NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS CURRICULUM SUPPORT
Modern Studies
Added Value Unit:
The Assignment
Advice and Guidance for
Practitioners
[NATIONAL 4]
This advice and guidance has been produced to support the profession with the delivery of
courses which are either new or which have aspects of significant change within the new
national qualifications (NQ) framework.
The advice and guidance provides suggestions on approaches to learning and teaching.
Practitioners are encouraged to draw on the materials for their own part of their continuing
professional development in introducing new national qualifications in ways that match the
needs of learners.
Practitioners should also refer to the course and unit specifications and support notes which
have been issued by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/34714.html
Acknowledgement
© Crown copyright 2012. You may re-use this information (excluding logos) free of
charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence.
To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open government-licence/ or e-mail: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to
obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
Any enquiries regarding this document/publication should be sent to us at
enquiries@educationscotland.gov.uk.
This document is also available from our website at www.educationscotland.gov.uk.
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Contents
Section 1: Introduction to the Advice and Guidance
4
Section 2: Curriculum for Excellence National Qualifications
5
Section 3: Added Value
7
Section 4: What learners need to do in the Added Value Unit at
National 4
9
Section 5: How learning can be presented for assessment
10
Section 6: Making use of ICT for recording and presenting learning
13
Section 7: Considerations for planning
15
Section 8: Exemplification of potential approaches to learning and
teaching for the Added Value Unit in National 4
Modern Studies
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Section 1: Introduction to the Advice and Guidance
This advice and guidance offers information on national qualifications and in
particular the added value element of courses in Soci al Studies. The focus
here is to provide advice for practitioners to consider and reflect on in
planning for learning and teaching as appropriate to the context of their
learners.
The information contained in sections 1-7 is identical in the advice and
guidance documents for National 4 Added Value in Geography, Histor y and
Modern Studies. Section 8 contains subject specific exemplification of
potential approaches to learning and teaching. Practitioners should note that
these examples represent possible approaches to consider in reflection and
professional dialogue. They do not represent assessment standards or
prescribed approaches. Reference should be made to the appropriate SQA
documentation regarding assessment requirements and standards.
The exemplification provided in section 8 of these documents varies in style,
content and level. This allows practitioners to reflect on what may be most
appropriate within their own context and to consider ways of helping learners
progress in their learning through National 4 and beyond. Practitioners are
encouraged to engage with the exemplification provided for Geography,
History and Modern Studies in order to reflect on the variety of approaches
they may wish to develop in their own settings.
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Section 2: Curriculum for Excellence National
Qualifications
Curriculum for Excellence aims to achieve transformational change, allowing
flexibility for learners and the development of the four capacities.
Throughout the broad general education, learners develop skills an d
knowledge through programmes of learning and teaching planned using the
Experiences and Outcomes, informed by the Principles and Practices. To
ensure a smooth progression into and through the senior phase, practitioners
should reflect upon the principles of curriculum design and ensure that
learning experiences reflect these. The National Qualifications have been
designed to provide learners with opportunities to continue to develop the
attributes and capabilities of the four capacities as well as skills for learning,
skills for life and skills for work. They offer flexibility, provide time for
learning and focus on the development of skills and application of learning.
They allow for progression from learning that has happened through the
broad general education and allow opportunities for learners to develop
breadth, challenge and application.
National 4 qualifications are benchmarked against level four of the SCQF
framework and are internally assessed. For more information on the course,
unit and assessment specifications, practitioners should refer to the
appropriate SQA documentation.
Progression from National 4 may lead to study at National 5 and/or Higher
level qualifications. The principles of design are the same; therefore the skills
development and learning experiences at National 4 will support the learning
journey. At National 5, mandatory content is prescribed and external Course
assessment is introduced.
In planning for skills development, practitioners may find it helpful to refer to
Bloom’s taxonomy
( www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/b/genericresource_tcm4659433.asp )
and the related work of Morag McGinlay
( www.educationscotland.gov.uk/video/s/video_tcm4646983.asp ).
McGinlay’s skills path draws on Bloom’s taxonomy and demonstrates how
learners can progress through their learning and develop higher -order
thinking skills.
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Reflective questions
Consider your current approaches to learning and teaching in National
Qualification courses:
- How active is the learning in your current courses?
