Clarification details
Updated December 2018. This document has been updated to address issues that have arisen from moderation.
The purpose of clarifications
We create clarification documents to help people understand the current requirements of achievement standards. Clarifications do not introduce new criteria, change the intent of the standard, or change what we expect from assessment.
These documents unpack and explain the language and intent of the standard so people interpret and apply the standard consistently. We provide examples or guidance as illustrations only. They are not prescriptions or requirements.
For official requirements, always refer to the current version of the achievement standard as published by NZQA.
Examination
When examining the safety management issues, students should provide a detailed investigation which is beyond level 7 of the curriculum. Refer to Explanatory Note 3 of the standard to see what these may include.
Analyse issues
Student responses must include:
- clearly identified safety management issues for the selected outdoor activity
- why this is a safety management issue for their outdoor activity
- how and why factors can influence each safety management issue with specific examples
- clearly identify safety management strategies that will address each safety management issue
- how and why safety management strategies will address each safety management issue with specific examples.
A safety management issue is something that already exists such as inexperience of the instructor or participant. Whereas a risk is something that may or may not happen such as getting hypothermia or falling off your bike.
Focusing on the most relevant safety management issues will allow for more depth in the student analysis.
Wider implications
Wider implications maybe those issues that are beyond what is required at level 7 of the curriculum, for example, people, equipment and environment. Examples of these issues are provided in Explanatory Note 3 of the standard, such as, the impact on the ecosystem, school policies, legislation.
Critically analyse
Student responses must provide a critical analysis that includes:
- identifying clearly the issues that have the greatest importance (or not). These judgements should be justified and supported with evidence from the analysis.
- identifying clearly the assumptions and practices relating to safety management in the outdoors that relate to the actual activity being analysed. These assumptions are required to be questioned and challenged. For example, are the RAMS forms or policies relevant?