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What is BTEC?. A Beginners Guide to performing arts. EL 2012. What to expect from us. Specialist knowledge Quality teaching Guidance, support and help A structured but friendly environment Honesty and positivity Clear targets Disciplined and professional approach. What is expected.
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What is BTEC? A Beginners Guide to performing arts EL 2012
What to expect from us • Specialist knowledge • Quality teaching • Guidance, support and help • A structured but friendly environment • Honesty and positivity • Clear targets • Disciplined and professional approach
What is expected • Punctuality and attendance • Uniform, appropriate footwear, deodorant! • Preparation, relevant equipment • Willingness to learn/participate • Team work • Self-directed study • Subject interest • Positive attitude to staff and students • Submit work on or before deadline
What am I studying? • BTEC stands for Business and Technology Education Council • It is a qualification that can be equivalent to GCSEs (Level2) and AS/A Levels (Level 3) • You will be studying on the Edexcel examining body course • Your full course title is: • BTEC Extended Diploma in Performing Arts (Acting) • This is a two year course currently equivalent to three A-Levels
How does BTEC work? • Unlike AS/A-Levels BTEC does NOT have any exams • Instead you are assessed on work throughout your studies • The BTEC focuses on practical skills but requires you to create evidence of your work • The BTEC is assessed by teaching staff, these grades are checked by other teachers and then externally checked to ensure you get the right grade for your work and evidence
How does bTEC work? • A BTEC is made up of ‘Units’ • Some units are called Core units and these must be passed • Other units are Options and these are selected by teaching staff in order to develop your skills and give you the best chance of success • The unit guides which explain what is being studied and assessed are available on-line but staff will explain these to you as you go through the course
How do I Know what to do? • Your teacher will set work in lessons as normal and ask you to do research, rehearsals, coursework as required • You will be set an assignment brief which explains what you have to do to achieve the grades, what the grading criteria are (what you’re being assessed on) and what evidence you have to submit • You will also be set clear deadlines to submit work
Submitting work • All work should be submitted on or before deadline • In some exceptional cases a teacher may grant an extension to the deadline but this must be agreed before deadline • When you hand in your work you need to make sure of a few things: • Your name is on the work • If it is in paper form pages should be numbered • Your work is bound together in some way so that nothing can get lost • In some cases you may be able to e-mail your work but you should make sure the teacher has received the e-mail
Practical Assessment • You will be assessed on your work in lessons, workshops, rehearsals and performances • You may also need to create presentations and practical demonstrations • Your work will be recorded for evidence • Even when there is no ‘audience’ you are being assessed • There are a few important things to remember…
Practical Assessment • As assessment happens all the time it is important that: • Your attendance and punctuality are good so that you don’t miss grading opportunities • You complete coursework and homework tasks outside lessons as instructed so this doesn’t limit your time in classes • You are working either with or in front of a teacher, who will be assessing you, or record your work. Remember if we can’t see you , we can’t grade you • You have the right resources and equipment with you for lessons
What sort of evidence do I need? • As BTEC is on-going assessment (rather than exams) you need to keep a record of your work • You will be expected to keep a diary or ‘log’ which shows what you have been doing either individually or with your group (more on logs later) • You will have to submit coursework for assessment and this will include written work as well as other forms of evidence (more on that later to) • You will need evidence of practical work • You will need to be observed by teachers
When do I create my log? • Your log is a living document, it is on-going and should be created while your working on a project so that you record the development of your work and studies. • As often as possible teachers will try to give you time to make notes for your log at the end of lessons but it is your responsibility to then complete your log entries as homework • You should be creating a log entry every day • When working on more than one project at a time you may wish to keep more than one log so that they don’t get mixed up • There are some occasions when a log is not needed and teachers will always let you know when this is the case
log? • A log or logbook, as it used to be called, is evidence created by you that demonstrates what you have done • Your log could be a written diary or journal • You can include photographs, research, scripts etc. • You could also make use of technology to create your log • You could create a blog, video diary, recorded diary, even a comic strip as long as it covers the following points… • What did you do? • What did you contribute? • How well did it go? • Strengths, Weaknesses and Targets
Log Checking • Teachers will ask to see your log at regular intervals during the project to check that you are covering the right things to evidence your work • You must ensure you have your log available in some format for these checks • At the end of the project you should submit your log for final checks with all other evidence required • Speak to your teacher if you have any questions about logs and how to create them
Why no Exam? • The great thing about a BTEC is that you don’t finish being assessed until the end of your final year • This means that you can work on improving your grades using the feedback and new skills you develop in the course • You will have regular access to ‘Tracking Information’ which tells you what grades you have achieved • In BTEC you are graded at either a Pass, Merit, Distinction or as Not Yet Achieved…
Assessment? • What do the grades mean? • The grades will be linked to a grading criteria given by Edexcel, here is an example from Unit 1: • So, what does this mean?
The letter refers to the level of the grade, the number refers to the number of the criteria Assessment? This is the level of the criteria, so to achieve a pass you need to complete the work described Watch out for the little differences between levels/grades This is describes what you have to do to achieve the level
What if I get NYA? • NYA means that you have not yet achieved the criteria • This meant mean that you have not submitted work • Perhaps there is not enough evidence • It could mean that though your work was good it doesn’t meet the criteria • It could mean that the work was not up to the standard required of a pass • Teachers will always give you feedback and tell you how to improve so that you can achieve your grades
What do the grades mean? • Roughly speaking you can think of the grades in these terms: • Pass = D at A-Level • Merit = C at A-Level • Distinction = A at A-Level • So how do I get the qualification?
Final Qualification Grade • Your final grade for the course will be calculated based on your grades in all the units. • There are some important things to remember • Within a unit the lowest grade will carry… • So if there are 3 grading criteria and you achieve D, D, P you will get a Pass for that unit • If you are re-assessed and push the P grade to a D this will over-rule the lower grade meaning you get D,D,D achieving a Distinction for the unit
Final Qualification Grade • Once you have completed all your units your total grades will be added up and will turn into an overall grade • For the Extended Diploma this will be made up of 3 letters • For example you could achieve an excellent DDD or a mix of DMM etc. • As you go through this will become more obvious and hopefully make more sense to you
Plagiarism • You MUST ensure that the work that you submit is your own • Often you will be using research from the internet, books etc. but you should always say when work is not written by you… Name your source • If work is plagiarised even innocently it will not pass • Plagiarised work could cause you to fail the course and in extreme cases could cause everyone to fail • Please speak to your teacher if you’re not sure about your work
Hints and Tips • Back-up your work • Back up your memory stick etc. • Have a pen, pencil and paper with you at all times • Don’t leave work to the last minute • Print work before the submission date • Use your mobile phone appropriately (teachers may ask to see what you’re doing so you’d better not be on Angry Birds or Twitter!)
How do I get help? • ASK • You will be given feedback and targets on your work • You can e-mail teachers or speak to them • You can book 1-2-1’s or group tutorials • Help is ALWAYS available just ask!
It’s OK • The Ultimate Self Help Group • It’s ok to not know the answer… as long as you find out • It’s ok to make a mistake… as long as you learn from it • It’s ok to ask for help • It’s ok to not get the grade first time… as long as you improve
Remember… • Logs • Evidence work • Attendance & Punctuality • Appropriate attitude & behaviour • Discipline • Professionalism • You are your own responsibility now
