LEVEL 3 EXTENDED PROJECT …

1 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (registered charity number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (company number 3644723). Registered address: AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX. June 2015 G00815 PROJECT QUALIFICATIONLEVEL 3 EXTENDED2015/2020 LEVEL 3 EXTENDEDPROJECT qualification (7993)SpecificationFreestan ding EPQ September 2015 to May 2020 First entry November 2015 LEVEL 3 EXTENDED PROJECT qualification (EPQ) 2013 Accreditation Number 600/9534/9To obtain free specification updates and support material register with Ask-AQA: meetings will be available throughout the life of the specification : copies available from: AQA Logistics Centre, Unit 2, Wheel Forge Way, Ashburton Park, Trafford Park, Manchester M17 1 EHIf you have questions about teaching or adopting this specification in your centre look at Ask-AQA at: 3 EXTENDED PROJECT qualification specification (version ) choose AQA?

2 Is the EXTENDED PROJECT ? What are the Learning Outcomes of the EXTENDED PROJECT qualification ?32 Teaching, Supervising and Assessing theExtended PROJECT Aims The Taught Element of the EXTENDED PROJECT is PROJECT Process Assessing the Potential of a Proposal the EXTENDED Project73 Administration Private Access Arrangements and Special Consideration of the Assessment Awarding Grades and Reporting, Results and Shelf-life of Results Supervision and Authentication of Coursework Malpractice 15 Appendices 16A Grade Descriptions 16B Spiritual, Moral, Ethical, Social, Cultural and other Issues 17C Overlaps with other Qualifications 18 This specification will be published annually on the AQA Website ( ). The version on the Websiteis the definitive version of the black lines indicate a significant change or addition to the specification published for 2008 3 EXTENDED PROJECT qualification specification (version )1 Why choose AQA?

3 It s a fact that AQA is the UK s favourite exam boardand more students receive their academicqualifications from AQA than from any other why does AQA continue to be so popular? SpecificationsThese are designed to the highest standards sothat teachers and students can be confident thatan AQA award provides an accurate measure ofwhat the student has achieved. SupportAQA provides free of charge standardisationmeetings and online resources for Projectqualifications and offers a wide range of CPDmeetings both face to face and online. Thesesupport and training meetings explain thespecification, suggest practical strategies to helpstudents produce successful projects and helpstaff development in new roles. ServiceWe are committed to providing an efficient andeffective service and are at the end of the phonewhen you need to speak to someone about animportant issue. We will always try to resolveissues the first time you contact us but, shouldthat not be possible, we will come back to you (bytelephone, e-mail or letter) and continue to workwith you to find the solution.

4 EthicsAQA is a registered charity with no shareholders topay. We exist solely for the good of education. Anysurplus income is ploughed back into educationalresearch and our service to you, our don t profit from education, you you are an existing AQA customer, we thank you foryour support. If you are new to AQA, then we lookforward to welcoming of terms Please see below the changes in language introduced in this specification for first teaching September changes are for clarity and will not change the way in which the projects are delivered or assessed. Word/phraseReplaced byLearnerStudentMarking/markedAssessment /assessedPresentedSubmittedFor a specified audienceFor a non-specialist audienceTitleWorking title/ final title as appropriatePresentationLive presentation3 LEVEL 3 EXTENDED PROJECT qualification specification (version )Te x What is the EXTENDED PROJECT ?The EXTENDED PROJECT is a LEVEL 3 qualification firstassessed in November 2008.

5 It can contribute toprogrammes of study in two ways: as a stand-alone maychoose to take the EXTENDED PROJECT Qualificationas an extension from studies for any otherqualifications at LEVEL 3 (GCE, BTEC, NVQ, otheracademic or vocational qualifications includingModern Apprenticeships) as part of the AQA Baccalaureate andTechnical Baccalaureate. The EXTENDED ProjectQualification is a compulsory part of the LEVEL 3 AQA Baccalaureate and technical BaccalaureateThe EXTENDED PROJECT will develop and extend fromone or more of the student s study areas and/or froman area of personal interest or activity outside theirmain programme of study. It will be based on a topicchosen by the student(s) and agreed as appropriateby the of the EXTENDED PROJECT qualification incentres will involve some teaching of the necessaryskills, supervision and assessment of the student sprogress. It will involve EXTENDED autonomous workby the student.

