VCE School Leaders Briefing 2014
Running Times
9:30 Administrative Procedures
9.40 School-based Assessment
9:50 Changes to Dual Certification
10:00 Curriculum and School-based Audit
10.50 Exam Conduct and Supervision
11:00 Statistical Moderation and Study Score
Administrative
Procedures
School and VCAA responsibilities
• Schools
• Provision and oversight of a suitable program
• Collection of student details and enrolment data
• Entry of student data on VASS
• VCAA
• QA data
• Processing student enrolment and result data
• Reporting to students, schools and other stakeholders
• VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook 2014
Key school tasks
• Run eligibility
• Identify students who are not eligible and adjust program
• Print Student Full Details / Student Personal Details Forms
• Distribute for students to confirm all details
• Print class lists for teachers
• Final checks before due dates
VASS Critical dates
ENR Enrolment 1 on 24 February
• venues for oral and performance exams
• setting of end-of-year timetable (to
minimise clashes and 3 in one day)
Enrolment 2 on 5 May
• stationery for the GAT
• DEECD will base VET funding on
enrolment as of this date.
Enrolling students into a Second Language (EAL)
•
•
•
•
VASS will disable VASS/VCE coordinators’ ability to grant EAL
approval for students whose country of origin is Singapore or India.
Approval for these countries can only be granted by the VCAA.
Schools are required to forward the applications to the VCAA for a
thorough assessment to be made. Applications need to include
supportive school documentation and passport stamp and/or
International Movement Records to determine if the student is
eligible for EAL.
If approval is granted, it will be entered on VASS and the student
will be able to be enrolled.
Student transfer and credit from interstate studies
•
•
•
•
Students must apply to the VCAA through the Victorian school at
which they are enrolled using the Application for Credit towards
the VCE/VCAL form.
At Units 1 and 2 level, schools will recommend the amount of credit
to be granted on receipt of an interstate school or authority
transcript and after consulting the equivalent qualification
guidelines. Credit recommended by the school must be entered on
the application form (Part E).
Previous school reports and certificates should be attached.
Decisions on the amount of credit at Units 3 and 4 level will be
made by the VCAA.
Privacy Considerations
• Both the VCAA and schools have obligations under privacy
legislation to protect the personal information of students.
• The VCAA is aware that some schools engage a Third Party
to analyse end of year data.
• The VCAA discussed this use with the Victorian Privacy
Commissioner.
• We were advised that schools can best meet their privacy
obligations by providing de-identifiable data to third party
analysts.
• The VCAA is exploring the provision of a de-identified extract
for schools to assist in the appropriate transfer of data.
Contact Details
Student Records and Results
Nick Dobroff Phone : 9032 1743
dobroff.nick.n@edumail.vic.gov.au
School-based
Assessment
Unit Results
Schools report students’ results for completion of VCE Units,
and VCE VET units of competence/modules
VCE Unit Results are reported as:
S = Satisfactory Completion
N = Not Satisfactory
J is to be used where the student:
• is no longer attending class
• has not submitted work for assessment
VCE VET unit of competence/module results are reported as:
S = Satisfactory Completion
N = Not Yet Completed
Satisfactory Completion
Satisfactory VCE Unit Result
The student receives S for a unit when all the outcomes are achieved
A student must:
• Produce work that demonstrates achievement of the outcome/s
• Observe school and VCAA rules
If a teacher judges that all outcomes are achieved, the student
satisfactorily completes the unit.
The decision to award an ‘S’ for the unit is distinct from the
assessment of levels of achievement.
Importance of
Internal Moderation
• Consistency of teacher decisions
• Procedures for making school-based assessments
• For Statistical Moderation purposes, each school’s
assessment in a study is treated as a single group not as
separate unique teaching classes
Indicative Grades
Indicative Grades:
• primary purpose is to be used as part of the quality
assurance procedures for marking examinations, however
they are also used in the calculation of the DES.
• are the prediction of a student’s actual level of
achievement on the examination
• the rank order and level of spread of the indicative grades
for the school cohort in the study is of prime importance
The published previous years grade range can be used to
inform this process.
Contact Details
Student Records and Results
Nick Dobroff Phone : 9032 1743
dobroff.nick.n@edumail.vic.gov.au
Changes to Dual
Certification
Context
• The revised Australian Qualifications Framework(AQF) will
come into force from 1 January 2015.
