Validation of the Standards
- Introduction
- Validation process
- Revisions to the Standards
- Support for schools
- Implementation of the Standards
- Summary of revisions to the Standards – December 2005
Introduction
Throughout 2005 the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) undertook a number of projects to validate the Victorian Essential Learning Standards. The Standards form the basis for curriculum planning and assessment from Prep to Year 10. Implementation of the Standards commenced at the beginning of 2006. Initially schools will report against English and Mathematics with other domains to be reported against in 2007 and 2008.
Validation process
The validation process confirmed the structure of the Standards which retain the strands, domains and dimensions as originally stated. There is a continuing high level of support for the Standards in this form from schools and key stakeholders. Schools understand the thinking behind the structure and can see how it relates to their own curriculum planning. However, the validation has also led to refinements, clarification and improvements within this agreed structure. Feedback was provided through an on-line questionnaire, an independent evaluation of the Standards and a comparability study of the standards and learning focus statements in five learning domains using five other national and international curriculum documents for each domain.
The VCAA also worked with forty schools and trialed assessment tasks in specific domains at particular levels. These schools trialed the tasks with students across more than one year level, assessed the work against agreed criteria and participated in a structured moderation exercise with other schools which trialed the same tasks. This process provided further useful feedback on the Standards.
Revisions to the Standards
The refined Standards reflect all of the work described as part of the validation process. At the same time the VCAA has participated in the development of the National Statements of Learning and has undertaken further analysis of the results of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and The International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). This work has also contributed to the review of the Standards.
Changes to the learning domains resulting from the year of validation are minimal and generally relate to issues of clarity of purpose, consistency of language and provision of further examples. Changes to the Mathematics, Science and English domains were the most notable.
The revisions to the Mathematics domain provide greater clarity and accessibility to the document through the use of simpler language and the inclusion of examples while also addressing a small number of sequencing and placement issues. In particular, Number and Structure have both been strengthened at Level 5 to provide a more even progression from Level 4 to Level 6.
In the revised Science domain the relationship between the learning focus statement and the standards is clearer. There are more specific examples of science concepts to ensure a balance between the fundamental and new emerging areas of science. The glossary is also expanded.
Revisions to the English domain create a more explicit link between English and Literacy. Literary texts are identified as a primary focus for the study of English. There are also more specific guidelines for the development of grammatical and literacy skills to prepare students for the demands of the post-compulsory years and the world of work.
The Standards continue to reflect and value what the community expects of schools.
Support for schools
In addition to the refined Standards, more support materials for schools are being progressively developed in collaboration with the Department of Education and Training, Catholic Education Commission of Victoria, and independent schools. The online publication of these materials has commenced. The materials include sample units of work, sample assessment tasks and assessment maps. Additional materials will become progressively available, initially focusing on English and Mathematics.
The refined Standards are available in the P-10 Curriculum and Standards section of this website, and a revised Student Learning DVD will be provided to schools in Term 1, 2006.
Implementation of the Standards
Schools will be implementing the Standards in accordance with the requirements and advice of their relevant sector authorities. The VCAA will continue to actively monitor implementation and seek feedback in both formal and informal ways over the next three years.
The release of the revised Victorian Essential Learning Standards continues the work begun early in 2005 to provide a curriculum framework for all Victorian schools to plan their teaching and learning programs. It will assist schools to enable their students to achieve the state-wide essential learning standards necessary for success in education, work and life.
Summary of revisions to the Standards – December 2005
The Victorian Essential Learning Standards were validated during 2005. A summary of the changes to the Standards as a result of the feedback from the education community is provided below.
Physical, Personal and Social Learning
Health and Physical Education
- Changes have been made to the introduction to more accurately reflect the knowledge, skills and behaviours contained in the learning focus and standards.
- The ideas within the Movement and physical activity and the Health knowledge and promotion dimensions have been reordered according to particular foci.
- Provision of examples in the learning focus has assisted in differentiating between the standards for Levels 4 and 6.
- The focus of Levels 4–6 Health knowledge and promotion dimension has been refined to improve the links between the levels and has included appropriate issues related to student health and development.
- The health promotion focus has been made more explicit at Levels 4 and 5.
Interpersonal Development
- The introduction has been reworded to include students’ self-evaluation of their responses to different social situations.
- The learning focus statement for Level 5 now includes forms of conflict within local and wider contexts from historical and contemporary perspectives.
- Investigation of various forms of bullying and its consequences has also been included in the learning focus statement for Level 5.
Personal Learning
- Additions have been made to the learning focus and the standards of the two dimensions to clarify the progression of developmental skills and knowledge.
