Search the VCAA website

•  
• Bulletins & Memos|
• Calendar|
• Excellence & Awards|
• School Administration

• Early Years
• Early Learning and Development Framework 0-8 (ELDF 0-8)
• Years Prep to 10
• National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)
• Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS)
• Senior Secondary
• Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)
• Vocational Education and Training (VET)
• Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL)

Chemistry Units 1 and 2: 2007-2011

Back to Top

Frequently Asked Questions

The following questions were raised at the VCE Chemistry Implementation Workshops held in early 2006.

1. What happens with assessment tasks when a student enters Unit 2 without Unit 1 if the extended experimental investigation was undertaken in Unit 1?
2. Response:
   This means the student will not 'do’ the extended experimental investigation task. You could do a ‘class’ activity where you pose a question and consider how they would answer it, what experiments, reliability etc. so that any new students could get a ‘feel’ for this type of task. A similar exercise could be done if the student ‘missed’ the summary report with annotations of three practical activities.  
3. What is a summary report with annotations of three practical activities?
4. Response:
   A summary report focuses on the analysis, interpretation and evaluation of results, and articulating concepts being illustrated by the practical activity. The annotations show the relationships (links) between particular concepts and/or key knowledge. Students do not need to ‘write up’ each report and then prepare a separate summary report. Students should use the results from the three practical activities to prepare one summary report with annotations. Teachers are encouraged to refer to the 2007 VCE Chemistry Study Design, including the ‘Advice for teachers’ section.  
5. In Unit 1 (and similarly Unit 2) students need to use key knowledge from both areas of study to address the outcome. Does this mean they can’t do any assessment tasks until the end of the unit?
6. Response:
   No. It provides teachers with the flexibility to link and develop concepts; for example, chemical reactivity (The Periodic Table) could be followed by metallic bonding (Materials) so that three practical activities related to properties of metals could be completed as the summary report with annotations assessment task. Also no single assessment task is expected to cover all key knowledge and skills and address the outcome.  
7. How much assistance can teachers provide for the extended experimental investigation?
8. Response:
   There are many approaches that could be taken to the task. Teachers could decide on the topic or allow students to choose; teachers could provide a template and directions or allow students to submit a design for approval. The format students use to produce a report on their investigation is a decision for the teacher (and/or students). As with all School-assessed Coursework the task should be completed mainly in class time and not add unduly to student workload. Teachers are encouraged to refer to the study design, including the ‘Advice for teachers’ section.  
9. Will the textbooks be ready on time?
10. Response:
    All publishers received a "prepress" copy of the reaccredited study design as soon as it was approved last year. The phased implementation has enabled them to focus on their Year 11 resources for 2007.  
11. Will there be sample examination advice published?
12. Response:
    Sample advice will be published in 2007 for 2008. Remember the current study design for VCE Chemistry Units 3 and 4 is to be taught in 2007.  
13. How will School-assessed coursework tasks be assessed?
14. Response:
    Performance descriptors will be used to guide teacher assessment for Units 3 and 4, similar to that being used currently in the other sciences. In 2007, an Assessment Handbook will be published for Chemistry. Refer to those currently in use for VCE Physics and Biology.  
15. Where do I find information regarding nanotechnology, green chemistry or biotechnology?
16. Response:
    In the list of references included in the resources section of the ‘Advice for teachers’ in the study design and the CD-ROM Chemistry – a pathway to the Emerging Sciences in Victoria. The VCAA will also commission several short articles (similar to those published for VCE Biology) informing teachers of the developments in the emerging areas of chemistry. These will be available from the VCE Chemistry Units 1 and 2 index page.  
17. What does the term alkanols mean?
18. Response:
    The term ‘alcohols’ includes cyclic (and acyclic) alkanols, alkenols and alkynols. The term ‘alkanols’ refers to non cyclic saturated hydrocarbons bonded to an OH (hydroxyl) group.  
19. With the inclusion of new content, what has been deleted?
20. Response:
    While areas of study may have been removed as disparate entities, the underpinning fundamental concepts have not been deleted rather the depth of treatment or context has changed. For example:
    • the principles of redox and electrolysis and their application is the focus rather than specific examples of cells and processes. A teacher could still choose to include transition metals in Unit 1 as a comparison between reactivity/properties of main group and transition metals.
    • the principles of surface chemistry are now developed in the context of nanotechnology in Unit 1. Similarly, acids which are now part of water in Unit 2 and the functional groups of food chemistry remain in organic chemistry in Unit 3.
    Some content has been moved from Units 3 and 4 to Units 1 and 2; for example, carbon and nitrogen cycles (from Unit 4 to Unit 2) and The Periodic Table (from Unit 4 to Unit 1) and the depth of treatment and context has changed. For all enquiries about VCE Chemistry contact
    Maria James, Curriculum Manager, Science
    Telephone: (03) 9651 4655
    email: james.maria.a@edumail.vic.gov.au

Back to Top