The VCAA is continuing to take a flexible and agile approach to meeting emerging issues around COVID-19 and is relying on schools to be similarly flexible and agile in ensuring the continuity of learning and the delivery of assessment.
Effective teaching and learning aligns the delivery of content with ongoing assessment to inform future curriculum delivery. The VCAA is committed to supporting teachers to deliver a quality learning program during any periods of remote and flexible learning due to COVID-19.
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) has established procedures in place to ensure all VCE and VCAL students receive fair and valid results. We continue to monitor VCE and VCAL throughout this time.
It is a school-based decision regarding the conditions and arrangements for which school-based assessments are undertaken to ensure they meet the
VCE assessment principles, the
study design requirements and the requirements of the
VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook 2020.
The
VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook 2020 currently details that work which contributes to both unit outcomes and School-assessed Coursework (SAC) may occur outside of class time. Further detail can be found at VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook 2020 p 76.
1. Ensuring integrity and authenticity of School-based Assessments completed at home
Teachers should consider the full range of assessment task options in each study design and select the type that is most appropriate for a remote and flexible learning setting to assess student performance for the outcome. Questions and task requirements should ensure your students have a conceptual understanding of the key knowledge and can apply the key skills as opposed to simply recalling information through memorisation. Teachers should also consider the length of the time allocated and the assessment conditions that are best suited for remote and flexible learning.
Schools must also provide students with clear written details of the school’s rules, the
VCAA rules and the procedures and authentication requirements relating to school-based assessment. In particular, should highlight to students the rule that states
‘students must not cheat or assist other students to cheat, including taking any action that gives or attempts to give them or another student an unfair advantage’.
Schools should also ask students to fill in an
Authentication Record for School-based Assessment form (available from VASS Downloads and from the VCAA website) for any school-based assessment work they complete outside of the classroom. This form requires students to sign a declaration, stating: ‘I declare that all resource materials and assistance used have been acknowledged and that all unacknowledged work is my own’. There are a number of ways that the school can collect and maintain these declarations during periods of remote learning, including:
- asking students to submit the declaration with their school-based assessment work, either on the cover or the work itself, in their submission email or through a learning management system
- using an online form created using platforms such as Google Forms, Microsoft Forms, Survey Monkey or Compass Insights
- asking students to record their declaration via video or audio, which they can submit using email or through a learning management system
- waiting until students return to school to sign the declaration. In this case, ensure students know from the start that this will happen.
Teachers are responsible for judging a student’s satisfactory completion of a unit and for assessing each student’s level of achievement in Units 3 and 4 outcomes, as specified in the relevant study design. By reporting satisfactory completion, teachers certify that the student has achieved the set of outcomes for the unit according to the rules set out by the VCAA and the school. Schools can authenticate remote school-based assessments through the following methods:
- Release the school-based assessment to students at the beginning of a remote lesson, with clear instructions for students to submit their responses at the conclusion of the lesson.
- Provide temporary access to the school-based assessment through a learning management system.
- When delivering an assessment by email, use a read receipt to track when the student has accessed it. Students must be made aware that they have a limited window of time to complete and return the assessment.
- Students log on to a learning management system or video conferencing platform during the timetabled session for school-based assessment. Use this session to provide instruction, observe students and ask questions.
- Students provide short-answer responses under timed sessions and email their responses to the teacher to record.
- Students present oral tasks using video technology.
- Students document the specific stages of the development of their work, starting with an early part of the task, such as the topic choice, list of resources or preliminary research. Copies of each student’s written work should be regularly monitored and submitted at given stages in their development.
- Undertake video conferencing with individual students after the delivery of the school-based assessment to validate their submission.
-
Managing multiple classes in the delivery of SACs: It is important to ensure that, where there are multiple classes for a particular study, students in all classes access school-based assessments simultaneously. If this is not possible, the assessment task should be suitably modified for each class.
A proportion of a School-assessed Task (SAT) can be completed remotely, as long as students thoroughly document the authentication process in their folio and regularly check-in with a teacher. This may also be done via video documentation during the marking process.
Teachers can also ask students to demonstrate their understanding of outcomes assessed through school-based assessments when, or around the time, they submit their work. If any part or all of the work cannot be authenticated, the matter must be dealt with as a breach of rules.