• One of the compliance requirements of the AQF is that
students cannot be issued with two certificates for the
same program of study.
• As a result, the current regulations set out in the VCE and
VCAL Administrative Handbook (page 11) will be enforced
Students who have completed their Intermediate or Senior
VCAL Certificate will only be awarded a VCE Certificate if,
in a subsequent year, they also complete:
* two units from the English Group (not previously completed)
* three sequences of VCE Units 3 and 4 studies
other than English (these must be units not previously completed)
Impact on Students
From 2014 students will:
• be awarded only one primary certificate in any single
academic year
• no longer be awarded both a VCAL and a VCE certificate for
completion of the same program
• Need to nominate one certificate as their certificate of
enrolment
Impact on Schools
From 2014 schools will:
• need to be clear with students and parents what the certificate
of enrolment is for that academic year
• only be able to enrol students in VCAL units if the student is
enrolled in a VCAL certificate
• have to run eligibility diligently when a student completes one
certificate and subsequently enrols in another to ensure they
are eligible to complete with the enrolled program
Curriculum
Revised VCE study designs for
implementation in 2014
• Dance
• Drama
• Health and Human Development
• Philosophy
• Theatre Studies
• Extended Investigation
Publication online only.
Advice to teachers separate companion document on the
study page
Review of VCE studies 2014
Review alongside the Australian curriculum for the senior
years:
 English/EAL, Literature, English Language,
Bridging EAL (new, units 1-2 only)
 Mathematics - all
 Ancient History (new), Revolutions, Australian, Modern
(new), and 20th Century
 Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics,
Psychology
 Geography
 Information Technology.
Implementation timeline
• 2014: studies revised, approved by the VCAA
Board, forwarded for accreditation by the VRQA
• 2015: statewide professional learning program to
prepare for each revised or new study
• 2016: implementation of newly accredited
studies
Curriculum development and review
Input into the Review and Accreditation Cycle
Curriculum Managers
Teacher and
stakeholder consultation
Subject Associations
Review process
Evidence-based review by panel comprising teachers,
university, TAFE and industry representatives.
• International and national benchmarking
• Analysis of data
- Enrolment trends
- School-based and examination results
- Examiners’ reports
- State reviewer reports from coursework audits
- Online surveys
- Teacher focus groups
Consultation on draft study designs
Consultation register now open
Notice to Schools when individual study
consultation is open:
• Draft study design
• Questionnaire
• Summary of proposed changes
Teacher involvement
•
•
•
•
•
Study review panels
Text list advisory panels
Exam assessors
Exam panels
State reviewer and assistant state reviewer roles
Excellent professional learning opportunities.
Call for applications in VCAA Bulletin; apply
through SSMS.
• All activities recognised by VIT.
School based assessment
Consistency of judgement
Assessment Handbooks
Published for all VCE studies
• Advisory not mandatory
• Apply to Units 3&4, can be used to inform
Units 1&2
• Published online only on the individual VCE
study pages
Companion document Procedures for Assessment in VCE
Studies on VCE home page
School-assessed Tasks
7 studies with SATs
• Mandated assessment criteria and performance
level descriptors on10 point marking scale
• Authentication record for each study
• Published each year in February on individual
study pages
• Professional learning program conducted
annually in February/March
School-based assessment Units 3-4
Teachers make 2 judgements.
• At both outcome and unit level: has the student
provided evidence to demonstrate satisfactory
achievement? S or N
• At the outcome level: for the SAC or SAT how
has the student performed and therefore what
score is given in compliance with the weightings
and task prescription for the study.
• Note: students can redeem outcomes (S/N) through submitting
further work/resitting a SAC but cannot do this to improve scores.
VCE (Baccalaureate)
To be eligible to receive the VCE (Baccalaureate) the student must
satisfactorily complete the VCE and receive a study score for each
prescribed study component.
The VCE program of study must include:
• a Units 3 and 4 sequence in English or Literature or English
Language with a study score of 30 or above; or a Units 3 and 4
sequence in EAL with a study score of 33 or above
• a Units 3 and 4 sequence in either Mathematics Methods (CAS) or
Specialist Mathematics
• a Units 3 and 4 sequence in a VCE Language
• at least two other Units 3 and 4 sequences
FAQs on VCAA website:
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vce/studies/index.aspx
Higher Education Studies
• Contribute to satisfactory completion of the VCE
as a 3-4 sequence
• No more than one HE study can contribute
• Contribute to the ATAR as 5th or 6th unscored
study (incremental scale)
• List of approved 1st year university studies on
VCAA website:
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/pages/vce/studies/studiesextension
VCAA sponsored Awards
• VCE Season of Excellence
• VCE Leadership Awards (formerly VCE Achiever
Awards)
• VCAA Plain English Speaking Award
• Margaret Schofield Memorial Scholarship
(music performance)
• Premier's VCE Awards
• John Button School Prize
• VCAL Achievement Awards
School-based
Assessment Audit
Why does the VCAA audit?
