[Design and Technology] Further concern about VCE Product Design and Technology assessment

Sun Aug 23 10:11:22 UTC 2020

Yes. Have completed it. Hope everyone supports the consensus and rejects the fiddling around. Take it easy. I’m pretty confident they’ll accept our fair and sensible reasoning before too long.

From: destech <destech-bounces at edulists.com.au> on behalf of Elizabeth Keep <ekeep at pgs.vic.edu.au>
Reply-To: Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List <destech at edulists.com.au>
Date: Sunday, 23 August 2020 at 7:31 pm
To: Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List <destech at edulists.com.au>
Subject: Re: [Design and Technology] Further concern about VCE Product Design and Technology assessment

Thanks Geoff for your input. Have you completed the survey?

Elizabeth Keep
Teacher
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20 Wooralla Drive, Mt. Eliza, Vic, 3930

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From: destech <destech-bounces at edulists.com.au> On Behalf Of Rogers, Geoff
Sent: Thursday, 20 August 2020 5:41 PM
To: Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List <destech at edulists.com.au>
Subject: Re: [Design and Technology] Further concern about VCE Product Design and Technology assessment

Hi Jacinta. Thanks for putting me onto the edumail. We certainly have many very articulated and committed members out there. I’m in favour of scrapping Criteria 6-9 to create a level playing field – students aiming for high scores would not be affected as they’ll get the chance to excel in the exam and in their SAC’s regardless. A great many of the students choose the subject to extend their skills and creativity and they will be highly disappointed----- I’m avoiding discussing this with them at the moment. As a sort of consulation---if we get back next term---- we could offer them workshop time to complete their creations ---- maybe they could put the finishing touches on during the holidays, and perhaps aim for a virtual exhibition early nexrt year when their work could be showcased. Anyway, just a thought. I hope they give us a clear response soon. Cheers.
t
From: destech <destech-bounces at edulists.com.au<mailto:destech-bounces at edulists.com.au>> on behalf of Jacinta O'Leary <jacinta.oleary at gmail.com<mailto:jacinta.oleary at gmail.com>>
Reply-To: Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List <destech at edulists.com.au<mailto:destech at edulists.com.au>>
Date: Thursday, 20 August 2020 at 1:42 pm
To: Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List <destech at edulists.com.au<mailto:destech at edulists.com.au>>
Subject: Re: [Design and Technology] Further concern about VCE Product Design and Technology assessment

Hello dear fantastic D&T teachers
My questions are ... how to score students on the VASS sheet for AC 6-9? Do we put 0/10 for those unable to access any workshop equipment, materials etc. in other words zero workshop time OR do we put NA OR do we calculate/predict a score for AC 6-9?
If we put zero on the score sheet, how do we compensate the students later? With more paperwork?
Do we put 0/10 or NA for those who didn't get started, but put a score for those who have almost finished (sewing at home) and are all in the same class?
Or should we aim to score all of our class with a mix of actual and 'predictive' scores?
What is the best approach?
Jacinta

On Thu, Aug 20, 2020 at 1:07 PM Elizabeth Keep <ekeep at pgs.vic.edu.au<mailto:ekeep at pgs.vic.edu.au>> wrote:
Dear Lorraine and Peter,
Your letters are so very well written and concise and level headed. My fury is so much more evident, but I don’t apologise for that. I am furious!! Thanks you for championing us and the students we teach. As you say, as the current criteria sits how can students be assessed as achieving an S with the current format? Things must change. My students are asking questions, but there are no logical answers to give. We need this rectified quickly so we can all have some peace.
Thanks again.

Elizabeth Keep
Teacher
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20 Wooralla Drive, Mt. Eliza, Vic, 3930

T: 03 9788 7825  | ekeep at pgs.vic.edu.au<mailto:ekeep at pgs.vic.edu.au> | http://www.peninsulagrammar.vic.edu.au<https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/AoLICVAG33cGxz5uGfv2D?domain=peninsulagrammar.vic.edu.au>
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From: destech <destech-bounces at edulists.com.au<mailto:destech-bounces at edulists.com.au>> On Behalf Of Lorraine Tran
Sent: Thursday, 20 August 2020 12:26 PM
To: destech at edulists.com.au<mailto:destech at edulists.com.au>
Subject: [Design and Technology] Further concern about VCE Product Design and Technology assessment

Hi VCE Product Design and Technology teachers,

I have been following the discussion on this list and can sense the passion and concern you are all expressing. I can only hope, along with you, that there will be a resolution to the issues you have raised within this group and to Leanne.

There is one thing that I'd like to raise with you that is of real concern to me. Much of the discussion so far has centered around the SAT and how it will be assessed. I'd just like to say how important that discussion is as I know you want your students to achieve the best scored assessment for your students; and also you want the perceived inequities to be addressed.

However, I'd like to address what Peter has mentioned in his email below.
On 20/08/2020 10:56 am, Peter Murphy wrote:
My students will only be completing detailed CAD models (of every component) of their products that they will use in a detailed storyboard of how the product would be assembled if possible. These could potentially be 3D printed at some stage but I am not concerned about whether we achieve that or not as I suspect we will be in lockdown longer than anticipated. The focus is now on SACs and exam prep and criteria 1-5. I agree with others that Criteria 6-9 should be removed or at least made optional.