Determining if a student completing work at home has met the outcomes for the S/N judgment
The decision about satisfactory completion of outcomes is based on the teacher’s judgment of the student’s overall performance on a combination of set work and assessment tools related to the outcomes. Students should be given multiple opportunities to develop and demonstrate the key knowledge and skills required for the unit outcomes. Assessing levels of achievement in school-based assessment is separate from the decision to award an S for satisfactory completion of a unit.
As per the
VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook 2020 (page 45), for all units in the VCE, schools must specify the work that a student must do to achieve an S for a unit and the conditions under which the work is to be done. The school must inform each student in writing of the following:
- all work they need to complete to achieve an S for the unit
- all work they need to complete for school-based assessment
- flexible and remote learning class-attendance requirements, as determined by the school
- how to submit work
- timelines and deadlines for completing work
- procedures for obtaining an extension of time
- internal school appeal procedures.
Students can submit a range of set class work, learning tasks and school-based assessment tasks, including SACs, to the teacher using the methods outlined above. This accumulation of work will provide the evidence that a teacher needs to determine an S or an N result for the unit.
Managing multiple classes in the delivery of SACs
It is important to ensure that, where there are multiple classes for a particular study, students in all classes access school-based assessments simultaneously. If this is not possible, the assessment task should be suitably modified for each class.
Schools are reminded:
- Last day for VCE Unit 3 School-based Assessment results is October 12
- Last day for VCE Unit 4 School-based Assessment results is November 18
As at 10 May 2020
A number of studies have practical assessment as a core component of their design. To maintain the integrity of the learning process, schools should provide opportunities for a student / small groups of students to engage in these activities while adhering to current Victorian Chief Health Officer social distancing advice. The information below will assist schools in developing their response to the provision of practical activities during Term 2 and provides identification of study outcomes and associated assessment tasks. The Outcome and Assessment Task table in each of the studies identify the specific outcome and the associated piece of assessment that is of a practical nature. This advice should be read in conjunction with the advice provided on School-based Assessments.
Schools are reminded:
- All Unit 3 outcomes for every study are expected to be completed and entered in VASS by October 12
- Unit 3 Practical Advice only applies to studies (total 20) with practical content and focuses on what is required to be completed during Unit 3
- The small table is a summary from and needs to be read in conjunction with the Study Design
Schools and education providers with questions and concerns regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the delivery of learning programs should contact us on 1800 134 197.
Art AR03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Schools may need to support students to collect the necessary materials to assist them to continue School-assessed Tasks.
- Where a school can go ahead with practical assessment work using studio equipment relating to Outcome 2 in Term 2, and if the work is to be completed at school, it must be completed in an environment which complies with current social-distancing advice.
Summary from page 27 of the Art Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 2 | A body of work that presents explorations within selected art forms and that clearly demonstrates the development of the student’s thinking and working practices. |
Agricultural and Horticultural Studies AH03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work in preparation for Unit 4 Outcomes may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Where a school can go ahead with practical assessment tasks relating to Outcomes 1 or 2 in Term 2, these must be completed in the school environment that complies with current social-distancing advice.
- Schools and teachers may consider using data analysis, investigation of best-practice case studies and virtual reality experiences as types of practical activities.
Summary from page 18 of the Agricultural and Horticultural Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 1 |
Practical task/s related to innovative processes and/or problem solving in agriculture and/or horticulture. |
| 2 |
Practical task/s related to integrated pest and/or weed management. |
Biology BI03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work in preparation for Unit 4 Outcome 3 may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Schools and teachers may consider replacing practical activities with simulations to generate primary data. Schools may also consider the use of observations of online videos and/or demonstrations to generate data when it is not possible to undertake practical investigations at school
- Schools and teachers may consider practical activities that use secondary data, focusing on the Key Science Skills ‘Develop aims and questions, formulate hypotheses and make predictions’, ‘Analyse and evaluate data, methods and scientific models’ and ‘Draw evidence-based conclusions’.
- Schools and teachers may select practical activities already completed in Term 1 for the Outcome 1 ‘report related to at least two practical activities from a logbook of practical activities‘ assessment task, or provide students with a secondary data set for analysis for the Outcome 2 ‘report of a student investigation’ assessment task.
