[Year 12 IT Apps] VELS and progression points
Christophersen, Paula P
christophersen.paula.p at edumail.vic.gov.au
Wed Jun 20 09:11:28 EST 2007
Dear colleagues
Thanks to Charmaine, Stephen and Robert for your considered responses.
Here are just a couple of random thoughts!
* Regarding the matter of curriculum design, what is included
in pre-service courses? For those of us at the more 'senior' end of the
teaching scale, maybe we need some refresher professional learning on
this matter. Maybe VITTA/ICTEV/VCAA/DoE could run some ongoing PD
programs on course design? VCAA is currently undergoing a project
focusing on course design to support VELS. Focus groups of teachers are
being invited to put forward their suggestions for support, and to
respond to some VCAA proposals.
As another small gesture to the process of course design, you will note
in the VCAA CD Implementing VCE IT, a couple of different models of
course design were briefly described and then partially illustrated
through the development of 6-8 week programs. I would also strongly
urge that you read material from Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins
(Understanding by Design).
* I would really welcome further comments about what you need
to effectively implement VELS and how you would like to receive
assistance. Armed with your comments I will endeavour to act on your
behalf.
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
-----Original Message-----
From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Charmaine Taylor
Sent: Tuesday, 19 June 2007 11:38 PM
To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] VELS and progression points
Hi Stephen,
My Browser stated that "Netscape thinks this message is junk mail"!
So I was surprised to open it and find your considered thoughts. I
wonder if your comments just reflect the discomfort all of us feel when
something new comes along. I agree that VCAA's change management
strategies are pretty awful but we really should blame the DoE for not
providing enough funds to PD teachers.
My college has just completed the reporting process and my observation
is that:
a. all our teachers now know what VELS is (they've been putting it off)
b. all our teachers now recognise that we must teach process, especially
thinking and communicating
c. all our teachers now recognise that we must teach interpersonal
skills ie emotional intelligence, and personal learning
We probably have not assessed the VELS well, as we are still learning
about it but I bet that by the end of the year our next reports will
more accurately reflect students' levels as we will incorporate more of
the VELS into our teaching for semester two.
On the progression points, some of my colleagues and I found them to be
unhelpful in particular subjects so we ignored them and used the
Standards. We will develop our own progression points that suit our
curriculum so I am pleased Paula recommended that. It's always nice to
know that VCAA agress with us.
Hope you're all having as much fun with VELS as we are,
Charmaine Taylor
Sunbury Downs College
Stephen Digby wrote:
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.......
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D
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
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D
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 P
<mailto:christophersen.paula.p at edumail.vic.gov.au>
To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
<mailto:itapps at edulists.com.au> ; Year 7 - 10 Information Technology
Teachers' Mailing List <mailto:yr7-10it at edulists.com.au>
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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Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the
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IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
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http://www.vitta.org.au - VITTA Victorian Information Technology
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IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority and
http://www.vitta.org.au - VITTA Victorian Information Technology
Teachers Association Inc
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, dam=
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