Question 1

What is NCEA AS 91020 about?

Accepted Answer

You need to choose some objects (like paintings, sculptures, buildings, or even digital art) and explain why they can be considered as art. This means backing up your opinion with specific reasons based on looking at the actual objects themselves—like what they're made of, how they're designed, or what they're meant to do. The better your reasons and the more convincing your explanations, the higher your grade.

Question 2

What do students need to do for AS 91020?

Accepted Answer

1. Select specific objects and analyse what physical or visual features they have (like materials, style, composition, or technique used) 2. Give reasons why these objects qualify as art—for example, because an artist created them intentionally, because they express ideas or emotions, or because they're displayed/valued as art 3. Support each reason with evidence from the objects themselves, not just general statements 4. Consider context where relevant—why and where these objects were made, who made them, or how they're viewed by audiences

Question 3

What's the difference between Achieved, Merit, and Excellence for AS 91020?

Accepted Answer

Achieved: You explain why your selected objects can be considered as art by giving basic reasons that connect to what you observe in the objects. Merit: You explain with clear, well-articulated reasons by giving detailed evidence from the objects and showing you understand why they're valued as art. Excellence: You explain with convincing, persuasive reasons that show sophisticated thinking about what makes something art and support this with strong evidence from the objects.

Question 4

What mistakes do students typically make in AS 91020?

Accepted Answer

1. Writing generic statements about art without actually referring to the specific objects chosen or their particular features 2. Confusing description (what something looks like) with explanation (why it counts as art) 3. Choosing objects but not examining them closely enough to pull out real evidence for your argument

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