- In what ways are the skills of learners effectively developed? What
evidence do you have to support your conclusions?
- What aspects could be improved through increased use of active learning?
- What would the impact on learners be?
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Section 3: Added Value
The Added Value is what makes the course more than simply the sum of its
parts. Added Value assessment describes how the breadth, challenge and
application of the skills, knowledge and understanding developed by the
learner throughout the Course will be assessed.
For National 4 courses, the Added Value unit serves as the asses sment and is
internally assessed on a pass or fail basis. At National 5, Higher and
Advanced Higher the Added Value is externally assessed through the Course
assessment.
The Added Value Unit for Geography, History and Modern Studies ta kes the
form of an assignment. SQA define an assignment as:
a problem-solving exercise with clear guidelines and structure. An
assignment is particularly suited to the assessment of outcomes based on
applying practical skills and related knowledge and understanding to a
situation that involves task management. Assignments are more structured
and less open-ended than projects. They differ from practical activities in
that they do not have to conform to a prescribed procedure and they are not
concerned exclusively with technical skills.
For further detail on the requirements of the unit, practitioners should refer to
the relevant SQA course and unit specifications. These can be found on the
SQA website – www.sqa.org.uk.
Practitioners should note that the Added Value assignment is not necessarily
an end of course activity, but rather it can be undertaken at any point. It
involves selecting appropriate skills, knowledge and understanding and
presenting the learning in a chosen format. The topic or issue chosen by the
learner may relate to a single unit or may emerge from learning across units.
The assignment should be seen as an opportunity for learners to
demonstrate their abilities. They should make use of the knowledge,
understanding and skills that have been gained during the Broad
General Education and that they are gaining through their studies in the
National 4 course. It should allow learners the opportunity to develop a
deeper understanding of the topic chosen. The assignment also allows
for personalisation and choice within the curriculum. It gives learners
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the opportunity to choose the topic or issue for study and the method of
presentation.
Reflective questions
- How will you facilitate for personalisation and choice in topic choice?
- What kinds of approaches to learning and teaching will best prepare
learners for undertaking the assignment?
- How can you support all learners in achieving success in the Added Value
Unit?
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Section 4: What learners need to do in the Added
Value Unit
This section of advice and guidance provides a brief overview of what
learners need to do for the assignment, however, practitioners should refer to
SQA documentation for detail on assessment requirements of the Added
Value unit assignment.
In Modern Studies, learners will:
- Choose a topic or issue for study from political, social or international
contexts
- Use sources of information relevant to the topic or issue being studied
- Collect and organise information from the sources
- Evaluate information on the topic or issue
- Present their findings
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Section 5: How learning can be presented for
assessment
Learners can present their assignment in a way that will allow them to best
demonstrate their knowledge and understanding and skills in order to meet
the outcomes of the unit. There are many methods available. Practitioners
should refer to the relevant SQA documentation regarding the detail of
assessment requirements. It should be noted that the assignment presents
opportunities for learners to engage with topics of their choice and s hould be
an enjoyable experience of moving into more depth in an area of interest to
the learner. Therefore, over assessment should be avoided. The following list
of potential presentation methods is in no way prescriptive and simply
outlines some of the many possibilities. Learners may demonstrate
achievement of the outcomes of the unit in any appropriate form.
Digital
presentation
Video
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 Learners may choose to present their assignment
through a presentation to the class, a group or
the practitioner.
 A variety of digital presentation programmes
could be used depending on availability and the
expertise of the learner.
 Could be a short film which contains the
learner’s response.
 Could allow the learner to make use of filmed
interviews or recorded interviews.
 Could involve the use of software such as Movie
Maker to include a variety of information.
 Could take the form of a stop–go animation with
voiceovers.
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Written
piece
 A written report could be carried out with a
range of possible options, including:
- essay (possibly employing writing frames)
- newspaper/magazine article
- blog/wiki
- learning log or journal
- Comic Life.
Podcast
 This could be used to record the learner’s talk or
presentation.
 Could take the format of a scripted or unscripted
interview with a peer or expert in the subject.
 Could be presented in the style of a news
broadcast.
Wall display
 This could include a range of styles of
presentation of learning.
 May facilitate a creative response that would
allow for wider presentation of the learning with
others.
 Displays can be employed in an interactive
fashion as questions can be asked by anyone
who views this.
Oral
presentation/
