vcaa update: senior science february 2012. 2 key messages national curriculum - years f-10 science...
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VCAA Update: Senior ScienceFebruary 2012
2
Key messages• National curriculum
- Years F-10 Science content and achievement standards approved by state/territory/federal education ministers
- substantial implementation in Victoria from 2013 - an inquiry-based curriculum
- public consultation draft national senior science subjects expected from ACARA in Term 2, 2012
- Victoria is the only Australian state/territory that holds mid-year examinations
• VCE Sciences - current study designs accredited until 2014
- mid-year examinations will be discontinued from 2013
- mid-cycle amendments to study design will apply from 2013
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Science participation rate - Australia
With thanks to the Australian Institute of Physics (Vic Branch) Education Committee http://www.vicphysics.org/edresearch.html
Physics Participation Rate by State
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
Years
Vic
NSW
QLD
SA
WA
TAS
NT
ACT
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Science participation rate - Victoria
With thanks to the Australian Institute of Physics (Vic Branch) Education Committee http://www.vicphysics.org/edresearch.html
Physics is the 11th most popular VCE study!
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Science enrolments - Victoria
6
Popularity of VCE science studies in 2011
VCE study PopularityBiology 6th
Chemistry 7th
Environmental Science
numbers almost doubled in 2011
Physics 11th
Psychology 3rd
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Strands and sub-strands in the Australian Curriculum
Science understanding
Science as a human
endeavour
Science inquiry skills
•Biological sciences
•Nature and development of
science
•Questioning and predicting
•Chemical sciences
•Planning and conducting
•Earth and space sciences
•Use and influence of
science
•Processing and analysing data and information
•Physical sciences
•Evaluating
•Communicating
strands
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Inquiry-based science curriculum•The Australian Curriculum: Science emphasises inquiry-based teaching and learning
•Opportunities for student-led open inquiry should be provided within each phase of schooling
Teacher-ledinquiry
Student-driven inquiry
Semi-structured
inquiry
Years 7/8:Collaboratively and
individually plan and conduct a range of
investigation types…in fair tests, measure and
control variables, and select equipment to
collect data with accuracy appropriate to the task
Years 5/6: With
guidance, select
appropriate investigation methods to
answer questions or
solve problems…
decide which variable
should be changed and measured in
fair tests
Years 9/10:Formulate questions
or hypotheses that can be investigated
scientifically… plan, select and use
appropriate investigation
methods… select and use appropriate
equipment
Years 11 and 12:
What are the implications for curriculum and
assessment of an inquiry-based approach to
science education?
???????
Years F-4:SIS strand
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Effective instructional strategiesStrategies that improve student achievement:• identifying similarities and differences (45%)• summarising and note-taking (34%)• using non-linguistic representations (27%)• incorporating cooperative learning effectively (27%)• setting objectives and providing feedback (23%)• generating and testing hypotheses (23%)Robert Marzano, Debra Pickering and Jane Pollock, 2001
Refer also:- James Stigler and James Hiebert: the Teaching Gap (1998)- Anne Tweed: Designing Effective Science Instruction (2007)- John Hattie: Visible learning (2009)
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Bloom’s revised taxonomyCognitive skill Activities Products
Remembering memorise; know vocabulary; match; listen
facts; date/location/person; record
Understanding sort; compare; question; observe; research; list
diagram; model; procedure; article
Applying construct; demonstrate; manipulate; plan; report; experiment; construct; interview; simulate; draw; interview
journal/blog; diagram; map; model; collection; puzzle; illustration
Analysing categorise; classify; organise; survey; integrate; separate; simplify; contrast
questionnaire; graph; spreadsheet; data; report
Evaluating recommend; conclude; judge; debate; discuss; reflect; critique; survey; test; investigate; propose; edit; choose
recommendation; self evaluation; survey; conclusion; group discussion; news item
Creating combine; hypothesise; estimate; infer; predict; invent; imagine; design; make
podcast; invention; structure; product; news article; machine
Reflection: Which of these cognitive skills can be effectively assessed through exams? SACs?
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VCAA consultation feedback: general science
• Too much content for a single examination• Weighting exam:SACs of 66:34 overemphasises
contribution of examination (‘bad day’ = ‘bad score’)• Weighting exam:SACs of 66:34 is not equitable with
other VCE studies• Students will no longer receive mid-year feedback so
that they can make changes to improve their performance
• Study designs require further minor ‘tweaking’ re clarity and scope
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VCE consultation feedback: Physics
Stakeholder feedback:• More information needed about examination format• Consider assessing only one Detailed Study in the
exam, or no Detailed Studies in the exam (only by coursework)
• Allow choice of two from the six available Detailed Studies
• Trial examination paper should be prepared sooner rather than later
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Further consultationThe VCAA is eager to receive further feedback about specific proposals developed to address issues identified through the February online consultation process:
Issue Considerations
Exam length = 2½ hours • Move towards increased alignment with other VCE studies• Feasible to examine content• 3 hours may be arduous/inequitable, especially for students
undertaking multiple science studies
Two student exam sheets No change to current situation
Weighting of exam:SAC = 60:40
• Less reliance on assessment for a single examination• Minimal change for teacher workload
Choice from 6 Detailed studies (as per Units 1&2)
• Greater flexibility for teachers to develop programs and for students to revise work
• Teachers will still be required to complete one DS in Unit 3, and one DS for Unit 4, to meet reporting and S/N requirements
Exam structure – students address only one of the two Detailed Studies
• Both Detailed Studies are assessed through School-assessed coursework
• Choice provided for students as per other studies (e.g. English – students study multiple novels, but choose one in exam)
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Contact
Maria JamesCurriculum Manager, ScienceVCAA
Telephone: 9651 4655Email: james.maria.m@edumail.vic.gov.au
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