Implementation workshop
VCE Physics 2013−2016
July 2012
Purpose
The aims of this session include:
• to provide specific information regarding
changes to curriculum and assessment for VCE
Physics 2013−2016 as a result of a move to a
single end-of-year examination of two-and-ahalf hours duration
• to gather feedback/questions/comments
regarding implementation in order to produce a
set of FAQs to support delivery of the revised
study design for VCE Physics from 2013.
Online publication of VCE Study Designs
• From 2013, all VCE study designs, advice for
teachers, resources and assessment
handbooks will be available in an online format
only (i.e. no hard copies)
• Online publications will include a
publication/update date
• Teachers will be advised of major updates
through the VCAA Bulletin VCE, VET and VCAL
Summary of changes
Eleven key knowledge points across Units 3 and 4 have
been edited for clarity, and two have been deleted.
These have been published in The Bulletin VCE, VCAL
and VET Supplement 1, No. 97, July 2012.
Reminder: teachers may subscribe to the VCAA Bulletin Online –
refer to VCAA home page.
Teaching and learning resources
• Changes to the study design have been made with the
intention that teachers may continue to use existing
teaching and learning resources
• The Summary of changes for VCE Physics on the VCAA
website should assist teachers to identify study content
and sections in current texts which may no longer be
applicable to the accredited 2013–2016 course
• Teachers should note that some publishers are
producing revised materials. It is a school/teacher-based
decision as to whether new resources are purchased
and/or utilised
Overview of changes
Curriculum changes:
• Only one Detailed Study will be assessed through
School-assessed Coursework and an end-of-year
examination
• Minor editing of key knowledge for clarity
Assessment changes:
• Single end-of-year examination of 2½ hours duration
• Examination:SAC = 60:40 (change from 66:34)
• Extended practical investigation and summary report of
selected practical activities may each be undertaken in
either Unit 3 and/or Unit 4
Key Knowledge: removal of content
Two key knowledge points have been deleted
Detailed Study 3.1 (Einstein’s Special Relativity):
• explain the impossibility of motion faster than light in terms
of relativistic mass m=moγ at speeds approaching c
Detailed Study 3.4 (Synchrotron and its applications):
• emission of photoelectrons by synchrotron radiation and
how this process differs from the emission of
photoelectrons by visible light
Detailed Studies: Assessment requirements
Only one Detailed Study (pp. 34-40 of the study design)
is mandated across Unit 3 or Unit 4 (currently, one
Detailed Study is undertaken in each of Units 3 and 4)
A selected Detailed Study (one of six):
• may be undertaken during Unit 3 or Unit 4
• will be recorded as part of the School-assessed
Coursework (SAC) assessment for Unit 4
• will be examined in an end-of-year examination
Detailed Studies: Delivery models
Detailed Studies may be selected such that, for example:
• all students undertake the same Detailed Study
• OR a selection from two or more different Detailed
Studies is offered to students at the same time
• OR a selection from two or more Detailed Studies is
offered to students at different times
Teachers and/or students may be involved in selection of
Detailed Studies
Practical work
As a guide:
• between 3.5 and 5 hours of class time should
be devoted to student practical work for each
prescribed Area of Study
• between 3.5 and 5 hours of class time should
be devoted to student practical work for a
selected Detailed Study
(pp. 26 & 31)
FAQs
A set of Frequently Asked Questions will be
published on the VCE Physics study page of
the VCAA website to support implementation
of the revised study design 2013−2016
School-assessed Coursework
•
•
•
•
contributes 40% to the study score
requires that students must complete an extended
practical investigation in either Unit 3 and/or Unit 4
requires that students must complete a summary report of
selected practical activities in either Unit 3 and/or Unit 4
should form part of the teaching and learning program,
both in terms of formative (including diagnostic) and
summative assessment
Advice for Teachers
• The Advice for Teachers has been updated
to include relevant employability skills
derived from the Employability Skills
Framework against specified assessment
tasks for Units 1–4
Assessment Handbook
The Assessment Handbook for VCE Physics
2013−2016 will be available from the VCE
Physics study page prior to Term 1 2013.
Resources
• The list of resources will be updated annually by
the VCAA and will be available from the VCE
Physics page
• Educators may submit suggested references for
inclusion on the resource list to the Curriculum
Manager for Science at the VCAA
Examination conditions
• 15 minutes reading time
• 150 minutes writing time
• Question and answer book + Multiple
Choice answer sheet
• 60% contribution to Study Score
Examination content
• All outcomes in Units 3 and 4
• All the key knowledge and key skills
• Students will be required to apply
Physics knowledge and skills to both
Unit 3 and/or Unit 4
Examination: Section A mark allocations
• Total = 128 marks
• Area of Study 1 and Area of Study 2 of both
Units 3 and 4
- Motion in one and two dimensions: 30-40
marks
- Electronics and photonics: 20-30 marks
- Electric power: 30-40 marks
- Interactions of light and matter: 20-30 marks
Examination: Section A format
• All questions compulsory
• Mix of short answer questions and questions
requiring numerical calculations
• Some questions will be built around a scenario
• Multiple Choice type questions will be answered
in the question and answer book
Examination: Section B
•
•
•
•
Total = 22 marks
11 Multiple Choice questions worth 2 marks each
Will cover the Detailed studies (Area of study 3 of Units 3
and/or 4)
Students respond to one detailed study only
- 3.1: Einstein’s special relativity OR
- 3.2: Materials and their use in structures OR
- 3.3: Further electronics OR
- 3.4: Synchrotron and its applications OR
- 3.5: Photonics OR
- 3.6: Sound
Approved examination materials
Approved:
•
•
•
•
•
Stationery: pens, pencils, highlighters, erasers, sharpeners and
rulers
Scientific calculator
Notes: up to four pages (two A4 sheets) of pre-written notes
Typed or handwritten or commercially available notes OK
Formula sheets will be provided
Not approved:
•
•
Blank sheets of paper
Correction fluid or tape
Examination Advice
• Each examination will follow the
examination specifications and will test a
representative sample of the key
knowledge and key skills
• The number of marks provides a guide to
the complexity of the expected answer/s
• Students may be asked to draw upon their
practical experience when answering
questions
Sample examination paper
•
•
•
•
Questions were sourced from previous years' papers
Solutions can be accessed by referring to the
relevant Assessment Reports available on the VCAA
website
Students may be asked to draw on their practical
experience when answering questions
Sample examination paper will be published on the
VCAA website in the VCE Physics study pages
Contact
VCAA branch
Science Manager
Contact Details
Curriculum
Maria James
Tel: 9651 4655
Email:
james.maria.m@edumail.vic.gov.au
Assessment
Simona Wengritzky
Tel: 9225 2357
Email:
wengritzky.simona.d@edumail.vic.gov.au
© Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2012