Training your Supervisors

Transcription

1 Training your Supervisors A guide for Exam Centre Managers Exam Centre Manager Name... Exam Centre Name and Number...

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3 Introduction NZQA requires all supervisors to be trained by their Exam Centre Manager to ensure that they are totally familiar with exam supervision requirements. Many supervisors have performed this role for several years but as exams only occur for a short period of time once a year, and because NZQA may change certain processes, it is still essential that experienced supervisors attend. Their experience and knowledge will enhance yours and may be used to assist with the support for new supervisors. This guide is based on the 2017 Supervisor Training Booklet. Preparing for your training session Send supervisors a copy of the Instructions for Supervisors and the Supervisor Training Booklet; the training booklet is to be completed prior to attending the supervisor training session. NZQA provides you with white, postage-paid envelopes for dispatching these materials. Advise supervisors to read the Instructions for Supervisors before completing as much of the Supervisor Training Booklet as possible. Ask supervisors to come to training with their copies of Instructions for Supervisors, the Supervisor Training Booklet and questions if they are unsure of anything. Organise a venue for the training meeting. NZQA suggests using a room at the school so that supervisors can see where they will be working. Identify evacuation procedures/routes from the meeting venue. Identify evacuation procedures from the exam centre. Organise tea/coffee etc. Arrange the training room so that everyone can see/hear, and has a table for writing on. What you need to bring to supervisor training Supervisors personal supervision timetables. Your online planner should be complete, with supervisors allocated to exam rooms, by the time your run your training session. Provide supervisors with their own personal supervision timetables. These are accessible via the Reports page from your Exam Centre Management area on NZQA s website. Your Supervisor Training Booklet. You are to have worked through the Supervisor Training Booklet yourself so that you are aware of what your supervisors have been asked to do. Copies of the Supervisor Training Book Answers for all supervisors. Copies of all other training booklets for your reference. Supervisor details: at least one copy for yourself, which supervisors are to check and amend, and possibly one copy for each supervisor (names and phone numbers only if these are correct). Contracts and Police Vet forms for those who have not yet completed these: must be completed at the training and dispatched to NZQA asap. 1

4 The training session ECM Notes Introductions and other key messages 1. Cover housekeeping matters: toilets and what do to in the event an alarm sounds or there is an earthquake. 2. Introduce yourself to your supervisors. Explain your role, the role of the school s Principal s Nominee (the school s NZQAliaison person) and the role of a supervisor. 3. Ask supervisors to introduce themselves to the group. 4. Pair new supervisors with experienced supervisors. 5. Explain the importance of NCEA and NZ Scholarship examinations to the candidates, their parents, the school and NZQA. You may wish to explain that the eyes of the media are on national exams at this time of year. 6. Emphasise that a professional approach is required at all times and all candidates are to be treated fairly and respectfully. 7. Explain and emphasise NZQA s security requirements for examinations. NZQA s role is to maintain the integrity of all national exams. 8. Emphasise that whilst some of NZQA s processes may appear to some to be pedantic, they are there for a reason and are to be followed at all times. If a supervisor is in doubt, they must consult with you, the ECM. Working through the Supervisor Training Booklet (STB) Explain to supervisors that you are going to work through the Supervisor Training Booklet with them. You may wish to take questions as you go, or at the end of each section. Each section below provides additional information which is to be reinforced with supervisors. Arriving before the exam: Question 1 in Supervisor Training Booklet (STB) It is essential supervisors arrive early at school for the following reasons (there may be others): The need to get into an exams mindset and being ready to focus on supervisory duties Materials need to be collected and set out in exam rooms well in advance of candidates arriving in the room. 2

5 It is necessary to check that exam-related posters are in place around exam rooms The exam room itself should be checked for setup, and desks monitored for writing which will have to be removed before candidates arrive The ECM may need assistance Changes may have occurred to exam rooms supervisors may need to walk further than they anticipated If a supervisor is supervising a single candidate, it is important this candidate is met and the supervisor introduces themselves, then gets the candidate settled. These candidates may have special assessment needs which necessitate a bit of extra planning. Exam room set up: Questions 2 7 in STB There may be mixed groups of candidates in a room/hall, all undertaking different exams. It is important to arrange them so that those likely to stay the full three hours (entered for three standards or NZ Scholarship) will not be disturbed too much by those leaving early (cohort entered for only one or two standards). NZ Scholarship candidates are not provided with separate accommodation, away from other candidates just because they are sitting a Scholarship examination. Each full page of the attendance roll lists 25 candidates so, ideally, there is a maximum of 25 candidates in a classroom: one page of the roll to one room. Supervisors must familiarise themselves with the rooms they will be working in. This includes evacuation procedures for each room and a good storage space for candidate bags/coats. Supervisors are responsible for maintaining the security of all exam materials in the rooms in which they are working. These materials must be kept away from candidates. A suitcase or some other container which can be closed is ideal, and it makes carrying materials to rooms easier. Supplementary paper has currency. If a candidate gets hold of a sheet during an exam, and takes it home, there is the potential for them to write on this, sneak it into another exam and insert it in a booklet. Bringing candidates into an exam room In your explanation/discussion, include the following: A seating plan outside the room, particularly a Hall, helps candidates understand where they will be sitting. 3

