VCE Religion and Society
Revised Study 2011-2015
Introduction to the Study Design
The eight aspects of religion as outlined in the
introduction to the study design:
• religious literature has been changed to religious
writings
• reference to creeds has been removed from
beliefs to religious writings.
The eight aspects are now a more explicit feature
across the course.
Unit 1 – Religion in Society
• A new group of traditions has been added –
religions of ancient civilisations.
• Each area of study has a general as well as
specific focus with detailed examples from one or
more religious tradition/s that demonstrate a
range of characteristics discovered in the general
investigation.
• Read the area of study introductions as well as
Key knowledge and Key skills.
Unit 1 Area of Study 1 - Outline
- Students study:
- the nature of religion and its purpose
- features common to religions
- contributions of religion in general, both
positive and negative, to the development of
human society.
- Use specific traditions to illustrate the
importance of the eight aspects and to illustrate
other aspects of the area of study.
Unit 1 – Area of Study 1
The religious world
Current Outcome 1
(2006-2010)
Revised Outcome 1
(2011-2015)
Describe generally the core
Explain the role of religion in
beliefs and practices of at
society
least two religious traditions,
their origins and geographical
distribution
Unit 1 - Area of Study 2 - Outline
- National and global distribution of major
religions.
- Expression of collective identity through their
history and relevant aspects of religion.
- Interactions with other traditions and the wider
society.
Unit 1 – Area of Study 2 – Religious traditions in Australia
Current Outcome 2
(2006-2010)
Revised Outcome 2
(2011-2015)
Describe the current distribution
of religions in Australia, and a
variety of ways in which particular
religious communities express
their collective identity and
interact with other traditions and
the wider society.
Explain the expression of
collective identity of
particular religious traditions
in Australia, and the
interaction of these
traditions with other
religious traditions and
wider society.
Unit 1 – Area of Study 3
Religious identity and life experience
• At least two traditions must be studied.
• The member studied can be a person or a group
and the focus is between this member and their
religious tradition.
• Students now evaluate the extent to which the
expectations, judgments and involvement of
members can contribute to the development of a
religious tradition.
Unit 1 – Area of Study 3 – Religious identity and life
experience
Current Outcome 3
(2006-2010)
Revised Outcome 3
(2011-2015)
Recognise and discuss the
interplay between a person’s
individual identity and their
religious community
Recognise and discuss the
interplay between the
identity of members, as
individuals or as specific
communities, and their
religious tradition
Unit 2 – Ethics and Morality
• The distinction between ethics and morality has
been made clear for the purposes of this study.
• The areas of study follow a similar pattern, but
there is now less overlap.
• The focus in each area of study is pluralist
society.
Unit 2 – Area of Study 1
Ethical method in pluralist society
• Students are now required to explain rather than
analyse ethical decision making.
• A broader range of factors involved in the
process of decision-making beyond conscience
have been included.
Unit 2 – Area of Study 2
Religion and morality in pluralist society
•
This outcome now focuses only on developing
understanding of the ethical perspectives and
moral viewpoints of at least two religious
traditions, with application to ethical issues in
Outcome 3.
•
Reference to application to ethical issues has
been removed from the outcome.
Unit 2 – Area of Study 3 – Contemporary ethical issues
• Like the other outcomes, this also has a pluralist
society context.
• The area of study builds on Areas of Study 1 and
2 and so contributors to at least one debate
selected should be from a religious tradition.
• Students are now required to analyse and
evaluate two or more debates on ethical issues.
Assessment
The marks allocated across outcomes have not
changed.
Unit 3 – Search for meaning
• A general investigation for each area of study.
• Detailed examples from one or more than one
religious tradition that demonstrate a range of
characteristics discovered in the general
investigation.
• Read the area of study introductions as well as
Key knowledge and Key skills.
Units 3 – Outcome 1
The term ‘core beliefs’ is no longer used.
Rather, consider:
• Beliefs common to members and focusing on
- ultimate reality
- the nature and purpose of human life
- the meaning of life and death
- the relationship between ultimate reality and
humanity
- the relationship between humans
- the relationship between human life and the rest of
the natural world.
Unit 3 – Outcome 1
For each belief, consider:
• what the belief is
• how it is related to ultimate reality, the nature
and purpose of human life
• how the belief is distinctive for that tradition
• how each religious belief is expressed through
the relevant aspects of religion
• what the beliefs mean for the way members
are to lead their lives.