- Where a school can go ahead with laboratory-based assessment tasks relating to Outcomes 1 or 2 in Term 2, these must be completed in a school environment that complies with current social-distancing advice.
Summary from page 25 of the Biology Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 1 | A report related to at least two practical activities from a logbook of practical activities. |
| 2 | One task selected from the prescribed list which may include annotations of at least two practical activities from a practical logbook or a report of a practical activity. |
Chemistry CH03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work in preparation for Unit 4 Outcome 3 may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Schools and teachers may consider replacing practical activities with simulations to generate primary data.
- Schools and teachers may provide students with a secondary data set for analysis in the Outcome 1 ‘report on a laboratory investigation ‘assessment task, or the Outcome 2 ‘report of a student investigation’ assessment task.
- Schools and teachers may consider the use of observations of online videos and/or demonstrations to generate data when it is not possible to undertake practical investigations at school.
- Where a school can go ahead with practical assessment tasks relating to Outcomes 1 or 2 in Term 2, these must be completed in a school environment that complies with current social-distancing advice.
Summary from page 29 of the Chemistry Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 1 | One task of four task options involving practical work may be subject to modification, for example: - A report on a laboratory investigation.
|
| 2 | Two tasks of 8 task options involving practical work may be subject to modification, for example: - Annotations of at least two practical activities from a practical logbook
- A report of a student investigation.
|
Dance DA03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work in preparation for Unit 4 Outcomes may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Where a school can go ahead with collaborative assessment work relating to Outcome 1 in Term 2, the work must to be completed in a school environment that complies with current social-distancing advice.
- Video conferencing may be considered for some of the process.
Summary from page 29 of the Dance Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 2 | An analysis of the processes used in the choreography, rehearsal and performance of a skills-based solo dance work choreographed by the student in a chosen format. |
| 3 | Performance of a learnt dance work created by another choreographer. |
Drama DR03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work in preparation for Unit 4 Outcomes may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Where a school can go ahead with collaborative assessment work relating to Outcome 1 in Term 2, the work must to be completed in a school environment that complies with current social-distancing advice.
- Video conferencing may be considered for some of the process.
Summary from page 26 of the Drama Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 1 | Development and presentation of characters within a devised ensemble performance. |
Environmental Science EV03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work in preparation for Unit 4 Outcome 3 may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Schools and teachers may consider replacing practical activities with simulations to generate primary data.
- Schools and teachers may provide students with a secondary data set for the ‘account’ assessment task for Outcome 1 and the ‘evaluation’ assessment task for Outcome 2.
- Where a school can go ahead with practical assessment tasks relating to Outcomes 1 or 2 in Term 2, these must be completed in a supervised school environment that complies with current social distancing advice.
Summary from page 28 of the Environmental Science Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 1 | An account presented in one of the four prescribed formats involving data collected from fieldwork may be subject to modification. |
| 2 | An evaluation presented in one of the four prescribed formats involving data collected from fieldwork may be subject to modification. |
Food Studies FY03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work in preparation for Unit 4 Outcomes may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Where a school can go ahead with practical assessment activities relating to Outcomes 1 or 2 in Term 2, these must be completed in a school environment that complies with current social-distancing advice.
- Schools and teachers may consider using product analysis and dietary analysis within the range of practical activities.
Summary from page 18 of the Food Studies Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 1 | A range of practical activities and records of two practical activities related to the functional properties of components of food. |
| 2 | A range of practical activities and records of two practical activities related to healthy meals for children and families. |
Media ME03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- The production of the media product may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Where a school can support students to develop their assessed production design (research and pre-production) using materials and equipment that is related to Unit 3, Outcomes 2 or 3 in Term 2, and if the work is to be completed at school, it must be completed in an environment which complies with current social-distancing advice.
Summary from page 28 of the Media Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 2 | A research portfolio and accompanying documentation examining aspects of the selected media form. Production exercises with accompanying documentation that demonstrates an understanding of the use of media technologies and production processes relevant to the student selected media form. |
| 3 | A media production design plan based on the selected media form identified in Outcome 2. |
Music Investigation MC05
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work in preparation for Unit 4 Outcomes may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Schools and providers may consider using video conferencing for performance development relating to Outcome 2.
