[Year 12 IT Apps] Fwd: VELS and semester reporting - please advise

Timmer-Arends timmer at melbpc.org.au
Thu Jun 7 18:17:52 EST 2007 

Hello all

Kevork I did answer this on the reports list. OLT have published a word doc 
explaining what to do - basically explain the discrepancy to parents!

I actually don't agree with Mark's point (if I am interpreting it 
correctly) - I think OLT (and possibly VCAA) have got it wrong. I think it's 
a nonsense to say that a student in Year 10 semester 2 is somehow more 
likely to be a better performer than they might be in semester 1, if in both 
cases they have no prior experience (or just year 9/8/7 experience) of the 
subject. I would suggest that (ignoring VELS for the moment) when most of us 
structure a Year 10 semester long unit we do so with the thought that it be 
of a 'year 10 standard'; interpreting this in VELS, this means we create a 
learning environment that allows students to gain at least level 6 no matter 
what the semester - to do anything else is unfair on the students because 
they all have to be ready for Year 11, no matter what semester they do it 
in. Let's not kid ourselves - it is the reporting system that is creating 
this anomoly, not our courses. Measuring where a given student's work ends 
up on a 1 to 6 scale is one thing (and conceptually I don't have a problem 
with this), but to then trying to align this scale with a particular 
semester and interpreting that semester as some kind of expected level is 
what is causing the problem. At the very least, progress in semester long 
courses should be measured against expected progress for that year.

Regards
Robert T-A
Brighton SC


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Reid, Cam C" <reid.cam.c at edumail.vic.gov.au>
To: "Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List" 
<itapps at edulists.com.au>
Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2007 11:38 AM
Subject: RE: [Year 12 IT Apps] Fwd: VELS and semester reporting - please 
advise


I agree with Mark.

Our school has discussed this and have come to the same conclusion. We need 
to assess at the standard that is applicable to that year level in Sem 2. 
Should there be any questions about it we will be pointing to the relevant 
VELS level for that semester. We will also state that it is expected that 
the student is maturing in his/her abilities and skills all the time, and 
that the student should be at the expected level of achievement.

We have also noted that in a few areas, the progression points include an 
item not covered in previous progression points. We are making minor 
adjustments to relevant courses to ensure that all progression points can be 
achieved. This course outline can still be used for both semester 1 and 2.

Regards
Cameron Reid
Shepparton High School

________________________________

From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Mark Kelly
Sent: Thu 7/06/2007 11:01 AM
To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] Fwd: VELS and semester reporting - please 
advise



1.  Blame VELS

2.  Rest assured that there are very few twins so the problem will be
uncommon .

3.  Blame VELS again

4.  But seriously, folks.  Knowing that an elective could be done in sem
1 or sem 2 should lead teachers to base their progression point on the
VELS standard for that yearlevel and that semester to keep the domain
grade sensible.

Year 9 Kid X doing the elective in sem 1 would be judged against the
standard for sem 1 (e.g. 5.25) and twin Kid Y in sem 2 would be judged
against the standard for sem 2 (5.5).

That way, their VELS score is balanced against their chronological age.

At least, that's what I'd do as a teacher entering VELS scores.  In fact
I only have VCE this year so it's not an issue except for the fact that
I'm the bunny writing the database to do our reporting, including VELS.
  It all works well, but the XML data inport/export is a pain.  I'm
cheating by using Filemaker to generate the domain scores and Visual
Basic to turn the data into XML to export to CASES21 :-)


Kevork Krozian wrote:
> Hi Folks,
>
>  I hate to do this, but I haven't heard from the reporting list so I am
> cross posting this for your advice please.
>
>
>>>> Kevork Krozian 6/06/2007 10:29 am >>>
> Hi Folks,
>
>    Consider this dilemma ,
>
> Students do a compulsory elective of ICT in 1 semester of Year 9 ( or
> Yr 10 for that matter ). All students will do this elective, either in
> Sem 1 or Sem 2. It is the same work for both semesters. Student X does
> Sem 1, student Y does Sem 2.  They are twins.
>
>  Both attain a progression point of 5.5 . However, student X gets a
> grade of B and student Y gets a grade of C for the same work. So , how
> do we explain this to parents ?  They are both achieving the same , yet
> score different grades by the randomness of elective selection and
> different stages ( or ages ) of assessment .
>
>  How do we reconcile this ?
>
> Look forward to your replies
>
>
>
> Kevork Krozian
> IT Manager , Forest Hill College
> k.krozian at fhc.vic.edu.au
> http://www.fhc.vic.edu.au <http://www.fhc.vic.edu.au/>
> Mobile: 0419 356 034
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>
>

--
Mark Kelly
Manager - Information Systems
McKinnon Secondary College
McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
Direct line: 8520 9085
School Phone +613 8520 9000
School Fax   +613 9578 9253
kel AT mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au

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