Implementing the Victorian Curriculum:
Expression of Interest – Specialist Teachers
Background Information
The Minister for Education recently launched the Victorian Curriculum as part of a suite of Education State
initiatives. As part of the program of support for implementation of the new curriculum, the Victorian
Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is planning to provide professional learning programs in 10
curriculum specialist areas (see Attachment 1 for further details):
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STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
Digital coding
Learning about religions
Critical thinking
Literacy in the early years
Music
Financial literacy
Health education and personal and social capability
Civic participation
Ethical understanding in a global world.
This support will be provided through an innovative model of practising teachers/school leaders who will be
school-based, with a continuing 0.5 EFT teaching/school administration load, and 0.5 EFT role in statewide
support for one of the 10 specialist areas.
Initial expressions of interest are now sought from teachers/school leaders interested in taking up one of
these specialist roles as part of an anticipated initial intake of 30 teachers for an 18-month period
commencing from the beginning of Term 1, 2016.
Position Details
These roles provide current teachers with significant professional development and learning opportunities
to extend their professional knowledge and skills, enhance their experience in the facilitation and delivery of
professional learning, provide support to primary and secondary schools for curriculum planning and
implementation and play a key role in the effective implementation of an important Education State
initiative. Selected specialist teachers will be supported through:
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training by and regular communication with VCAA curriculum staff
interaction with Department of Education and Training (DET) regional support staff
a team-based approach to the delivery of curriculum support in each specialist area and across the
curriculum.
For details of the specialist position, including the selection criteria, please refer to the attached Position
Description.
© VCAA
Implementing the Victorian Curriculum: Expression of Interest – Specialist Teachers
Expression of Interest
Teachers from government, Catholic and independent sector schools who are interested in applying for
these roles should refer to the attached Position Description, obtain their principal’s support and
endorsement, complete the attached Expression of Interest proforma and forward to:
Alan McLean
Senior Technical Specialist, Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA)
mclean.alan.w@edumail.vic.gov.au
Closing date: 10 November 2015
Enquiries
Enquiries about the Specialist Teacher role can be directed to:
Alan McLean
Senior Technical Specialist, Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA)
Phone: (03) 9032 1732
Email: mclean.alan.w@edumail.vic.gov.au
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Implementing the Victorian Curriculum: Expression of Interest – Specialist Teachers
Victorian Curriculum – Specialist Teacher
Position Description
Position details
Employment Status: Specialist teachers will continue to be employed by the Department of Education and
Training or their relevant employer, and maintain current terms and conditions of employment with an
appropriate special role payment.
Duration of role
18 months
Time fraction
0.5 EFT school-based duties, 0.5
Specialist Teacher role
Position location
Specialist teachers will work from the
school where they are currently
employed. Costs for travel and overnight
accommodation as required will be
provided.
Specialist Teacher role responsibilities
The specialist teachers will:
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design, develop, facilitate and lead professional learning programs in one or more of the above
specialist areas, including the provision of advisory support in a range of modes (face-to-face, online,
phone)
develop sample teaching and learning programs in specialist areas for use and adaptation by schools
develop sample assessment tasks in specialist areas
support the development of specialist areas communities of practice.
Specialist Teacher Selection Criteria
1. Demonstrated knowledge and expertise in the identified specialist Victorian Curriculum learning area/s
2. Demonstrated successful experience in the development, writing, implementation and evaluation of
teaching and learning resources
3. Demonstrated knowledge of a range of effective professional learning strategies, including teacher
collaboration and mentoring
4. Demonstrated highly effective communication skills
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Implementing the Victorian Curriculum: Expression of Interest – Specialist Teachers
Victorian Curriculum: Specialist Teachers
Expression of Interest Form
Name
Email
School
Current position
Teacher Classification level
Employment – fixed term or ongoing
(if fixed term, please indicate commencement and
cessation dates)
Principal Name
Please nominate either one or two of the following specialist areas in which you have expertise, and
indicate your preferred order of preference (where 1 is your preferred area).