Summary from page 51 of the Music Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 1 and 2 | A presentation that includes performance, demonstration and commentary. |
Music Performance MC04
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work in preparation for Unit 4 Outcome may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Schools and providers may consider using video conferencing for performance development relating to Outcome 2.
Summary from page 38 of the Music Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 1 and 2 | A demonstration of material selected to assist with development of general instrumental technique and preparation of works selected for Outcome 1 including exercise/s created by the student. |
Outdoor and Environmental Studies OS03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work in preparation for Unit 4 Outcomes may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Where practical experiences cannot be undertaken, schools may allow students to draw on previous (school based or personal) practical outdoor experiences to report on for the Journal task in both Outcomes 1 and 2.
- Where a school can go ahead with practical experience relating to Outcomes 1 and 2 in Term 2, these must be completed in a school environment that complies with current social-distancing advice.
Summary from page 18 of the Outdoor and Environmental Studies Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 1 | A journal or report demonstrating links between theoretical content studied and practical experiences undertaken. |
| 2 | A journal or report demonstrating links between theoretical content studied and practical experiences undertaken. |
Physical Education PE03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work in preparation for Unit 4 Outcomes may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Schools and teachers may provide students with secondary data for analysis if primary data is not available.
Summary from page 20 of the Physical Education Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 1 | Structured questions that draw on primary data which analyses a movement skill using biomechanical and skill acquisition principles. |
| 2 | A laboratory report based on primary data collected during participation in a practical activity, which analyses the relative contribution of energy systems and acute responses to exercise. |
Physics PH03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work in preparation for Unit 4 Outcome 3 may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Schools and teachers may consider replacing practical activities with simulations to generate primary data.
- Schools and teachers may provide students with a secondary data set for analysis in the ‘report of a student investigation’ assessment task offered as an optional task in each of Outcomes 1, 2 and 3, ensuring that this task is only used for one Outcome, as per requirements on page 41 of the VCE Physics Study Design.
- Schools and teachers may consider the use of observations of online videos and/or demonstrations to generate data when it is not possible to undertake practical investigations at school.
- Where a school can go ahead with laboratory-based assessment tasks relating to Outcomes 1 or 2 in Term 2, these must be completed in a supervised school environment that complies with current social distancing advice.
Summary from page 41 of the Physics Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 1 | Three tasks from 11 task options (applicable for each Outcome) involving practical work may be subject to modification: - annotations of at least two practical activities from a practical logbook
- a report of a student investigation
- design, building, testing and evaluation of a device.
|
| 2 |
| 3 |
Product Design and Technology DT03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work in preparation for Unit 4 Outcomes may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Where a school can go ahead with practical assessment production work relating to Outcome 3 in Term 2, the work must to be completed in a school environment that complies with current social-distancing advice. Schools need to ensure that staff who supervise have completed appropriate competency tests for use of tools and machines (refer to the Department of Education and Training’s
Use of Machinery in Technology Teaching webpage).
Summary from page 30 of the Product Design and Technology Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 3 | A folio comprising a range of prescribed materials and a record of progress of the production. |
Psychology PY03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work in preparation for Unit 4 Outcome 3 may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Schools and teachers may consider replacing practical activities with simulations to generate primary data. Schools may also consider the use of observations of online videos and/or demonstrations to generate data when it is not possible to undertake practical investigations at school.
- Schools and teachers may consider practical activities that use secondary data, focusing on the Key Science Skills ‘Develop aims and questions, formulate hypotheses and make predictions’, ‘Analyse and evaluate data, methods and scientific models’ and ‘Draw evidence-based conclusions’.
- Schools and teachers may provide students with a secondary data set for analysis in the Outcome 1 ‘report of a student investigation’ assessment task, or the Outcome 2 ‘report of a student investigation’ assessment task.
- Where a school can go ahead with laboratory-based assessment tasks relating to Outcomes 1 or 2 in Term 2, these must be completed in a supervised school environment that complies with current social distancing advice.
Summary from page 27 of the Psychology Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 1 | One task selected from the prescribed list which may include annotations of at least two practical activities from a practical logbook or a report of a practical activity. |
| 2 | One task selected from the prescribed list which may include annotations of at least two practical activities from a practical logbook or a report of a practical activity. |
Studio Arts SA03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Schools may need to support students to collect the necessary materials to assist them to continue School-assessed Tasks.
