This resource provides information on a digital approach to moderation in the broad general education (BGE). This includes a step-by-step process and moderation template to support collaboration of planning teaching and assessment, and the review of learner evidence in the BGE.

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The information below outlines one possible digital solution to support collaboration for planning learning, teaching and assessment in the broad general education.

Using an online platform such as Microsoft Teams and OneNote, moderation material can be curated and shared with peers. Moderation can then take place live or at a later point, with comments and discussion recorded in text, video or voice notes. Every member of the team will be able to access the record of moderation to further support collaboration for planning learning, teaching and assessment. An interactive summary of this process can be downloaded below:

PDF file: Digital approach to moderation in the BGE - A step-by-step guide (172 KB)

It is important to emphasise that moderation is ongoing before, during and after the planning of learning, teaching and assessment. Dialogue at each stage of the learning, teaching and assessment (moderation) cycle can take place online to strengthen digital moderation processes. This can be done during live meetings of the group where breakout rooms can be utilised.

Step 1 - Identify a group of practitioners

Identify groups of practitioners who will work together. For example, trios of practitioners from across a school, cluster, local authority or regional improvement collaborative. Practitioners may find it useful and more manageable to work in smaller groups. Some examples can be downloaded below:

PDF file: Moderation group examples (163 KB)

Invite/share the team code with the group of practitioners.

Step 2 - Set up a PLC Team in Microsoft Teams

One person from each group will set up a Team and create a OneNote notebook to support the moderation process. A template page can be created to ensure consistency.

The following short video provides an outline of the process to create a PLC Team and a structure for the OneNote notebook. At this stage, it would be beneficial if the person who created the Team and notebook also had access to the OneNote desktop app in order to add section groups. The template text used in the video can be downloaded below.

Word file: Moderation template (23 KB)

On the welcome page, you may also wish to add some instructions, links to Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes, benchmarks, local authority policies or progression pathways, or embed the adding learner content videos (below).

Step 3 - Choose a moderation focus

Moderation takes place at all stages of the learning, teaching and assessment (moderation) cycle. Digital approaches to moderation can be used to support this process allowing practitioners to collaborate and review each stage. For example, you may choose to focus on planning learning, teaching and assessment using the experiences and outcomes to meet learners' needs. You may also consider using digital approaches to review a range of learner evidence in order to develop a shared understanding of progress in learning.

Step 4 – Upload material

Planning for learning, teaching and assessment, as well as learner evidence, feedback and reporting comments can be uploaded. This can be done by individual practitioners. However, it may be that a representative from a department, school or group of schools will upload moderation material on behalf of the group.

How to upload material to a page

Notes about learner evidence

OneNote allows a wide variety of media to be stored on each page. It is important to mindful about data protection and copyright.

1. Ensure that learners cannot be identified – remove any personally identifiable content for example, names from images and documents.

2. If using video content, do not embed videos where a pupil is visible. In these cases, you can play the video in a live meeting, have the discussion and record the outcome in OneNote. You should make a note of this in the template.

3. Video content such as a walkaround of a product that a pupil has created can be stored on pages, as long as it is anonymous as with photo/text-based content.

4. If you are using assessment materials that have been commercially created, do not upload them to the pages.

5. Avoid uploading assessment materials which have been commercially created. The focus should be retained on practitioner designed and implemented approaches to assessment.