Implementation workshop

VCE Environmental Science 2013−2016

August 2012

Purpose

The aims of this session include:• to provide specific information regarding changes to

curriculum and assessment for VCE Environmental Science 2013−2016 as a result of a move to a single end-of-year examination of two hours duration

• to gather feedback/questions/comments regarding implementation in order to produce a set of FAQs to support delivery of the revised study design for VCE Environmental Science from 2013.

Online publication of VCE Study Designs

• From 2013, all VCE study designs, advice for teachers, resources and assessment handbooks will be available in an online format only (i.e. no hard copies)

• Online publications will include a publication/update date

• Teachers will be advised of major updates through the VCAA Bulletin VCE, VET and VCAL

Summary of changes

A number of key knowledge points across Units 3 and 4 have been edited and expanded for clarity, and three Outcome statements have been modified. These changes have been published in the VCAA Bulletin VCE, VCAL and VET Supplement 1, No. 97, July 2012.

Reminder: teachers may subscribe to the VCAA Bulletin Online – refer to VCAA home page.

Teaching and learning resources

• Changes to the study design have been made with the intention that teachers may continue to use existing teaching and learning resources

• The Summary of changes for VCE Environmental Science on the VCAA website should assist teachers to identify study content and sections in current texts which may no longer be applicable to the accredited 2013–2016 course

• Teachers should note that some publishers are producing revised materials. It is a school/teacher-based decision as to whether new resources are purchased and/or utilised

Overview of changes

Curriculum changes:

• Changes to Unit 3 Outcomes 2 and 3, and Unit 4 Outcome 2

• Minor editing and/or deletion of some key knowledge for clarity and scope

Assessment changes:

• Single end-of-year examination of two hours duration

• Examination:SAC = 50:50 weighting (change from 66:34)

• SAC tasks and mark allocations have changed

• Some content assessed though School-assessed Coursework only (specific details related to a threatened animal, a pollutant and an environmental science project) and not in end-of-year examination

Unit 4 Key Knowledge: removal of content

A key knowledge point, and its associated key skill, have been deleted in Unit 4.

Unit 4, Area of Study 2 key knowledge:• assessment of the impact of ecotourism on the

environment and the strategies required to manage ecotourism

Unit 4, Area of Study 2 key skill:• analyse the impact of ecotourism

Changed Unit 3 Outcome

Current Unit 3 Outcome 2:

On completion of this unit the student should be able to describe the characteristics of biodiversity, and evaluate strategies to reduce the effects of threatening processes on one selected endangered animal

Revised Unit 3 Outcome 2:

On completion of this unit the student should be able to describe the characteristics of biodiversity, evaluate strategies to reduce the effects of threatening processes on biodiversity, and apply this knowledge to one selected threatened animal

Changed Unit 3 Outcome 3

Current Unit 3 Outcome 3:On completion of this unit the student should be able to explain how scientific data is applied to the assessment of environmental risk in ensuring biodiversity

Revised Unit 3 Outcome 3:On completion of this unit the student should be able to explain how scientific data is used in the evaluation of biodiversity and is applied to the development of management strategies to ensure biodiversity

Unit 4 Outcome 2 change

Current Unit 4 Outcome 2:

On completion of this unit the student should be able to use the principles of ecologically sustainable development and environmental management to evaluate a selected environmental science project

Revised Unit 4 Outcome 2:

On completion of this unit the student should be able to use the principles of ecologically sustainable development and environmental management to evaluate environmental science projects, including a focus on one selected environmental science project

FAQs

A set of Frequently Asked Questions will be published on the VCE Environmental Science study page of the VCAA website to support implementation of the revised study design 2013−2016

School-assessed Coursework

• contributes 50 per cent to the study score- Unit 3 SAC: 25 per cent

- Unit 4 SAC: 25 per cent

• should form part of the teaching and learning program, both in terms of formative (including diagnostic) and summative assessment

Student-selected SACs

• Specific details related to three student-selected assessment tasks are examined by School-assessed Coursework only:

- threatened animal

- pollutant

- environmental science project• The student-selected fossil fuel and non-fossil fuel

energy resources are assessed through both a SAC and the end-of-year examination

Advice for Teachers

• The Advice for Teachers has been updated to include relevant employability skills derived from the Employability Skills Framework against specified assessment tasks for Units 1−4

Assessment Handbook

The Assessment Handbook for VCE Environmental Science 2013−2016 will be available from the VCE Environmental Science study page prior to Term 1 2013.

Resources

• The list of resources will be updated annually by the VCAA and will be available from the VCE Environmental Science page

• Educators may submit suggested references for inclusion on the resource list to the Curriculum Manager for Science at the VCAA

Examination conditions

• 15 minutes reading time

• 120 minutes writing time

• Question and Answer book + Multiple Choice

answer sheet

• 50 per cent contribution to Study Score

Examination content

• Questions will be based on the key knowledge and key skills

that underpin the outcomes in Unit 3 and Unit 4, with the

exception that specific details related to student-selected

threatened animal, pollutant and environmental science

project will be assessed through SACs

• Students will be required to apply the knowledge and skills

of the environmental science areas undertaken in Unit 3 and

Unit 4

Examination content (continued)

• There will be a balance of content across four Areas of

Study in Units 3 and 4 to reflect the weighting in the School-

assessed Coursework

• Some questions may include content from more than one

Area of Study within a unit and/or content which crosses

both Units 3 and 4

Examination format and mark allocation

Two sections•Section A

- 30 multiple choice questions- one mark each

•Section B- short answer questions- 90 marks total

Examination will be out of 120 marks

Section A

TOTAL MARKS: 30

•multiple choice

•all questions compulsory

•some questions built around a short scenario

•questions will be answered on a Multiple Choice

answer sheet

Section B

TOTAL MARKS: 90•short answer questions•scenarios•1-5 or 6 mark questions maximum per question

Note: No essays but there could be extended responses

Approved examination materials

Approved:•stationery: pens, pencils, highlighters, erasers, sharpeners and rulers•scientific calculator

Not approved:•blank sheets of paper •correction fluid

Examination advice

• The examination will follow the examination specifications and will test a representative sample of the key knowledge and key skills

• The number of marks provides a guide to the complexity of the expected answer/s

Sample examination paper

• Sample examination paper is composed largely of past examination questions

• Solutions to past examination questions can be accessed by referring to the relevant Assessment Reports available on the VCAA website

• Some questions were specifically developed to illustrate that questions can draw upon understanding of concepts across Units 3 and 4

• Sample examination paper will be published on the VCAA website in the VCE Environmental Science study pages

Contact

VCAA branch Science Manager Contact Details

Curriculum Maria James Tel: 9651 4655Email: james.maria.m@edumail.vic.gov.au

Assessment Claudia Cicuttini Tel: 9225 2351Email:cicuttini.claudia.c@edumail.vic.gov.au

© Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2012