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PART 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction to Sejarah SPM New Format by 2013
Beginning in 2013 , the subjects history will become a compulsory subject to pass as
a prerequisite to qualify for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia ( SPM ) in addition to Bahasa
Melayu. Subject History will first introduced in Deuteronomy SPM from 2014. History
Lesson assessment format will use existing syllabuses from 2013 until 2017 . Starting
SPM of 2018, it will use a measure of the Standard Curriculum for Secondary Schools
( KSSM ) .
According to the assessment format that has been approved in the Central
Curriculum Committee Meeting in April, the subject of history will be tested in three
papers involving multiple-choice questions , and essay structure and tasks. Paper 1
consists of 40 multiple choice questions to be answered by the candidate within one
hour . It accounted for 30 per cent of the total marks .
While Paper 2 is a subjective question that is divided into Part A for structural
questions and Part B for the essay . All candidates must answer four questions in Section
A. Ten marks for each question .
Part B consists of seven questions and candidates only have to answer three
questions. Twenty marks for each question . The total score is 100 , but on the whole
paper 2 accounted for 50 percent. The tests for Paper 2 is for two and a half hours .
Paper 3 which is the sort of questions do 20 per cent of the total marks . Tests
conducted for this paper in three hours , but the candidate will be given a general theme
or title a month earlier than the date of the examination.
Title assignments and answer guide Paper 3 will be given on the day of the exam. In
terms of level of difficulty of the questions, it is formulated according to the learning

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experience of students at the end of grade five . All questions are built in accordance with
the syllabus form four and five .
Constructs for each question varies by paper . For Paper 1, question leads to the
ability to remember , understand and analyze . Paper 2 requires students remember ,
understand , apply , analyze, evaluate and generate ideas. Task 3 Paper seeks to
understand , apply , analyze, evaluate , generate ideas and values .
1.2 Comparison
Table 1: Comparison History SPM Old Format and New Format
Format
Paper
Paper

Old Format
Paper 1
Paper 2
40 MCQ
4 structure

Format
Time
Mark weight
Pass

Paper 1
40 MCQ

5 essays
1 hour

New Format
Paper 2
4 structure

Paper 3
8 element

7 essays

(choose 3)
2 hour 30

1 hour

min
50%
50%
Not compulsory

(choose 3)
2 hour 30

3 hour

min
30%
50%
20%
Compulsory to pass SPM starting 2013

1.3 Sejarah Paper 3 (1249/3)

Sejarah Paper 3 is newly introduce for students from early 2012 for SPM candidate
of 2013. The paper consists of two parts; first is the general theme or Tema Umum that
students will get 6 weeks before the exam starts. Second one is the specific theme or
Tema Khusus where the questions is reveals.
The objective of Paper 3are to:
Give space and opportunities for students to questions
Prevent students from zero marks.
Students can pluck of verses from the academic textbook and related questions asked
to acquire marks

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Textbook question formulated based on the form 4 and form 5 available (as of 2018)
The questions for Paper 3 is formatted based on the Blooms Taxonomy.

Image 1: LPM slide on Blooms Taxonomy

Source: Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia (LPM)
Sejarah Paper 3 is an Open Book Test, the first in SPM. Students are allowed to
bring printed materials, books, journal or any other related materials during the
examination. Only electronic devices are not allowed. Teachers are assigned to assist the
students to find related materials during the examination. The division of marking is
given in the table below:

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Table 2: Paper 3 History SPM Construct

Aspect/Construct
Introduction
Understanding / knowledge
Analysis
Application
Evaluation
Creating idea
Moral value / patriotism
Conclusion
Total

Marks
5
30
15
15
10
10
10
5
100

The assessment format are as followed:

Table 3: Format Pentaksiran Mata Pelajaran Sejarah Mulai Tahun 2013
Bil
1
2
3

Perkara
Jenis Instrumen
Jenis Item
Bilangan Soalan

Kertas 1 (1249/1)
Objektif
Aneka Pilihan
40 soalan

Kertas 2 (1249/2)
Subjektif
Struktur & Esei
Bahagian A

Kertas 3 (1249/3)
Tugasan
Tugasan
1 Tugasan

(Struktur)
Nota :
4 soalan wajib
Tema/tajuk umum
40 markah
(10 markah setiap
soalan)

dimaklumkan
kepada calon satu
bulan sebelum
tarikh peperiksaan
bagi Kertas 3.

