Qualifications Update:
Music Technology (Higher)

• Provides progression from National 5 Music
Technology
• Develops an increased depth and complexity of knowledge, understanding and skills
• Offers personalisation and choice
• Provides flexibility

Three units:
• Music Technology Skills (Higher)
• Understanding 20th and 21st Century Music
(Higher)
• Music Technology in Context (Higher)
Internally assessed by centres
Externally verified by SQA
Pass/Fail

Key messages from Verification (Round 1)
• Use valid and reliable assessments
SQA-produced Unit Assessment Support Packs
Centre devised assessments that have been prior verified
Your own assessments – strongly advise you have these prior verified
• Marking of assessments
SQA packs are designed on a pass/fail basis
Use Judging Evidence Tables to make assessment judgments against Assessment
Standards
Judging Evidence Tables have commentary on how to meet each Assessment Standard
A task/activity can meet most or all of the Unit Outcome and Assessment Standards
Indicate on candidate’s work that Unit Assessment Standards have been met
• Unit Assessment complementing learning and teaching
Unit Assessment is open and flexible
Assessment should allow you space to prepare for Added Value/Course Assessment

Sept 13
Oct 13
Feb 14
Feb 14
Mar 14
Apr 14
May 14
Jun 14
Assessment Support Schedule 2013/14
CfE Update Letter
Unit Assessment Support (Package 1)
Unit Assessment Support (Package 2)
Higher Specimen Question Paper
Coursework General Assessment Information
Unit Assessment Support (Package 3)
Update Mandatory Documents
Update Unit Assessment Support

Music Technology
Unit Assessment at Higher

• Flexible and open Assessment Standards and Evidence
Requirements in Units
• Greater range of techniques and methodologies for assessment – encouraged through Unit assessment support packages
• Assessments can be designed to provide evidence across more than one outcome or Unit – combined assessments
• More opportunities to gather naturally occurring evidence – assessment as part of learning and teaching

As at National 5, Assessment Support will be provided which you can use to:
• assess your candidates
• adapt for your own assessment programmes
• help you develop your own assessments

• Valid from August 2014
• Complement and support learning and teaching
• Assess competence against Unit Outcomes and Assessment Standards
• Designed to encourage professional judgement
• Provide broad-based tasks – allow assessors to choose appropriate context and forms of evidence
• Show range of approaches to generating assessment evidence
• Give information on the type of evidence which could be gathered

Package 1 (Oct 2013)
• Portfolio approach – naturally occurring evidence
Package 2 (Feb 2014)
• Unit by Unit approach – discrete assessment tasks for each Unit
Package 3 (Apr 2014)
• Combined approach – groups Outcomes and
Assessment Standards from different Units

• covers all 3 Units
• “portfolio” approach
• use of naturally occurring evidence
• independent work, with support
• describes appropriate evidence and success criteria for each assessment standard
• re-assessment by assessment standard is possible

currently being developed (for Feb 2014)
• 1 package per Unit at each level
• Music Technology Skills Unit: example task briefs
• Understanding 20 th and 21 st Century Music Unit: outcome 1 briefs, listening tasks, listening log / song plan
• Music Technology in Context Unit: selection of task briefs in different contexts (3 required)

currently being developed (for Apr 2014)
• 1 package covering all 3 Units
• task briefs providing evidence for MT Skills and
MT in Contexts Units
• alternative listening tasks for Understanding 20 th and 21 st Century Music Unit Music
Note: all 3 assessment support packs include the same judging evidence table – whatever method you choose to assess candidates, it must meet these standards.

Music Technology
Higher Course Assessment

• Course Assessment at National 5 and Higher assesses Added Value
• Courses at Higher are normally assessed by one or two Components
• Courses at Higher are graded A – D, as at present
• Controlled Assessment of setting, conducting and marking

For Music Technology, there are 2
Components:
• Question paper (30 marks = 30% of award)
• Assignment (70 marks = 70% of award)
• same structure as N5

• 30 marks (30% of award); 1 hour
• listening paper (20/21 century music & audio)
• 12-15 marks related to relevant music concepts
• 15-18 marks related to technological concepts
• approx 5 marks multiple choice
• approx 5 marks short answer
• approx 20 marks from more challenging questions which may involve extended responses

• 70 marks (70% of award)
• set by centre following SQA guidelines
– apply technical skills from MTS Unit
– show musical understanding (2021CM Unit)
– understanding of context (MTiC Unit)
• 5 exemplars provided (each involving 2 contexts) – may be adapted

The production must
• involve complex sound design involving a wide range of processes and effects
• use (and justify) appropriate techniques to capture, manipulate and sequence audio
• involve multiple parts, at least two of which should involve the use of a microphone
• apply accurate synchronization and/or sequencing
• demonstrate (and justify) creative and appropriate use of music from more than one genre or style
• involve a combination of two or more different contexts
• be at least 4 minutes in length

• supervised conditions
• externally marked
• evidence to be gathered
– formal plan
– completed audio master
– record of progress (diary)
– evaluation report
• designed to differentiate