Provides opportunities to:
• Validate the quality of the school-based
assessment program
• Identify instances for school improvement
• Set up professional conversations about
teaching and learning
Selection of Schools
Most providers are audited for at least one study.
Random selection except for:
• Schools that are teaching the study for the first time
(new providers) or, for particular studies, after a break of
three years
• Schools where problems were identified the year before
• Schools where there was low correlation between the
internal and external scores following statistical
moderation in the previous year (2013)
Audit Process
• All studies are subject to the audit process. This
includes the school-assessed task component of any
study.
• The school-based assessment audit process is
undertaken in four stages.
• Stages 1 and 3 relate to the completion and submission
of an online survey form.
• Email notification to schools March 3. Individual email for
each study for audit
• Completion of the online submission form for Unit 3
(Stage 1) due by March 21.
Audit Process
• Stages 2 and 4 relate to the submission of further
evidence.
• Notification of the outcomes of the audit submission form
and any evidence needed for Stage 2 sent to schools on
May 5.
• Stage 2 evidence will need to be submitted to the VCAA
electronically, as one PDF file for each study including
the cover sheet by May 23.
Feedback
• Feedback email sent to schools by study
• “Submission meets requirements” – the material
allowed the students the opportunity to meet the
outcomes
• “Further evidence required” – the material is
incomplete or otherwise not satisfactory;
requires follow up by the VCAA
What Schools need to do to submit further
evidence.
• Assessment tasks for the Outcomes
• Marking scheme
• Statement about conditions of assessment
Audit Process
• Audit panel checks tasks against the
requirements of the Study Design
• School-based assessment must allow the
students the opportunity to meet the outcomes
• The school is notified immediately if a serious
anomaly is detected (eg. incorrect text being
taught)
Resources
General administrative information for school-based
assessment
- www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/pages/vce/index/VCE General
Advice and Policy
VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook 2014
• Report on Lost/Stolen/Damaged School-assessed
Tasks (LSD)
Individual study pages for SAT information
• Authentication Record for School-assessed Tasks
• Teacher additional comment sheet for Technology
studies
Exam Conduct and
Supervision
VCE Examination Conduct and Administration
Support Resources
•
•
•
•
•
VCE Examination Manual
VCE Examination Document Register
VCE Exams Navigator
GAT Information brochure
Training/Briefing Sessions for chief supervisors and relevant
school personnel
- Training Sessions for new Chief Supervisors and/or new school personnel - MAY
- Briefing Sessions for ongoing Chief Supervisors and school personnel – AUG/SEPT
• VCAA Bulletins and Notices
• VCAA website - vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/exams
VCE Written Examination Centre Agreement 2014
• All Principals must read and sign this agreement to
certify that they fully understand all VCAA
requirements for administering and conducting VCE
written examinations.
• The Principal may delegate the management of their
VCE examinations to appropriate school personnel.
2013 Examination Conduct and Supervision issues – focus for 2014
• Need for school personnel to work with and
support supervisors, particularly when only one
supervisor
• Ensure students are adequately prepared
• School personnel to carry out material checks
prior to entering examination room
• Mobile phones/electronic devices – final check
before reading time commences – confiscate
then return
• Understanding and administering Special
Examination Arrangements
2013 Examination Conduct and Supervision issues – focus for 2014
• Additional response materials cannot be brought
in by students. Spare general script books should
be provide. Lined paper as a last option, must
include student number, question number etc.
Fill-in incident report & journal when lined paper
supplied.
• Supervisors/school personnel to be aware of
emergency evacuation plan
• Observation visits during VCE examinations and
the GAT will continue in 2014
VCAA Key Contacts
• VCE Examination Planning and Logistics:
• Maria Fragale
• Phone: 03 9225 2255
• Email: fragale.maria.m@edumail.vic.gov.au
• Susan Meadows
• Phone 03 9225 2237
• Email: meadows.susan.s@edumail.vic.gov.au
Statistical Moderation and
Study Score Calculation
What and Why?