Front and centre of what is taught should be the study design. Assessment is included in the study design, but other assessment materials are also published annually by the VCAA, such as the detailed description of the task and assessment criteria. This year, the study design for Unit 4 was modified slightly, however, there were NO changes made to the outcomes in the study design that relate to the SAT (Unit 4, Outcomes 2 and 3). I see this as a key issue. All teachers must assess their students in terms of whether they have demonstrated achievement of the outcomes. Not all students studying VCE Product Design and Technology do a scored program. What does that mean if a student has not completed a product and evaluated it, as prescribed in the study design, because they have not had access to tools, machines, equipment and materials?

So what Peter has outlined above and what others have proposed in relation to removing Criteria 6 - 9 is only part of the problem. The wording in the study design outcomes must also be changed, otherwise many students will get an 'N' because they have not produced work that demonstrates achievement of the set of outcomes in Unit 4.

Yesterday, I sent an email (see below) to Leanne raising this issue and a few others with her. I await her reply.

Concerns about VCE assessment for the 2020 modified study design
VCE Product Design and Technology Study Design 2020
Note: quotes are from the 2020 study designs and assessment material on the VCAA website.
Unit 4, Outcome 2
'On completion of this unit the student should be able to apply a range of production skills and processes safely to make the product designed in Unit 3, and manage time and resources effectively and efficiently.'

1.       How can students demonstrate satisfactory completion of this outcome (i.e. to get a S for this outcome) if they have not had access to workshops (including resources such as materials, tools, equipment) for the majority of Terms 2 and 3? Note the reference in this outcome to the product they have designed in Unit 3 (not a model or prototype of it, see Unit 4, Outcome 3).

2.       How can students show that they have been able to manage time and resources effectively in relation to this outcome when they have not had access to the resources needed to make the product nor the time normally available to make the product?
Unit 4 Outcome 3
'On completion of this unit the student should be able to evaluate the finished product through testing and feedback against criteria, create end-user/s’ instructions or care labels and recommend improvements to future products.'

How can students test and evaluate the finished product when students have not had access to tools, equipment and materials needed to make the finished product? How can students demonstrate satisfactory completion (i.e. to get a S for this outcome) of this outcome when they have not had access to school equipment during most of Term 3?
The VCE Product Design and Technology: Administrative information for School-based Assessment in 2020, page 4 and 5 states:

‘Production work to realise a quality, three-dimensional product that includes appropriate production processes, including some that are complex. The product should be the realisation of the preferred option (including modifications approved by the end user/s) that meets the accepted standards and expected quality. While making the product, students should refer to their scheduled production plan and demonstrate the safe application and management of processes and safe use of tools, equipment and machines.
‘A record of production progress using images and/or video and text making reference to decisions made and to end user/s feedback, including documenting any outsourcing or support used.
‘A justified explanation of modifications to the design and scheduled production plan indicating how these have been negotiated and communicated to the end user/s.
‘An evaluation report documenting:
-checking, testing and evaluation of the finished product using evaluation criteria for the finished product, and how well it meets the needs and requirements of the end user/s
-identification of, and recommendations for, areas for improvement in the finished product.’
              How can students perform these activities when they have not had access to workshops, materials, tools and equipment during the majority of terms 2 and 3, 2020?

5.       How can teachers assess criteria 6, 7, 8 and 9 when students have not had access to tools, equipment and materials needed to make the finished product?

•       Criterion 6 Skill in the application of appropriate processes, including risk management and recording progress

•       Criterion 7 Skill in project management and justifying modifications in realising the preferred option

•       Criterion 8 Skill in developing a quality product that is creative and innovative

•       Criterion 9 Skill in evaluating the finished product; user instructions/care labels which communicate product features, care, use and/or assembly

6.       In normal circumstances, when teachers assess the SAT they consider each criterion, and use the related indicators to make an on-balance judgement based on the evidence they have from each student (or documented observations, such as safe working practices). For 2020, teachers have been asked to assess students using one or more indicators associated with each criterion, making sure that the same indicators for each criterion are used for each student in their cohort. Are they to apportion a certain amount of marks to each indicator, depending on its degree of importance or the amount of work involved? This could result in a student only getting 2 marks out of 10 for a particular criterion, drastically reducing their overall graded assessment for the SAT. This must be explained to all teachers of the study design.

7.    Is it appropriate to mark students twice for the SAT – the first mark reflects the evidence the student produces in relation to each criterion; the second mark a teacher estimation that takes into consideration what the student could have potentially received had circumstances been different (in relation to the effects of COVID-19).
Why was the workload substantially reduced for the 2020 SAT for VCE Systems Engineering (students do an aspect of their system), but not for VCE Product Design and Technology SAT? The workload for the Unit 4 SAC was reduced, however, much of the learning for this can be done via remote delivery.

Kind regards, Lorraine Tran.
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