Question 1

What is NCEA AS 91821 about?

Accepted Answer

This standard asks you to analyse the ethical issues involved in human activities in space. You need to explain the main science concepts related to a specific space activity (like space tourism, space stations, or space exploration), then examine the ethical impacts—both positive and negative—and consider different viewpoints on whether it's worthwhile.

Question 2

What do students need to do for AS 91821?

Accepted Answer

1. Choose a specific human activity in space (such as space tourism, the International Space Station, space colonisation, or space probes) and explain the main science concepts behind it 2. Identify and describe the impacts—both benefits and harms—that could result from this activity 3. Discuss ethical questions like: Who should make decisions? Whose rights matter? What counts as fair or good? 4. Present multiple perspectives on the activity—from different cultures, worldviews, or interest groups 5. Weigh up the different viewpoints and provide a reasoned judgment about the ethics of the activity

Question 3

What's the difference between Achieved, Merit, and Excellence for AS 91821?

Accepted Answer

Achieved: You explain the main science behind a space activity and identify several ethical issues with different impacts, showing you understand the topic. Merit: You connect different ethical perspectives together logically, explaining why people disagree and how the science relates to the ethical questions. Excellence: You provide a well-reasoned judgment that weighs up competing viewpoints fairly, acknowledges grey areas and uncertainties, and shows sophisticated understanding of how science, ethics, and different values interact.

Question 4

What mistakes do students typically make in AS 91821?

Accepted Answer

1. Treating ethical issues as one-sided—only listing benefits or only listing harms instead of honestly weighing both sides 2. Discussing the science without connecting it to why the ethics matter, or discussing ethics without grounding it in the actual science 3. Presenting viewpoints superficially without explaining *why* different people or groups hold different values

Space ethics · AS 91821

13 students sat this in 2024 · 100% passed

Documents (5)

The standard itself

Bundles

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