Victorian Certificate of Education – Assessment

2018 VCE examination periods

The 2018 examination periods were approved by the VCAA Board on 28 June 2017. The 2018 VCE written examination timetable will be published in May.

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Examination materials: New and revised studies

VCE Chinese Language, Culture and Society and VCE VET Health will have written examinations for the first time in 2018. Examination specifications, advice and sample materials for this new VCE study and new scored VCE VET program will be available on their respective examination webpages of the VCAA website during Term 1, 2018.

Examination specifications have been published on the relevant examination webpages of the VCAA website for the following revised VCE studies that commence Units 3 and 4 in 2018: Australian Politics, Global Politics, Health and Human Development, Legal Studies, Media, Outdoor and Environmental Studies, Physical Education, Product Design and Technology, Sociology and Visual Communication Design. Sample examination materials for these studies will be published on their relevant examination webpages during Term 1, 2018.

Teachers of VCE Visual Communication Design should note that students will no longer be permitted to bring markers into the 2018 Visual Communication Design written examination.

The examination format of VCE VET Furnishing and VCE VET Music Industry: Sound Production will remain unchanged in 2018. The examination specifications have been updated to reflect the new, but equivalent, units of competency in the VCE VET Furnishing program and the new release of CUASOU308 Install and disassemble audio equipment in the VCE VET Music Industry: Sound Production program.

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Amended examination materials for VCE Chemistry, Physics, English as an Additional Language (EAL) and Music Performance

An amended data book for VCE Chemistry and an amended formula sheet for VCE Physics have been published on their respective examination webpages on the VCAA website.

The examination specifications for the VCE English as an Additional Language aural and written examination have been amended to provide further clarity regarding the audio component of the examination.

The examination specifications, advice and sample examination for VCE Music Performance have been amended to provide further clarity for teachers and students, and is now available.

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VCE Music Style and Composition Externally-assessed Task

Updated documentation relating to the VCE Music Style and Composition Externally-assessed Task, including the assessment weightings and criteria, and the marking sheet, is now available on the VCE Music Style and Composition examination web page.

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VCE VET Creative and Digital Media software programs

Teachers and trainers of VCE VET Creative and Digital Media should refer to the VCE VET Creative and Digital Media examination page for important information on operating systems and software to be used in the 2018 computer-based examination.

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2018 VCE on a Northern Hemisphere Timetable examination periods

The 2018 VCE on a Northern Hemisphere Timetable (NHT) examination periods are available on the VCAA website. The 2018 NHT written examination timetable will be published in March.

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VCE on a Northern Hemisphere Timetable: Applications for authorisation to deliver

VCE on the Northern Hemisphere Timetable (NHT) operates from July to June and is available for a limited number of VCE studies. This alternative academic timetable may provide options for VCE providers and schools – both offshore and in Victoria – to create more flexible programs for VCE delivery.

The NHT need not replace the traditional calendar-year timetable. Authorised providers and schools may offer VCE studies on both timetables. Offering studies on both timetables may provide greater opportunities where students may complete some studies on one timetable and some on the other.

All studies offered on the NHT are subject to the curriculum and assessment requirements that applied in the VCE calendar year prior to the NHT academic year.

The external assessment results of the NHT cohort will be subject to equating to ensure comparability with the results of the larger Victorian cohort assessed in the previous calendar year.

Providers and schools wanting to offer the NHT to students in Victoria are required to apply for authorisation to deliver on the NHT. Access to VASS enrolments for NHT students will be available only to authorised schools and providers.

Authorisation application forms will be available on the VCAA website from Monday 26 March 2018 for VCE providers wishing to offer classes in approved VCE Unit 1 and 2 studies on the NHT in 2018–19 and classes in approved VCE Unit 3 and 4 studies on the NHT in 2018–19 and/or 2019–20.

A briefing for VCE and VASS coordinators will be held during the week of Monday 16 April to Friday 20 April 2018. Details of the briefing including the registration process will be published in the March 2018 VCAA Bulletin.

The deadline for submission of authorisation applications is Monday 7 May 2018. General information about the NHT, details of the VCE studies available on the NHT and the authorisation process are published on the VCAA website.

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Expression of interest for VCAA senior secondary item trials 2018 – registrations open

As part of its ongoing test development program for senior secondary students, the VCAA is seeking participants to trial new assessment materials aimed at senior secondary students.

The material to be trialled provides an excellent opportunity for students undertaking VCE units to practise skills in critical thinking and writing and will contribute to future development of new assessment formats and material. The assessments will involve content across the arts, humanities and social sciences and inform the future development of senior secondary assessments.

When does the trial take place?

The trial will take place between Wednesday 14 March and Thursday 29 March 2018. Schools can undertake the trial at any time during this period.

What does the trial involve?

The assessment material in this trial will focus on critical thinking and writing skills of senior secondary students and will consist of a mixture of short and longer open-ended question formats. Schools wishing to take part will need to nominate a minimum of 20 students to participate and can include students from Years 10, 11 or 12 who are completing at least one VCE unit.

The material will be delivered online as an individual test that will take approximately 80 minutes to complete, with another 10 minutes required for administration. The test will require standard test supervision.

What set-up is involved?

There is no specialised software required to be installed on student devices. The trial can be run on all commonly used devices including Windows, MAC and Linux desktops and laptops, iPads, Android tablets, Chromebooks and Microsoft Surface tablets. Schools will only need to ensure that the assessment website is accessible within the school network and that a sufficient number of devices are available for students. Headphones will be required and, as most of the assessment items will require written responses, a separate keyboard is recommended if students are using tablet devices.

Login details will be managed by and provided to you by the VCAA.

What will your school receive?

Schools will receive data regarding the results of participating students, and a half day CRT payment to administer and supervise the trial test for every 20 students nominated.

How do schools take up this offer?

If you have cohorts of students and would like to participate in this important trial program, please register online.

While the VCAA will endeavour to accommodate all interested schools, we reserve the right to limit participation due to operational limitations. Registrations close on Wednesday 28 February 2018.

For further information regarding any other aspects of this trial please contact Liz Stojanova on (03)9225 2326 or email: stojanova.liz.e@edumail.vic.gov.au

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