Scotch College

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

THE VICTORIAN CURRICULUM ASSESSMENT AUTHORITY (VCAA)

The Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority (VCAA), is responsible for curriculum, assessment and certification of Year 11 and Year 12 levels in Victoria. The VCAA is a statutory authority within the Ministry of Education. 

UNIT 

A semester-length component of a study representing approximately 100 hours of work. Of that, schools and providers will offer approximately 50-60 hours as class time. The normal workload for full-time continuing students will be 22 or 24 Units taken over two years. 

SEMESTER 

A Semester is the equivalent of half a school year (not necessarily two terms). 

SEQUENCE OF UNITS 

Most studies have been developed as a sequence of four Units with one Unit being designed to be taken in each semester over two years. Students will have access to studies at three points, namely at the beginning of the first, second and third semester level Units. Units 3 & 4 must be taken as a sequential pair.

UNITS 1 & 2 

Units within a VCE study designed to approximate Year 11 level of difficulty. Note, a school may choose to offer Units 1 & 2 in a given study during any semester of their VCE program. Units 1 & 2 level Units may be undertaken singularly or as a sequence. 

UNITS 3 & 4 

Units within a VCE study designed to approximate Year 12 level of difficulty. Units 3 & 4 in each study are designed to be taken as a sequence. For the award of the certificate, students must satisfactorily complete at least three sequences of Units 3 & 4 in addition to English, English Language or Literature Units 3 & 4. 

STUDY DESIGN 

The VCAA accredits a study design for each VCE study. The study design describes the Units available within the study and prescribes the objectives, areas of study and Unit Outcomes. The study design also provides School-Assessed Coursework (SACs) to be undertaken as part of Units 3 & 4. Schools and providers develop courses for Units of study in accordance with the prescriptions set out in the Study Designs. 

UNIT OUTCOMES 

Outcomes are the basis for satisfactory completion of VCE Units. Each VCE Unit includes a set of two to four Outcomes. These Outcomes must be achieved for satisfactory completion of the Unit. Achievement of the Outcomes is based on the teacher’s assessment of the student’s performance on assessment tasks designated for the Unit. Satisfactory completion of a Unit is determined by a school in accordance with the VCAA’s requirements. 

ASSESSMENT OF LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE 

Assessment of levels of performance in Units 1 & 2 will be the responsibility of a school. The VCAA will supervise the assessment of all students undertaking Units 3 & 4. 

SCHOOL-ASSESSED COURSEWORK 

School-Assessed Coursework (SAC) is made up of a number of assessment tasks that are specified in the Study Design. These assessment tasks are used to assess the Unit learning outcomes. Assessment tasks are part of the regular teaching and learning program. They must be completed mainly in class time, and they are to be completed in a limited time. 

AUTHENTICATION OF STUDENT WORK 

In order to be awarded a grade indicating level of performance for a SAC or SAT, students must submit work that is clearly their own. For SACs or SATs that are submitted for assessment by a prescribed deadline (SACs or SATs other than those conducted under test conditions), teachers will be required to attest that the work is genuinely the work of the student. The description of SACs or SATs in the study designs includes procedures for ensuring that such declaration can be made. 

VERIFICATION OF GRADES 

For SACs and SATs that are submitted by a prescribed deadline (SACs or SATs other than those conducted under test conditions) the initial allocation of scores will be made by a school according to the criteria set out by the VCAA. 

SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF THE VCE 

To qualify for the award of the VCE, students must satisfactorily complete at least 16 Units of study including at least three Units of the common study of English, English Language or Literature and three sequences of Unit 3 and 4 studies in addition to English, English Language or Literature. 

SPECIAL PROVISION 

Schools will provide special arrangements to assist students who become ill or experience personal hardship at the time of VCE assessments. If a student is unable to complete a SAC, School will determine a score that takes into account each student’s circumstances and report this to the VCAA as the final score. 

SPECIAL EXAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS 

Special arrangements may be made to meet the needs of students who have disabilities or illnesses that will affect their performance in an examination. These arrangements must be made with the Head of Year and the VCAA. They may include extra time, technical aids and/or a scribe. 

DERIVED EXAMINATION SCORE 

If a student misses an examination due to severe illness he may apply to VCAA for a Derived Examination Score (DES). A DES can be used in place of the student’s actual examination score. The DES will be used to calculate the final Study Score, which will be reported on the student’s Statement of Results and used by VTAC to calculate the ENTER. However, students need to be aware that VCAA may deem a particular illness not serious enough for them to have missed the exam. In such a case, no DES will be awarded. 

GENERAL ACHIEVEMENT TEST (GAT) 

All students enrolled in one or more sequences of Units 3 & 4 must sit the General Achievement Test (GAT) in mid-year 2010 as part of the June examination period. 

STUDY SCORES 

A student’s overall achievements for each study are calculated and reported as a Study Score (Relative Position) on a scale of 0 to 50. In order to qualify for a Study Score, a student must have satisfactorily completed both Units 3 & 4 in that study. The state mean (average) for each study is a score of 30. Approximately eight per cent of the state will achieve a study score of 40 and above. 

STATISTICAL MODERATION 

Moderation is a process for ensuring that the same assessment standards are applied to students from every school doing a particular study. Statistical moderation is a process for adjusting schools’ assessments to the same standard, while maintaining the student’s rank order given by the school. The VCAA will use statistical moderation to ensure that the coursework assessments given by different schools are comparable throughout Victoria. 

STATEMENT OF RESULTS 

A Statement of Results is issued by the VCAA at the end of each year to all students enrolled in VCE Units of study. The Statement of Results will provide a cumulative record of achievement in all VCE Units for which a student has received an assessment. Results of Units 1 & 2 will be reported on the Statement as S (satisfactory) or NS (not satisfactory) on the basis of satisfactory or non-satisfactory completion of the outcomes for each Unit. In addition, grades (A+ to E) will be reported for each SAC undertaken as part of Units 3 & 4. These grades will be based on criteria published by the VCAA. 

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (VET) 

Vocational Education and Training (VET) in the VCE program combines general VCE studies with vocational training and experience in the workplace. Schools are able to offer senior secondary students programs selected from the range of industry areas approved by the VCAA. 

SCHOOL BASED NEW APPRENTICESHIP (SBNA) 

The School Based New Apprenticeship (SBNA) for secondary school students program is open to students 15 years of age or over who are permanent residents of Australia. The program involves the student undertaking his VCE as well as being employed and trained under the following arrangements: 

•  VCE studies selected by student
•  a training agreement registered with the Office of Training and Tertiary Education (OTTE)
•  a negotiated training program leading to a nationally recognized qualification
•  paid work uner a form of industrial agreement that endorses Part-time Apprenticeships, such as a Federal Industrial Award, Australian Workplace Agreement (AW) or Certified Agreement )CA)

School Based New Apprenticeship programs generally provide the same contribution to the VCE as their related VET in the VCE programs. VET studies by Scotch College students must be conducted outside of normally scheduled class time. For further information access the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority website: http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au or contact the Scotch College Course and Careers Centre or the VCE Administrator, Mr W Barry.