interview
with the
practitioner
 This could take the form of a short talk to the class,
a group or the practitioner. A talk may be expected
to last around 5 minutes.
 A well-organised talk will be structured in a
manner that will satisfy the demands of the Added
Value Unit.
 Following any form of presentation, it may be
appropriate for the learner to answer some oral
questions from peers and/or the practitioner.
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Care should be taken not to over-credit such factors as IT skills and
oral/written communication skills as opposed to the subject specific skills,
knowledge and understanding. The activity is primarily about developing the
skills of the subject but, of course, presentation and communication skills are
also important in the context of developing skills for learning, skills for life
and skills for work.
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Section 6: Making use of ICT for recording and
presenting learning
Blog
A blog can also be described as a ‘web log’. There are many ways in which
learners could use a blog to communicate their progress and findings with
practitioners, peers and parents.
Blogs allow learners to update their progress from a computer or smart phone
and provide a platform for keeping a log or journal if desired.
You may wish to consider using Glow Blogs: http://glo.li/vQYjDO
Wikis
Wikis provide opportunities for learners to collaborate with other learners
and teachers, and share what they have learned. A wiki is a website that lets
any learner (or indeed anyone else you want) become a participant: you can
create or edit the actual site contents without any special technical
knowledge. A wiki is continuously under revision. One famous example is
Wikipedia, an online encyclopaedia with no authors but millions of
contributors and editors. Wikis have controlled access to ensure learner
information remains private. If a learner uses a wiki to present his/her
findings, then the wiki can be built up throughout the research process. There
are many examples on the internet of learners effectively using wikis for
learning.
You may wish to consider using Glow Wikis: http://glo.li/t9wE1u
Digital Presentations
If learners opt to present their assignment in the form of a presentation, they
may wish to support this by employing some presentation software. In many
cases this will take the form of a PowerPoint presentation. However, learners
may have the ability to create their presentation in some of the many other
formats available, such as Keynote, Prezi, Empressr, Powtoon.
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Other ICT
Learners may make use of other ICT in their assignment. Software such as
Comic Life allows learners to create comic strip style documents and
presentations where the detail of their learning can be demonstrated in
creative and engaging ways. Programmes such as Photostory or Movie Maker
allow learners to create presentations that can capture and display t heir
learning. The use of video cameras and USB microphones allow for a flexible
approach to gathering material and presenting learning.
Reflective questions
- How will you facilitate for personalisation and choice in methods of
presentation for learners?
- What strengths do you have in using ICT to support learners?
- What considerations will you need to discuss regarding assessing the
Added Value unit?
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Section 7: Considerations for planning
In planning for the Added Value assignment, practitioners sho uld bear in
mind, as noted previously, that learning developed throughout the course can
be drawn upon, that sources and materials gathered in the other units can be
utilised and that the assignment can be carried out at any point during the
course.
It will be important to allow learners the opportunity to engage in dialogue
and reflection over their choice of topic or issue and to consider in detail
what they will need to do. It may be beneficial for some learners to work with
peers on many aspects of the assignment before producing an individual final
piece. A collegiate approach to thinking about and planning the assignment
may help to foster an ethos that supports quality peer and self evaluation of
learning and may support learners in developing their higher order thinking
skills through discussion.
There is an expectation that practitioners will support learners, as
appropriate, throughout all stages of the assignment, including in the phase of
choosing topics and issues.
Allowing learners the opportunity to engage in activities that help the class
consider potential assignment topics and issues, sources of information and
ways of carrying out research, processing research and presenting findings,
will support learners and encourage engagement.
Practitioners may consider ways of helping learners to benefit from
opportunities to learn outwith the classroom when working on the Added
Value unit. There may be local people, places, groups, organisations that
would be useful places either for classes, grou ps or individuals to visit as part
of their course that would contribute to the assignment, or purely to inform
research for the assignment.
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Section 8: Exemplification of potential approaches
to learning and teaching for the Added
Value Unit in National 4 Modern Studies
This table outlines the exemplification provided.
The examples are designed to encourage reflective thinking for practitioners
in considering the Added Value Unit in their own contexts. They do not
represent prescribed approaches or assessment standards.
A presentation is included along with this document. The presentation
contains one potential approach to creating a ‘Learner Guide’ to the
assignment.
Topic
Research skills
Democracy in
Scotland and
the United
Kingdom