Tajuk tugasan serta

panduan menjawab
Bahagian B (Esei)

diberi pada hari

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peperiksaan

7 soalan pilihan
Jawab 3 soalan
60 markah
4
5
6
7

8
9

Pemberatan
Jumlah Markah
Tempoh Ujian
Konstruk

Cakupan Konteks
Aras Kesukaran

30%
40
1 jam
Mengingati

(20 markah)
50%
100
2 jam 30 minit
Mengingati

20%
100
3 jam
Memahami

Memahami

Memahami

Mengaplikasi

Menganalisis

Mengaplikasi

Menganalisis

Menganalisis

Menilai

Menilai

Menjana idea

Menjana idea
Nilai
Sukatan Pelajaran Tingkatan 4 & 5
Sesuai dengan tahap pembelajaran Sejarah murid di hujung
Tingkatan Lima
Source: Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia

1.4 Current Practice of History SPM Paper 3 (1249/3)

The current practice for evaluating paper 3 is based on the Open Book Test format.
The Malaysia Examination Board or Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia design this paper to
be open book test because:

Open-book tests simulate the situations professionals face every day, when they use
resources to solve problems, prepare reports, or write memos.

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Open-book tests tend to be inappropriate in introductory courses in which facts must

be learned or skills thoroughly mastered if the student is to progress to more
complicated concepts and techniques in advanced courses.
On an open-book test, students who are lacking basic knowledge may waste too
much of their time consulting their references rather than writing.
But for students, it is easier for them to score the exam and it less burden on the
students. What is student first reaction when the teacher announces that next exam will be
an open book test?
Most students breathe a sigh of relief, because they think they're getting a break.
In fact, open book tests are not easy tests. Open book tests teach students how to find
information when need it.
The questions are designed to teach students how to use their brain.
And contrary to popular belief, student do not get off the hook when it comes to
studying for an open book exam.
Students just need to study a little differently.
In SPM History Paper 3 (1249/3), candidates may make reference from a variety of
sources related to the statement given to prepare to answer the tasks / questions will be
given on the day of the exam. Resources can be obtained from textbooks, scientific
literature, magazines, newspapers, internet and other materials. On the day of the exam,
candidates are allowed to bring textbooks, scientific literature and printed materials
related to the examination hall / room. The material can be used as a reference to answer
the tasks / questions.
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But contrary to the belief, the teachers is burden with the task to assists the students,
which usually ended up the teacher will find the materials for the students to use.

PART 2: ASSESSMENT FOR PAPER 3 (1249/3)

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2.1 Formative assessment

The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing
feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to
improve their learning. More specifically, formative assessments:

help students identify their strengths and weaknesses and target areas that need
work

help teacher recognize where students are struggling and address problems
immediately

Formative assessments are generally low stakes, which means that they have low or no
point value. Examples of formative assessments include asking students to:

draw a concept map in class to represent their understanding of a topic

submit one or two sentences identifying the main point of a lecture

turn in a research proposal for early feedback

In History Paper 3, there is no indicator that the students is assessed formatively. But

in general, the first knowledge construct will assess the students knowledge based on the
specific questions.
2.2 Summative assessment
The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an
instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark.
Summative assessments are often high stakes, which means that they have a high point
value. Examples of summative assessments include:

a midterm exam

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a final project

a paper

a senior recital

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Information from summative assessments can be used formatively when students or

teacher use it to guide their efforts and activities in subsequent courses.
Therefore, the paper 3 is recognize as summative assessment of the History. History
paper 3 consists of 60% higher-thinking order questions, which means the students need
to have prior knowledge of the history facts, before they can answer the questions.
2.3 Alternative assessment
Previously, the Ministry consider to give the students an alternative assessment,
before the open book test because the current practice for the PMR level, the PMR
students need to provide portfolio of a theme related to the local History as part of the
passing requirement for History in PMR level. But, the idea to do open book test is to
help students understand more, and not overburden the SPM students who sits more than
eight subjects in two years.
History teachers have always been concerned with assessment as a critical element of
the instructional/learning process. Valid and reliable assessments help them determine
what their students know and are able to do with respect to the History curriculum taught.
This process facilitates not only the assignment of grades and a students' progression
through the educational system, but also it provides important feedback to teachers on
their success in using different approaches to instruction. Concerned teachers often alter
their instruction based on such feedback until they hit upon strategies that are more
context-appropriate and more effective in bringing about the desired student learning.
Assessment of student learning of History today, as in the past, is accomplished primarily
through the use of teacher-made tests. The vast majority of these teacher assessments use

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objective tests that measure student knowledge of History at the lower cognitive levels of
thought. Even state and national History assessments, such as the current Huraian
Sukatan Pelajaran (HSP),contain a number of items which restrict the variety of student
abilities which can be demonstrated.
Among many educators today, there is growing concern that objective items are
ineffective in determining student ability to engage in critical thinking and problem
solving--higher cognitive thought processes that are essential if students are to be
prepared to deal adequately with the problems of our increasingly complex society. In
addition, the educational reform effort of the past two decades, which includes the
development of state and national History standards, indicates the need for assessments
that measure higher cognitive thinking ability.
Consequently, over the past decade serious efforts have been made to develop
alternative forms of assessment that are tied to state and national standards. Such
assessments are based on tasks that are considered "authentic" (real life) or that require a
"performance" that demonstrates student ability to reason at higher cognitive levels. Both
learning theory and practical experience with the varied learning styles of students
support the use of alternative assessment in the schools. The creation of good alternative
assessment items is a task that should be carried out by classroom teachers. They know
the goals and objectives of their curriculum better than anyone, therefore they are more
likely to create valid alternative assessment items. However, many teachers feel
inadequately prepared to create and use alternative forms of History assessment,
specifically assessments that are designed to measure student achievement on state and
national standards. Time is also a factor in the development of such items.

