VCE Physics Implementation 2009 2012 Victorian Curriculum and

VCE Physics Implementation 2009– 2012

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Purpose of VCE Physics Implementation Workshop Note: Full implementation will begin in 2009 for all Units 1 to 4 1. - 2. - To inform VCE Physics teachers of changes to the existing VCE Physics Study Design (Power. Point) Why were changes made? What has not changed? What’s new? What has been modified? To provide ideas re: the implementation of the new VCE Physics Study Design for planning teaching, learning and assessment activities (group work/discussion) considering student alternative views of Physics concepts planning teaching and learning sequences assessing outcomes

VCAA processes: Monitoring the 2004– 2008 VCE Physics Study Design In 2006, a number of activities were undertaken as part of regular VCAA monitoring processes of VCE studies: • analysis of enrolment data for VCE Physics • running of educator focus groups (metropolitan and rural) re: VCE Physics • online survey re: VCE Physics • consideration of national and international research re science education Two major practical concerns arose for teachers of VCE Physics which the VCAA Board wanted to address: • high teacher workloads, particularly in Units 2 and 3 • lack of clarity in the dot points in the study design The VCAA Board determined that a minor review of Physics would proceed in 2007

VCAA processes: Minor review of VCE Physics (1 of 2 slides) In 2007, a minor review of Physics commenced • Review panel and writer established after online applications were received • Nature of the minor review was established - address concerns of teacher workload/lack of clarity of study design - one-year implementation (i. e. all Units 1– 4 to begin in 2009)existing units were to be retained - the order of Units 3 and 4 were to be unchanged - no new concepts to be introduced, unless to contribute to clarification of existing dot points

VCAA processes: Minor review of VCE Physics (2 of 2 slides) • Review panel prepared a consultation draft • Feedback sought through online surveys and hardcopy responses • Review panel prepared final draft following consideration of feedback • Published study design, including ‘Advice to Teachers’, mailed to schools in February 2008

VCAA processes: Review outcome – revised – VCE Physics Study Design • The current VCE Physics Study Design has been reviewed, revised and reaccredited for the period 2009 – 2012 • The revised study design has addressed issues related to: - clarity of content - student and teacher workloads • A revised VCE Physics Assessment Handbook will be available by end Term 3 2008

VCE Physics Study Design 2009– 2012 What has not changed? • • • Rationale and Aims (in Introduction) unchanged No new content for ‘core’ Areas of Study No new content for Detailed Studies Nature of School-assessed Coursework unchanged Units 3 and 4 examination format and allocation of marks across areas of study unchanged

VCE Physics Study Design 2009– 2012 What’s new? • A set of key skills which apply across all Units 1– 4 (page 12) • Formulae have been specified • Teachers may teach any one of six Detailed Studies in each of Units 1 and 2 (provided the Detailed Studies are different) Advice to teachers • Definition of verbs used in the study design (pp. 47– 48) • Classification of verbs used in the study design on the basis of conceptual complexity (p. 47)

VCE Physics Study Design 2009– 2012 What has been modified from current study design? (1 of 2 slides) Editing of dot points – formulas, variables and constants have been italicised – dot points in Unit 4, Detailed Study 3. 1 have specified The Australian Synchrotron – one dot point has been shifted from one Area of Study to a Detailed Study and appears in Unit 4, Detailed Study 3. 2, p 41 (moved from Unit 4, Area of Study 2) : “describe the production of incoherent light from wide spectrum light sources, including the Sun, light bulbs, and candles, in terms of the random thermal motion of valence electrons when atoms collide” – some dot points - have been simplified - have been split into two to separate different concepts - have been removed (to reduce teacher/student workloads) - specify what is not to be included - which were previously implicit have been made explicit

VCE Physics Study Design 2009– 2012 What has been modified from current study design? (2 of 2 slides) • Reordering of Areas of Study and Detailed Studies in Units 1 and 2 • Reduction of number of verbs used in dot points • Re-naming of some Areas of Study and Detailed Studies • Employability skills • Updating of resources list

