VCAA "Review of VCE English, History, Mathematics and Science studies"

[Lasercookie]

VCAA's released this discussion paper for consultation on where these VCE subjects are headed, there's some interesting stuff there.

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/vce/vceconsult/Proposed-directions-Review-of-English-History-Maths-and-Science-discussion-paper.pdf

Just picking out some of the things that that they've proposed here:

- VCE English Language will remain as VCE subject, despite there not being an Australian Curriculum equivalent for it.

- Discontinuing VCE Renaissance Italy 3/4
- Proposing a VCE Ancient History subject for Units 1 to 4
- Units 1/2 Twentieth Century History will remain, and a new subject Units 1/2 Early Modern History (covering "elements of the current VCE Renaissance Italy study but would be extended to include key events, ideas, people, social and political aspects of the Renaissance, Reformation, Enlightenment, Scientific Revolution and the rise of exploration and colonialism") will be introduced. These will be the only Unit 1/2 History subjects.
- Revolutions and Australian History will still exist for 3/4

Nothing that interesting for maths/science:

- Create a Unit 1/2 of Specialist Mathematics (rather than the current General Maths Advanced business).
Hopefully that'd mean more schools would offer that subject. Presumably it'd be based on the proposed Unit 1/2 Spesh for the Australian Curriculum, which looks like a reasonable course (mostly similar to GMA as it currently is, but includes some content on proof by contradiction, induction which is good, http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/SeniorSecondary/Mathematics/Specialist-Mathematics/Curriculum/SeniorSecondary#page=2)

- "While there are obvious similarities between the structure of the current VCE Mathematics studies and the proposed Australian Curriculum Mathematics subjects, in some important areas the current VCE Mathematical Methods Units 1−4 and VCE Specialist Mathematics Units 3 and 4 content standards are higher than those of the corresponding Australian Curriculum subjects, in particular the treatment of combined functions and related algebra and calculus."

I think they're talking about all that current functions stuff in methods (inverse functions, composite functions) is in Australian Curriculum Spesh, but only touched upon in Australian Curriculum Methods. http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/SeniorSecondary/Mathematics/Specialist-Mathematics/Curriculum/SeniorSecondary#page=3 vs http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/SeniorSecondary/Mathematics/Mathematical-Methods/Curriculum/SeniorSecondary#page=3 I'd take it that means that they'll leave that content in VCE Methods. I would actually say that Australian Curriculum maths would be the one with the higher content standards, although I'd say that's still not as good as some of the topics covered in other states maths curriculum (Tasmania, ACT etc.)

- Adding an 's' to the end of VCE Environmental Science

[pi]

- Adding an 's' to the end of VCE Environmental Science

Huge step right there.

[lala1911]

Just waitin' for them to make English a non-mandatory subject.
(which will never happen)

[chasej]

- Proposing a VCE Ancient History subject for Units 1 to 4

Ancient history sounds amazing. I'd love to pick it if it was available. Unfortunately the history offered at my school I'm not so interested in, but Ancient History, YES PLEASE

[pi]

Just waitin' for them to make English a non-mandatory subject.
(which will never happen)

Eh, I like it compulsory tbh, don't see what all the fuss is about, I just don't feel it's taught well in ~95% of schools.

And this is coming from someone who's not a fan of English in general.

[alondouek]

Eh, I like it compulsory tbh, don't see what all the fuss is about, I just don't feel it's taught well in ~95% of schools.

And this is coming from someone who's not a fan of English in general.

100% correct, in my opinion. As someone who found English for the most part tedious, boring and time-consuming (objectively, as I didn't really spend much time on it), having a good teacher who is passionate about the subject makes it a lot more bearable (and dare I say it, sometimes enjoyable).

I think it's also good for the development of critical reasoning and analytical thinking - I often applied this sort of thing to subjects from biology to French. I'm happy for it to remain compulsory - and I'd be pretty annoyed if it wasn't.

[Mr Keshy]

having a good teacher who is passionate about the subject makes it a lot more bearable (and dare I say it, sometimes enjoyable).

Definitely right, I still advocate that I have one of the best English teachers at my school!

[BoredSatan]

Just waitin' for them to make English a non-mandatory subject.
(which will never happen)

It would be really unfair on the arts students if they did this lol..

[lzxnl]

How has the document supported its assertion that "Since its inception the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) has become one of the most robust
and respected senior secondary education certificates in the world"? I can only speak from the perspective of maths and science, but I'm pretty sure other secondary school education certificates put ours to shame. Just look at how the physics course is being dumbed down again.