Professional Focus Paper
Course: Philosophy
1.
Level: National 5
Who is this paper for and what is its purpose?
This paper is for teachers and other staff who provide learning, teaching and support as learners work towards
Philosophy National 5.
Curriculum for Excellence is a unique opportunity to raise achievement and to ensure that all learners are better
prepared than they have been in the past for learning, life and work. This is because the new curriculum gives real
scope to build learning 3–18 in a joined-up, seamless way. As a result, progression in learning can be much
stronger with a clear focus on attributes and capabilities, skills (including higher-order thinking skills), and
knowledge and understanding. These are delivered through the experiences and outcomes of the 3–15 Broad
General Education (BGE) and, at the senior phase, through programmes that build directly on the BGE leading to
qualifications. Because of a strengthened focus on the nature and quality of learning experiences, self-motivation is
likely to be increased and learners consequently more engaged and enthused. To ensure continuity and
progression, qualifications at the senior phase have been designed to embrace this unambiguous focus on highquality learning.
Curriculum for Excellence has the flexibility to meet the needs of all learners in their local circumstances, enabling
each to achieve their very best. For example, some centres may take the opportunity to offer qualifications over two
years which might involve learners bypassing qualifications at a given level, whereas others may enable learners to
work towards qualifications within one year. In both cases, the advice in this paper is relevant to the learning and
teaching approaches that learners will encounter. This paper, then, is intended to stimulate professional reflection
and dialogue about learning. It highlights important features of learning which are enhanced or different from
previous arrangements at this SCQF level.
How will you plan for progression in learning and teaching, building on the Broad General Education?
2.
What’s new and what are the implications for learning and teaching?
Philosophy National 5 consists of three Units.
 Knowledge and Doubt
 Moral Philosophy
 Arguments in Action
To achieve Philosophy National 5, learners must pass all of the Units, and the Course assessment, which has two
components, the assignment and the question paper.
PHILOSOPHY
What are the key aspects of Philosophy National 5?
Unit assessment
Units can be assessed either separately or in a combined assessment activity. Staff should make use of naturally
occurring opportunities for the generation of assessment evidence. A wide range of activities will be suitable for
providing assessment evidence. Staff should make best use of this flexibility to provide personalisation, choice and
challenge in the opportunities that learners have to demonstrate their learning. Assessment choices should take
account of the principles of assessment in Curriculum for Excellence and should support learning and develop
learners’ self-awareness of themselves. Staff should ensure that they are familiar with new or altered mandatory
unit content.
Course assessment
Philosophy National 5 assessment consists of two components; the question paper and the assignment. The
overall grade a learner receives will be graded A–D. The question paper is worth 75% of the overall grade and
learners will have 1 hour 30 minutes to complete the paper. The assignment is worth 25% of the overall grade with
evidence submitted to SQA for external marking.
Integrated approach to skills development
Teaching and learning in Philosophy National 5 should take an integrated approach to skills development across
Units. An integrated approach to skills development will contribute to ensuring that learners are fully prepared for
the demands of the assignment and question paper. The emphasis on the use of naturally occurring evidence, the
wide range of possible methods of Unit assessment, as well as the possibility of combined Unit assessment,
encourages and facilitates this integrated approach.
Skills
Philosophy National 5 builds on the experiences learners will have had in the BGE and reflects the values,
purposes and principles of Curriculum for Excellence. It provides learners with many opportunities to build on the
attributes and capabilities of the four capacities. Skills that learners should develop and be able to apply include
explaining and evaluating, choosing appropriate examples to illustrate a point, recognising types of argument,
identifying inconsistency, applying understanding to a new situation or context. Learners should also be able to
provide real and hypothetical examples to further an argument, use analogies, identify common errors in reasoning,
and compare different positions.
Hierarchy of Units
The hierarchical nature of the Units allows for the delivery of programmes of learning with groups of learners who
are not all working at the same level. The hierarchy of Units allows for a flexible approach, enabling learners to
tackle Units and course assessments at the most appropriate level. Learners progressing from Philosophy National
5 to Higher Philosophy should be applying their skills to different content. This is for Centres to manage.
How will you make use of the options within each Unit as you plan progression for pupils from one level to the next,
e.g. how will you ensure that pupils moving to Higher, having completed National 5, are not repeating content?
 To what extent does learning in the BGE within the third and fourth curriculum levels provide opportunities for
young people to develop the skills they will need for National 5?
 How and where will you ensure that skills development is embedded within learning and teaching?
 How will you ensure that assessment opportunities arise naturally from learning and teaching approaches?
 What methods of Unit assessment will best allow learners to be successful in demonstrating their learning?
PHILOSOPHY
What are the key features of learning in Philosophy National 5?
Active learning
Approaches to learning and teaching in Philosophy National 5 should build on approaches used in the BGE at the
third and fourth curriculum level. Learners learn best when they are actively engaged with their learning; this
includes developing skills, learning collaboratively, and applying learning to fresh and challenging contexts. Active
learning should also build learners’ confidence in independent learning in order to allow learners to take
responsibility for their own learning and to develop the skills and habits needed to become lifelong successful
learners. Philosophy offers many opportunities for active learning, for example, learners will be engaged in
selecting questions and issues for study, researching issues, analysing statements and arguments, identifying
points of agreement and disagreement, identifying causes and consequences, testing evidence and ideas,
conducting thought experiments, presenting ideas and responding to questions, categorising, questioning and
challenging their own and others’ positions, and applying learning and skills to new contexts and purposes.
