VCE Systems Engineering
2013 - 2017
Implementation Briefings, May and June, 2012
© Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2007
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Systems Engineering Implementation Briefing
VCE Systems Engineering
Units 1–4
Accreditation period
2013–2017
Implementation Workshops
2012
Goals for the workshop
• Introduce the new VCE Systems Engineering
Study Design (2013–2017)
• Highlight the differences between new study
design and the current study design
• Review draft assessment criteria for the Schoolassessed Task and extract of the draft
Assessment Handbook
• Provide implementation ideas and opportunity
for discussion/questions
The Review Process
• Review occurred during 2011
• Panel comprised teachers from Independent,
Catholic and Victorian Government schools,
tertiary educators, and two engineers
• Terms of reference guided the review
• Consultation draft made available for stakeholder
feedback
• All feedback considered by review committee
Contents
Teachers should thoroughly familiarise
themselves with the study design including:
• Introduction (page 6)
• Structure (page 7)
• Safety (page 8)
• Assessment and reporting (pages 10–11)
• Cross study specification (page 12)
• Units 1–4 (pages 13–34)
• Advice for teachers (pages 35–64)
• Glossary (pages 43–47)
General changes
• Cross study specification – applies to all units
• Change of structure, there are no specified
research outcomes in Units 1 and 2; Systems
Engineering Process is applied across outcomes
• New unit and Area of study titles and changes in
content in the areas of study
• Greater clarity in the key knowledge and key
skills
• Elaboration of some content including lists of
formula and types of components
Scope of the study (page 6)
• Design, creation, operation and evaluation of systems
• Meeting intended goals of systems design through
alternatives, concepts, trial-and-error, trade-offs, and
testing, verifying, evaluating
• Applications of the field of systems engineering in
manufacturing, transportation, robotics, energy
management
• Consideration of sustainability of systems
• Use of project management for efficiency and systems
optimisation
Rationale (page 6)
Rationale of the study makes explicit:
• Innovative systems thinking and problem
solving through the use of the Systems
Engineering Process
• Engaging practically and purposefully to gain
understanding and appreciation of systems
• Project management including designing,
planning, fabricating, testing and evaluating
• Providing pathways to study and work in related
fields
Aims (page 7)
Eight aims in the study design include
• Understanding of the Systems Engineering
process and influencing factors
• Concepts and skills in design, construction, fault
finding, diagnosis, performance analysis,
maintenance, modification and control
• Knowledge and application of mechanical and
electrical/electronic and control systems
Aims continued (page 7)
• Understand how technologies solve challenges
and transform lives
• Develop knowledge of new developments and
innovations
• Develop problem solving and project
management skills and safe use of tools,
equipment, materials and processes, including
risk assessment
• Awareness of quality and standards, systems
reliability, safety and fitness for intended purpose
Cross study specification: Systems Engineering Process
(page 12)
Systems Engineering Process and factors that
influence design, planning, production and use
•
Function
•
Safety
•
Costs
•
•
•
•
•
User needs and requirements
Materials
Components
Environment of use
Minimisation of waste and energy use
Systems Engineering process mapped to outcomes in
each unit
Unit 1 Outcome 1
Unit 2 Outcome 1
Unit 3 Outcome 1
Unit 1 Outcome 2
Unit 2 Outcome 2
Unit 4 Outcome 1
Activity – fish bone diagram or grid
Electric bike power generator
steel tubing, plates and bar, sheet metal, wood,
bicycle, sealed acid battery, paint, rubber, light bulbs,
ultracapacitor, power inverter, 24 volt DC
magnetic motor, rheostat resistor, switches, holders, 8 gauge wire,
battery clamps, alternator pulley, belt, cable ties, multimeter,
clear plastic, cigarette lighter socket
“I built an electric bike power generator to produce an integrated system that
Seven Ablahad, Penola Catholic College,
converts mechanical energy from human effort into electrical energy.
2012 Top Designs Exhibition
The operator can therefore gain a good supply of electrical energy and benefit
from exercising at the same time”.
Refer to the speaker notes for instructions.
Copy and paste the following link into your browser for the activity print-out/support material.
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/vce/technology/Systems_engineering_activities.doc
Structure of the study design
Four units: Units 1–4 now have two areas of study;
Systems Engineering Process is embedded in each unit.