6 Exam notices should be on display outside exam rooms. There should be no posters or student work, on exam room walls. Exam packs should be set out on desks in attendance roll order, before candidates come into the room. Explain to candidates where they are to leave their bags (not by their desks). Candidates to enter exam rooms in silence (sets the tone). In a Hall or large space have a supervisor read out the first few Exam Codes from the roll. These candidates file into the room and, additional supervisors permitting, are directed to their seats. In smaller rooms, more candidates can be called in in one hit. Wait until the first group are seated before the next group is ushered in. Admission slips must be checked (both sides) for handwriting. If folded, they must be unfolded and checked. A second check of admission slip details against exam pack details is ESSENTIAL, once candidates are seated. If a candidate is found to be sitting at an incorrect pack, they must be moved to where their pack is situated. Other checks once candidates are seated Emergency Packs (clear, sealed plastic bag) must be under chairs. Coats must be off. No hoods to be up. Pens, pencils etc must be in clear plastic bags on desks. Candidates with long hair, not tied back, should be asked to move this so supervisors can check for ear phones. Water (if allowed) to be in clear plastic bottles with no writing (printed labels) on them. Check these for handwriting. Answer supervisor questions about other situations. Supervisor behaviours in an exam: Question 8 in STB Supervisors set the tone for an exam. Efficiency and organization are important, as is maintaining calm so that candidates are not unduly stressed. The role of supervisor is active, not passive. Candidates should be monitored at all times: a supervisor should see 4

7 hands go up, not see them up. Chatting, texting, reading, etc should not occur unless exam-related. Monitoring candidate behaviours is essential most will be innocent but vigilance will ensure that unusual behaviours, that may indicate a breach of exam rules, are spotted. Ensure completed answer booklets, for candidates who have left the exam are not kept on desks but collected when the candidate leaves. This reduces temptation to others in the room. A thorough knowledge of NZQA s procedures is essential. If in doubt, supervisors should contact the ECM. Supervising computer candidate (not digital): Question 9 in STB Check the equipment is ready for the candidate well before the exam starts. Ensure the candidate checks that they can print out their work before the exam starts. Ensure supervisors know how to contact you, as ECM, and the technician in the event there is a hardware issue. Remind supervisors to be particularly vigilant when supervising computer exams and ensure no memory / USB sticks are being used by candidates. If they are, this is a possible breach. Supervising a single candidate in a small room: Question 10 in STB It is the supervisor s responsibility to check that, when supervising a single candidate, the room is set up and all required equipment is provided. Exams that use equipment: Question in STB No special provisions are made for candidates who are late to an exam at which a recording is being played. They do not get to listen/watch the recording later, nor is the recording paused. 5

8 Late candidates must be escorted to their seat to ensure they don t disrupt others. Disruptions to all other candidates must be minimised. Use of calculators in exams: Question in STB Only TWO calculators are allowed on a candidate s desk in permitted exams. It is the responsibility of school staff to clear calculator memories. This may be done outside the exam room or, if easier, once candidates are seated prior to the reading of the Pre-examination Instructions. Ideally, the Principal s Nominee will organise staff from various departments to assist with clearing calculator memories so that this duty doesn t always fall on the Maths Department. If calculators may NOT be used in an exam then either: o they should not be brought to that exam, or o If brought, they must be in the candidate s Emergency Pack, sealed and under their desk. If no Emergency Pack, the supervisor must remove the calculator from the candidate until end of exam (or allow candidate to put calculator in their bag). Some schools provide additional calculators for candidates to use in the event theirs stops working. Find out whether your school provides this support. If a calculator stops working and there is no back up, or the candidate does not know how to use the calculator there is nothing the supervisor can do. Do not accept a candidate s word that they have cleared their own calculator. Dealing with candidates late to an exam: Question 17 in STB Late candidates must be processed before they sit down in an exam room. Set up a table at the entrance in a large space with Pre- Exam Instructions and Candidate Late to Examinations form. Have a supervisor staff this table for the first 30 minutes. Candidates MUST be escorted to their seats and their Admission Slips checked. Don t be tempted to let a 6