6 It will require in total 120 guidedlearning are required, with appropriate supervision, to: choose an area of interest draft a title and aims of the PROJECT for formalapproval by the centre plan, research and carry out the PROJECT deliver a presentation to a non specialist audience provide evidence of all stages of projectdevelopment and production for What are the Learning Outcomes of the ExtendedProject qualification ?The student will: identify, design, plan and complete an individualproject, applying a range of organisational skillsand strategies to meet agreed objectives obtain, critically select and use information from arange of sources; analyse data, apply it relevantlyand demonstrate understanding of anyappropriate linkages, connections andcomplexities of the topic select and use a range of skills, solve problems,take decisions critically, creatively and flexibly, toachieve planned outcomes evaluate outcomes both in relation to agreedobjectives and own learning and and use a range of communication skillsand media to present evidenced outcomes andconclusions in appropriate 3 EXTENDED PROJECT qualification specification (version )2 Teaching, Supervising and Assessingthe EXTENDED PROJECT AimsThe EXTENDED PROJECT qualification offersopportunities for students to.

7 Make a significant contribution to the choice anddesign of an EXTENDED PROJECT and takeresponsibility either for an individual task or for adefined task within a group PROJECT develop and improve their own learning andperformance as critical, reflective and independentstudents develop and apply decision-making and problem-solving skills extend their planning, research, critical thinking,analysis, synthesis, evaluation and presentationskills develop and apply skills creatively, demonstratinginitiative and enterprise use their learning experiences to support theiraspirations for higher education and/or careerdevelopment transfer skills developed as part of their extendedproject to other areas of The Taught Element of the EXTENDED PROJECT QualificationThe EXTENDED PROJECT qualification will require theteaching of the necessary skills. It is expected that 30guided learning hours will be spent on this taughtelement.

8 The remaining time is allocated for thestudent s independent work and the individualsupervision and guidance received. Teaching of theskills for the EXTENDED PROJECT should be agreed bythe supervisor as appropriate to the needs of thestudent and their chosen PROJECT . It is likely to include: research skills including the ability to search forand identify suitable sources of information in thechosen subject area any skills or techniques that will be required forthe safe and effective execution of the projectwhich are not part of the candidate s course ofstudy. safe laboratory or workshoptechnique, professional codes of practice, ethicalguidelines, research methodology ICT skills that will enhance the production of thereport and/or the development of the PROJECT PROJECT management skills including time,resource and task management the format and structure of accepted academicforms of research report referencing, the evaluation of sources and theprevention of plagiarism presentation skillsThe EXTENDED PROJECT qualification (EPQ) will require the teaching of relevant planning, organisational, projectmanagement, study and presentation skills and a piece of independent work undertaken by the student.

9 Thiswork will be guided and overseen by the student s Supervisor, monitored by the Centre Coordinator andassessed internally by the 3 EXTENDED PROJECT qualification specification (version ) What is the PROJECT process?StudentThe student will develop an ideafor a PROJECT that they wish to carryout and discuss their ideas with asupervisor. Students will then: carry out research to enablethem to sufficiently developproject aims and objectives tomake a formal PROJECT proposal document their planning andresearch within the ProductionLog meet with the supervisor atspecified meetings to discussthe PROJECT process and issues carry out the PROJECT byachieving the aims andobjectives they set themselves prepare and give apresentation about the projectproduct and process (includinga question and answersession) evaluate the PROJECT process submit evidence forassessment (production logand PROJECT product)Group ProjectsIf students are working as part of agroup each student s individualcontribution to the end productmust be pre-approved by theCentre Co-ordinator.

10 Studentsworking as a group must submitindividual assessment evidenceand complete an submitted forassessment must show how eachindividual student within the grouphas met the centre will allocate asupervisor to each student. It isadvised that the number ofstudents allocated to eachsupervisor should take intoaccount the supervisor s othercommitments. Supervisors will: meet with each student toreview initial ideas agree the student s workingtitle and proposal andcomplete the supervisor ssections in the Production Log meet with each student forregular reviews including atleast: a meeting to discuss therecord of initial ideas andhow the student intends todevelop the PROJECT a planning review (post-proposal acceptance) a mid-term review a PROJECT product review assess the PROJECT holisticallyapplying AQA assessmentobjectives confirm that a presentationtook place and provide arecord of the questioning endorse each student sProduction Log andAssessment Record by signingthe appropriate sectionsincluding a declaration that theevidence submitted forassessment is the unaidedwork of the student confirm that no workassessed for the award ofthe marks above is also tobe submitted, or has beensubmitted, for any otheraccredited qualification (s)Centre CoordinatorEach centre is required to appointan appropriate Centre Coordinatorwho will be responsible to AQA forall LEVEL 3 EXTENDED Projectsubmissions from the centre.