Clarification details
Updated June 2016. The section dealing with changes in an expression(s) has been updated to address new issues that have arisen from moderation.
The specific branch of a religious tradition needs to be specified
For many religious traditions, there are broad terms, and then branches of the tradition that do not necessarily share the same beliefs. For example, Christianity is a broad term that covers many aspects of that religious tradition, but the different denominations within Christianity do not necessarily share the same beliefs as one another. It is important to clearly identify which branch of the religious tradition is being assessed, either for or by the student, during the assessment activity.
Clarification of changes and expression(s)
The focus of this achievement standard is the concept of changes in an expression(s) of a religious tradition.
The changes identified by the students need to be changes that are obvious and clear within the expression of a religious tradition.
The expression(s) needs to be about what, how or why the religious tradition practices and believes.
Student evidence needs to focus on the explanation of the changes in the expression(s) rather than just a description of the development that may have given rise to changes. The significance and wider implications of the changes are vital to the level of achievement a student can obtain.
Explanatory note 6: the concepts of a rite and ritual are very similar and in many cases can be interchanged. For example, if an assessment required students to explain the changes in how and why the Catholic Church has celebrated the sacrament of baptism from the Middle Ages to the present day, both the rite and ritual of the celebration could be discussed.
Students need to be given the opportunity to clearly explain through description and reasoning that changes have occurred in the expression(s) that have been identified in a particular religious tradition. The assessment activity needs to allow the students to provide this evidence. Changes usually occur over time and so this should be taken into account for the timeframe allocated in the activity specified.
Wider implications
Students need to focus on at least two implications, and their selection could be determined by the type of changes in expression(s) being explained. All implications can be from within one or a combination of the suggested areas. For example, if the changes of expression(s) involves an event such as Vatican II or the Rashidun Caliphate, then social, historical and geographical implications may be more relevant than political or personal implications.