Continual Renewal from Strength to Strength
New Academic Structure Medium-term Review and Beyond
Extended Consultation
Visual Arts
Purpose of the Questionnaire
The November 2014 to January 2015 School Survey for the New Academic Structure (NAS) Medium-term Review
and Beyond has been completed. In light of the responses and comments collected through the questionnaire survey
and feedback collected from other stakeholders, we would like to consult schools on further details related to some
of the recommendations proposed in the November 2014 survey. The feedback collected from this Extended
Consultation questionnaire survey, in conjunction with the feedback collected from the November 2014 survey and
from other stakeholders and sources, will inform the professional discussion in the relevant committees of the
Curriculum Development Council (CDC) and Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA), for
further deliberation at the Joint CDC–HKEAA Public Examinations Board (CDC–PEB) meeting on the last batch of
recommendations to be announced in July 2015 or before.
This questionnaire aims to solicit the views of subject panel heads and teachers on further details related to some of
the recommendations proposed in the November 2014 survey. Subject panel heads and teachers are advised to
exchange their views before responding to the questions. The items are by no means exhaustive, and views on
those that are not included can be collected through other channels, e.g. written submissions, briefings, forums and
interviews. Subject panel heads and teachers are also welcome to express their views under ‘Other comments’ in this
questionnaire.
Briefing sessions for schools will be held on 31 March and 1 April 2015 to explain the proposed recommendations and
to collect feedback. Please refer to the Training Calendar System for details.
Guiding Principles
Following the completion of the Short-term Review in April 2013 and announcement of 1st batch of recommendations
of the Medium-term Review in April 2014, the NAS Medium-term Review continues to adopt a student-centred
approach and the guiding principles below:
1. Gear all curricula towards achieving the overall learning goals for secondary education;
2. Keep abreast of the latest changes in the disciplines of knowledge, economic, social and technological contexts,
etc. with regular international benchmarking and recognition;
3. Strike a balance between breadth and depth in knowledge, skills, positive values and attitudes in school curricula
appropriate to secondary education and interface with further studies;
4. Cater for student diversity and build on strengths (e.g. personal effort, subject interest, teaching method, and
curriculum content are recognised by students as most important factors for success in senior secondary
education);
5. Consider factors and concerns regarding implementation (e.g. workload of teachers and students, support to
teachers);
6. Align assessment with curriculum aims, learning objectives, curriculum design and expected learning outcomes;
7. Engage different stakeholders and consider the feedback collected from different sources to inform deliberations
in relevant CDC and HKEAA committees.
While the short-term review placed emphasis on practical concerns regarding implementation and catering for student
diversity, the Medium-term Review also emphasises the need to address the latest changes in the disciplines of
knowledge, economic, social and technological contexts, etc. with regular international benchmarking and recognition,
with a view to forming a good foundation in moving towards the continual renewal of curriculum and assessment
under “Learning to Learn 2.0”.
Return of Questionnaires
For each subject, schools are expected to return ONE questionnaire only. The panel head should consolidate all
views on this questionnaire and return it to the Principal/coordinator, who will collect all relevant Subject Level
Questionnaires and return by hand using the self-addressed envelope enclosed, to the Council and Secondary
Section, Curriculum Development Institute (Room 1302, 13/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai,
Hong Kong) on or before 24 April 2015. For general enquiries, please contact Ms Zita YIM at 2892 5810. For
enquiries on the recommendations for the medium-term and beyond, please contact Ms HO Pui-fan at 3698 3538.
All information provided will be kept strictly confidential and will only be used for the purpose of the NAS Review.
No information on individual schools/teachers will be revealed.
Visual Arts
Page 1 of 5
School Name: _________________________________________________
School Number:
Name of Contact Person: ______________________________ (Tel) _________________
Visual Arts
Background
In light of the feedback collected from the November 2014 survey, we would like to seek further views from schools regarding the
following:
 If contents, i.e. knowledge and skills, are to be further specified both for the curriculum and assessment in the long term, your
views on the detailed arrangements;
 If the linkage between art appreciation and criticism and art making is to be relaxed in the public examination, your views on
the detailed arrangements; and
 If guided questions for assessing art appreciation and criticism are to be introduced in the public examination, your views on the
detailed arrangements.