VCE Physics Study Design 2009– 2012 Practical investigations • have been strengthened in the new study design by - including a set of key skills specific to undertaking investigations - increasing opportunities for undertaking investigations • allow students to demonstrate key skills at progressively higher levels Unit 1 Students must complete a practical investigation (student designed or adapted) Unit 2 Students must complete a practical investigation (student designed, adapted or extended) Unit 3 Assessment task: a student-designed extended practical investigation (one entire outcome) Unit 4 Assessment task: a summary report of selected activities from the student’s log book (one entire outcome)

VCE Physics Study Design 2009– 2012 – What’s new? Units 1 – 4 Key skills A set of key skills applicable to each unit appear on page 12 of the study design These key skills • extend the skills developed by students through the VELS • are integral to each area of study • must be assessed Key skills are listed under three headings • Investigate and inquire scientifically • Analyse and apply physics understanding • Communicate physics information and understanding

VCE Physics Study Design 2009– 2012 – What’s new? Verbs used in the study design The following ‘cognitive triangle’* lists the cognitive processes required for the purposes of the study design. Definitions of these terms are provided on pages 47 and 48 of the study design, as part of the ‘Advice for teachers’. Design Evaluate Analyse Apply Compare Describe Explain Calculate Convert Investigate Model Select Interpret Identify Note: Higher order cognitive processes in the above pyramid include capacities of those cognitive processes which appear below them * adapted from Bloom’s revised taxonomy

VCE Physics Study Design 2009– 2012 – What’s new? Employability skills Nationally agreed employability skills are: • • Communication Planning and organising Teamwork Problem solving Self-management Initiative and enterprise Technology Learning VCE Physics provides opportunities for students to demonstrate not only understanding of key knowledge and skills as specified in the study design, but also to develop the above employability skills. Note: Refer to page 50 of the study design for further information related to employability skills.

VCE Physics Study Design 2009– 2012 – What’s new? Structure of Units 1 and 2 Unit 1 Area of Study 1 Nuclear physics and radioactivity Area of Study 2 Electricity Detailed Study Choice of: Note: Detailed Study • Astronomy selected in Unit 1 • Astrophysics must be different from that selected in • Energy from the nucleus Unit 2 Motion Wave-like properties of light • Investigations: Flight • Investigations: Sustainable energy sources • Medical physics

Example of wording changes: Nuclear physics and radioactivity (Unit 1, Area of Study 1) The dot point Some dot points have been split into two to separate different concepts. • describe nuclear transformations and decay series has become two dot points • explain nuclear transformations using decay equations involving α, β and γ radiation • analyse decay series diagrams in terms of type of decay and stability of isotopes

Example of wording changes: Electricity (Unit 1, Area of Study 2) The dot point Some dot points have been simplified … • apply charge conservation and energy conservation models to electrical phenomena to describe relationships between charge (Q), electric current (I), voltage (V), energy (U) and power (P) in electric circuits has become … and formulae, variables and constants have been italicised. • apply the concepts of charge (Q), electric current (I), potential difference (V), energy (E) and power (P), in electric circuits

Example of wording changes: Motion in one and two dimensions (Unit 3, Area of study 1) Formulae have been specified The dot point when quantitative analysis is expected! • analyse impulse, and momentum transfer, in collisions between objects moving along a straight line has become • analyse impulse (momentum transfer) in an isolated system, for collisions between objects moving along a straight line (FΔt = mΔv)

Example of wording changes: Motion (Unit 2, Area of Study 1) New dot points include • • • Concepts which were previously implicit in some dot points have now become explicit. identify parameters of motion as vectors or scalars apply rate of energy transfer, power, P = E/t apply the concept of momentum, p = mv analyse Hooke’s Law for an ideal spring, F = -kΔx analyse impulse (momentum transfer) in an isolated system, for elastic collisions between objects moving in a straight line

