Proposed VCE Literature Study Design Consultation Draft Overview

Proposed VCE Literature Study Design (Consultation Draft) Overview Dr Annelise Balsamo English Curriculum Manager

Context of the review Monitoring and benchmarking of VCE Literature revealed: • Issues with balance, particularly in terms of assessment • Some terms and concepts have become contested • The need to consider enjoyment, student agency, and contemporary issues and ideas • Stability was important for the study.

Key changes after the review The changes made to the study design include: • A balancing of the study, particularly the assessment and examinable knowledge and skills • A defining and containing of ‘literary perspectives’ (now called ‘multiple viewpoints’)

Key changes after review The changes made to the study design include: • Addition of two areas of study in units 1 and 2 that reflect contemporary concerns and encourage student agency • Maintenance of the shape and structure of the study.

Issues with the current balance The current study design has no examinable skills in unit 3 (but, of course, does have examinable knowledge). Documented (through school audits) distortions in teaching and learning, with unit 3 compressed into term 1 (or less). One assessment task in most outcomes doing the heavy lifting of demonstrating the key knowledge and skills.

Balancing the study Placed examinable skills in unit 3 (Unit 3, Outcome 2: Multiple viewpoints). Spread the non-examinable skills across units 3 and 4 (adaptations and transformations in unit 3 and creative response to texts in unit 4). Created two assessment tasks in many outcomes to provide more opportunities for students to demonstrate understanding and to lower the stakes in the SACs.

Literary perspectives While the study design indicated perspectives or criticism, the concept of ‘theory’ became pervasive. No other jurisdiction requires students to work with theory. High level, arguably tertiary level knowledge and skills. Issues around definition and scope.

Viewpoints in the revised draft Seeks to define the possible interpretations. • First interpretation built on the views and values embedded in the text (or reading with the text). • Second interpretation resists the embedded views and values (or reading against the text). Resources can be used to support the second interpretation; selection is a school-based decision.

New areas of study Unit 1: a genre study (Exploration of genre). Engagement through pleasure, offers student agency, broadens the texts set for study. Maintains rigour through an exploration of representation of power relationships and dynamics. Unit 2: a study of First Nation text (Reading Nation). Considers contemporary issues and ideas, offers a new perspective on colonial representation, broadens voices in the study.

Maintaining stability While there are changes to the study design, the review panel was careful to balance those changes with a sense of stability to produce a study design that is largely familiar to teachers. In units 3 and 4, in particular, there has been limited changes in terms of the outcomes. Despite changes in sequence and some refining of outcome statements, knowledge and skills, the study retains a recognisable shape and structure.

Contact Dr Annelise Balsamo English Curriculum Manager annelise. balsamo@education. vic. gov. au