Memorandum to Schools 55/2008

26 June 2008

Submission of SIAR 2 – VCE Unit 3 School assessed Coursework scores

Schools are reminded that SIAR 2 for all VCE Unit 3 Coursework is due on MONDAY 28 JULY 2008 (refer to page 162 of the VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook 2008).

A list of VCE studies for which Unit 3 Coursework scores are required, may be found in Appendix 1.1.2 on pages 169-170 of the VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook 2008.

1. INFORMATION AND GUIDELINES FOR THE ENTRY OF COURSEWORK SCORES

The VCAA has provided schools with broad guidelines on the details of the Graded Assessment scores required to be entered into VASS. These can be downloaded from VASS as two self-extracting zip files using the menu: SYSTEM ADMIN → Downloads.

The two files are:

VCE Data Entry Guidelines 2008 (MS Word document),
VCE Data Entry - All Studies 2008 (MS Excel spreadsheet).

The appropriate pages of VCE Data Entry - All Studies should be printed and handed to all VCE Unit 3/4 teachers.

Schools are encouraged to enter coursework scores into VASS as they become available from teachers to ensure that deadlines are met.

2. PRODUCING INPUT SHEETS, SUMMARY AND MISSING COURSEWORK SCORES REPORTS

The report produced using the menu RESULTS ADMIN → VCE Reports → School Assessed Tasks/Coursework can be used as:

An Input sheet for teachers to record their coursework scores.
A Summary sheet for teachers to check after entry of the coursework scores.
A ‘Missings’ report to check for any missing scores. To ensure that all the required scores have been entered, the School Assessed Tasks/Coursework report should be run with the Display Missing Results Only? parameter changed to [YES].

These reports can be produced in either Unit code or Teacher Name order.

It is most important that correct coursework scores are entered, as these scores cannot be changed in VASS by schools after Monday 28 July. It is recommended that the School Assessed Tasks/Coursework report be produced for teachers to check after entry of the coursework scores and make any changes before Monday 28 July.

3. ENTRY OF UNIT 3 COURSEWORK SCORES

Coursework scores are entered using the menu: RESULTS ADMIN → VCE Results Entry → Coursework. Enter all or part of the Unit code and then click on the [Find] button. If more than one class exists for the unit, a list of all the Classes matching the entered information will be displayed. Select the required class and click on the [Modify Coursework Results] button.

If the selected study has a separate Graded Assessment for Unit 3 and Unit 4 Coursework, e.g., English or Business Management, it is then necessary to select the Graded Assessment number and name for which coursework scores are to be entered, e.g., 1 – Coursework Unit 3 (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Graded Assessment selection.

If the selected study has only one Graded Assessment for both Unit 3 and Unit 4 Coursework, e.g. Accounting or Chemistry, then the Coursework entry screen will appear immediately.

Schools are requested to enter a score for each student based on the four possibilities below. Blank scores are only permitted as a result of illness.

The four alternative score possibilities are: a score between one and the maximum, a zero score, NA or blank.

A zero score should only be given where the work was submitted but did not score against the assessment criteria.
NA should be given where the student did not submit any work for assessment or where the student has left school.
If a score is not available due to exceptional circumstances such as a delay in the assessment because of illness or a transferred student, then the score should be left blank (this will avoid it being confused with an ‘NA’) and the Student Records and Results Unit notified of the circumstances.

Schools should devise suitable internal procedures for the entering and auditing of Coursework scores. These procedures should include a timeframe in which VCE teachers must submit their scores in sufficient time for checking both before and after entry into VASS.

For returning Interrupted Studies students, NAs should be entered using the Unit 4 code (eg EN014) as the Graded Assessments are tied to the overall study and not individual units.

4. ENTERING COURSEWORK SCORES FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN FROM UNIT 4 BUT STILL ENROLLED IN UNIT 3 STUDIES

Where a student has been withdrawn from a VCE Unit 4 study, Coursework results must be entered via Unit 3. For studies which have a June examination such as Chemistry, a combined Unit 3/4 Graded Assessment the results input screen will be displayed immediately. If the selected study has a separate Graded Assessment for VCE Unit 3 and Unit 4 Coursework, e.g., English, it is then necessary to select the Graded Assessment number and name for which Coursework scores are to be entered, e.g., 2 – Coursework Unit 4 (see Figure 2).

Figure 2: Graded Assessment selection.

The result of ‘NA’ should be entered for all the tasks for which the student has not submitted any work.

5. AMENDMENT OF COURSEWORK SCORES

VASS will not allow Coursework scores to be entered or amended after Monday 28 July.

The Score Amendment Sheet (RESULTS ADMIN → VCE Reports → Score Amendment Sheet) must be used to request a change for any previously entered results after the SIAR date – this includes blanks. Advice on this matter should be referred to the Student Records and Results Unit on 9651 4402. Schools are advised that requests for score changes are subject to strict audit procedures.

6. LATE CHANGES TO VCE UNIT 3 & 4 SEQUENCE ENROLMENTS

Schools are reminded that requests for late enrolment into a VCE Unit 3 & 4 sequence cannot be actioned until the appropriate fee has been paid. It will not be possible to enter results for these students until the enrolment changes have been made by the Student Records and Results Unit. The application for late enrolment changes must be made using the Application for Late VCE and VCAL Enrolment Amendments 2008 which can be found on page 198 of the VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook 2008. Requests are to be mailed together with correct payment (ie $14.40 per Unit 3 & 4 sequence and Coursework scores) to the Student Records and Results Unit.

