NZQA update on the development of prototype assessment activities in a digital environment for
- AS91262 Apply Calculus Methods in Solving Problems
- AS91586 Apply probability distributions in solving problems.
NZQA originally planned to trial these activities with students from selected schools. However, as they provide an opportunity to support students whose learning has been impacted by COVID-19, they are offering access to all interested schools.
AS91262 – Apply Calculus Methods in Solving Problems
The NZQA development team is working on four prototype digital assessment activities for AS 91262
The first two will be available for trialing at the beginning of term 3.
The remaining two will be released a few weeks later.
It is expected each activity should take between 20 and 30 minutes to complete.
The activities can be done separately, and students will be able to complete them in class, in study time or at home.
Students do not need to be supervised when completing the activities.
Students will need a device and an internet connection for these.
The platform being used for these activities is Desmos.
Students need to be familiar with, or become familiar with, the Desmos environment.
Teachers will need to access Teacher Desmos to provide students with access to the activities.
AS91586 – Apply probability distributions in solving problems.
Three activities are being developed for AS 91586 and expected to be available for trialing at the beginning of term 3.
NZQA are planning to present each activity in a document that can be loaded into MS Teams, MS OneNote or Google Suite and then shared with students.
Students will need a device and an internet connection for these.
At least one of the activities will have an audio file and students will need headphones if they are completing this activity in class.
It is expected each activity should take between 20 and 30 minutes to complete.
The activities can be done separately, and students will be able to complete them in class, in study time or at home.
Students do not need to be supervised when completing the activities.
Students will be asked to use a probability distribution explorer that has been developed by Anna Fergusson and her team at the University of Auckland. The probability distribution explorer APP link is being developed and the will be link shared when it is available.
This link will provide access to:
- a tab which enables students to explore features of probability distributions
- a second tab which enables students to explore the goodness of fit of probability distributions for real data
- a third tab with introductory videos to help teachers use these tabs and introduce them to their students, together with a word document containing further support.
The link is expected to be fully functional by mid June.
Teachers are encouraged to explore these tabs with their students. NZQA expect teachers will need to spend two or three lessons with their students to help them become familiar with the probability distribution explorer. The explorer will be useful to teachers and students for the relevant teaching and learning, as well as for the assessment activities.
Towards the end of term 3 all students who have trialled the activities and their teachers will be asked to complete an online survey
If your school is interested in using these activities and you have not already let NZQA know, please email Annette or Melissa at NZQA to register your interest:
Calculus: annette.edwards-
Statistics: melissa.hitchcock@
Photo by Maya Maceka on Unsplash