Please blacken the appropriate circle.
space provided when necessary.
1.
Background Information:
State your comments and provide information in the
Please indicate the provision of this subject in your school:
○ This subject is offered in the 2014/15 school year and/or was offered in previous school year(s)
○ This subject has not been offered
Visual Arts
Page 2 of 5
Recommendations for the Medium-term and Beyond
Curriculum
2.
In the Visual Arts Curriculum and Assessment Guide (S4 – 6) (p.11) learning contents refers to knowledge and skills as
stipulated in ‘Learning Objectives and Opportunities’, e.g. formal knowledge, modes of artistic presentation, etc. (Please refer
to Annex 1)
The SS Visual Arts curriculum focuses on developing students’ different abilities in visual arts, and it provides flexibility for
teachers and students to select learning and teaching materials to cater for learner diversity (e.g. interests, abilities, career
aspirations).
On the need to specify contents BOTH in the curriculum and assessment in the long term, schools’ views are further solicited as
follows:
To help students with diverse learning needs to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes in Visual Arts, there is a need to
maintain the existing flexibility of learning contents as stipulated in the current Curriculum and Assessment Guide.
○
Agree
Please give your reasons and any suggestions (e.g. teaching strategies, good practices, learning and teaching materials, etc.), if
any, for enhancing the implementation of SS Visual Arts curriculum and assessment, based on the existing curriculum and
assessment framework.
○
No opinion
○
Disagree (Please specify your reasons and suggest how contents, i.e. knowledge and skills, are to be further specified
BOTH for the curriculum and assessment in the long term):
Reasons: (Please choose not more than TWO options)
○
Lesson time, please specify:
○
Depth of the stipulated learning contents, please specify:
○
Breadth of the stipulated learning contents, please specify:
○
Others, please specify:
Suggestions: (Please choose not more than TWO options)
○
Illustrate the stipulated learning contents with more examples of curriculum design and assessment
○
Provide a frame of perspectives for understanding art e.g. personal and psychological, formal, social and cultural, etc.
○
Provide suggested reading materials, which are NOT to be memorised for assessment, please specify:
○
Others, please specify:
Visual Arts
Page 3 of 5
Assessment
3.
(a)
If the existing requirement of linking art appreciation and criticism with art making in the public examination of HKDSE Visual
Arts is to be relaxed, please indicate your views on the following proposed changes to both Papers 1 and 2:
Examination Arrangement
If the linkage between art appreciation and criticism
with art making in the public examination in both
Papers 1 and 2 is to be relaxed, candidates are still
required to complete Parts A and B. However, they will
no longer be required to write an artwork/design work
statement in response to the relationship between the
practical work and the appreciation of artwork.
Agree
Disagree
No
opinion
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
○
Other comments
If necessary, candidates may submit a creative/design
brief which may include notes, sketches or layouts
produced during the examination to support their
artwork/design work. The practical work and the
creative/design brief will be assessed as a whole and no
separate marks will be awarded to the notes, sketches
and layouts.
The proposed Assessment Framework is shown in
Annex 2.
Do you agree to the proposed changes to Papers 1 and
2?
(b)
Marking Criteria
Subsequent to the arrangement delineated in Q3(a), the
criterion ‘Relationship between Practical Artwork and
Appreciation & Criticism’ will be deleted from the
Marking Criteria for Part B of both papers. The other
four criteria will be kept, and they will carry a total of
80 marks. Details of the revised mark allocation are
shown in Annex 3.
Do you agree to the proposed changes to the Marking
Criteria of Part B of both papers?
(c)
Year of Implementation
If the above proposals are to be implemented, they
should be implemented with effect from the 2018
HKDSE Examination (S4 students in 2015/16)?
