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

Mon Jun 11 22:22:59 EST 2007

Hi Folks,

 Thanks to all who responded. I am not sure that there is a resolution here.
I have had the full spectrum of possible solutions or opinions and I am 
grateful to all.
I will report back to the list if more comes to light but I do fear some of 
us may be out on a limb with the particular approach taken.
Eg. Is it unacceptable/irregular/unlawful to teach a unit in Sem 1 and then 
repeat it in Sem 2 by virtue of the fact the progression points expect a 
graduated improvement in semester portions and to teach the same standard 
means one of the semester is not at the right level ? or 
shifting/fudging/elevating the progression point interpretation for the same 
performance in Sem 2 to "calibrate" the performance vs letter grade graph ?
 One approach we have discussed at Forest Hill College is that since ICT is 
a doman in its own right it deserves reporting in each year in each 
semester. We have a full year of ICT at Yrs 7 and 8 but only a single 
compulsory semester in Yr 9 - whenever the student can be slotted in during 
the year -  and an optional programming elective in Yr 10, again either in 
Sem 1 or 2 based on availability of teacher and students. One approach being 
discussed is to convert the Yr 9 course into a full year course thus 
removing the problem of solely a single semester report and possibly also 
extending the Yr 10 course into a full year. This would happen by halving 
the number of periods per week and doubling the number of weeks. Same 
content, but no reporting problems .......

Speak soon
Kevork Krozian
Edulists Creator and Administrator
www.edulists.com.au
kevork at edulists.com.au

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Timmer-Arends" <timmer at melbpc.org.au>
To: "Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List" 
<itapps at edulists.com.au>
Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2007 6:17 PM
Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] Fwd: VELS and semester reporting - please 
advise

> 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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>> Information Technology Teachers Association Inc
>>
>>
>
> --
> Mark Kelly
> Manager - Information Systems
> McKinnon Secondary College
> McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
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> School Phone +613 8520 9000
> School Fax   +613 9578 9253
> kel AT mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
>
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