The following guidelines are used to determine to exit levels. They come from the Brisbane Grammar School Mathematics B Work program.
Knowledge and procedures
The objectives of this category involve recalling and using results and procedures within the contexts of Application, Technology, Initiative and Complexity.
For each instrument which assesses student ability with the Knowledge and procedures objectives, marks will be awarded and cut-offs applied to arrive at an A to E grade. Both the marks awarded and the grade will be recorded on the profile. The cut-offs will be determined according to the complexity of the assessment provided and will be set to reflect the standards described in the minimum standards associated with exit criteria.
Awarding a summary grade for knowledge and procedures
At appropriate times grades will be combined to arrive at a summary result. This summary result will be arrived at using the table below as a guide:
| Summary result |
Student performances |
| A |
Consistently As |
| B |
Consistently Bs |
| C |
Consistently Cs |
| D |
Consistently Ds |
| E |
All Es |
Some typical descriptors are shown in the table below. They may be adapted for specific situations or tasks providing exit standards descriptors are reflected
| Standard |
Descriptor |
| A |
The overall quality of a student's achievement across the full range within the contexts of application, technology and complexity, and across topics, consistently demonstrates:
- accurate recall, selection and use of definitions, results and rules
- appropriate use of technology
- appropriate selection, and accurate and proficient use of procedures
- effective transfer and application of mathematical procedures
|
| B |
The overall quality of a student's achievement across the full range within the contexts of application, technology and complexity, and across topics, generally demonstrates:
- accurate recall, selection and use of definitions, results and rules
- appropriate use of technology
- appropriate selection and accurate use of procedures
|
| C |
The overall quality of a student's achievement in the contexts of application, technology and complexity generally demonstrates:
- accurate recall and use of basic definitions, results and rules
- appropriate use of some technology
- accurate use of basic procedures
|
| D |
The overall quality of a student's achievement in the contexts of application, technology and complexity sometimes demonstrates:
- accurate recall and use of some definitions, results and rules
- appropriate use of some technology
|
|
Modeling and problem solving
Students are assessed using Modelling and problem solving tasks which will cover the continuum of each of the contexts, in particular Initiative and Complexity but also Technology and Application. This range within tasks will be indicated by the labels: “A” standard, “B” standard and “C” standard and the associated nested descriptions as indicated in 1. Each of the questions or items is labeled with the standard A, B or C.
| Label |
Descriptions |
| “A” standard |
A task which enables the student to demonstrate mathematical thinking which includes:
- Interpreting, clarifying and analysing a range of situations, identifying assumptions and variables
- Selecting and using effective strategies
- Selecting appropriate procedures required to solve a wide range of problems
- Appropriate synthesis of procedures and strategies
- Synthesis of procedures and strategies to solve problems
- Initiative and insight in exploring the problem
- Exploring strengths and limitations of models
- Extending and generalizing from solutions.
|
| “B” standard |
A task which enables the student to demonstrate mathematical thinking which includes:
- Interpreting, clarifying and analysing a range of situations, identifying assumptions and variables
- Selecting and using effective strategies
- Selecting appropriate procedures required to solve a range of problems
- Appropriate synthesis of procedures and strategies
|
| “C” standard |
A task which enables the student to demonstrate mathematical thinking which includes:
- Interpreting and clarifying a range of situations
- Identify assumptions and any variables that may reasonably be used
- Selecting strategies and/or procedures required to solve problems
|
For each item assessing student performance in the category Modeling and problem solving, a standard dependent marking scheme and rubrics table will be used. These may be adapted for specific items providing exit standard descriptors are reflected in the indicators used.
Awarding a summary result for modeling and problem solving
At appropriate times grades will be combined to arrive at a summary result for the Modeling and problem solving category of objectives. This summary result will be arrived at using the table below as a guide:
| Summary Result |
Performance |
| A |
Mostly 5s and 4 s with some 6s |
| B |
Generally 4s with some 5 s |
| C |
Generally 3s |
| D |
Generally 2s or lower |
| E |
Not required |
If the above guidelines don' t allow an adequate summary grade for Modelling and problem solving, it will be possible to trade from “A” standard to “B” standard to “C” standard and from “B” standard to “C” standard. In such a situation the following trade-off matrix applies.
| “A” standard |
“B” standard |
“C” standard |
| 6 or 6+ |
5 or 5+ |
4 or 4+ |
| 5 |
5 or 5+ |
4 or 4+ |
| 4 |
4 |
4 |
| 3 |
3 |
3 |
| 2 |
2 |
2 |
| 1 |
1 |
1 |
| 0 |
0 |
0 |
