[VELS] ICT interdisciplinary reporting at yrs 9 and 10

[Carnie, Sheryl M]

Bairnsdale Secondary College has adopted the following approach to VELS:
 
1. Year 7 operates on a core curriculum program in which IT is a stand alone=
 subject in which we aim to devleop a common skill set that students can tak=
e with them to other curriculum areas.  With 14 feeder schools there is a hu=
ge range in entry skills and experience.  Year 7 is taught on a team basis a=
nd the IT teacher may have the students for another one or two subjects as w=
ell, so that helps with curriculum integration.
2. Year 8 - 10 operates on an elective program. Maths & English are mandator=
y for all year levels.  LOTE is mandatory at Year 8 as are a one semester un=
it of Life Skills and one of Pathways in both Years 9 & 10.
3. All Year 8 - 10 subjects are semester based for 3 x 72 minutes a week exc=
ept for Year 8 LOTE & Yr 9 & 10 Life Skills & Pathways (2 x 72 minutes)
4. The Yr 8 - 10 elective program is vertical, with 5 "Stages" or levels rat=
her than just 3, hence catering for individual interest and abilities.  In a=
 College of 1200 students, all but the Year 7s are on individual timetables.
5. All subjects from Yr 7 to 10 have 2 domains as their curriculum focus and=
 therefore report on these two domains.
 
For Year 7 IT we have developed a curriculum program that covers the ICT and=
 Communication domains.  
Some examples of Yr 8 - 10 elective units that will report on the ICT domain=
 are listed below but this is not a complete list.
Learning to Shop (Economics Level 5 and ICT Level 5)
Frozen Continent (Geography Level 5, ICT Level 5)
Digital Photography (Arts Level 5, ICT Level 5)
Collaborating Online (ICT Level 6, Communication Level 5) 
Interactive Games Technology (ICT Level 6, Thinking Processes Level 6) 
 
We're starting to get our heads around the assessment/reporting to standards=
 issue but because we've done a complete curriculum re-structure everyone ha=
s to do it and it's a complete new ball game for every teacher and every sub=
ject.  That's meant everyone is interested in really developing an understan=
ding of the standards.  The energising factor has been the early signs of a=
 huge boost in student engagement as a result of the curriculum restructure.
 
Our students are developing their goals as part of their English program at=
 Years 7 & 8 and as part of their Life Skills or Pathways units at Years 9 &=
 10.  Once they are refined, students enter their goals on Sharepoint via a=
 web part survey proforma.  Markbook will pick up these goals using the stud=
ent CASES numbers as the identifier.  So far so good with trials of this.
 
Sheryl Carnie
 
 
 

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