Physical Education - National Moderator's Report

Insights

92016: Apply movement strategies in an applied setting 

Performance overview: 

The standard requires students to identify and demonstrate a range of movement strategies in an applied setting.  

Examples of good practice seen by moderators include the collection of teacher evidence of the identified movement strategies in a live performance, in an applied setting, at level 6 of the curriculum. The identified movement strategies included characteristics in the live observation sheet or assessment schedule for each student. This provided evidence of how the final grade was awarded. Teacher commentary and/or student videos also supported the grade awarded.  

Practices that need strengthening: 

Common issues seen in moderation are:  

• interpretation of the movement strategy 
• the applied setting 
• the collection of evidence 
• over assessing  
• insufficient evidence of how the final grade was awarded. 

Movement strategy 

Students are required to demonstrate movement strategies, rather than movement skills or communication. A movement strategy is an approach or tactic to achieve a movement outcome or goal. An example of an outcome or goal could be “creating an attacking opportunity” or “to successfully negotiate terrain”.  

A movement strategy including characteristics is required. The characteristics are the quality indicators of how each movement strategy is demonstrated at level 6 of the curriculum. For example, anticipating and responding to external cues, coordination, fluidity, speed, change of pace of the movement, etc. 

An example of a movement strategy including characteristics for an invasion game such as turbo touch could be, “demonstrates coordination and fluidity by quickly and accurately passing into space for a team member to run onto, to create an attacking opportunity”. For an outdoor education activity such as mountain biking, a movement strategy including characteristics could be “anticipating and responding to environmental conditions (wet/slippery/dry/dusty) by adjusting pace/speed/technique/body positioning to successfully negotiate the terrain”. 

Applied setting 

Students are required to demonstrate their identified movement strategies in an applied setting, rather than during drills or other preparation activities. The applied setting provides an authentic environment that allows students to purposely demonstrate movement strategies. For example, this could be a class tournament (including officials, scoring, and evident game rules), a modified game (such as 3-on-3 basketball), an outdoor experience, or an event or festival.   

Collecting evidence 

Teacher are required to assess the range of movement strategies in a live performance, in an applied setting, for each student, rather than from video after the performance. Also, the assessed movement strategies should match the movement strategies identified by the student prior to the demonstration. The characteristics should be included in the movement strategy on the live observation sheet, assessment schedule, or teacher commentary. This will provide guidance for teacher to know what they are observing when assessing each movement strategy, and will provide evidence of the quality of the execution and the curriculum level. 

The teacher live observation sheets should include dates and/or games to indicate when the demonstration took place. Evidence of the demonstration could include notes, symbols, video/voice recorded commentary, or a combination of these.  

The final grade should be based on the teacher live observations of student identified movement strategies in the applied setting. Teacher commentary and student evidence is beneficial to support the grade awarded.    

From 2025, ’consistent and effective demonstration’ has changed to multiple occasions within one game/outdoor experience, or across a series of games (a tournament)/outdoor experiences. This should be recorded on the live observation sheet and could be supported in student video evidence or teacher commentary. 

Over assessing 

Students are required to identify and demonstrate a range of movement strategies rather than include a written description of how they have demonstrated these.    

Consultation with their teacher prior to the demonstration will allow students to identify movement strategies that are appropriate for the movement context and curriculum level. 

In some cases, students provided too many videos for each strategy demonstrated, or long game videos. One or two videos for each strategy or time-stamped videos, could be considered. Examples of good practice clearly show identification of the student, the movement strategy demonstrated in the context of the game or experience, as well as voice over or text commentary from the student supporting the demonstration in the edited clips. 

Final grade awarded 

The final grade should be based on the teacher live observations of the student identified movement strategies, in the applied setting, rather than only video evidence after the performance has taken place. Teacher commentary and student evidence is beneficial to support the grade awarded.    

92017: Demonstrate understanding of the application of strategies in movement 

Performance overview: 

The standard requires students to demonstrate understanding of the application of strategies in movement. There must be a discussion about kotahitanga throughout the application of the strategies in movement. 

Examples of good practice seen by moderators include the discussion about kotahitanga clearly linking to the application of the strategies in movement. This was supported with specific examples from the students’ own experiences. For example, what the student said or did when applying each strategy that led to kotahitanga being promoted in the specific movement context. Also, teacher commentary and/or feedback on the student evidence further supported how the final judgement was made. 

Practices that need strengthening: 

Common issues seen in moderation are:  

• lack of discussion about kotahitanga throughout the application of the strategies 
• the strategy applied 
• the movement context 
• lack of personal examples 
• over assessing 
• the depth of evidence for Achieved, Merit, and Excellence 
• too much guidance in the task. 

