, 2010). From these works the teacher chooses a sample of each standard to use at a
conference type consultation (QSA, 2010). During this process teachers will partake in
professional discussions about the quality of work, sharing their interpretations and
justifications for each standard (QSA, 2010). At the end of the procedure teachers will have
reached consensus about the standards of work, allowing teachers to apply their new
knowledge and understanding to the rest of their students assessments (QSA, 2010). This
process benefits teachers as it allows them actively contribute their explanations and
developed a common agreement (QSA, 2010). However, teachers have to be careful that the
standards they have reached are consistent across all work (QSA, 2010).
The third variation of moderation is referred to as calibration. In the course of moderation the
teachers select samples of the students work to grade (QSA, 2010). In the process teachers
review the quality of the students work and evaluate it against the descriptors of the
standards in a social manner (QSA, 2010). Teachers engage in collaborated discussions and
reflect the judgements made by everyone to reach consensus (QSA, 2010). Once the teachers
have attained a common understanding of the standards required for each grade they continue
to assess the rest of their students responses (QSA, 2010). This process is constructive as it
allows teachers to be certain that the grade they are assigning is accurate and consistent
before the mass of the assessments is marked (QSA, 2010). During this process teachers need
to be mindful that they are not letting soft measures influence the grade given to any
particular student (QSA, 2010).
The moderation procedure practiced throughout the education system aims to improve
consistency and reliability of teachers assessing students work. It has been identified that
concepts such as standard based assessment, on-balanced judgments, consensus, feedback
and curriculum alignment all serve importance within all models of moderation. Over the
course, teachers engage in collaborated discussions regarding their interpretations of the
educational standards and the quality of work produced by students. Reaching consensus
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confirms that the across the state students who present similar work are be awarded
comparable grades. This has many benefits for all sectors of the educational department
students, teachers, parents, schools and the systems. The feedback these sectors receive verify
the quality of their work allow them to make any adjustments if required. Moderation of
students assessment goes beyond the mark assigned to students response and poses many
benefits for the learning of tomorrow.

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Reference List

Adie, L.E., Klenowski, V., & Wyatt-Smith, C. (2011). Towards an understanding of teacher
judgement in the context of social moderation. Educational Review. Retrieved from
http://eprints.qut.edu.au/47209/
Connolly, S., Klenowski, V., & Wyatt-Smith, C. (2012). Moderation and consistency of
teacher judgement: teachers views. British Educational Research Journal.
doi:10.1080/01411926.2011.569006
Curriculum Support K-12. (2011) Consistent Teacher Judgment: Moderation. Retrieved from
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/consistent_teacher/moderate.htm

Ecclestone, K. (2001). 'I know a 2:1 when I see it': Understanding criteria for degree
classifications in franchised university programmes. Journal of Further and Higher
Education. doi: 10.1080/03098770126527
Klenowski, V. (2011). Assessment for learning in the accountability era : Queensland,
Australia. Studies in Educational Evaluation. Retrieved from http://eprints.qut.edu.au/41071/
Klenowski, V., & Wyatt-Smith, C. (2011). Standards, teacher judgement and moderation in
contexts of national curriculum and assessment reform. Assessment Matters. Retrieved from
http://eprints.qut.edu.au
Queensland Studies Authority (2010) Moderation handbook for Authority subject. Retrieved
from http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/downloads/senior/snr_moderation_handbook.pdf
Queensland Studies Authority. (2011). Moderation a way of working DVD preview.
Retrieved from http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/10412.html
Readman, K. & Allen, B. (2013). Practical Planning and Assessment. South Melbourne,
Victoria: Oxford University Press.

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Sadler, D.R. (n.d). Introduction to the process of moderating assessments. Griffith University.
Retrieved from https://online.usc.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-639422-dt-content-rid3450211_2/courses/EDU221_2014_Semester_1/Introduction_process_of_moderating_assess
ments.pdf
Sadler, D.R. (1987). Specifying and Promulgating Achievement Standards. Oxford Review of
Education.doi: 10.1080/0305498870130207
Sadler, D.R. (2012). Assuring academic achievement standards: from moderation to
calibration. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice.
doi:10.1080/0969594X.2012.714742

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