Social Issues
in the United
Kingdom

International
Issues




16

Interview with an MSP and
notetaking
Emailing MSPs
Diary of an MSP from
textbook
Twitter
Interview with local
Community Police Officer
Survey of local young people

Research poster
display
Internet research
Film / Programme viewing
Speaker from NGO
Gathering graphical
information

Movie Maker
documentary
Staged interview
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Processing and
Presenting
Techniques
 Diary of an MSP
 Blog
 Podcast
 Tweets
 Presentation

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Democracy in
Scotland and
the United
Kingdom and
Social Issues
in the United
Kingdom
Democracy in
Scotland and
the United
Kingdom and
International
Issues



Internet research
Community survey
Speaker


Blog
Design a campaign
webpage

Internet research and graphical
representation
Interview with MSP/MP or
video clips / newspaper/web
interviews



Debate
Discussion
Questioning

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Exemplar 1 – Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom
Work of an MSP
Give learners a topic, eg the work of an MSP. From the topic, learners can
come up with an issue for research, eg In what ways do MSPs represent their
constituents.
Invite an MSP to come to the class. The class should prepare questions for the
MSP, including appropriate questions about the work they do.
The class write up some notes based on what the MSP discusses, linking this
into the issue they are researching. Reference and date the notes.
The diary of an MSP (in several modern studies textbooks) can then be used
to look at what sort of work they do. Again, learners take appropriate notes
that will help them with their research.
Many MSPs tweet on a regular basis and following these may be an
interesting way of gaining insight for learners. Practitioners may wish to
explore social media as a way of contacting and / or conversing with elected
representatives.
The other MSPs can also be contacted via email to ask them some relevant
questions. The class can agree on three or four key questions to send. Any
responses should be studied to ascertain if there is relevant information. This
can again be noted by the learners.
Learners can then present their learning in a range of ways and individuals
may choose to explore this area in more depth and for their assignment. They
may choose to present their findings in their own version of the diary of an
MSP, possibly in a ‘Twitter’ style, blog or podcast, or through a presentation
on the work of MSPs.
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Exemplar 2 – Social Issues in the United Kingdom
Youth Crime in Dundee
Research poster
The headings in the research poster should be the same no matter what form
of presentation the learner chooses to use.
Topic/issue: Causes of youth crime in Dundee: Some young people in
Dundee commit crimes because they are bored.
Introduction: why did you choose this topic/issue? Did you work on your
own or with some others? What did you do to collect information? etc
Source 1
Source 2
What is source 1?
What is source 2?
eg. Interview with
Community Police Officer
eg. Survey of local young
people
What useful information
have I got from this source
material to help me answer
my question?
What relevant knowledge have I got to help me
What useful information
have I got from this source
material to help me answer
my question?
answer my question?
Describe…
Explain….
Conclusion:
Using all the information I have gathered, I have reached the following
conclusion about why young people in Dundee commit crimes.
Here are my findings:
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Exemplar 3 - International Issues
All learners may be researching something within International Issues, eg
child soldiers, lack of safe water, conflict etc.
As the class progress through the International Issues unit, there will be
opportunities for gathering sources, for example internet research, watching a
TV programme/DVD, speaker from a non-governmental organisation,
graphical information such as map of conflicts in Africa, notes from
newspaper articles. These sources can be gathered and put in a folder for
when the learner needs to use the material. More than two pieces of source
material can be gathered but it is not necessary for the assessment of the
assignment to use more than two. The source material should be referenced,
ie where it came from and the dates accessed. Learners also need to ensure