- Where a school can go ahead with practical assessment work using studio equipment relating to Outcome 2 in Term 2, and if the work is to be completed at school, it must be completed in an environment which complies with current social-distancing advice.
Summary from page 29 of the Studio Arts Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 2 | An exploration proposal and a visual diary that presents an individual studio process. |
Systems Engineering SE03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Production work may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Where a school can go ahead with practical assessment production work relating to Outcome 1 in Term 2, the work must to be completed in a school environment that complies with current social-distancing advice.
- Schools need to ensure that staff who supervise have completed appropriate competency tests for use of tools and machines:
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/safetyhw/Pages/technology.aspx
Summary from page 31 of the Systems Engineering Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 1 | A record of investigation, design, planning and production and preliminary production work. |
Theatre Studies TS03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work in preparation for Unit 4 Outcomes may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Where a school can go ahead with collaborative assessment work relating to Outcome 1 in Term 2, the work must to be completed in a school environment that complies with current social-distancing advice.
- Video conferencing may be considered for some of the process.
Summary from page 23 of the Theatre Studies Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 1 | Ongoing developmental contributions to creative interpretation of a script across all three stages of the production process through collaborative work in two production roles. |
Visual Communication Design VC03
Refer to
Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Schools may need to support students to collect the necessary materials to assist them to continue School-assessed Tasks.
- Where a school can go ahead with practical assessment work relating to Outcome 1 (School-assessed Coursework) and Outcome 3 (School-assessed Task) in Term 2, and if the work is to be completed at school it must be completed in an environment that complies with current social-distancing advice.
Summary from page 25 and 29 of the Visual Communication Adjusted Study Design:
|
Outcome |
Assessment Task |
| 1 | In response to given stimulus material, create three visual communication designs for different contexts, purposes and audiences. These visual communications will include evidence of: - two or three-dimensional presentation drawings
- use of manual and digital methods.
|
| 3 | A brief that identifies the contexts, constraints, client’s needs and target audience, and a folio generating ideas relevant to the brief. The development folio for each need will include evidence of: - use of design process and design thinking strategies
- annotated research for information and inspiration
- observational and visualisation drawings
- generation of a wide range of design ideas.
|
VCE School-based Assessments
School-based Assessments for the following VCE studies, which involve fieldwork and outdoor activities, may require alternative arrangements:
- Agricultural and Horticultural Studies
- Environmental Science
- Geography
- Outdoor and Environmental Studies.
VCE Agricultural and Horticultural Studies
Applied practical learning is integral to this study. Current restrictions may impact on available resources to undertake practical tasks that focus on an aspect of food and fibre production relevant to the area of study being undertaken. Please note, ‘practical task/s related to sustainable business practices’ has been removed from the assessment of Unit 4 Outcome 2 in the adjusted study design for 2020.
Strategies for teachers
Contingent on school settings, resources and capabilities, consider the range of practical tasks that can be used in the teaching and assessment of the study that do not require field trips, such as:
- secondary data collection, analysis and application
- investigation of best-practice case studies
- virtual reality experiences.
Enquiries about VCE Agricultural and Horticultural Studies may be directed to Leanne Compton, Curriculum Manager, Design and Technologies: leanne.compton@education.vic.gov.au or 03 9032 1698.
VCE Environmental Science
Fieldwork across Units 1 to 4 is integral to this study. Some schools may still be working on completing assessment tasks for Unit 3. In Unit 4, the adjusted 2020 VCE Environmental Science Study Design specifies that only one task should be undertaken for each Outcome in Unit 4, and that the Unit 4 Outcome 3 task may be based on secondary data.
Strategies for teachers
Teachers who normally conduct fieldwork as part of an assessment task may choose to:
- seek alternative assessment tasks in Unit 3 and/or Unit 4 that do not involve fieldwork
- seek alternative environments in which to generate data for any/all planned assessment tasks such as a home lawn, garden, terrarium or aquarium
- access simulations to generate data and/or use other ‘virtual’ experiences where students observe different experiments, explore different environments and/ or examine different management strategies through a variety of resources available electronically and online
- use secondary data for any/all planned assessment tasks
- use de-identified student data from previous years as a basis for assessment tasks, including the analysis and evaluation task for Unit 4 Outcome 3
- use local and/or general case studies to illustrate environmental science concepts and as the basis for assessment tasks
- collaborate with other teachers/schools to explore opportunities for resource sharing and outsourcing activities
- employ authentication procedures as per their school’s policy, whereby primary data generated, or secondary data accessed, by students is sourced appropriately
- practical work that supports the delivery of key knowledge and key skills in Unit 4 may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
Enquiries about VCE Environmental Science may be directed to Maria James, Curriculum Manager, Science: maria.james2@education.vic.gov.au or 03 9032 1722.