How will you ensure that the principles of Curriculum for Excellence, embedded in the BGE, continue to be
developed in the senior phase as learners work towards Philosophy National 5?
Learning independently
Learning experiences should provide many opportunities for learners to develop their skills and confidence in
learning independently. Staff should consider how best to support their learners to develop as independent learners
and thinkers. It will be important for learners to be empowered to make choices about their learning. This might be
in selecting particular case studies or philosophical positions for investigation, or in making choices about how to
present their learning. This supports learner engagement and motivation as well as their sense of purpose and
control of their own learning. Learners should be challenged to think for themselves. For example learners, either
individually or in small groups, could be asked to identify the assumptions within a particular argument, the key
questions relating to an issue, the strengths and weakness of an argument, or the most helpful question to ask
about a moral issue, and to explain and justify their choices.
The development of the skills of critical thinking and philosophical enquiry is central to success and an essential
part of independent learning. Learners should be encouraged to engage with arguments, responses, issues,
sources, ideas and positions in a critical and analytical manner, using philosophical skills and techniques. For
example, learners will evaluate theories of knowledge, and use evidence to form opinions; learners will be
challenged to find points of agreement and disagreement between different moral theories; and learners will
evaluate arguments, identifying strengths and weaknesses. In the assignment learners are required to demonstrate
independent learning. All staff will need to familiarise themselves with the requirements for the production of
evidence for the assignment.
What learning and teaching approaches at third and fourth curriculum levels will prepare pupils for undertaking the
assignment at Philosophy National 5?
Responsibility for learning
Learners should be taking increasing responsibility for their own learning. Learners should be encouraged to
choose challenging activities and areas of study and, in order to do this, it will be important that learners are aware
of their ability to learn independently and their own strengths and weaknesses as learners. Staff should ensure that
learners have opportunities to take responsibility for their own learning, including opportunities to make choices
about the direction and focus of their learning. For example, learners may be involved in choosing areas for study
as well as having a choice in the learning and assessment methodologies used.
PHILOSOPHY
Time to reflect on learning, to evaluate progress, and set targets for future learning should be built in to teaching
and learning plans. Learners should be encouraged to reflect on their own progress and make effective use of
feedback to improve. Staff should consider how best to provide feedback and how best to use self- and peerassessment in order to help learners to engage with and take responsibility for the process of reviewing learning
and identifying strategies and targets for improvement.
 How can you ensure that learners have the skills and are given the opportunities to take responsibility for their
own learning?
 How will you ensure that learners have the information and understanding that they need to reflect on and make
choices about their own learning?
 How might you develop a more flexible approach, embedding personalisation and choice and encouraging
learners to take responsibility for learning?
Collaborative learning
When considering collaborative learning and teaching approaches, staff will want to consider how individual
learners can be challenged and supported to take on roles within teams which provide appropriate challenge and
also meaningful opportunities to contribute to the group and to experience success. For example, in the Moral
Philosophy Unit, learners could work in teams to research issues and then act as learning resources for one
another, taking on different roles to learn about and evaluate key questions. In Philosophy, learners will encounter
a range of positions and perspectives that are different from their own. In collaborative learning activities learners
will need to demonstrate awareness of and respect for those within their peer group of learners, and others, who
hold different positions to their own. The ability to articulate complex and abstract concepts is an important skill in
Philosophy. Collaborative learning, where learners are required to work together to discuss and analyse issues and
arguments, and to articulate those ideas for other learners will promote skills development.
How will you ensure that, when working collaboratively, all learners take on roles and responsibilities that allow for
both challenge and success?
Applying learning and skills development
There is an emphasis on skills and, in particular, on the development of skills and competence in using
philosophical techniques.
Confidence in relevant skills will be important for Course assessment, both in the assignment and the question
paper. In the assignment, learners will be required to use skills developed in philosophical study as well as literacy
and other skills.
Learners will have many opportunities to develop skills such as literacy, research, and ICT. Philosophy also offers
unique opportunities for learners to make connections between their learning and their own beliefs and values and
thus contributes significantly to health and well-being. Skills development should be embedded in all learning
opportunities, and learners should have opportunities to use skills developed in one area across other areas and in
different contexts. In particular, learners will be able to apply the skills developed in the Arguments in Action Unit in
many contexts across the other two Units and their work towards the assignment. Learning experiences should be
structured such that learners are encouraged to see links across learning. This will include links between the Units
and links to their wider learning outwith Philosophy.
How will you ensure that learners have opportunities to engage with a broad and challenging range of sources?
PHILOSOPHY
3.
Qualification information
The SQA website provides you with the following documents:
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Assessment Overview
Course Specification
Unit Specification
Support Notes
Course Assessment Specification
Unit Assessment Support Packages
Full information on arrangements for this qualification is available at the SQA website:
Philosophy National 5: http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/47398.html
4.
What other materials are available on the Education Scotland website which staff
could use?
Support materials have been produced over the last year to support Curriculum for Excellence and further support
materials and events are planned for this year. This downloadable list is updated quarterly with the most up-to-date
details available from the page below.
Published and planned support for Curriculum for Excellence:
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/publishedandplannedsupport
T +44 (0)141 282 5000 E enquiries@educationscotland.gov.uk W www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Education Scotland, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA
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