Unit 3: Sample approach to developing an assessment task

Outcome 1

On completion of this unit the student should be able to explain the complex, dynamic and global nature of health and wellbeing, interpret and apply Australia’s health status data and analyse variations in health status.

Assessment task: Structured questions, including data analysis.

Step 1: List the key knowledge and key skills
The VCE Health and Human Development Study Design (pdf - 157.95kb), pages 16 and 17, provides details of the key knowledge and key skills related to Unit 3 Outcome 1 and the Area of Study: Understanding health and wellbeing.

Step 2: Choose the assessment task from the range of options listed in the study design. The study design identifies a range of task formats that can be used to assess this outcome. Teachers should be familiar with the essential characteristics of each task type and the implications of these for task design and conduct of assessment. In this case, students will complete structured questions, including data analysis.

Step 3: Examine the assessment advice. The performance descriptors should be fully understood as they give a clear indication of qualities and characteristics that are required in a student response. For example, a data analysis would involve students understanding the concept of health status and the indicators used to measure health status.

Step 4: Identify the qualities and characteristics that are required in a student response and design the criteria and a marking scheme. The performance descriptors for each outcome identify the qualities and or characteristics that need to be identified in a student response.

Step 5: Determine the teaching and learning activities. Plan a sequence of teaching and learning activities that will develop pre-task knowledge and skills in relation to the individual and collective importance of health and wellbeing as a resource and the indicators used to measure health status.

Teaching the pre-task knowledge and skills

Use the key knowledge and key skills to be learnt in Unit 3 Outcome 1 and ensure that students are able to:

• explain the dynamic and subjective nature of the concepts of health and wellbeing and illness
• describe interrelationships between dimensions of health and wellbeing
• explain the individual and collective importance of health and wellbeing as a resource
• describe global benefits of the pursuit of optimal health and wellbeing
• identify the WHO’s prerequisites for health and explain their links to improved health outcomes
• describe and apply indicators used to measure health status
• use data to describe and evaluate the health status of Australians
• analyse patterns in morbidity and mortality in Australia over time
• analyse health information to explain factors that contribute to variations in health status between population groups.

In relation to Unit 3: Outcome 1, teaching and learning activities could involve:

• Provide a list of statements that represent physical, social, emotional, mental and spiritual dimensions of health and wellbeing. In pairs, students classify them into the corresponding dimension of health. Use the statements to construct a mind map of health dimensions.
• Use everyday case studies of people to identify different dimensions of health and wellbeing, for example well-known stories from the media or fictional storylines and characters.
• Use a lotus diagram or other graphic organiser to summarise the concepts of health and wellbeing, including different dimensions (and interrelationships between them).
• Use an app to help define, distinguish and explain key indicators of measuring health status (e.g. Quizlet Flashcards).
• Visit Gapminder’s Dollar Street and undertake a comparison of three families (high-, middle- and low-income). Click on each family and then the section to find out more about the family. Undertake an audit of their resources mapped against the WHO prerequisites for health.

Step 6: Design the assessment task.

This task requires students to develop responses to a series of questions based on data provided by the teacher. The teacher needs to set questions, source and select material (including data) and format the task in such a way that it allows students to demonstrate the highest level of performance and the qualities and characteristics that define this.

Teachers should develop an assessment task that allows the student to:

• Explain the dynamic and subjective nature of the concepts of health and wellbeing and illness.
• Describe interrelationships between dimensions of health and wellbeing and explain the individual and collective importance of health and wellbeing as a resource.
• Describe global benefits of the pursuit of optimal health and wellbeing and identify the WHO's prerequisites for health and explain their link to improved health outcomes.
• Describe and apply indicators used to measure health status, use data to describe and evaluate health status of Australians and analyse patterns in morbidity and mortality in Australia over time.
• Analyse health information to explain factors that contribute to variations in health status between population groups.
• Have the opportunity to demonstrate the highest level of performance.

Marking the task

The performance descriptors can be adapted into a marking scheme, which should be explained to students before starting the task. The requirements of the digital presentation should provide the opportunity to meet the standard reflected in the highest performance descriptor for the task.

This task is worth 50 marks towards the total marks allocated to School-assessed Coursework for Unit 3.

A possible breakdown of marks could be the following:

When to assess the students

The teacher must decide the most appropriate time to set this task. This decision is the result of several considerations including:

• the estimated time it will take to cover the key knowledge and key skills for the outcome
• when tasks are being conducted in other subjects and the workload implications for students.

The data analysis should be provided at the end of Area of Study 1. This is likely to be around Weeks 5 and 6 of Semester 1. The task might require one 60 minute session. The exact dates and times can be decided in consultation with students, VCE coordinator/s and other key staff.