[Year 12 IPM] Rationale behind the new study design

[Mark Kelly]

Hi Adrian

I know there are a lot of good reasons for changing the study design.

What I'm interested in is *VCAA's* good reasons for changing the study 
design!

I'm not trying to be critical or pick a fight with VCAA; I'd just like 
to know their reasons for some significant changes of direction in the 
new course.

Adrian Janson wrote:
> Hi Mark,
> 
> Well as you know - IT is a rapidly changing industry. That in and of itself
> is a massive impetus for change. (BTW - Did you know that the NSW study
> design is only rewritten very 10 years?!) Software is available now that
> wasn't 3 years ago, career priorities have changed, hardware has changed,
> the skill level of our students has changed and the world has changed. If we
> were looking at a 10 year turnaround like NSW - we would be asking 'why NO
> change?????!!!'. 
> 
> ;)
> 
> Adrian Janson
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au] On
> Behalf Of Mark Kelly
> Sent: Tuesday, 21 February 2006 2:15 PM
> To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management Teachers'
> Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Year 12 IPM] Rationale behind the new study design
> 
> Just because something doesn't happen at the moment doesn't necessarily 
> mean it can't *start*   :-)
> 
> And I wasn't trying to be mean to our Paula.  I genuinely want to know 
> the 'impetus for change' (as our beloved study design would put it. 
> Hmmm - is it social, economic or technological, and is it internal or 
> external?)
> 
> Anyway, why would an august and accountable body such as the VCAA need 
> to be coy about the reasons for its decisions?
> 
> Love,
> 
> Mark
> 
> Mark Scott wrote:
> 
>>Mark
>>
>>Behave!
>>
>>Paula obviously has her hands tied by VCAA.
>>
>>Mark Scott
>>Luther College
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au]
>>On Behalf Of Mark Kelly
>>Sent: Tuesday, 21 February 2006 1:15
>>To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management
>>Teachers'Mailing List
>>Subject: Re: [Year 12 IPM] Rationale behind the new study design
>>
>>A wonderfully concise answer, Paula!  (I've just been lecturing my 
>>IPMers about concision and relevance when answering questions!)
>>
>>The reasons for changing a course are, I think, as important as the 
>>actual changes that are made.
>>
>>Why, for example, is the new course much richer in multimedia?  Could it
>>
>>be that:  multimedia experience is demanded by tertiary institutions, or
>>
>>employers, or both; it makes the course more attractive to students who 
>>are deserting IT; it makes the course more attractive to girls; the new 
>>course is less geeky and choked with dry theory; etc.
>>
>>Things should not be changed without reason, and I think it would be 
>>illumination to have the reasoning explained along with the changes.
>>
>>Mark
>>
>>Christophersen, Paula P wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Mark, VCAA has not published its reasons for changing the course, and
>>
>>it 
>>
>>
>>>does not for any study. Do you have a specific query?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Regards
>>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au]
>>
>>
>>>On Behalf Of Mark Kelly
>>>Sent: Tuesday, 21 February 2006 11:45 AM
>>>To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management 
>>>Teachers'Mailing List
>>>Subject: Re: [Year 12 IPM] Rationale behind the new study design
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Thanks, Paula.  My only question is the original question :-)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Has the VCAA published its reasons for changing the course as it has
>>
>>done?
>>
>>
>>>
>>>Mark
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Christophersen, Paula P wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Dear Mark and other interested colleagues
>>>
>>>>All VCE studies follow the same process when undergoing
>>
>>reaccreditation.
>>
>>
>>>>Key steps in the process include:
>>>
>>>>*          Establishment of review committee (all teachers have the
>>>
>>>>opportunity to submit an expression of interest to be on this
>>
>>committee)
>>
>>
>>>>*          Consideration of the terms of reference, prepared by the
>>>
>>>>Board of VCAA
>>>
>>>>*          Preparation of a benchmarking report that investigates
>>>
>>>>national and international practices and recommends areas for
>>>
>>>>consideration by the review committee
>>>
>>>>*          Ongoing reaccreditation meetings to respond to the terms
>>
>>of
>>
>>
>>>>reference and to draft a study design, in accordance with the VCAA
>>>
>>>>Principles, Guidelines and Procedures for the Review of VCE studies
>>
>>(see
>>
>>
>>>>VCE Bulletin, Supplement 1, March 2003, No 186)
>>>
>>>>*          Regular, formal reporting to internal VCAA committees
>>
>>(and
>>
>>
>>>>responding to queries raised by these)
>>>
>>>>*          Consultation with teachers and other targeted
>>
>>stakeholders on
>>
>>
>>>>the draft study design (methods include online surveys, paper-based
>>>
>>>>surveys, focus group meetings)
>>>
>>>>*          Review of draft study design by independent reviewers
>>>
>>>>*          Refinement of study design, in light of feedback from
>>>
>>>>consultation and direction from internal committees
>>>
>>>>*          Recommendation for accreditation from the VCAA board, and
>>>
>>>>accreditation granted from the Victorian Qualifications Authority.
>>>
>>>>Typically this process takes 9 - 10 months.
>>>
>>>>If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to ask.
>>>
>>>>Regards, Paula
>>>
>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>
>>>>From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au
>>
>>[mailto:ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au]
>>
>>
>>>>On Behalf Of Mark Kelly
>>>
>>>>Sent: Tuesday, 21 February 2006 10:26 AM
>>>
>>>>To: Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management
>>>
>>>>Teachers'Mailing List
>>>
>>>>Subject: [Year 12 IPM] Rationale behind the new study design
>>>
>>>>Does anyone (even Paula, perhaps) know of any publication from the
>>
>>VCAA
>>
>>
>>>>that gives a concise justification for the way the new VCE IT (oops
>>
>>-
>>
>>
>>>>'ICT') study design has been put together?
>>>
>>>>--
>>>
>>>>Mark Kelly
>>>
>>>
>>>Mark Kelly
>>>
>>
>>
>>
> 
> 


-- 
Mark Kelly
Manager - Information Systems
McKinnon Secondary College
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