Implementation workshop
VCE Chemistry 2013−2016
July 2012
Purpose
The aims of this session include:
• to provide specific information regarding
changes to curriculum and assessment for VCE
Chemistry 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 Chemistry 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
A number of key knowledge points across Units 3 and 4
have been edited and expanded for clarity, and changes
have been made to School-assessed Coursework. These
have been published in the VCAA 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 Chemistry 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:
• Unit 4: students will investigate the production of one
industrial chemical selected from ammonia, sulfuric acid
or nitric acid (not ethene) – this will be assessed through
School-assessed Coursework (SAC) only
• editing of key knowledge for clarity and scope
Assessment changes:
• Single end-of-year examination of 2½ hours duration
• Examination:SAC = 60:40 (changed from 66:34)
• Minor changes to Unit 3 SAC tasks
• Unit 4 SAC tasks and mark allocations have changed
Unit 3 Key Knowledge: removal of content
Two key knowledge points have been deleted
in Unit 3:
Unit 3, Area of Study 2
• principles of fractional distillation
Unit 3, Area of Study 2
• use of proteins as markers of disease
Changed Unit 4 Outcome
Current Unit 4, Outcome 1:
On completion of this unit the student should be able to
analyse the factors that determine the optimum conditions
used in the industrial production of the selected chemical
(one of ammonia, ethene, nitric acid, or sulfuric acid)
Revised Unit 4, Outcome 1:
On completion of this unit the student should be able to
analyse the factors that affect the extent and rate of chemical
reactions and apply this analysis to evaluate the optimum
conditions used in the industrial production of the selected
chemical (one of ammonia, sulfuric acid, or nitric acid)
FAQs
A set of Frequently Asked Questions will
be published on the VCE Chemistry study
page of the VCAA website to support
implementation of the revised study design
2013-2016
School-assessed Coursework
• contributes 40 per cent to the study score
- Unit 3 SAC: 20 per cent
- Unit 4 SAC: 20 per cent
• should form part of the teaching and learning
program, both in terms of formative (including
diagnostic) and summative assessment
School-assessed Coursework: Study of an industrial chemical
Unit 4 – study of the industrial production of a selected
chemical may be presented as:
a response to stimulus material in written, oral or
visual format
an analysis of first- or second-hand data using
structured questions
a report in written, oral, multimedia or visual format
Note: It is possible for students in the class to study a
different chemical
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 Chemistry
2013−2016 will be available from the VCE
Chemistry 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
Chemistry 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 per cent contribution to Study Score
Examination content
• All outcomes in Units 3 and 4, and all the key
knowledge and key skills, except content
related to the study of the industrial production
of a specific chemical
• Students will be required to apply Chemistry
knowledge and skills to both Unit 3 and Unit 4
• Some questions may include content from more
than one Area of study within a Unit and/or
content which may cross both Units 3 and 4
Examination format
Section A
• Multiple choice
• 30 questions worth 1 mark each
Section B
• 90−100 marks
• All questions compulsory
• Variety of question types including questions which
require calculations, descriptions and explanations
Approved examination materials
Approved:
•
•
•
Stationery: pens, pencils, highlighters, erasers,
sharpeners and rulers
Scientific calculator
Data book will be provided and will be separate from the
exam
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
•
•
•
•
•
Sample examination paper is composed largely of past examination
questions
Solutions to past examination questions can be accessed by
referring to the relevant Assessment Reports available on the
VCAA website
Some questions were specifically developed to illustrate that
questions can draw upon understanding of concepts across Units 3
and 4
Students may be asked to draw on their practical experience when
answering questions
Sample examination paper will be published on the VCE Chemistry
study pages of the VCAA website
Contact
VCAA branch
Science Manager
Contact Details
Curriculum
Maria James
Tel: 9651 4655
Email:
james.maria.m@edumail.vic.gov.au
Assessment
Kris Allen
Tel: 9225 2356
Email:
allen.kristin.m@edumail.vic.gov.au
© Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2012