2015 Notes from the Marking Centre – Primary Industries
Introduction
This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Primary Industries course. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2015 Higher School Certificate examination, highlighting their strengths in particular parts of the examination and indicating where candidates need to improve.
This document should be read along with:
- the Primary Industries Curriculum Framework Stage 6 Syllabus
- the 2015 Higher School Certificate Primary Industries examination
- the marking guidelines
- Advice for candidates attempting VET examinations
- Advice for HSC students about examinations
- other support documents developed by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW to assist in the teaching and learning of Primary Industries in Stage 6.
Section II
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- identifying environmental risks and the impact of the bulldozer on the environment (Q16)
- identifying the weather event and outlining the impact (Q17a) and preventative actions (Q17b)
- proposing approaches to conflict resolution (Q18a) and outlining appropriate strategies to promote diversity in the workplace (Q18b)
- describing safe work procedures for a chemical spill (Q19)
- identifying sources of information about jobs (Q20a)
- listing a number of employee attributes (Q20b)
- outlining different methods of communication and features for each (Q20c).
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- using appropriate Primary Industries terminology
- understanding the difference between environmental and WHS consequences (Q17)
- proposing more than one strategy to promote cultural diversity (Q18b)
- justifying the procedures to be implemented to minimise risks associated with a chemical spill (Q19)
- understanding the difference between employee’s attributes and skills (Q20b)
- describing rather than providing a list of attributes (Q20b)
- understanding the difference between verbal and non-verbal communication (Q20c)
- comparing the effectiveness of communication methods (Q20c).
Section III
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- identifying the importance of WHS
- including general examples of WHS principles, such as use of PPE.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- using examples which are Primary Industry specific, for example, chemicals, machinery
- explaining why it is important for employers and employees to commit to WHS, for example; legislation and potential costs to the company.
Section IV
Candidates showed strength in these areas:
- describing prevention or treatment methods for a livestock disease, parasite, disorder or pest; or a disease or disorder of a plant
- describing the advantages of a method of prevention or treatment
- providing good examples of safe work practices that were relevant to the prevention/treatment of livestock or plants.
Candidates need to improve in these areas:
- responding to Section IV as a 3-part structured question rather than as an extended response
- using accurate terminology in an appropriate manner
- linking the prevention/treatment to the identified problem rather than describing the symptoms
- understanding what qualifies as a plant pest, disease or disorder
- identifying safe work practices and justifying their implementation with specific details.
NSW Government