Unit 3 – Area of Study 1
Meaning in religious traditions
Current Outcome 1
(2006-2010)
Revised Outcome 1
(2011-2015)
Explain and evaluate the
significance of a range of
core beliefs within one or
more religious tradition/s.
Explain the nature, purpose
and expression of religious
beliefs generally and for one
or more than one religious
tradition.
Unit 3 – Area of Study 2
Maintaining continuity of religious beliefs
Builds on the knowledge of religious beliefs
developed in Area of Study 1.
Includes a consideration of religious traditions
generally as well as specifically.
Unit 3 – Outcome 2
Current Outcome 2
(2006-2010)
Revised Outcome 2
(2011-2015)
Explain continuity and
maintenance of a core
religious belief or beliefs
within one or more
tradition/s.
Analyse the maintenance of
religious beliefs for
continuity in religious
traditions.
Unit 3 – Outcome 2
For religious traditions generally students
investigate:
• reasons for maintaining continuity of religious
beliefs concerning ultimate reality etc
• internal and external factors that can promote
action to maintain continuity
• ways of maintaining continuity (students must
know all the ways listed in the Key knowledge).
Unit 3 – Outcome 2
• The maintenance of continuity of religious beliefs
in a specific religion/s
- reasons for maintaining continuity
- internal and/or external factors
- the way/s of maintaining continuity used in
response to the factors.
Unit 3 Outcome 2
Note that the outcome requires analysis of the
maintenance of religious beliefs for continuity
What does analysis mean in this case?
• clear description of the ways of maintaining
continuity
• explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the
choice of method/s
• applying understanding of relevant aspects of
religion.
Unit 3 – Area of Study 3
Significant life experience and religious belief
• Students study the relationship between a range
of significant life experiences and religious
beliefs generally and then study a specific
example.
• The member studied can be a person or a
group.
• The member must be a member of the tradition
at the time of the experience.
Unit 3 – Outcome 3
Current Outcome 3
(2006-2010)
Revised Outcome 3
(2011-2015)
Draw conclusions about the
interplay between religious
beliefs and significant life
experiences.
Explain and draw
conclusions about the
interplay between religious
beliefs and significant life
experiences.
Unit 4 – Challenge and response
• The focus is the interaction of religious traditions
and the societies of which they are a part.
• Historical and contemporary contexts have been
retained.
Unit 4 – Area of Study 1
Historical challenges to religious traditions
• A range of significant internal and external
challenges that have faced religious traditions
generally.
• An historical overview for a tradition/s.
• Investigation of a detailed example. This should
be at a stage where a range of evaluations have
been made by commentators.
Unit 4 – Area of Study 2
Contemporary challenges and their impact
•
•
•
•
‘Modern society’ should be interpreted as
multicultural, pluralist and democratic.
The response of a religious tradition to a
challenge may be manifest through a religious
community or be broader.
The challenge selected may have a history but
the focus is the current context.
Impacts should be apparent and able to be
evaluated.
Unit 4 – Outcome 1
Current Outcome 1
(2006-2010)
Revised Outcome 1
(2011 – 2015)
Analyse how one or more
religious tradition/s
responded to a significant
internal or external
challenge, and evaluate the
outcome for the tradition/s.
Analyse how one or more
than one religious tradition/s
responded to a significant
internal or external
challenge, and evaluate the
outcome for the religious
tradition/s.
Unit 4 – Area of Study 2
Examine contemporary challenges generally,
then a specific contemporary challenge, including:
• the vision implied in the religious beliefs
• the nature of the issue
• the relationship between the issue and the
vision
• cause and response (described and analysed)
• impact of the response on the tradition and
wider society (evaluated).
Unit 4 – Outcome 2
Current Outcome 2
(2006-2010)
Revised Outcome 2
(2011-2015)
Analyse the interplay
between religious beliefs
and the vision of each
tradition for society, and the
way one or more specific
issues are confronted in
attempting to implement the
vision.
Analyse the interplay
between religious beliefs
and their developed vision
of religious tradition/s for
society in response to
contemporary challenge.
Assessment
• The marks allocated across outcomes have not
changed.
• Oral presentation has been added to
assessment task types.
Contact Details
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
(VCAA)
Monica Bini
Curriculum Manager, Humanities and Social Sciences
Ph: (03) 9651 4575
Fax: (03) 9651 4324
Email: bini.monica.m@edumail.vic.gov.au
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au