Specialist Area
Preference/s
STEM
Digital coding
Learning about religions
Critical thinking
Literacy in the early years
Music
Financial literacy
Health education and personal and social capability
Civic participation
Ethical understanding in a global world
Professional Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Capacity
Please provide a statement that outlines your response to the following questions:
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What knowledge, skills and experience do you have in the specialist area/s which you have
nominated?
What experience do you have in developing and facilitating professional learning for teachers?
What experience have you had in developing teaching and learning resources?
Please identify evidence of your key communication skills.
Referees
Please nominate two referees, one of whom must be your current principal, who can be contacted by the
VCAA to corroborate your experience, knowledge and skills.
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Implementing the Victorian Curriculum: Expression of Interest – Specialist Teachers
Collection Notice
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is a statutory authority continued under the
Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic). The VCAA collects the information requested on this form,
which includes personal information within the meaning of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014, for the
purpose of facilitating the selection of Specialist Teachers by the VCAA. The information collected on this
form will be used by and disclosed to VCAA employees and/or contractors for and in connection with the
abovementioned purpose. The information may also be disclosed to members of the Specialist Teachers
selection panel, some of whom may be from other organisations. Unless the VCAA is authorised or
required by law, the VCAA will not otherwise use or disclose the information collected on this form. Failure
to provide the information requested on this from may result in an applicant’s expression of interest not
being considered. When an individual’s personal information is provided to the VCAA by a third party, the
VCAA requests that the individual is made aware their personal information will be or has been provided to
the VCAA, the purpose for which it will be or was provided and to whom it will be or is likely to be disclosed.
An individual may request access to personal information the VCAA holds about them, if any, and request
its correction if inaccurate. Initial enquiries regarding access to personal information held by the VCAA in
relation to the selection of Specialist Teachers can be made by contacting Alan McLean at
mclean.alan.w@edumail.vic.gov.au. The VCAA Privacy Policy can be found at
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/aboutus/policies/privacypolicy.aspx.
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Implementing the Victorian Curriculum: Expression of Interest – Specialist Teachers
Attachment 1: Specialist Learning Areas
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
This role will support schools develop innovative integrated teaching and learning programs with a
particular focus on the STEM elements of the Victorian Curriculum.
Digital coding
Knowledge and skills about coding have been incorporated in the new Digital Technologies curriculum and
the Mathematics curriculum. This role will support both generalist teachers and learning area specialist
teachers to develop effective teaching and learning programs based on the new elements of these
curricula.
Learning about world views and religions
Learning about world views and major religions is a new area included in the Victorian Curriculum. This role
will support teachers and schools to access resources and develop teaching and learning programs that
contextualise learning about world views and religions in broader learning programs.
Critical thinking
This role will support teachers and schools to develop explicit and intentional teaching and learning
programs based on the Critical and Creative Thinking capability.
Literacy in the early years
This role will support teachers and schools to develop effective literacy programs in the first three years of
primary school.
Music
This role will support teachers and schools to design and implement effective music programs based on the
Music curriculum and the new Music Education Guide.
Financial literacy
This role will support teachers and schools to develop effective financial literacy teaching and learning
programs based on the Victorian Curriculum learning areas of Economics and Business, English and
Mathematics. The programs will also link to MoneySmart Teaching, a resource developed by the Australian
Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC).
Health education and personal and social capability
This role will support teachers and schools to develop new teaching and learning programs focused on the
development of respectful relationships based on the Health and Physical Education learning area and the
Personal and Social Capability.
Civic participation
This role will support teachers and schools to develop teaching and learning programs that are based on
the Civics and Citizenship curriculum, encourage and enable school-community partnerships and include
student participation in the broader community.
Ethical understanding in a global world
This role will support teachers and schools to develop teaching and learning programs based on the new
Ethical Capability and Intercultural Capability.
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