Kotahitanga  

While students generally have a good understanding about kotahitanga, the discussion must explicitly refer to kotahitanga and link to how the student applied each strategy. For example, what did the student specifically say or do in the movement context that led to kotahitanga being promoted. This should focus on unity, togetherness, solidarity, or collective action rather than on winning. A definition of kotahitanga could provide the basis for their further discussion of how kotahitanga was promoted. 

Strategies  

Authentic strategies that provide opportunity to promote kotahitanga should be applied. For example, effective communication, manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, tuakana teina, or problem solving rather than teamwork, self-management, self-confidence, fair play, social responsibility, or active participation. Respect and supporting and encouraging others could be an aspect of manaakitanga or whanaungatanga. When applying cooperation, the student should be describing how they cooperated with others that led to kotahitanga being promoted rather than telling others what to do.  

Movement  

Students should apply their strategies when working in a group in movement. For example, specifically in the basketball game or drills, or when trekking, rather than putting up tents, cooking, solving puzzles, or picking up rubbish. For the ABL activities, the selection of the appropriate activities that involve movement are required. 

Personal examples  

The application of the strategies and the discussion about how kotahitanga is promoted are required to be supported with specific examples from the student’s own experience. For example, specifically what the student said or did themselves (“I”) when applying their strategies in movement, rather than what others said or did (“we”). 

Depth of evidence  

Successful students at Achieved level can provide reasons for applying their strategies in the movement and describe applying these strategies using personal examples that led to kotahitanga being promoted. 

Successful students at Merit level can discuss how and why the strategies were applied using personal examples that led to kotahitanga being promoted. For example, the ‘how’ describes what occurred when the student applied each strategy and the ‘why’ uses words such as because, this meant, this allowed, or this resulted in. 

Successful students at Excellence level can draw conclusions explicitly about the effectiveness of how the strategies were applied, using personal examples from their own experiences that led to kotahitanga being promoted. 

Over assessing 

Students have produced a greater breadth of evidence than the standard requires. Using the evidence from the log entries to create a written report could allow more depth in the student responses. 

Too much guidance  

The use of a template that uses leading questions provides too much guidance for students. A template limits the opportunity for students to provide their own authentic written text. The intent of the standard is for students to personally apply strategies in movement that lead to promoting kotahitanga and reflect on these from their own experience. 

91501: Demonstrate quality performance of a physical activity in an applied setting   

Performance overview:   

The standard requires a focus on demonstrating quality performance, in an applied setting, at level 8 of the curriculum. This requires the effective demonstration of a wide range of elements and skills to participate proficiently in physical activity in an applied setting. Examples of good practice include a collection of assessor evidence of the elements and skills demonstrated over a period of time that include observation dates and teacher commentary. This allows for fair and valid judgements to be made when determining consistency.     

Good practice seen by moderators are teacher creating their own assessment resources exploring a range of ngā taonga tākaro as an applied context. For example, a new kī o rahi resource for standard 91501.  

Practices that need strengthening:   

Moderators often encountered a range of issues with the assessment resource used by assessors. At times, the assessment resource used is an expired performance rubric that no longer meets the requirements of the current standard. It is good practice to check each year that the rubric for the chosen physical activity is the most up to date rubric before assessing. 

Before developing a new rubric, check that there is not one already developed in the 'Guidelines for assessing against standard 91501' document. These ‘Guidelines’ help to ensure national consistency.  When developing own assessment resources for a new physical activity context for this standard, the elements and skills should be defined in more detail and reflect level 8 of the curriculum. Consulting with a range of professionals or sporting bodies will assist in determining the appropriate elements and skills, at the appropriate level for each criterion. 

91505: Examine contemporary leadership principles applied in physical activity contexts   

Performance overview:   

This standard involves examining contemporary leadership principles applied in physical activity contexts. The more common leadership principles used are transactional, affiliative, transformational, and situational examined at level 8 of the curriculum, rather than democratic, laissez faire and autocratic.     

Mātauranga Māori contexts that are seen to work are examples of Kaupapa Māori leadership principles used and applied in a range of physical activity contexts, such as whanaungatanga, manaakitanga and tuakana teina. The use of a range of modes such as podcasts, vlogs and written reflections are also used to collate evidence towards the standard showcasing UDL practice.   

Practices that need strengthening:   

Common issues seen by moderators are around the Excellence grade boundary. For example, questioning and challenging (identified) assumptions about contemporary leadership principles.   

Successful students at Excellence level can clearly identify assumptions relating to their leadership principles and physical activity contexts and question, and can challenge these assumptions from different perspectives, rather than supporting. For example, “this is not always the case…”, “I can challenge this assumption because the research shows…”, “this could be challenged more whether…”, “I wonder what would have been the result if I had tried a different strategy”, or “I wonder if my assumptions are untrue because I saw…”    

Students can relate these assumptions specifically to the selected contemporary leadership principles and how these are applied in order to draw coherent and insightful conclusions about their relevance and suitability for physical activity contexts.   

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