that they have the relevant knowledge and understanding to support their
research. This can probably be done by carrying out all the activities set by
the teacher or there may be some opportunity for further research time in
school. At an appropriate time during the International Issues unit, time can
be set aside for learners to work on their research.
Learners may then choose to present their findings in any of the wide variety
of ways available to them. By way of example, two learners researching
issues around child soldiers may choose to create a documentary utilising
images or clips they have viewed and internet research. They might create the
film on Movie Maker and then each provide voiceovers to explain their
individual areas of study. Another learner may ask a peer to ask them scripted
questions to present a news room style interview, either in the class or on
camera.
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Exemplar 4 - Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom
and Social Issues in the United Kingdom
Sections: Rights and responsibilities of pressure/interest groups when
influencing decision making in Scotland/United Kingdom and responses to
crime from the Crime and Law option in Social Issues in the United
Kingdom.
It is possible to teach units concurrently and to integrate sections of them into
something meaningful such as researching a pressure gr oup like the Howard
League for Penal Reform, looking at how they respond to issues such as
alternatives to custody. Learners may gather information and opinions about
alternatives to custody. Investigating how the group works can be done by
looking at the website, for example it has sections on taking action and
becoming a member. Using a recent campaign, ‘Community Sentences Cut
Crime’, as a case study, learners could look at the rights and responsibilities
of a pressure group and how successful such a gro up is. The website has a
very useful blog section that may also encourage learners to consider th is as a
way of presenting their findings. Surveys could also be carried out to see
what others think about community sentences etc. It may also be possible to
get a speaker so that learners can ask specific questions to help them with
their own individual research. There are many more examples similar to this
one that could be used to engage learners – almost any pressure group could
be linked with a social issues topic in both Social Inequality and Crime and
Law.
Learners may choose to present their finding in this area through creation of a
blog that details their findings and thoughts. They may choose to design a
webpage in the style of a campaign group.
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Exemplar 5 –Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom
and International Issues
Political Systems (India) and Participation in the Political System
From the topic, learners can come up with an issue for research, eg.
participation of women in politics in Scotland/United Kingdom and India.
Learners may use the Scottish Parliament and/or United Kingdom Parliament
websites to get statistics on the number of female MSPs/MPs. This can be
done individually by the learner, or as a class. Graphs can be drawn to
compare the numbers. This will encourage learners to think about different
ways to graphically present their findings.
It may be possible to invite a female MSP/MP to the class so that they can be
questioned as to why they wanted to be a politician etc. The learners can
devise the questions and write up their findings in a blog or a wiki or a
podcast. Otherwise, online video clips of female MSPs/MPs or newspaper
interviews and websites may be incorporated.
There are some accessible resources, especially o nline, about female
participation in politics in India and other countries. Using a webquest is a
good way for learners to research constructively. 1
A class debate could be set up with a motion decided on by the class. This
would allow both sides of an argument to be heard.
It may be possible for learners to demonstrate the learning required for the
assignment within a debate setting or in a small group or one -to-one
discussion. If the debate is to be the format for the learner to present their
findings, it may be appropriate for peer and/or practitioner questioning to
follow this in order to draw out all required information.
1
http://www.webquestdirect.com.au/wantyo_make.asp
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