Interpersonal Development

Introduction

The inclusion of Interpersonal Development as one of the domains highlights the importance placed within the VELS on the development of the knowledge and skills required for social interaction and working effectively with others.

Although Interpersonal Development is a new domain, some of the content of this domain can be found in the Health and Physical Education (HPE) key learning area of the Curriculum Standards and Framework (CSF) II, the previous curriculum guidelines for Victorian schools. The Self and relationship strand of Health and Physical Education included in its focus the:

• characteristics and skills required for effective relationships
• changes in relationships as people grow and develop
• expectations associated with friendships and relationships
• development of personal values and principles.

These concepts from the CSF II are included in the VELS Building social relationships dimension.

In the CSF II Self and relationships strand at Level 4, one of the learning outcomes focuses on the differing roles undertaken in groups. This has a strong link to the VELS − Level 4 Working in teams dimension, although at other levels of the CSF II, Working in teams is not a focus.

The pedagogy of having students working in teams is well-established in a number of curriculum areas such as science, physical education, health education, the arts and the humanities. What is new for this dimension is the explicit teaching of the skills and knowledge required for working effectively in a team and the assessment of students’ achievements in relation to these skills and knowledge.

Level 1

The CSF II Level 1 learning outcomes required students to describe relationships with different people in their daily lives, including identifying the components of positive relationships and demonstrating ways of cooperating and communicating effectively with others.

The VELS contain less emphasis on students describing themselves and their relationships with others but include a standard focusing on identifying the characteristics of a friend. The VELS have a stronger emphasis on working cooperatively in groups and require students to describe the basic skills necessary for cooperative group work.

Level 2

The CSF II Level 2 learning outcomes required students to identify why there are different rules and expectations in different situations, and some understanding of why some behaviours may be regarded as right or wrong, good or bad. The VELS − Level 2 focus on appropriate behaviour for a range of situations. An example of an activity could include the establishment of a set of rules for classroom and/or playground behaviour.

The Working in teams dimension of the VELS has a limited reference in the HPE CSF II at this level and focuses on identifying and explaining the purpose of rules for groups working or playing together.

Level 3

The CSF II Level 3 learning outcomes required students to identify factors that enhance personal relationships, including strategies to resolve conflicts. These themes have been included in the Building social relationships dimension of the VELS where students are required to exhibit behaviour for maintaining friendships and work with others to reduce, avoid and resolve conflict.

Level 4

The CSF II Level 4 learning outcomes required students to explain how taking on different roles in groups affects relationships and behaviour; this focus has continued in the VELS Working in teams dimension. The VELS require students to take on a variety of roles, to work cooperatively, to allocate tasks and to explain the benefits of working in a team and contain the additional requirement of providing feedback to others and evaluating their own and the team’s performance.

The Building social relationships dimension of the VELS was not included in the
HPE CSF II at this level.

Level 5

The CSF II Level 5 learning outcomes required students to describe how relationships change over time and are affected by achievements, roles and responsibilities. The VELS Building social relationships dimension takes a different focus which includes demonstrating respect for the individuality of others and displaying empathy for others in local, national and global contexts. One similarity between the VELS and the CSF II is that they both examine the influence of peers on behaviour.

Level 6

The CSF II Level 6 learning outcomes required students to analyse ways in which individuals and groups seek to influence the behaviour of others concerning friendships and relationships. There is some similarity between the CSF II and the VELS Building social relationships dimension in which students describe how local and global values and beliefs determine their own and others’ social relationships. The VELS also require students to demonstrate awareness of complex social conventions when interacting with others.