Biology General senior syllabus

2019 v1.2
Review report
April 2023

2266
 © State of Queensland (QCAA) 2023
Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 | Copyright notice: www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/copyright —
lists the full terms and conditions, which specify certain exceptions to the licence. |
Attribution (include the link): © State of Queensland (QCAA) 2023 www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/copyright.

Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority

PO Box 307 Spring Hill QLD 4004 Australia
154 Melbourne Street, South Brisbane
Phone: (07) 3864 0299
Email: office@qcaa.qld.edu.au
Website: www.qcaa.qld.edu.au
Contents
Introduction ______________________________________________ 1
Review __________________________________________________ 1
Definition......................................................................................................................1
Atypical review.............................................................................................................1
Timeframe ...................................................................................................................1
Activities ......................................................................................................................2
Sources of feedback ....................................................................................................2
Syllabus implementation survey ............................................................................................2
Syllabus targeted review focus groups .................................................................................3
Review findings ...........................................................................................................3

Review outcomes _________________________________________ 4

Summary of syllabus revisions ______________________________ 5

 Introduction
Reviewing and revising syllabuses is integral to ensuring the Queensland Curriculum and
Assessment Authority (QCAA) provides a world-class curriculum, learning and assessment
system for all Queensland schools.
The Biology General senior syllabus 2019 v1.2 review report outlines the 2020–2024 syllabus
review and revision process, including:
• the scope of the syllabus review
• the syllabus review activities conducted
• a summary of the syllabus review data
• the findings of the review
• a summary of the revisions.

Review
Definition
A syllabus review is an examination of a syllabus according to a set of principles. It is expected
that one of five recommendations will be made at the conclusion of a review.
These recommendations are:
1. no action is taken
2. the syllabus is amended
3. the syllabus is revised
4. the syllabus is redeveloped
5. the syllabus is retired.
A review is conducted by the QCAA and includes consultation with external syllabus stakeholders
via surveys, focus groups and reference groups. Internal analysis of data collected via QCAA
quality assurance and external assessment processes is also conducted.

Atypical review
The 2020–2024 review and revision of General, Applied (Essential) and Short Course syllabuses
is a unique review process given its proximity to the introduction of a new QCE system in 2019.
This means that syllabuses will only undergo revision in response to the findings of the review.
The scope and purpose of a revision is outlined in later sections of this report.

Timeframe
The review of General, Applied (Essential) and Short Course syllabuses commenced in early
2020 and concluded in November 2022.

Biology General senior syllabus 2019 v1.2 Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
Review report April 2023
Page 1 of 7
 Activities
The review of General, Applied (Essential) and Short Course syllabuses involved the following
activities:
• recording of ad hoc syllabus feedback in an official change log from March 2019 to
November 2021
• analysis of confirmation, endorsement and external assessment 2020–2021 data to identify
any syllabus performance issues
• release of the publicly accessible syllabus implementation survey from July to September
2021 to gather feedback from teachers, parents, students, industry and academics on all
syllabuses
• analysis of quantitative and qualitative data gathered through the public survey to identify
satisfaction ratings and common themes in feedback
• establishment of focus groups in mid-2022 to invite participants to state a clear and cohesive
set of values for their subject, how the subject might need to change to remain current and
contemporary, and what specific changes should be made to the syllabus as part of the
revision process.
Through these activities, the QCAA engaged with more than 8200 stakeholders and received
more than 20 000 specific and detailed items of written feedback about the syllabuses.

Sources of feedback
Syllabus implementation survey
The table below shows the number of participants in the syllabus implementation survey for
this syllabus.

Stakeholders Survey participants

Teachers 162

Heads of department 40

School administrators 3

Sector representatives 0

Members of professional associations 0

Academics 2

Students 183

Parents/carers 6

Other 2

Biology General senior syllabus 2019 v1.2 Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
Review report April 2023
Page 2 of 7
 Syllabus targeted review focus groups
The table below shows the number of focus group participants for this syllabus.

