Match exams scores to VCAA

Check your marking accuracy

Providing realistic marks and feedback to students using past data from the VCAA and Compass is surprisingly easy.

Simply compare your mean (average) score and standard deviation to that obtained by students on the same exam from the year it ran. You will need to make sure they are both converted to a percentage first so they are on the same scale.

VCAA exam grade distributions (ignore the warning and click the link on the next page)

Compass it will automatically calculate your mean and standard deviation when you enter your marks, and if you are entering a percentage then no conversion is needed. 

Past VCAA results will not usually be percentages and will need conversion.

In the example of Visual Communication below the VCAA mean was 92.3/180 marks which equals (51%) 

My mean was 49% , I am rarely that close.

The standard deviation for the VCAA exam is 22.6/180 (12.5%) mine is 10.88% again - not far out.

Note: The mean will result in a study score of 30 before scaling.

You can directly compare your mean and standard deviation.

The mean study score always converts to a study score of 30 before subject scaling.

For Visual Communication in the mean is 92.3/180 marks (51%) and would result in a study score of 30.

I will never hit the exact numbers but I should be close. Knowing that our average study score is below 30 I aim to be at or slightly under this value. If your median in compass is above the state median (which happens to me a bit) then you are officially dreaming, harden up.

If your standard deviation is higher than VCAA - your marks are more spread out - maybe you are too nice to the kids you like and too mean to those you don’t!

If your standard deviation is lower than VCAA - your kids are all clumped together - you are being indecisive, are you trying not to over promise your high kids or upset your low kids?

If your exam marks don’t add up then you have two options.

How to scale exam results

Scaling can be very effective, as long as you have assessed the correct mix of skills and accurately ranked the kids from most to least competent. 

Create a new task in compass. Ensure it is not visible to parents and students. I would always want to discuss the result if I were presenting it to students. 

Remember, a predicted exam score is just that, each exam will have a slightly different mix of questions that will slightly disadvantage and favour certain students. Each student will have different experiences, challenges and levels of preparation in the lead up to the exam. 

Click the components tab

Add an 'Addition' Component

Enter a colum heading

Then choose standardisation

Enter your 'New Mean' and 'Standard Deviation'

Select the components tab

Select the task you want to scale

Weight it at 100%

Set your decimal places to zero (Optional, but a good reminder that we are not that accurate)

Click 'Accept'

You will be then able to save and close your task, after which you can click on it to calculate your results.

Choose the 'grid results' tab

Then click 'calculate'.

Compass will spit out scaled, realistic and somewhat confronting scores. You can compare these to the VCAA table to determine a grade.

IMPORTANT: It only calculates once. If you go back and change an exam mark it will not automatically update here. 

You will need to refresh your browser window and then hit calculate again.

Predict study scores

Predicting a study score is just another form of scaling. Simply use the steps above and enter 30 as the 'New Mean' and 7 as the 'New Standard Deviation' 

A study score has a mean of 30 and a standard deviation of 7 by design, there are some minor variations but these will be close enough. There will be more error in the the students natural performance variation between two sittings than calculation accuracy.