Clarification details
Updated July 2014. This clarification has been updated to address issues that have arisen from moderation.
Intent
The intent is strongly focussed on the development of a personal response based on collected, integrated biological information, rather than just on researched biological ideas. The response needs to flow logically from the biological information used at level 8 of the curriculum.
- At Achieved, a personal position is developed using relevant biological knowledge, and an action(s) proposed at a personal and/or societal level.
- At Merit, explaining why the position and the action(s) has been chosen means showing a reasoned viewpoint that leads logically to a recommendation for action.
- At Excellence, justifying the personal position and proposed action(s) means analysing and evaluating the biological knowledge relevant to the issue using one of the three options listed in EN 2. Choosing the sources used as an option can also include providing reasons why a particular source was/was not used.
Integrate
Material that is integrated has come from different sources (often within a paragraph), has been rewritten in the student’s own words with paragraphs that flow in a logical manner, rather than jumping from one idea to another.
The issue
The issue must be one for which people hold different opinions or viewpoints. It may be provided by the teacher or selected by the student. A student’s selection must then be approved by the teacher.
- The issue must have direct relevance to New Zealand and/or the Pacific region, i.e. the islands of the South Pacific. This would therefore exclude Asia, the west coast of USA and Canada.
- A broad issue, such as whaling or climate change, requires the student to refine the topic into one with direct relevance to a New Zealand regional context.
- Differing opinions or viewpoints about the issue (i.e. both for and against) must identify a named person, group or organisation.
Guidance
The teacher can provide extra resource material, and/or suggest sources for further research. Processed material used by the student to develop their response is submitted and used by the teacher as evidence of processing, integration and evaluation. For a written report, copies of the sources of information used by students are not required to be submitted for external moderation.