2.4 Measurement

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History Paper 3 (1249/3) is an pen book because they test for more than just rotelearning. At university, simply memorizing and repeating information is not enough to get
a good mark. Higher education is supposed to equip students with intellectual abilities
and skills. Open Book exams test students ability to quickly find relevant information
and then to understand, analyze, apply knowledge and think critically. So, paper 3 is like
a training or practice for students if they are enroll in university.

Image 2: History SPM Paper 3 Rubric

Source: Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia

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PART 3: CHALLENGES FOR SEJARAH 1249/3

3.1 Challenges & Problems for Sejarah 1249/3
Where textbooks are allowed teacher must either ensure students are provided with
clean copies of the appropriate text or make clear in the assessment strategy any
alternative arrangements i.e. allowing students to make notes on the text. It is possible
that arbitrary factors may be introduced into the process i.e. whether students have the
appropriate material, or whether any notes used are the student's own.
Teacher must provide students with more detailed guidance on what they may or may
not take into the examination.Those examinations which allow students' notes can be
unreliable, as without careful instructions from tutors some students may end up taking
incorrect material with them into the examination room. This might put such students at a
disadvantage and consequently endanger the equity of the assessment. Physically, these
examinations may require more space to compensate for the extra material students are
required to take in with them.
These challenges are not limited during the exam, but also the burden to the teacher.
The teacher have to assists student sin finding related materials that they can use during
the open book exam, but in the end, the teacher will provide the answer scheme based on
the predicted questions.
The students will not have ample time if they bring too many references during the
exams, and ended up answering nothing. Therefore, the teacher must make sure the
students minimize their references and only bring references that can help them answer
the exam question, which mean the teacher have to provide the students with the sample

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answer scheme. So, the students can just write their answer in the given time.
Then the government decide to make History a compulsory subject for SPM, they
might neglect the facts that the teachers can use the loophole in the making to help
students who have difficulty in learning. Even the students can answer the exam, it does
not mean they understand the whole concept because the students only write based on the
script given by the teachers who predict the questions.
Furthermore, there is nor citation for the paper 3 as the students is not taught and it is
not compulsory for the students to put citation in their answer script. Students will blindly
copy the whole text books just to make sure they did not miss anything and this will
burden the students in the three hours to write long but unproductive writing.
3.2 Suggestions & Improvement
Provide graphics
I encourage the questions to be in highly order thinking skills and provide students
will illustration, maps or graph in the general theme (as per appendixes), to assist them
answer the questions.
Word Limit
Also, I would suggest to have word limit for the exam, because the students tend to
copy from textbooks. This will make them send unlimited answer script for the teachers
to mark, and therefore burden the teacher.
Material Limit
I suggest the Ministry put in their instructions that students have to bring limited
amount of materials, maybe 1-2 books, and few articles from newspapers. If not
specified, the students tend to bring every materials in hand to cater their needs during

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exams, but the time is limited.

3.3 Conclusion

Open-book test not only students' capacity to construct a coherent response to the
assessment task, but also require a demonstration of their ability to use resource material
effectively in doing so. By allowing students access to relevant reference material openbook examinations reduce the need to memorize information, and can therefore allow
students to concentrate on demonstrating their ability to understand and apply this
information to the question.
By providing students with reference material prior to the assessment, it may give them
greater confidence when taking these examinations and therefore produce a more
accurate account of their achievements. Students can use revision time more
constructively, focusing on reinforcing their understanding of the subject rather than
attempting to memorized information.
In conclusion, History Paper 3 is helpful for the students to make them less stressful
to answer History and possibly make them pass History for SPM. Starting 2013, students
need to pass Bahasa Melayu and History to pass SPM. Beginning 2016, English 1119 will
add to the two subjects to be a compulsory subjects.
3.4 Reflection
Before doing this assignment, I have very different mindset of open-book exam and
how teacher can easily manipulate the exams to cater their students result. Teacher in my
district even create a sampled questions and answer script for students to copy during
exams, which they are allowed to. So, I against the open-book test format for SPM level.
In the process of making this portfolio, I realize that open book test actually designed

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to help students to understand the concept better, and make student happy to answer exam
paper. History is known as a boring subject, therefore to make History more interesting,
the Ministry design Paper 3, so students can enjoy to answer the questions while reading
the answer materials during exams.

So I reflect on my stand, and change my mindset that the approach is actually good
for students to help them. In fact, the 20% weight of marks is not even pass for History
paper, so student need to answer paper 1 and paper 2 accordingly too to pass History in
SPM level.

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