Focus group Participants

Science — general focus 103

Science — assessment focus 159

Review findings
Syllabus section or feedback area Satisfied responses to survey
(% of total responses)

Course overview — Introduction 79.7%

Objectives (including explanatory paragraphs) 74.5%

Teaching and learning: Aboriginal perspectives 70.7%

and Torres Strait Islander perspectives

Teaching and learning: Pedagogical and 76.5%

conceptual frameworks

Teaching and learning: Subject matter 62.6%

Units 80.9%

Internal assessment techniques, descriptions, 72.5%

specifications and conditions

Instrument-specific marking guides (ISMGs) 59.0%

External assessment 87.7%

Resources 44.9%

Review findings include:

• Stakeholders value the opportunity the subject provides students to develop a scientific way of
looking at the world, problem solving skills, and critical thinking skills.
• Stakeholders identified that regardless of whether the student intends on a career in science,
the study of science allows one to become an informed citizen who can think critically about
the information being presented to them when making a decision.
• Changes suggested by stakeholders to the syllabus were minimal and tended to focus the
reduction of subject matter (with no agreement on what specifically should be removed).
• Some stakeholders wanted to remove the Research Investigation whereas others recognised
its alignment with what is valuable about a science education.
• Some stakeholders made claims that the Research Investigation was a) too challenging for
students, b) causing enrolments in science to decrease, and c) was, out of the three internal
assessments, the task on which students underperformed.
• There was strong support for any change that would simplify the objectives and ISMGs.
• Generally, stakeholders support the current specifications and conditions for IA1 and IA2.

Biology General senior syllabus 2019 v1.2 Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
Review report April 2023
Page 3 of 7
 Review outcomes
This syllabus will undergo a revision to make changes that:
• respond to syllabus implementation challenges identified by teachers
• ensure assessment is appropriate and effective
• improve the clarity in the syllabus for teachers and students to make expectations
more transparent
• update and refine subject matter, where necessary.
Examples of changes include:
• changing a cognitive verb used in an objective
• rearranging topics or subject matter
• simplifying language in an ISMG performance-level descriptor
• adjusting assessment specifications or conditions based on endorsement and confirmation
feedback
• updating topics and subject matter to be more contemporary.
During the review of the General, Applied (Essential) and Short Course syllabuses, it was evident
that some stakeholders expect changes to syllabuses that are significantly beyond the scope of a
syllabus revision and would require a syllabus redevelopment. Examples of changes that are
beyond the scope of a revision include changes:
• to syllabus objectives that would require changes in assessment processes and ISMGs that
would result in a significant change in practice
• to the number of summative assessments
• that significantly alter the nature of the external assessment, e.g. the percentage weighting,
the technique, the objectives assessed
• to the purpose of the subject
• that would have a significant impact on school resources, e.g. the need for new textbooks
or equipment.
The evaluation of the new Queensland Certificate of Education system is expected to report in
early 2025. A future syllabus review, revision and redevelopment schedule will be developed in
light of the findings from this evaluation and after further feedback on these revised syllabuses
has been considered.

Biology General senior syllabus 2019 v1.2 Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
Review report April 2023
Page 4 of 7
 Summary of syllabus revisions
The Biology syllabus will undergo refinement, including clarification of objectives, subject matter,
assessment specifications, ISMGs and reporting standards in response to the findings of the
review. Details of the changes are shown in the table below.

Section Revision

Whole syllabus • List of cognitive verbs reduced and made more consistent across
sciences.
• Structure updated for greater clarity:
• Non-essential material (e.g. guidance) reduced
• Course overview summarised in three sections (Rationale, Syllabus
Objectives and Designing a Course of Study)
• All assessment information collected into one section

Introduction
• Course Overview section reorganised and simplified
Teaching and Learning

Course overview • Syllabus objectives altered with some clarifying changes to wording
- Seven objectives reduced to six
- Communication removed as a discrete objective and embedded in
Objective 1 Describe ideas and findings
- Analyse evidence renamed to Analyse data
- Investigate phenomena objective moved to be the final objective, from
its previous location as the second-last objective
• Science inquiry skills section revised for greater clarity and consistency
of language across science subjects and with Australian Curriculum
v8.4.

