Orientation to the new FET School Curriculum

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Orientation to the new FET School Curriculum

• Volker Wedekind
• School of Education and Development
• University of KwaZulu-Natal

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My perspectives

• Member of the Implementation Readiness Assessment
  Ministerial Committee
• Assisting the KZN to develop a Curriculum Redress
  Strategy
• Want to bring these perspectives to bear on the
  topic of articulation between FET curriculum and
  universities
• Not a spokesperson for the university or the DoE

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The 2008 cohort

• These are the first group of children who have
  come through the OBE system from Grade 1
• They were experimented with all along the way
• Systemic evaluations and classroom based research
  suggests that they have suffered in terms of
  basic numeracy and literacy
• The poor quality of 2009 intake may have nothing
  to do with the FET curriculum

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What have the patterns been?

• - 500 000 write
• - 30 fail
• About 15 get pass with Merit or Distinction
• The 2005 pass rate for Maths was 55.7, but 72.9
  of those that did HG (44 053) passed (32 112)

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Key design features

• The entire curriculum has three key design
  features
• Outcomes based
• Learner centred
• Integration (although this has been largely
  abandoned in the FET band)
• Internationally benchmarked

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FET NCS The subjects

• NCS is for schools, not colleges
• All subjects count for 20 credits except where
  indicated
• The Fundamental Subjects (A list)
• Official languages at Home and 1A level
• Mathematical Literacy and Mathematics
• Life Orientation (10 credits)

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FET NCS The subjects

• Divided into Learning Fields
• Agriculture
• Arts and Culture
• Business, Commerce and Management Studies and
  Services
• Languages
• Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology
• Human and Social Sciences
• Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences

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FET NCS The subjects

• Agriculture
• Agricultural management practices, Agricultural
  science, Agricultural technology
• Arts and Culture
• Dance Studies, Design, Dramatic Arts, Music,
  Visual Arts
• Business, Commerce and Management Studies
• Accounting, Business Studies, Economics
• Engineering and Technology
• Civil technology, Electrical technology,
  Mechanical technology, Engineering graphics and
  design
• Services
• Consumer Studies, Hospitality Studies, Tourism
• Languages
• All SA languages at 2AL and many foreign
  languages
• Human and Social Sciences
• Geography, History, Religion Studies
• Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life
  Sciences
• Computer Applications Technology, Information
  Technology, Life Science, Physical Science

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FET NCS Rules of combination

• You must do seven subjects
• Four are compulsory (A list)
• Two languages LOLT 1 other SA Language
• Mathematical Literacy or Mathematics
• Life Orientation
• Three others (B list) with a max of 2 languages

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FET NCS Rules of combination

• Provisos
• Can do additional subject/s but must do it for
  three years
• May not do more than one language from the same
  group
• May not do the same language at different levels
• May not do both Maths and Maths Lit
• May do one approved alternative subject
• N1-N3 college subjects may not be used

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FET - Assessment

• FET assessment is graded on a seven point scale
  as follows
• RATING CODE RATING MARKS
• 7 Outstanding achievement 80 100
• 6 Meritorious achievement 70 79
• 5 Substantial achievement 60 69
• 4 Moderate achievement 50 59
• 3 Adequate achievement 40 49
• 2 Elementary achievement 30 39
• 1 Not achieved 0 29
• 25 portfolio and 75 examination

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FET - Assessment

• What do you need to achieve the NSC? To pass you
  must
• Pass all your fundamental (A list) subjects
• with at least 3 (40-49) for HL
• With at least 2 (30-39) for 2AL
• With at least 2 (30-39) for M/ML
• With at least 3 (40-49) for LO
• Pass electives with at least one of your
  electives at 3 (40-49)
• Condonations and exemptions
• Condone one subject (subminimum 25)
• Condone ML indefinitely (subminimum 25)
• Special provisions for immigrants and people with
  disabilities
• Essentially the same requirements as present
  system
• No Higher, Standard, Lower Grade

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Articulation with HE

• Higher Certificate NSC
• Diploma NSC with four subjects at 40-49
• Degree (replacing the exemption or endorsement)
  NSC with four designated subjects with 50-59
• Agricultural Science
• LOLT at HEI and two other languages
• Music, Visual Arts, Dramatic Arts
• Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Physical
  Sciences, Life Sciences
• Engineering, Graphics and Design, Information
  Technology
• Geography, History, Religion Studies
• Accounting, Economics, Business Studies
• Consumer Studies

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Articulation with HE

• UKZN has the following additional requirements
• English HL or 1st AL at level 4 (50)
• LO at level 4 (50)

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A composite score called the Admissions Points
Score (APS) based on NSC performance will be used
with points calculated as follows
The points ratings for the 6 subjects required
for the NSC excluding Life Orientation will be
used in calculating the APS which is calculated
as the sum of the 6 points ratings with no
subject weighted more than any other .
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Comparing old and new

• Speculative conversion

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Individual Faculties

• Science 28-33 points, Mathematics and some
  other sciences, no Mathematical Literacy
• Health Science 27-33, Mathematics and Physical
  or Life Science (some programmes do accept
  Mathematical Literacy)
• Medicine Mathematics, Physical and Life
  Science, English at level 5
• Education 22 points, various requirements
  depending on specialisation
• Humanities 26 points (Mathematics required for
  PPE and Architecture)
• Law 30 points, English at 5 (HL) or 6 (1st AL),
  Maths (3) or ML (5)
• Commerce 30-34 points, Maths (levels 4-7)

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Some issues and concerns

• We have no clear sense yet what the ratings mean
  on the new system
• We dont know how the former HG and SG will be
  accommodated on one scale
• We dont know what the standard of assessment
  will be
• We havent begun to rethink our curriculum in
  relation to what is covered in the FET
• We dont know what the backwash effect of our
  requirements may be on the selection of subjects
  and the types of assessment

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FET NCS Subject specific issues

• Agriculture
• Agricultural management practices, Agricultural
  science, Agricultural technology
• Arts and Culture
• Dance Studies, Design, Dramatic Arts, Music,
  Visual Arts
• Business, Commerce and Management Studies
• Accounting, Business Studies, Economics
• Engineering and Technology
• Civil technology, Electrical technology,
  Mechanical technology, Engineering graphics and
  design
• Services
• Consumer Studies, Hospitality Studies, Tourism
• Languages
• All SA languages at 2AL and many foreign
  languages
• Human and Social Sciences
• Geography, History, Religion Studies, Life
  Orientation_at_
• Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life
  Sciences
• Computer Applications Technology, Information
  Technology, Life Science, Physical Science,
  Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy

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Thank you