VCE Geography
VCE Geography has a significant fieldwork component in Units 1–3 which data collected in the field provides the basis for processing, representation, analysis and interpretation.
Strategies for teachers
Teachers who are yet to conduct their fieldwork may choose to:
- have students access fieldwork through virtual fieldwork prepared by the teacher.
- give students access to fieldwork data from previous years, where applicable.
- ensure students acknowledge the limitations and weaknesses of the techniques implemented and techniques used, as set out in the Evaluation section of the Fieldwork Report on page 13 of the VCE Geography Study Design 2016-2020.
- employ authentication procedures as per their school’s policy, whereby data collected by students is sourced appropriately.
The Geography Teachers Association of Victoria (GTAV) is happy to provide teachers with additional information and resources to conduct alternative fieldwork and/or put teachers in touch with colleagues who will support them. For further information, teachers can contact Jane Belamy, Education Officer, GTAV: eo@gtav.asn.au or (03) 9824 8355.
Enquiries about VCE Geography may be directed to Leonie Brown, Curriculum Manager, Humanities: leonie.brown4@education.vic.gov.au or 03 9603 7923.
VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies
VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies requires students to connect practical experiences in outdoor environments with the theoretical content studied in each of the four units. The practical outdoor experiences can be passive or active and range from bush walking, cross-country skiing, canoe touring, cycle touring, conservation and restoration activities, marine exploration and participation in community projects.
The assessment of VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies requires students to reference specific outdoor experiences and use information gained in both school-based assessment and the end-of- year examination.
Strategies for teachers
Refer to Advice for Teachers, as required.
- Practical work that supports the delivery of key knowledge and key skills in Unit 4 may be delayed until classroom learning resumes.
- Where practical experiences cannot be undertaken, schools may allow students to draw on previous (school based or personal) practical outdoor experiences.
- Teachers are expected to provide students with relevant examples of outdoor environments to study when they are unable to physically visit the environments.
- Schools may consider ‘virtual’ experiences where students explore different environments and outdoor activities through a variety of resources available electronically and online.
- It is expected that students will continue to refer to specific environments that they have either ‘visited’ or ‘studied’ in assessment tasks.
Enquiries about VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies should be directed to Rachael Whittle, Curriculum Manager, Health and Physical Education: rachael.whittle@education.vic.gov.au or 03 9032 1721.
The School-assessed Tasks for the following VCE studies may require alternative arrangements during remote and flexible learning:
- Algorithmics (HESS)
- Applied Computing: Data Analytics
- Applied Computing: Software Development
- Art
- Media
- Product Design and Technology
- Studio Arts
- Systems Engineering
- Visual Communication Design
For all SAT studies, teachers need to ensure that the same indicators are used for the assessment of all student work at the school, and that the conditions to undertake the SAT does not privilege or disadvantage certain groups of students within the school cohort. The SAT results for your school cohort should reflect the performance and relative ranking of student results across the whole assessment scale.
Algorithmics (HESS)
Refer to the Revised:
VCE Algorithmics (HESS): Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020.
For the Unit 4 written explanation SAT task, each part should be completed in a timed environment of 45-60 minutes, with the questions provided to students at the start of the timed period.
For the Unit 4 design of an algorithm,
- The formal analysis SAT task could be modified to have students share their documents with their teacher at regular intervals to ensure authentication.
- The response to a naïve algorithm SAT task, could be modified by breaking it up into smaller tasks over several sessions to allow teacher observation, with students sharing their documents with their teacher at regular intervals to ensure authentication.
For the Unit 4 explanation of the universality of computation and algorithms SAT task, this could be modified by breaking it up into smaller tasks and completed over several time allocations to ensure authentication. Students should share their documents with their teacher during the development.