Statistical Moderation
• A process that moderates the School-based
Assessment scores
• Uses the exam scores because it is the only
task that is exactly the same for each student
in the study
What is Statistical
Moderation?
Statistical Moderation
Process to ensure comparability of results
Aims to eliminate marking differences between
schools, not within
Aligns external and internal assessment scales
Maintains rank order given by the school
The Common Scale
Statistical Moderation
USA $299
Singapore $370
Australia $350
Which is the cheapest ?
The smartphone from Singapore
Why is it Needed?
Statistical Moderation
Assessment marking varies between schools
Measurements are only comparable when they are
expressed on the same scale
School-based assessment can only be included in the
ATAR (ENTER) if it is moderated
How is it Done?
Statistical Moderation
Identify the moderation groups in each study
Calculate an external score for each student
Align the distributions of school-based assessment
and external scores
Calculate moderation formula and then apply to the
coursework score for each student
Using the Common Scale
Raw School
Assessment
Statistical Moderation
External Score =
Moderated School
Assessment
Highest Score in School
Highest Score in external
Upper Quartile in School
Upper Quartile in external
Median in School
Lower Quartile in School
Zero score in School
Median in external
Lower Quartile in external
Zero score in external
Typical Group
Statistical Moderation
Raw
Raw Score
Score (0-100)
(0-100)
Examination (0-120)
External Score (0-100)
Moderated Score
100
95
89
89
99
92
87
88
92
86
84
85
86
83
82
79
85
77
78
78
83
72
75
75
83
69
74
75
81
69
74
73
68
59
68
67
65
56
66
66
62
52
63
60
61
49
61
57
60
43
58
55
59
35
53
54
57
32
51
51
47
31
51
48
40
30
50
45
35
29
49
41
MAXIMUM
UPPER QT.
MEDIAN
LOWER QT
Capable Student in
a Lower Performing Class
Statistical Moderation
RS
RS
RS
(0-100)
(0-100)
(0-100)
EXAM
EXAM
EXAM
(0-120)
(0-120)
(0-120)
EXT
EXT
EXT
(0-100)
(0-100)
(0-100)
MOD
MOD
MOD
(0-100)
(0-100)
(0-100)
93
93
111
111
98
98
98
78
78
88
88
84
84
80
72
72
72
72
69
69
69
72
72
70
70
68
68
69
70
70
68
68
66
66
66
61
61
64
64
55
55
55
59
63
54
54
56
62
52
52
53
60
50
50
MAXIMUM
MAXIMUM
MAXIMUM
MEDIAN
MEDIAN
MEDIAN
Tie at the Top
Statistical Moderation
RS
CRS
100
EXAM
120
EXT
100
MOD
100
100
119
100
100
100
119
100
100
CRS
EXAM
EXT
MOD
98
120
100
100
98
119
100
100
98
119
100
100
CRS
EXAM
EXT
MOD
100
119
100
88
100
81
82
88
100
81
82
88
Ranked Scores Report
Statistical Moderation
Schools with multiple classes undertaking the same VCE Unit 3/4
sequence, now have an additional resource available via a VASS
report. This may be accessed via the following menu path:
 Results Admin
 VCE Reports
 School Scores
 By School (Ranked)
The report will allow the teachers to compare the GA scores in a
ranked format across the school.
Partnerships and
Statistical Moderation
Statistical Moderation
• Statistical Moderation works most effectively with groups
larger than 5
• The VCAA requires that schools form partnerships
• Schools who find it difficult to find a partner for any
reason; lack of time / lack of access / lack of willingness
can be reassured that the statistical moderation process
is run as usual with the addition of precautionary checks
VET and
Statistical Moderation
Statistical Moderation
• The moderation group for VCE VET coursework scores
is the RTO that has delivered the program for a group of
students.
• The group may be all the schools auspiced by the RTO
Important Points to
Remember about Stat Mod
Statistical Moderation
• Required so that school assessment can be used fairly as part of
VCE assessment
• Any adjustment to a student’s school-based assessment is made
solely on the basis of the relationship between the groups schoolbased assessment and external scores for the group.
