Page 58 - 2020 CXC Annual Report

CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2020

World Class Exams – Syllabus Development

®
Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC )

ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT PREPARATION AND The Review Committee recommended the revision the Paper
MANAGEMENT 032, the alternative to the School-Based Assessment for
The Review Committee at its meeting held in 16–18 September better alignment with requirements of the Paper 031, the SBA
2019, reviewed all aspects of the CSEC® EDPM Syllabus to ensure it is assessing similar skills. They also recommended
to recommend changes in light of feedback received from an update of the list of print resources, and the inclusion of
stakeholders via questionnaires, and reports, as well as to electronic resources in the syllabus.
align the syllabus with the required policies of the council.
The Committee revised the Rationale and Aims to ensure The draft syllabus was submitted to the April 2020 meeting of
compliance with the twenty-first century skills, attributes of SUBSEC requesting approval to complete the revision of the
the Ideal Caribbean Person, UNESCO Pillars of Learning and syllabus. The request was approved. The draft syllabus with the
the political, philosophical and psychological considerations proposed amendments will be sent to subject specialist and a
for syllabus development. A new aim focusing on fostering sample of teachers in participating territories for feedback to
disciplined and ethical behaviours was constructed to support be considered at a Panel meeting to be convened in June 2021
the integration of these principles throughout the syllabus. The to complete the revision of the syllabus. The final draft of the
General Objectives for all Sections were reviewed and refined syllabus along with the specimen examination papers, keys
to better reflect the Specific Objectives and Content. The and mark schemes will be submitted to SUBSEC in October
Specific Objectives and Content were reorganised, clarified 2021, for approval. If approval is granted, the syllabus and
and delineated to ensure appropriate cognitive demand, copies of the specimen examination papers, keys and mark
alignment with the principles of effective selection and schemes will be distributed to schools in September 2022, for
organisation of content and the appropriateness of the scope. first examination in May–June 2024.
Some Specific Objectives and Content were rearranged
to enhance the sequencing. New Specific Objectives and OFFICE ADMINISTRATION
the related Content were also added. Examples focused on At its meeting held 15–17 June 2020 the Review Committee
appropriate use of special notations in documents, graphic analysed comments from surveys, questionnaires, focus group
manipulation, guidelines for appropriate online interactions; discussions and a needs analysis and reviewed all aspects of
protection of intellectual property and common errors in the CSEC® Office Administration Syllabus, to include ensuring
abbreviations. The Committee recommended that the that the Rationale articulated the construct and the Aims and
Suggested Teaching and Learning Activities be revised to General and Specific Objectives were appropriately aligned.
help teachers cater to the divergent needs of the learners and Additionally, they reviewed the Specific Objectives to ensure
to encourage the integration of technology while fostering they represented the appropriate taxonomic levels and were
the development of twenty-first century skills, which may be effectively sequenced, the Content areas to ensure that they
transferred to the completion of tasks in other subjects and were clearly delineated, current and relevant; and refined the
allow for greater preparation for transitioning to the world of Assessment component of the syllabus.
work.

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