Visual Arts
Page 4 of 5
4.
(a)
Under the current mode of examination, Part A of questions in both Papers 1 and 2 are open-ended in nature and candidates are
required to present their answers in a holistic manner. If guided questions are to be provided with an aim to help more
effectively cater for students’ learning diversity, it would mean that in Part A, sub-questions requesting answers with specific
content will be asked. Annex 4 shows some sample guided questions.
Which of the following question types would you prefer for Part A of both Papers 1 and 2 in the public examination?
○ Guided Questions: (e.g. breaking down questions into sub-questions, providing information to guide candidates to
answer the question, etc.)
○
Current mode (Short essay question requesting a holistic and more open-ended response)
○
Others (please specify):
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
(b)
If the above proposal is to be implemented, please indicate below the earliest year of implementation preferred:
○
S4 students in 2015/16 (2018 HKDSE Examination)
○
S4 students in 2016/17 (2019 HKDSE Examination)
○
No opinion
Other comments: ___________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
– The End –
Thank you very much!
Visual Arts
Page 5 of 5
Annex 1
Annex 2
PROPOSED 2018 HKDSE VISUAL ARTS ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK
INTRODUCTION
The public assessment of this subject is based on the Visual Arts Curriculum and Assessment Guide
(Secondary 4─6) jointly prepared by the Curriculum Development Council and the Hong Kong
Examinations and Assessment Authority. Candidates have to refer to the Guide for the knowledge,
understanding, skills etc. they are required to demonstrate in the assessment.
ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the public examination include the assessment of candidates’ ability to:



describe, analyse, interpret and evaluate artwork in writing;
relate their critical responses to artwork with their own art making;
select and manipulate visual language, media, materials, tools and techniques appropriate for the
creative expression and communication of a topic/theme or for solving a particular problem.
The objectives of SBA include the assessment of candidates’ ability to:






generate ideas through observation, experience, imagination, technology and other skills;
develop themes of personal feelings or ideas, or social-related issues or ideas for problem solving
through identifying, selecting and organising primary and secondary resources;
analyse, interpret and make critical judgment of artwork/art phenomena showing understanding of
form, purpose, meaning and context in writing;
transform and integrate experiences, knowledge and perspectives constructed from art
appreciation and criticism, and other areas into art making practice;
explore, select and manipulate appropriate visual language, media, materials, tools, skills,
techniques and imagery for creative expression and communication of a theme or for the solving
of a particular problem;
continuously reflect on, respond to and evaluate their own and others’ practice and work, and
consequently modify their own work.
MODE OF ASSESSMENT
The public assessment will consist of a public examination component and a school-based assessment
component as outlined in the following table:
Component
Public
Examination
Choose either Paper 1 or Paper 2.
Weighting
50%
Paper 1- Visual presentation of a theme
Paper 2- Design
School-based
Assessment
(SBA)
Each paper is divided into two parts:
Part A (10%)
Part B (40%)
Submit ONE portfolio which should consist of:
(a) Research workbook (20%)
(b) Artwork/Critical studies (30%)
2018-HKDSE-V ARTS
50%
Duration
4 hours
PUBLIC EXAMINATION
The overall rationale of the public examination in Visual Arts is to assess candidates’ performance in
the visual arts. Both written presentation on critical appreciation of works of art from personal
knowledge and production of a work of art will be used to assess candidates’ performance in a broad
range of skills and abilities in the two learning strands: visual arts appreciation and criticism in
context and visual arts making.
Candidates must attempt ONE of the following examination papers. Each paper provides a choice of
five questions. Each question provides reproduction artwork and may include relevant reference
information for appreciation. Candidates are allowed to use reference materials during the
examination.
Paper 1: Visual Presentation of a Theme
Candidates are required to work in two dimensions in any media, style or technique, choosing one
question from the five given, and to work on the following two parts:
Part A: Art Appreciation and Criticism (45 minutes)
Write a critical appreciation of the reproductions of artwork provided.