• Does not change the rank order of students as determined by the
school
• Not influenced by students with negative anomalous results as they
are excluded from the moderation process before moderation
formulas are calculated
• Students whose scores are excluded have their scores moderated
using the formulas calculated for the rest of the group
Statistical Moderation Report
Statistical Moderation
Statistical Moderation Report
Statistical Moderation
Statistical Moderation Report
Statistical Moderation
Statistical Moderation Report
Statistical Moderation
Statistical Moderation Report
Statistical Moderation Report
Statistical Moderation
Study Score Calculation
Stat Mod and Study Score
• To be eligible for a study score a student must achieve ‘S’ results
for units 3&4 in the one year, unless granted Interrupted Studies
status.
• Achieve two or more GA results in the study
• A study score is calculated using the students’ final numeric score
in each GA with each GA contributing a specified percentage
• Number between 0-50 with mean 30 and standard deviation 7
• Study scores are distributed according to the properties of a
normal distribution curve
Study Score Calculation
Stat Mod and Study Score
Study Score Calculation
• Calculate
• Subtract
• Divide
• Multiply
• Add
Stat Mod and Study Score
Study Score
Example 1
Stat Mod and Study Score
MAX. SCORE
WEIGHTING
MEAN
STANDARD
DEVIATION
A+ GRADE
SCALE
GA1
100
25%
69.21
15.52
84 – 100
GA2
100
25%
70.78
14.95
85 – 100
GA3
120
50%
66.32
18.61
94 – 120
STUDENT A
SCORE
GRADE
STANDARDISED
SCORE
WEIGHTED
SCORE
GA1
100
A+
1.984716
0.496179
GA2
100
A+
1.953861
0.488465
GA3
106
A+
2.132657
1.066328
STUDENT B
SCORE
GRADE
STANDARDISED
SCORE
WEIGHTED
SCORE
GA1
84
A+
0.953468
0.238367
GA2
90
A+
1.285180
0.321295
GA3
95
A+
1.541442
0.770721
2.050972 = 47
1.330383 = 40
Study Score
Example 2
Stat Mod and Study Score
MAX. SCORE
WEIGHTING
MEAN
STANDARD
DEVIATION
A+ GRADE
SCALE
GA1
100
25%
69.21
15.52
84 - 100
GA2
100
25%
70.78
14.95
85 – 100
GA3
120
50%
66.32
18.61
94 - 120
STUDENT C
SCORE
GRADE
STANDARDISED
SCORE
WEIGHTED
SCORE
GA1
96
A+
1.726904
0.431726
GA2
98
A+
1.820124
0.455031
GA3
92
A
1.380202
0.690101
STUDENT B
SCORE
GRADE
STANDARDISED
SCORE
WEIGHTED
SCORE
GA1
84
A+
0.953468
0.238367
GA2
90
A+
1.285180
0.321295
GA3
95
A+
1.541442
0.770721
1.576858 = 42
1.330383 = 40
Distribution of Study Scores as a %
Approximate proportion of students who achieve a study score on or
above the stated values.
STUDY SCORE
ON/ABOVE
ENGLISH
42,000 students
THEATRE STUDIES
1,000 students
50
0.3%
126
3
45
2%
840
20
40
9%
3790
90
35
26%
10, 950
260
30
53%
22, 320
530
25
78%
32, 850
780
20
93%
39, 170
930
Things to Remember
Stat Mod and Study Score
• Indicates how the student performed against all other students who
did the study in that year.
• Calculated using the numeric results for the GA not the grade.
• Moderated coursework scores are used when calculating study
scores to ensure fairness.
• A strong performance on one GA and a weak performance in
another GA will not necessarily result in a high study score
• Studies where there are less than 250 students are reviewed each
year by a Study Score Review Panel.
Indicative Grades
• primary purpose is to be used as part of the quality
assurance procedures for marking examinations, however
they are also used in the calculation of the DES.
• are the prediction of a student’s actual level of
achievement on the examination
• the rank order and level of spread of the indicative grades
for the school cohort in the study is of prime importance.
Indicative Grades
Suggestions for producing Indicative Grades:
• Indicative Grades should be based on a similar task to the
exam or even a past exam. Not necessarily the same as
coursework performance.
• The previous years grade range can be used to inform this
process
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vce/statistics/subjectstats.aspx
• Not a traditional notion of what a grade’s value may be. In
one Study the A+ exam grade range may be 98-100, yet
may be 74-100 in another.
Contact Details
Student Records and Results
Nick Dobroff Phone : 9032 1743
dobroff.nick.n@edumail.vic.gov.au