[Year 12 IT Apps] VELS and progression points

Tue Jun 19 12:22:00 EST 2007

The Situation

- Curriculum standards MUST determine the curriculum content if they are to have any meaning.  VELs DOES this
but with complex multilayered repetition (level summaries, level descriptions in detail, unit descriptions,
progression points with enormous repetition) - very reminiscent of the same unhelpful structure in the VCE
curriculum documentation.

- Curriculum standards do not have to have any bearing on timing (what aged child gets what content).  VELs
DOES chose to determine timing by indicating that levels are "expected" to be reached by a certain school year
(access to which is controlled by parents who nearly rarely interested in educational readiness, but rather
age specific relationships)

- Curriculum standards do not have to have any bearing on content sequence (what comes first) or grouping
(what content will we put in a course).  Indeed VELs has been deliberately structured as a multi-DIMENSIONAL
matrix which provides no guidance on these issues.  
The consequence of this is likely to be that it is ignored when it comes to curriculum design (as were the
various versions of "Frameworks"). 
It will then only be relevant at reporting time when teachers will construct various artificial mechanisms to
attribute performance in the real curriculum with performance against the VELs standards (e.g. AIM Online is
an excellent tool to do this in a limited range of areas and levels.  Teachers have a growing  number of
"VELs" tests.  Commercial publishers will soon be producing in this area).
In many schools (some very prominent), a second set of "real" (or "old") assessment is remaining, or being
redeveloped alongside the new assessment - further reducing the influence of VELs.
The sad thing will be that something that set out to influence curriculum will end up merely influencing
tokenistic assessment. 

The crux of the problem is the failed strategy, exemplified in the excerpt from Paula's email below......

"Schools are encouraged to develop their own examples of student progress for each progression point, to match
their courses of study. The standards are the benchmarks, however, schools have the flexibility to determine
how students will progress from one level to another. It is therefore important that schools determine the
specific evidence or characteristics that must be demonstrated in student work at each progression point and
at each level."

How many times do we have to repeat the mistake of expecting that all teachers are capable of high quality
curriculum development - even IF they had the time or the energy !   "School based curriculum development" was
an unmitigated disaster in the 70's that we are just recovering from !

To date, all that has been offered is a few snippets or "exemplars" and the expectation that teachers will
fill in the enormous blanks themselves.  ANYONE can create isolated one-dimensional views of paradise.  Try
actually creating something that fits together over 7-10 as a coherent program - in say one subject, or 2
dimensions, or the lot !  It is a totally different ball game !!!

I have always agreed with Charles Lovitt who maintains that a completely incoherent collection of excellent
learning activities will deliver better learning outcomes than the current focus on ticking all the boxes.

To actually make a difference, someone (why not DET & VCAA in partnership with a credible commercial publisher
?) has to develop at least one fully documented complete course of study with accompanying curriculum and
assessment materials that EMBODIES THE NEW IDEA. 

Just printing our reports now.......

====================================================
Stephen Digby, Learning Technology Manager
mailto: admin at cheltsec.vic.edu.au 
Cheltenham Secondary College www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au <http://www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au/> 
Ph: 613 955 55 955  Fx: 9555 8617 Mb: 0431-701-028
====================================================
Farnsdick's Corollary: After things have gone from bad to worse, the cycle will repeat itself. 

  _____  

From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Christophersen,
Paula P
Sent: Monday, 18 June 2007 6:16 PM
To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: RE: [Year 12 IT Apps] VELS and progression points

Hi Robert

VCAA has not been a silent bystander in this debate. We are in regular discussion with the DoE over the
relationship between curriculum, assessment and reporting. I will, however, convey the opinions raised in this
current discussion to the relevant VCAA personnel, who in turn can air these views in their meetings with DoE.

Regards
Paula

  _____  

From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Timmer-Arends
Sent: Mon 18/06/2007 6:03 PM
To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] VELS and progression points

Hello Paula

As you say 'The VELS clearly encourages schools to determine the most appropriate ways of delivering the
standards', however its intent is being distorted, at least at secondary (esp I suspect upper secondary) by
the reporting process. I know VCAA doesn't have anthing to do with this but judging by the tone of the docs
from the people that do, they don't seem to want to know (in fact they appear to argue that it is our programs
that are distorting the reports!). It seems to me that if VCAA wants to see certain educational principles
upheld then it ought to get involved in the debate.

Regards
Robert T-A

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Christophersen, Paula  <mailto:christophersen.paula.p at edumail.vic.gov.au> P 
To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing  <mailto:itapps at edulists.com.au> List ; Year 7 - 10 Information
Technology  <mailto:yr7-10it at edulists.com.au> Teachers' Mailing List 
Sent: Monday, June 18, 2007 3:51 PM
Subject: [Year 12 IT Apps] VELS and progression points

Dear colleagues

Apologies for crossing into the IT apps territory, but this has been the venue for some VELS discussion. I'm a
little late in joining in on this discussion, but I would like to clarify some points that have been made.

Progression points represent markers of student progress at several points towards the standards. VCAA has
published examples that accompany each progression point and the purpose of these examples is to:

*         Support teachers to determine if a student is achieving as expected at a particular time of
schooling

*         Assist teachers to make on-balance judgments about progress towards the standards for the purpose of
reporting to parents.

The examples at each progression point are illustrative of student progress rather than prescriptive, and they
have not been written for every element of a standard. This is deliberate because it means they cannot be used
as a syllabus. The VELS clearly encourages schools to determine the most appropriate ways of delivering the
standards. The VCAA examples for each progression point should not determine how schools design their
curriculum. As from the discussion, some schools run intense semester-based programs; others run totally
integrated programs over a 2-year period to coincide with a VELS level; and the options between are plenty.

Schools are encouraged to develop their own examples of student progress for each progression point, to match
their courses of study. The standards are the benchmarks, however, schools have the flexibility to determine
how students will progress from one level to another. It is therefore important that schools determine the
specific evidence or characteristics that must be demonstrated in student work at each progression point and
at each level.

I would strongly urge schools to use the VCAA progression point examples as a starting point for discussion -
on what basis is student progress being measured? Breadth/depth of coverage? Level of precision? Level of
cognition? Etc It is important that your school identifies the evidence or characteristics expected to be seen
in student work during a reporting period so that you can make an on-balance judgment as to whether the
student is progressing as expected. Documenting this evidence in examples of progress is an effective way of
establishing the stepping stones between each standard.

For further reading visit http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/whatsnew.html#1 and download the PowerPoint file.

VCAA is not responsible for the reporting side of things, so if you have any queries, I suggest you contact
Denise Jacobsson (jacobsson.denise.k at edumail.vic.gov.au) or Maurie Sheehan
(sheehan.maurice.j at edumail.vic.gov.au) for expert answers.

Regards

Paula

Paula Christophersen

ICT Curriculum Manager

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment

Authority

41 St Andrews Place

EAST MELBOURNE 3002

Phone: 03 9651 4378

Fax: 03 9651 4324

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Important - This email and any attachments may be confidential. If received in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects. Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any attached files our liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual sender, and not necessarily those of the Department of Education.
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