Part B: Visual Arts Making (3 hours and 15 minutes)
Create a piece of artwork to present a theme. Candidates may submit a creative brief which
may include notes, sketches or layouts produced during the examination to support their
artwork, if necessary. The practical work and the creative brief will be assessed as a whole
and no separate marks will be awarded to the creative brief. and present an artwork statement
(about 50 words) in response to the relationship between the practical work and the
appreciation of artwork. The practical work and the creative brief artwork statement will be
assessed as a whole.
The theme(s) are deliberately broad, giving candidates as much freedom as possible for their
interpretation. This examination paper will assess candidates’ understanding and appreciation of
artwork and artistic visual presentation of a theme.
Paper 2: Design
Candidates are required to design in any media, style or technique choosing one question from the
five given, and to work on the following two parts:
Part A: Design Appreciation and Criticism (45 minutes)
Write a critical appreciation of the reproductions of design provided.
Part B: Design (3 hours and 15 minutes)
Solve design problem(s) and present a design work. Candidates may submit a design brief
which may include notes, sketches or layouts produced during the examination to support
their design work, if necessary. The practical work and the design brief will be assessed as a
whole and no separate marks will be awarded to the design brief. work statement (about 50
words) in response to the relationship between the practical work and the appreciation of
design(s). The practical work and the design brief work statement will be assessed as a whole.
Examples of problems set may be a poster, a greeting card, signage, stationery, a book, a journal,
packaging, a toy, fashion and accessories, etc. This examination paper will assess candidates’
understanding of design and their ability to solve given design problem(s) in any innovative way.
2018-HKDSE-V ARTS
SCHOOL-BASED ASSESSMENT (SBA)
SBA is compulsory for all school candidates. Candidates will be assessed by portfolios, which
enable the assessment of candidates’ sustained work and provide a more comprehensive picture of
their performance throughout the period of study.
Details of the SBA assessment requirements are as follows:
Assessment task
One Portfolio
Subject weighting
Research workbook
20%
Four pieces of Artwork / Critical Studies
(of which at least one piece of work must be an
Artwork)
30%
Candidates are required to submit ONE portfolio which should consist of:
(a) Research Workbook (presentations on art appreciation and criticism in context in relation to art
making/critical studies and research processes) showing:






evidence (e.g. sketches, photographs, notes) of how ideas are generated and recorded through
observation, experience, imagination, technology and other skills;
exploration and development of a theme/topic for art appreciation and criticism, and art making;
presentations on art appreciation and criticism in context in relation to art making/critical studies,
with evidence of research into the socio-cultural and historical contexts of more than one
culture; and criticism of artwork/art phenomena/visual cultures from different perspectives and
with different aesthetic values to the candidates’ own;
how artists’ work has influenced their own art making/critical studies;
exploration of and experimentation with media, materials, skills and techniques for the
presentation of the selected theme;
reflection on, evaluation of and refining of their own work;
and
(b) Artwork/Critical studies (four pieces of work in the portfolio) for the presentation of the
selected theme(s):


All of the four pieces of work can be artwork, or one to three pieces of them can be critical
studies;
Any media, materials, skills and techniques can be used for the production of the artwork.
Candidates are required to keep good custody of their work for inspection and authentication purposes
until the release of the HKDSE results.
Private candidates are required to submit ONE portfolio which should consist of a research workbook
and two pieces of Artwork / Critical Studies (at least one piece of work must be an Artwork) to the
HKEAA for assessment, which will constitute 50% of the final subject mark.
The detailed requirements, regulations, assessment criteria and guidelines are provided in the SBA
Handbook for HKDSE Visual Arts published by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment
Authority.
2018-HKDSE-V ARTS
Annex 3
Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination
Visual Arts
Revised Marking Criteria for Part B
With the relaxation of the linkage between art appreciation and criticism with art making in the pubic
examination, the following changes are proposed to the marking criteria of Part B of Papers1 and 2:
(a) The criterion “Relationship between Practical Work and Appreciation and Criticism of the
Artwork” will be deleted.