7. STUDENTS NOT ALLOCATED TO CLASSES

Enrolments are not finalised until both the Home and Assessing School have allocated each student to a class. Therefore, Assessing Schools, including Single Study LOTE and VSL schools, MUST run the Students Not Allocated to Classes report using the menu: STUDENT PROGRAM → Student Program Enquiries Report → Students Not Allocated to Classes.

It is essential that this report is checked and actioned for VCE Units 3 & 4 in particular where the report displays the message ASSESSING SCHOOL (Your School) MUST ENTER CLASS CODE – VCE as Assessing Schools will be unable to enter Coursework and Unit results unless the student has been allocated to a class. Assessing Schools may allocate students to classes using the menu STUDENT PROGRAM → VCE → Change Student Class Code.

8. CORRECT PROCEDURE FOR CHANGING STUDENT CLASS CODES

Schools are advised that it is NOT appropriate to change student class codes by withdrawing and then re-enrolling students in the same unit, but a different class. A late fee will apply if schools wish to re-enrol students into Unit 4 of a study because they were withdrawn from the unit instead of using the correct procedure to change class code. The correct procedure is:

To change a class code for an individual student where results have not been entered, use the menu: STUDENT PROGRAM → VCE → Enrolment. When the unit enrolments for the required student are displayed on the screen, select the Unit to be changed and click on the [Modify] button. The Modify VCE Unit Enrolment dialog box will appear. Select the required class code from the drop down box. Click on the [Save] button and follow the prompts.
To change the class code for multiple students in a class OR where results have been entered, use: STUDENT PROGRAM → VCE → Change Student Class Code. Enter the unit code and click on the [Find] button. Select the required class and click on the [Change ALL Students] button or the [Change Individual Students] button as appropriate.

9. TRANSFERRED STUDENTS

Where a student has transferred from School A to School B during the period of a Unit 3 assessment, both School A and School B should enter the scores for which they are responsible. School A (the student’s previous school) should have entered all the scores for the tasks they assessed. School B (the student’s home school) should enter those scores for the tasks that they have assessed.

In some cases School A may have not entered all of the required scores and hence are now unable to access that student’s records. Each score is set against the school that gave the assessment, i.e. the score must be correctly assigned to each school for Statistical Moderation purposes. Any schools that have not entered scores for a transferred student should seek advice from the Student Records and Results Unit.

10. VCE UNIT RESULTS

Schools are encouraged to enter Unit results (i.e. ‘S’, ‘N’ or ‘J’) for first semester units using the menu: RESULTS ADMIN → VCE Results Entry → Unit. This is important for results for VCE Unit 3 studies as Year 12 students who have obtained an ‘N’ or ‘J’ result for a Unit 3 study may subsequently now be flagged as not being eligible to complete the VCE.

The entry of and amendment to Unit 1, 2, 3 and 4 results may be made until Monday 17 November, 2008.

It is not necessary to enter individual Outcome results when the overall Unit result is an ‘S’ or a ‘J’. However when a student is to be awarded ‘N’ for the Unit, ALL outcome results MUST be entered for that student and at least ONE of the unit outcome results must be an ‘N’. The overall unit result will then default to ‘N’.

11. STUDENT VCE ELIGIBILITY

Schools are reminded that the Eligibility programs are a critical operation and absolutely MUST be run for those students expecting to complete VCE programs this year. This is to ensure that students expecting to successfully complete their programs are able to do so with their current enrolment.

The Student Eligibility programs should be run using the menu Student Program→ Student Program Enquiries Reports → Student Eligibility whenever a student enrolment changes are made or following the entry of unit results in particular an “N” or “J” for VCE unit 3.

12. EXIT STUDENTS

Any student who has left school should be flagged as an ‘exit student’ using the menu: Student Admin → Student Exit → Student Exit. An exit date cannot be entered until the student has been withdrawn from all units/UoCs prior to the official cut of dates or, alternatively all results have been entered.

A student enrolled in a VCE Unit 3/4 sequence will require a result for Unit 3 and Unit 4 as well as one or two Coursework or School Assessed Tasks Graded Assessment results. The number of Coursework or School Assessed Task Graded Assessment results depends on the study, e.g. Chemistry has two exams and one Coursework Graded Assessment whereas English has only one exam and two Coursework Graded Assessments.

CONTACTS

Schools are encouraged to use the Help button on the appropriate screen for information regarding the use of specific VASS menus and functions.

Any queries regarding VASS should be directed to the Administrative Support Unit on 9651 4482 or 1800 827 721. Please leave a message on our Voice Mail service if we are unable to answer your call immediately. Alternatively email enquiries to vass.support@edumail.vic.gov.au or fax to 9651 4551.

Any queries regarding coursework scores and enrolments should be directed to Belinda Too, Student Records and Results Unit on 9651 4506, 9651 4402 or 1800 653 045 for non-metropolitan schools. Alternatively email enquiries to student.records@edumail.vic.gov.au or fax to 9651 4470.