Unit 1: Introduction to mechanical systems
• Area of Study 1 – Fundamentals of mechanical system design
• Area of Study 2 – Producing and evaluating mechanical systems
Unit 2: Introduction to electrotechnology systems
• Area of Study 1 – Fundamentals of electrotechnology system
design
• Area of Study 2 – Producing and evaluating electrotechnology
systems
Structure of the study design Units 3 and 4
Unit 3: Integrated systems engineering and energy
• Area of study 1 – Controlled and integrated systems
engineering design
• Area of study 2 – Clean energy technologies
Unit 4: Systems control and new and emerging
technologies
• Area of study 1 – Producing, testing and evaluating
integrated technological systems
• Area of study 2 – New and emerging technologies
Advice for teachers
This section includes advice on:
• employability skills (pages 35–37)
• developing a course (page 37)
• explanation on the Cross study specification and
factors influencing design, planning production
and use of a system (pages 38–40)
• risk management (page 40)
• suggested systems themes and projects for each
unit (page 41)
Advice for teachers (continued)
• explaining specific terms used throughout the
study design (glossary, pages 43–47 )
• equipment requirements for the study (page 47)
• unit by unit learning activities for each outcome
(pages 48–67): note these are not assessment
tasks
• sample Units 3 and 4 delivery schedule (week
by week) to assist teachers in their planning
(pages 60–62)
• sample assessment program (pages 63–64)
Purpose of the key knowledge and key skills
Unit 1
Introduction to
mechanical systems
Unit 1: Area of Study 1 – Fundamentals of
mechanical system design (pages 13–17)
Outcome 1
Describe and use basic engineering
concepts, principles and components, and
using selected relevant aspects of the
Systems Engineering Process, design and
plan a mechanical or an electro-mechanical
system.
Unit 1: Area of Study 2 – Producing and evaluating
mechanical systems (pages 15–16)
Outcome 2
Make, test and evaluate a mechanical or an
electro-mechanical system using selected
relevant aspects of the Systems Engineering
Process.
Unit 2
Introduction to
electrotechnology
systems
Unit 2: Area of Study 1 – Fundamentals of
electrotechnology system design (page 18)
Outcome 1
Investigate, represent, describe and use basic
electrotechnology and basic control
engineering concepts, principles and
components, and using selected relevant
aspects of the Systems Engineering Process,
design and plan an electrotechnology system.
Unit 2: Area of Study 2 – Producing and
evaluating electrotechnology systems (page 20)
Outcome 2
Make, test and evaluate an
electrotechnology system, using selected
relevant aspects of the Systems Engineering
Process.
Unit 3
Integrated systems
engineering and energy
Unit 3: Area of Study 1 – Controlled and integrated
systems engineering design (page 23)
Outcome 1
Investigate, analyse and use advanced
mechanical-electrotechnology integrated and
control systems concepts, principles and
components, and using selected relevant
aspects of the Systems Engineering Process,
design, plan and commence construction of an
integrated and controlled system.
Unit 3:Area of Study 2 – Clean energy
technologies (page 27)
Outcome 2
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
renewable and non-renewable energy
sources, and analyse and evaluate the
technology used to harness, generate and
store non-renewable and renewable energy.
Unit 4
Systems control and
new and emerging
technologies
Unit 4: Area of Study 1 – Producing, testing and evaluating
integrated technological systems (pages 30–31)
Outcome 1
Produce, test and diagnose an advanced
mechanical-electrotechnology integrated and
controlled system using selected relevant
aspects of the Systems Engineering Process,
and manage, document and evaluate the
system and processes.
Unit 4: Area of Study 2 – New and emerging
technologies (pages 31–32)
Outcome 2
Describe and evaluate a range of new or
emerging technologies, and analyse the likely
impacts of a selected innovation.
Units 1 and 2 assessment
Some changes have been made to the
assessment task types for Units 1 and 2.
Assessment tasks are selected from:
• documentation of the Systems Engineering
Process which may be done as a multimedia
presentation, folio, brochure, poster, or report
• production work (Outcome 2)
• practical demonstrations
• test (possibly for Outcome 1)
• oral presentation
Units 3 and 4 assessment
Unit
Outcome
3
1
3
2
4
1
4
2
% of study
score
Schoolassessed
coursework
Schoolassessed
task



10%
Marked out of
50



10%
Marked out of
50
20%
Examination
50%
30%
Systems Engineering Assessment Handbook
The parts of the Systems Engineering Assessment
Handbook are:
– Introduction
– Assessment
– Assessment advice and further resources
– Sample approaches to School-assessed
Coursework
Using the assessment handbook – designing
the tasks, using performance descriptors and
assessment criteria
Resources
Resources list will be updated annually.
Suggestions for additional resources can be
provided to the VCAA Curriculum Manager for
Systems Engineering.
School assessment
School-assessed task criteria and performance
descriptors are published annually in the VCAA
Bulletin each February
Teachers must ensure that authentication records
for both School-assessed Tasks and Coursework
are completed.
Teachers also need to complete the Teacher
Additional Comment sheet for the Schoolassessed Task.
Presenters:
Bruce Eager
Steve Penna
With thanks:
Robyn Douglass
Contact Details
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
(VCAA)
Lorraine Tran, Curriculum Manager, Technologies
tran.lorraine.i@edumail.vic.gov.au
Ph: (03) 9651 4407
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au