For all Algorithmics (HESS) SAT tasks, students should submit their responses at the end of the session to their teacher either via email, learning management system or secure cloud-based storage. Teachers are to provide feedback through comments for observation and submission of criteria using the Authentication Record Form in the Revised VCE Algorithmics (HESS): Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020.
Applied Computing: Data Analytics
Refer to the Revised:
VCE Applied Computing: Data Analytics: Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020.
Teachers should ensure that students submit evidence of their progression of the task for each observation. This could include images of work, submission of partially completed work and solutions via email, learning management system or secure cloud-based storage. Teachers are to provide feedback through comments for observation and submission of criteria using the Authentication Record Form in the Revised VCE Applied Computing: Data Analytics: Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020.
Applied Computing: Software Development
Refer to the Revised:
VCE Applied Computing: Software Development: Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020.
Teachers should ensure that students submit evidence of their progression of the task for each observation. This could include images of work, submission of partially completed work and solutions via email, learning management system or secure cloud-based storage. Teachers are to provide feedback through comments for observation and submission of criteria using the Authentication Record Form in the Revised VCE Applied Computing: Software Development: Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020.
Art
Refer to the Revised:
Adjusted VCE Art: Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020
Students can document and demonstrate through sketches, trials and photographs the realisation of artwork(s) in their body of work if they are unable to produce a final artwork. The resolution of ideas, materials and techniques should be documented through the analytical frameworks and visual language. Artworks from Unit 3 can be developed further as realisation for Unit 4. Development and transition from Unit 3 to Unit 4 must be shown in the body of work. Students should ensure that any changes to the development of their work due to changed conditions should be clearly documented in the folio.
Media
Refer to the Revised:
VCE Media: Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020.
Advice is provided on page 5 and 6 of the Revised: VCE Media: Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020, if students are unable to make a production in Unit 4. In addition to this advice, students are able to produce a production on any device available to them. They must consider the change to the intention, narrative, audience, codes and conventions. They may also switch media forms to make their production. They can also use pre-existing footage. The students must document any changes for Criteria 8 – 10. They are not required to rewrite their production design.
Product Design and Technology
Refer to the
Revised VCE Product Design and Technology: Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020.
All nine criteria from the Revised ‘VCE Product Design and Technology: Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020’ will be used to assess student work for the School-assessed Task. However, not all indicators listed for each criterion may be used. Therefore, teachers can use some or all indicators listed for each criterion to form a judgement about student work, which may not necessarily be completion of a product. Products must not be completed at home without appropriate supervision and competency tests for use of tools and machines (refer to the Department of Education and Training’s
Use of Machinery in Technology Teaching webpage).
Studio Arts
Refer to the Revised:
VCE Studio Arts: Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020.
As advised in the updated Administrative information published on 29 July (page 4 and 6), potential directions from Unit 3 can be further developed for Unit 4 (as advised on the 29 July, page 4 and 6). In addition, if students are unable to make their work in their planned art form, they can make their work in a different art form. Use of materials, techniques, processes and aesthetic qualities can be demonstrated as trials, or documented as photographs and placed in a visual diary with documentations about their initial intentions for Unit 4. The visual diary can be submitted digitally.
Systems Engineering
Refer to the Revised:
VCE Systems Engineering: Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020.
All eight criteria from the ‘Revised VCE Systems Engineering: Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020’ will be used to assess student work for the School-assessed Task. However, not all indicators listed for each criterion may be used. Therefore, teachers can use some or all indicators listed for each criterion to form a judgement about student work, which may not necessarily be completion of a system (or aspect of a system). System projects must not be completed at home without appropriate supervision and competency tests for use of tools and machines (refer to the Department of Education and Training’s
Use of Machinery in Technology Teaching webpage).
Visual Communication Design
Refer to the Revised:
VCE Visual Communication Design: Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020.
Additional advice for Unit 4 due to restrictions is on page 5 - 9 for the Administrative information for School-based Assessment for Visual Communication Design. Students should continue to develop and resolve their concepts with the materials available to them. There is specific advice listed in the evidence for Criteria 7 and 8. Students may produce a revised final presentation format, but they should clearly document the reason for the change relative to the design brief. They are able to produce photographic evidence or drawings, with documentation of their final productions if they cannot produce them with the available materials and equipment. The final presentations can be made available digitally as recommended on page 8 of the Assessment information.