- Key terms such as emotional management, values and ethical frameworks have been expanded using teaching examples within the learning focus statements and the standards of the Managing personal learning dimension.
- Revisions have been made to clarify the relationship between the domains of Personal Learning, Thinking Processes and Interpersonal Development.
Civics and Citizenship
- A more logical placement of themes and concepts is included at Levels 3–6. This has ensured increased sophistication of skills at Level 6.
- Refinements to the learning focus statements have provided opportunities for students to demonstrate active citizenship in a range of ways including the relationship with the natural environment.
Discipline-based Learning
The Arts
- The standards at each level have been reviewed to more clearly identify and differentiate expectations at all levels.
- The relationship between the learning focus statements and the standards at each level has been reviewed to minimise repetition.
- To clarify the relationship between the dimensions, an explanation of the role of frames such as interpreting and responding has been included.
- At all levels additional examples have been incorporated into the learning focus statements.
English
- Literary texts: (novels, short stories, poetry and plays) have been more explicitly referred to in the introduction and across levels.
- An expanded glossary provides examples of different text types.
- Examples of expectations for learning about development of metalanguage have been included across all levels.
- Specific reference has also been made to the use of persuasive language strategies at Level 6.
- The distinction between writing and handwriting, and spelling and vocabulary has been clarified at the lower levels.
The Humanities – Economics
- An expanded glossary has been included to ensure use of appropriate language throughout the Economics standards.
The Humanities – Geography
- The glossary has been expanded to provide clarity and consistency of terminology.
- The study of Antarctica has been removed at Level 4 and included at Level 5.
The Humanities – History
- Stronger links have been made between the learning focus statements and standards at Levels 4–6.
- Examples of nineteenth century history have been included in the Level 6 learning focus statements and standards.
Languages Other Than English
- Parts of the learning focus statements and standards have been clarified and consistency between levels has been improved.
- Consistency of some aspects of the standards at Levels 5 and 6 in Pathway 2 has improved.
Mathematics
- The introduction has been revised to reflect changes to the standards and show stronger connections to school programs.
- At Levels 3 and 4 the learning focus statements and standards have been amended to improve clarity.
- Overlap between dimensions has been reduced with some concepts and skills moving from the Structure and Working mathematically dimensions into the relevant Number, Space and Measurement, chance and data dimensions.
- The Working mathematically dimension has had sequential material relating to problem solving and modelling made more explicit across the levels.
- Issues in level placement and sequencing have been addressed.
- Examples of concepts and skills have been included in the learning focus statements and standards to highlight the intention of the statements and to provide guidance towards an expected level of difficulty.
- International and national benchmarking comparisons have led to changes to the Number and Structure dimensions.
Science
- Examples of science vocabulary have been added to Levels 1 and 2.
- Additional examples at Levels 3 and 4 provide increased clarity about the depth of study required to achieve the standards at each level.
- The balance between the areas of Science has been maintained and examples specific to sustainability included at Levels 4 and 6.
- The distinction between what is required at Level 5 and Level 6 has been made clearer.
- A glossary has been included to provide support for understanding of key concepts and design of appropriate science programs.
- The use of science terms in the learning focus, standards and glossary has been made more consistent.
Interdisciplinary Learning
Communication
- A clearer distinction has been made between the contexts in which students develop knowledge, skills and behaviours in Communication and English.
- Modifications have been made to provide clearer progression in Presenting standards from Levels 4–6.
Design, Creativity and Technology
- Clarification of the link between the dimensions and the need for a ‘design and make’ approach has been added to the introduction.
- More detailed examples and clarification of technological systems have been provided at all levels.
- At Level 4 in particular, the standard for Producing has been expanded to provide differentiation from Level 3 and planning is now included in Investigating and designing.
- Examples of production processes have been added.
- Use of technical language and the need to wear personal protective clothing have been included at Levels 5 and 6.
Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
- The standards have been clarified to show clearer progression from Levels 4–6.
- Relevant learning focus statements are more closely aligned with the standards for ICT for visualising thinking and ICT for communicating at Levels 4–6.
- The glossary has been amended and includes terms not previously defined.
Thinking Processes
- The title of this domain has been changed from Thinking to Thinking Processes to include a descriptor to clarify the focus of the domain.
- Modifications have been made to the dimension descriptions in the introduction and to the standards and learning focus statements at all levels.
- Each learning focus statement now has an example of the challenges faced by a student at a particular level.
- More specific language has been used to describe the progression from discrete or sequential thinking through to global or conceptual thinking.
