The Pearson btec level 3 extended diploma in health and social care includes three main forms of assessment that you need to be aware of: external, internal and synoptic. External assessment means each assessment is taken under specified conditions, then marked by Pearson and a grade awarded, e.G. Exams. Most units in the sector are internally assessed and subject to external standards verification. This means that teachers set and assess the assignments that provide the final summative assessment of each unit, using the examples and support that Pearson provides. Synoptic assessment requires learners to demonstrate that they can identify and use effectively, in an integrated way, an appropriate selection of skills, techniques, concepts, theories and knowledge from across the whole sector as relevant to a key task. The mandatory synoptic unit requires learners to apply learning from across the qualification to the completion of a defined vocational task. For unit 4: enquiries into current research in health and social care, learners complete a research commentary based on a pre-released article and their secondary research, drawing together their knowledge and understanding of working practices and provision of services. Learners complete the task using knowledge and understanding from their studies of the sector and apply both transferable and specialist knowledge and skills.