9 candidate find their own seat because another has just arrived in the room. LATE = WAIT Forms used in examinations: Question in STB Accurate completion of forms is essential. NZQA staff refer to these after the exams to resolve a range of issues, from potential breaches of exam rules, to missing results. Remind supervisors to write clearly, especially when filling in NSNs and candidate names. Explain how the Toilet Roll might be managed in an exam room. Emphasise that if a candidate leaves a room to go to the toilet, they must leave their admission slip with the supervisor. If a Candidate Given Non-barcoded Booklet(s) form is to be filled in by the supervisor it must be checked by the candidate for accurate details, before they sign. This pink form may be used if an entire class (or large numbers) have been entered for the same standard(s) and require non-barcoded booklets. In this situation, only the first section (Examination and standards) is to be completed. A school-provided roll must, however, be stapled to the pink form so NZQA knows which candidates received booklets. Emphasise the importance of writing accurately on the top of non-barcoded booklets. This must be legible. Emphasise that under no circumstances (unless agreed to directly by NZQA) may a candidate enter an exam room after the first 30 minutes of an exam have elapsed. All candidates are entitled to stay for the full three hours of an exam session, regardless of how many booklets they are answering. Attendance Roll: Question in STB Explain how you manage the attendance roll process at your exam centre. The attendance roll is a critical document for NZQA. It must be filled in accurately and with no errors. 7

10 Go through the answers to question 26 in the Supervisor Training Booklet and ensure everyone understands why the roll has been marked in this way for each candidate. No row on a roll should be entirely blank. All candidates must be indicated as either present or absent. There must be something in at least one of the four boxes on the right-hand side. Supervisors must check this at the end of an exam. Special Report/Possible Breach form: Questions in STB Any unusual situation must be reported to NZQA, whether this is a possible breach of exam rules or a situation which is not the norm but is not a possible breach of exam rules. NZQA provides two forms for reporting unusual situations: Special Report (blue) and Possible Breach of Exam Rules Incident Report (purple). Supervisors should understand when to use which form. If in doubt, use the purple breach form. Emphasise to supervisors that they only report incidents. It is not their role to decide whether or not a possible breach has taken place. If in doubt, fill in a form! It is worth explaining to supervisors that each year, whilst many possible breaches are reported, very few candidates have their results withheld. For most, just going through the breach investigative process is a big deterrent. Supervisors need to be made aware that if they are going to question/challenge a candidate about a possible breach of the rules they must have a witness with them who can verify what has occurred. If a candidate s body is going to be photographed (for notes) or a cell phone investigated for messages/notes, this should be done by the Principal s Nominee, not a supervisor. The Possible Breach of Exam Rules Incident Report is available in MS-Word format from the list of documents online on your ECM Home Page. NZQA would like this form completing asap and ing to the address on the form as soon as possible. A hard copy may then be printed and enclosed with any booklets or other materials connected with the possible breach. 8

11 Other areas to cover (not included in STB) You may wish to discuss the following with supervisors: Dealing with difficult candidates Managing any conflict of interest Packing of plastic bags: NZQA has produced a short video explaining how to pack the clear, yellow, red and blue plastic bags. Supervisors may be shown this at training. It is accessible from the ECM s area of NZQA s website. Supervisor claims when they will be paid. Tell them what method you have of ensuring that you record how many sessions they have worked. Explain that NZQA does not pay by cheque but by direct credit (stated in their contract). The end of the session Encourage supervisors to ask questions if they are unsure about anything, no matter how small. Ensure you are given all outstanding supervisor contracts and other documentation, including the completed Police Vet forms. Explain to supervisors that if NZQA does not have all documentation their pay will be delayed. Give supervisors your contact details, particularly for use if they are unable to supervise for any reason. Ensure you have their contact details. Provide each supervisor with their schedule of supervising responsibilities. Re-emphasise the importance of letting you know early if they cannot supervisor a session for any reason. Emphasise again, what time supervisors are expected to be at school before a supervision session. After the training session Check with any new supervisors that they feel comfortable about their role and answer any questions they may not have asked during the training. Ensure they are buddied with an experience, reliable person, particularly in their first few days of supervision, if possible. If you are unable to answer any supervisor questions, please contact NZQA for a response to provide to supervisors. 9