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OSCA provides teachers with an opportunity to develop their understanding of the assessment requirements for DiDA, receive feedback on their assessment and demonstrate their ability to assess to national standards. Participants who demonstrate that they are assessing to national standards gain OSCA accreditation.
Even if you do not want to formally participate in the OSCA exercises it is worth registering in order to gain access to the example eportfolios and commentaries. Eportfolios produced for the 0906 SPB will be used for OSCA in 2007/8.
What happens when I achieve OSCA accreditation?
If you are an OSCA accredited programme leader you and your team can award marks for DiDA without your assessment being subject to external moderation by Edexcel. However, you will be required to submit a control sample from time to time to support Edexcel’s quality assurance procedures.
Accredited status gives you more flexibility when submitting marks for eportfolios. Deadlines for non-accredited programme leaders are 15 May 08 (Units 1 and 2) and 15 June 08 (Units 3 and 4). Centres whose DiDA programme leader has OSCA accreditation for Units 1 and 2 do not have to submit their marks for these units until 15 June.
Once I have been accredited, how long do I retain this status?
Accreditation lasts for the remainder of the academic year in which it is granted and for the following two academic years.
What happens if I move to another centre? Do I lose my accredited status?
Once granted, your accredited status stays with you wherever you fulfil the role of DiDA programme leader.
How much does OSCA cost?
The OSCA/Accreditation support package (including access to a wide range of exemplar/training material) is offered completely free of charge.
How do I become accredited?
Accreditation is granted to any DiDA programme leader whose team of assessors has undertaken the exemplar material exercise (EME) and accurately assessed the required number of exemplar eportfolios.
The 'Programme Leader’ is defined as the individual with overall responsibility for the delivery of DiDA eportfolio assessment. Only one programme leader can be nominated for each DiDA unit.
How does EME work?
There are three EME ‘windows’, each presenting a range of eportfolios for you and your team to assess and mark online. At the end of each window, commentaries completed by a senior DiDA moderator are made available for viewing and comparison with your own assessment. This allows you to apply the knowledge gained through your participation in each consecutive window. You are strongly encouraged to participate in all three windows in order to ensure that you have access to the full range of eportfolios.
Exemplar material for all four DiDA units at both levels will be provided, allowing you to decide which units to seek accreditation for.
When are the EME windows?
Window One: 29 October 06 until 9 December 07
Window Two: 21 January 08 until 2 March 08
Window Three: 10 March 08 until 13 April 08
To participate you must have registered online.
I am the DiDA programme leader and my team has already demonstrated accurate assessment during the Summer 2007 series. Will this grant me accreditation?
If your centre submitted a full sample of accurately assessed eportfolios in the Summer 2007 moderation window you can apply for immediate OSCA accreditation without having to do EME.
So how do I register on the OSCA system?
If your centre is already registered for Edexcel Online, ask your Edexcel Online administrator (usually the Examinations Officer) to set you up with an account. If your centre is not yet registered, please nominate an Edexcel Online administrator and ask them to call our Edexcel Online customer support team on 0870 240 9819 or contact our customer enquiry service, Ask Edexcel at www.edexcel.org.uk/help
Access the OSCA Registration Homepage by clicking the ‘Registration’ tab on the Edexcel Online OSCA menu and complete the OSCA registration form.
Remember. You can only register for OSCA if you are the nominated DiDA programme leader for your centre.
What are the deadlines for OSCA registration?
You can register for OSCA on Edexcel Online from 17 September 07. You must have registered by 29 October in order to participate in the first window. We would strongly recommend you to do so.
How many programme leaders can be registered for OSCA?
Only one programme leader may be registered for each DiDA unit. This is because the accreditation process is a recognition of the good practice of a programme team, whose assessment decisions are standardised and submitted by the programme leader. You may appoint different programme leaders for different DiDA units. However, if you wish to use EME to achieve cross-level accreditation for a unit (eg for both D101 and D201), the same individual must be appointed programme leader at both levels.
Where can I get more information about OSCA and Accreditation?
Once you have registered as a programme leader on the OSCA system, you will have access to online help, guidance and terms and conditions.
Alternatively, please contact Edexcel Online customer support on 0870 240 9819 or Edexcel Customer Enquiries at www.edexcel.org.uk/help