(b) The other four criteria will be kept, and they will carry a total of 80 marks.
The revised mark allocation of Part B is shown below.
Marks/
Rubrics
High
Middle
Low
Not
Shown
0
Marking
Criteria
Selection and
Use of
Materials &
Technique
Selection and
Use of Visual
Elements and
Principles of
Design
Creativity &
Imagination
Communication
of Theme
17-20
Able to select
and master
the materials
and the skills
accurately and
effectively in
implementing
the key
message of
the theme
Able to select
and master
multiple visual
elements and
principles of
design,
accurately and
effectively in
implementing
the key
message of
the theme
Able to
demonstrate
personality
characteristics
through
originality and
unique
imagination
13-16
Able to master
the materials
and the skills
appropriately
and effectively
in outstanding
the key
message of
the theme
9-12
Able to master
the materials
and the skills
appropriately
in delivering
the key
message of
the theme
5-8
Able to use
the materials
and the skills
relevant to
the theme
1-4
Unable to use
the materials
and the skills
to cope with
the theme
Able to master
multiple visual
elements and
principles of
design
appropriately
and effectively
in outstanding
the key
message of
the theme
Able to master
the visual
elements and
principles of
design
appropriately
in delivering
the key
message of
the theme
Able to use
the visual
elements and
principles of
design
relevant to
the theme
Unable to use
the visual
elements and
principles of
design to
cope with the
theme
Able to
demonstrate
personality
characteristics
through
originality and
rich
imagination
Able to
demonstrate
personality
characteristics
or originality
Unable to
show
personality
characteristics
or originality
Able to
integrate
relevant
forms of
artistic
creation in
different
emotions or
idea
Able to use
multiple,
relevant and
coordinate
forms of
artistic
creation in
different
emotions or
idea
Able to
demonstrate
personality
characteristics
through
originality and
by means of
transference
or association
Able to use
relevant and
coordinate
forms of
artistic
creation in
different
emotions or
idea
Only use
irrelevant
forms of
artistic
creation in
different
emotions or
idea
Unable to use
any relevant
forms of
artistic
creation in
different
emotions or
idea
Annex 4
HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION
VISUAL ARTS SAMPLE QUESTION
Sample One
Paper 1
Visua l P rese ntat io n of a The me
1. (A) (i) Describe and compare Plates (1a) and (1b) in any three of the following aspects:






Lines
Colour
Medium
Perspective
Theme
Others
(5 marks)
(ii) Based on the description in (i), analyse, interpret and evaluate these two pieces of artwork. (15
marks)
Plate (1a)
Fang Zhaoling ( 方召麐 ). Climbing to the Top of Huang Shan ( 黃山 ). 1987.
Chinese ink and colour on paper, 96.5 x 61.5 cm.
Plate (1b)
(B)
Katsushika Hokusai (葛飾北齋 ) . Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji–Ejiri in Suruga Province （冨
嶽三十六景 – 駿州江尻）. 1831. Colour woodblock print, 26 x 38.5 cm. (Note: Ejiri is the
name of a place in ancient Japan)
Create a piece of two-dimensional work based on the theme “Travelogue”.
(80 marks)
S a m p l e Tw o
Paper 2
Design
(A) Describe, analyse and compare Plate (1a) and Plate (1b), with respect to aspects of design concepts, visual
effects and communication effects, such as images, colour, typography, composition, purpose, etc.. Hence
interpret and evaluate these two graphic designs.
(20marks)
Plate (1a)
Poster for Visiting England
Plate (1b)
Typography Design
(LIFE IS THE ILLUSION．LOVE IS THE DREAM)
(B) Create a design with typography (in Chinese, English or both Chinese and English) for the phrase –
Sunshine” ( 雨過天晴 ) . Images may be included in the design.
“After Rain Comes
(80 marks)