NCEA Level 3 Social Studies 91596 (3.1) — page 1 of 4
SAMPLE ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE
Social Studies 91596 (3.1): Demonstrate understanding of ideological responses to an issue(s)
Assessment Criteria
Achievement
Demonstrate understanding of ideological responses to
an issue(s) involves using social studies concepts to
outline the nature of the issue(s); the diverse points of
view, values and perspectives of different individuals
and/or groups; their responses to the issue and the
impact of those ideological responses on the issue(s)
using specific evidence.
Achievement with Merit
Achievement with Excellence
Demonstrate in-depth understanding of ideological
responses to an issue(s) involves explaining how and/or
why the ideologies influence the responses to the
issue(s).
Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of
ideological responses to an issue(s) involves
evaluating the extent to which ideological responses
have influenced the issue(s).
Evidence Statement
Achievement
Candidate gives THREE of the following:

describes the nature of the issue

describes the diverse points of view, values and perspectives
of different individuals and/or groups

describes different individuals’ and/or groups’ responses to
the issue(s)

describes the impact of those ideological responses on the
issue(s)

incorporates social studies concepts; gives specific
evidence.
Achievement with Merit
Candidate explains how and/or why the ideologies
influence the responses to the issue(s).
Achievement with Excellence
Candidate evaluates the extent to which the
ideological responses have influenced the
issue(s).
Example: Palm kernel oil use in New Zealand
Candidate incorporates social studies concepts – italicised in the answers below – and uses specific evidence.
Describing the nature of the issue could include:
Explaining how and/or why the ideologies
influence the responses to the issue(s) could
Evaluating the extent to which ideological
NCEA Level 3 Social Studies 91596 (3.1) — page 2 of 4
Oil palms are used for food and non-food products. The use of
products from oil palms has increased at a very fast rate. One in
ten supermarket products contain palm oil. Palm oil production is
mainly from non-sustainable sources and deforestation is
contributing to global warming and climate change as well as the
endangerment of many animal species such as the orangutan
and other flora and fauna species. Palm oil plantations also
impact on indigenous tribes and their traditional lifestyle.
Globally, oil stocks for all oil sources are being depleted due to
weather patterns such as flooding and drought, and as
consumer need increases at an incredibly fast rate.
The agricultural industry in New Zealand is coming under
increased pressure to review its use of palm kernel expeller
meal (PKE) for feed purposes.
Describing the diverse points of view, values and perspectives of
different individuals and/or groups could include:
From an environmental perspective Auckland Zoo believes the
only way to reverse the situation is for consumers to reduce their
consumption of palm oil. They value highly the contribution that
consumers can make to ensure change happens in regard to
this issue.
Describing the different individuals’ and/or groups’
responses to the issue(s) could include:
An ideological response to the issue related to environmentalism
includes boycotting palm oil-related products such as those on
the shopping list provided by Auckland Zoo, and using consumer
pressure to change their products to either not contain palm oil,
such as Cadbury’s Dairy Milk chocolate, or to use sustainable
palm oil, which Woolworths has committed itself to by 2015.
Technology has played a major role in many of the responses;
the use of Facebook and other social networking sites puts
pressure on the industry to change its current practice.
Describing the impact of those ideological responses on the
include:
responses have influenced the issue(s):
An environmental ideology with the key principles or
goals of sustainability and preservation of existing
endangered species has influenced responses to this
issue. This is because the creation of palm oil
plantations results in a ‘biological desert’ which in
turn endangers species such as the orangutan.
Ninety per cent of the wildlife disappears when oil
palm plantations replace a rainforest.
The environmental ideology and subsequent
responses contain a range of strengths and
weaknesses. The Cadbury chocolate issue
showed that consumers can put pressure on
corporations to change their practices, even
when it impacts on their profits, which in turn
leads ultimately to the preservation of existing
endangered species if less palm oil is being
used by consumers.
Auckland Zoo’s perspective on this issue is that
consumers need to reduce their consumption of palm
oil, that public awareness and leading by example
are effective ways to force change, and that people in
New Zealand can contribute to the preservation of
existing endangered species.
The difficulty now is that with PKE being widely
and increasingly used in New Zealand, palm oil
may be entering the food chain through milk and
associated milk products. PKE is a secondary
product, as it uses the husks of the kernels
which are left after the extraction of the oil and
this could be seen as an important use of a byproduct created by palm oil consumption.
Globally, the use of palm oil in food and nonfood products is accelerating despite a wide
range of responses directly related to the
principles and beliefs of environmentalism. The
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil has no real
power to enforce sustainable palm oil use
globally or even among its registered suppliers.
Food labelling is just starting to be considered
by governments. Until the public is aware which
products contain palm oil and which products
come from sustainable sources in an easily
accessible labelling system, only discerning and
informed consumers will be able to put pressure
on companies to either eliminate the use of palm
oil or to use it from sustainable sources.
NCEA Level 3 Social Studies 91596 (3.1) — page 3 of 4
issue(s) could include:
Supermarkets are committed to labelling all palm oil in their
Homebrand food and non-food products. Auckland Zoo’s
ultimate goal is to be free of palm oil.
NCEA Level 3 Social Studies 91596 (3.1) — page 4 of 4
Not Achieved
NØ
No response, no
relevant evidence.
Achievement
N1
N2
A3
Achievement with Merit
A4
ONE of the
following:
TWO of the
following:
THREE of the
following:
FOUR of the
following:
 describes an
issue
 describes an
issue
 describes an
issue
 describes an
issue
 describes the
ideological
response(s) to
the issues
 describes the
ideological
response(s) to
the issue
 describes the
ideological
response(s) to
the issue
 describes the
ideological
response(s) to
the issue
 incorporates
social studies
concepts.
 incorporates
social studies
concepts.
 incorporates
social studies
concepts.
 incorporates
social studies
concepts.
 describes the
points of view,
values and
perspectives of
different
individuals
and/or groups
within the
ideologies.
 describes the
points of view,
values and
perspectives of
different
individuals
and/or groups
within the
ideologies.
 describes the
points of view,
values and
perspectives of
different
individuals
and/or groups
within the
ideologies.
 describes the
points of view,
values and
perspectives of
different
individuals
and/or groups
within the
ideologies.
 The descriptors between grades should be qualitative – eg, N–A.
 Descriptors within grades may be quantitative – eg, A 1–2.
 The score-based criteria is part of the whole assessment schedule.
 One score-based criteria per question.
M5
M6
Candidate
explains how the
ideologies
influence the
response(s).
Candidate
explains in detail
how the
ideologies
influence the
response(s).
Achievement with Excellence
E7
Candidate
evaluates the
impact of the
ideological
response(s) to
the issue.
E8
Candidate
evaluates the
impact of the
ideological
response(s) to
the issue in
detail.