Assessment – general • Combined with other material in new Assessment section

information

Reporting standards • Changed to align to revised objectives

• Section moved later in Syllabus

Subject Matter • Assessment information moved to new Assessment section

• Subject matter organised under three headings – Science
understanding, Science inquiry skills (SIS) and Science as a
human endeavour (SHE) – to align to Australian Curriculum v8.4 and
to assessment requirements
- Science understanding describes objective 1–4 subject matter that
can be assessed in the external assessment, including assessable
aspects of the mandatory practicals
▪ Some subject matter that aligned with objectives 5–6 has been
changed to align with objectives 1–4
- SIS describes opportunities (including mandatory and suggested
practicals) to develop inquiry skills described in course overview
- SHE describes contexts relevant to investigations, including the
historical context in which scientific understanding was developed
Unit 1
• Subject matter re-organised into new topics:
- Topic 1: Cells as the basis of life
- Topic 2: Animal systems — Exchange of nutrients and wastes
- Topic 3: Animal systems — Cellular energy and gas exchange

Biology General senior syllabus 2019 v1.2 Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
Review report April 2023
Page 5 of 7
 - Topic 4: Plant systems — Gas exchange and transport
• Subject matter added, re-worded or extended for clarity e.g.
- recall that stem cells originate through the process of mitosis
- recognise key biomolecules and their monomers
- explain how the cell membrane regulates movement of substances
into and out of the cell via exocytosis
- explain how closed circulatory systems facilitate the efficient transport
of materials.
• Subject matter removed or subsumed into other subject matter e.g.
- recognise that phagocytosis is a form of endocytosis 
- explain the relationship between photosynthesis and the main tissues
of leaves (spongy and palisade mesophyll, epidermis, cuticle and
vascular bundles)
- function of gills in gas exchange
• Greater detail in SHE subject matter
• Additional examples of investigations provided to develop inquiry skills
Unit 2
• Subject matter re-ordered, sub-topics combined and subject matter
clarified
• Subject matter removed or subsumed into other subject matter e.g.
- make decisions and justify them in regard to best practice for the
prevention of disease outbreaks based on the critical analysis of
relevant and current information
• Greater detail in SHE subject matter
• Additional examples of investigations provided to develop inquiry skills
Unit 3
• Subject matter re-ordered and sub-topics combined
• Subject matter removed or subsumed into other subject matter e.g.
- identify one example of an interspecific hybrid that does not produce
fertile offspring (e.g. mule, Equus mulus)
• Subject matter added, re-worded or extended for clarity, e.g.
- use classification keys to identify organisms
- compare the reproductive strategies and growth curves of K- and r-
strategists
• Subject matter moved to SHE or SIS, e.g.
- recognise the need for multiple definitions of species
- explain how the process of classifying ecosystems is an important step
towards effective ecosystem management (consider old-growth
forests, productive soils and coral reefs)
• Cladistics subject matter moved into Unit 4, Topic 2.
• Greater detail in SHE subject matter
• Additional examples of investigations provided to develop inquiry skills
Unit 4
• Subject matter re-ordered and sub-topics combined
• Subject matter removed or subsumed into other subject matter, e.g.
- recall an example of a transcription factor gene that regulates cell
differentiation (SRY gene)
- appraise data from an outcome of a current genetic biotechnology
technique to determine its success rate.
- interpret gene flow and allele frequency data from different populations
in order to determine speciation.
• Subject matter added, re-worded or extended for clarity, e.g.

Biology General senior syllabus 2019 v1.2 Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
Review report April 2023
Page 6 of 7
 - describe the structure and function of DNA, genes and chromosomes
in prokaryotes and eukaryotes (promotor region, homologous
chromosomes & role of histones)
- explain how errors in meiosis can lead to chromosomal abnormalities
such as insertions, deletions, duplications, inversions, translocations
and aneuploidy.
- determine the effect of point and frameshift mutations on polypeptides
using the genetic code
- interpret DNA profiles from gel electrophoresis   
• Cladistics subject matter moved into Unit 4, Topic 2.
• Subject matter moved to SHE, e.g.
- recognise the applications of DNA sequencing to map species’
genomes and DNA profiling to identify unique genetic information
• Greater detail in SHE subject matter
• Additional examples of investigations provided to develop inquiry skills

Assessment (new • Assessment specifications and conditions simplified for clarity

section) • ISMG’s adjusted to
- reflect changes to objectives
- reduce lowest performance level to one mark (from two)
- ensure that there are odd numbers of characteristics in each
performance level.
• IA1 mark allocations table changed to clarify the requirements of items
for each objective

Glossary • Still under review

References • Still under review

Biology General senior syllabus 2019 v1.2 Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
Review report April 2023
Page 7 of 7