Example of wording changes: Electronics and photonics (Unit 3, Area of Study 2) The dot point Some content has been removed, to reduce teacher and student workload. • describe the operation of the transistor in terms of current gain and the effect of biasing the base-emitter voltage on the voltage characteristics, in terms of saturation, cut-off and linear operation, including linear gain (Δvout/ vin) and clipping, of a single stage npn transistor voltage amplifier has been replaced by • analyse voltage characteristics of amplifiers including linear voltage gain (Δvout/ vin) and clipping

Example of wording changes: Sound (Unit 4, Detailed Study 3. 3) The dot point Sometimes, dot points specify what is not included! • calculate sound intensity at different distances from a source using an inverse square law has become • calculate sound intensity at different distances from a source using an inverse square law (knowledge of acoustic power is not required)

Example of wording changes: Photonics (Unit 4, Detailed Study 3. 2) This is the only dot point which has shifted location. The dot point previously from Unit 4, Area of Study 2, ‘Interactions of light and matter’ • explain the production of incoherent light from wide spectrum light sources, including the Sun, light bulbs, and candles (descriptive), in terms of thermal motion of electrons has moved to Unit 4, Detailed Study 3. 2, ‘Photonics’ and is re-worded as • describe the production of incoherent light from wide spectrum light sources, including the Sun, light bulbs, and candles, in terms of the random thermal motion of valence electrons when atoms collide

Example of wording changes: Synchrotron and its applications (Unit 4, Detailed Study 3. 1) The dot points in this detailed study have specified The Australian Synchrotron. • describe basic synchrotron design including electron linac, circular booster, storage ring, beamlines has become • describe the basic design of The Australian Synchrotron including the general purpose of the electron linac (details about drift tubes and RF cavities are not required), circular booster, storage ring and beamlines

VCE Physics Study Design 2009–– 2012 Summary of included/clarified dot points Unit Area of Study/ Detailed Study 1 Title Included/clarified detail Ao. S 2 Electricity ‘potential difference’ used instead of ‘voltage’ Ao. S 1 -circular motion broadened Motion in -qualitative description of air resistance in projectile one and motion two dimensions -apparent weight, apparent weightlessness, weightlessness 3 Ao. S 2 Electronics and photonics -‘potential difference’ used instead of ‘voltage drop’ -modulation and demodulation have been elaborated -thermistor included as circuit component 3 DS 3. 3 Further electronics the effect of circuit components on ripple voltage has been made more specific 4 DS 3. 1 Synchrotron specific consideration of The Australian Synchrotron 4 DS 3. 2 Photonics production of incoherent light (from Unit 4, Ao. S 2) 3

Summary of deleted dot points and/or concepts Unit Area of Study/ Detailed Study 1&2 Title Removed detail DS 3. 4 Investigations: Flight computer modelling 3 Ao. S 1 Motion in one and two absolute nature of time and space dimensions 3 Ao. S 2 Electronics and photonics ‘voltage drop’ has been replaced with ‘potential difference’ 3 Ao. S 2 Electronics and photonics transistor amplifier Ao. S 2 Interactions of light and matter ‘production of incoherent light’ has been moved to the Photonics detailed study, Unit 4, DS 3. 2 4

VCE Physics Study Design 2009– 2012 – What’s new? Errata (refer to March 2008 VCAA VCA, VCAL and VET Bulletin March 2008, No. 57 p. 9) 1. Unit 3, the second sentence in the second paragraph on page 27 should read 2. ‘They design and carry out an extended practical investigation. ’ 2. Unit 3, Detailed Study 3. 1, the formula in the fifth dot point on page 31 should be: 3. m = m 0γ Unit 4, Area of Study 1, the second dot point on page 37 is incomplete. The dot point should read ‘calculate magnitudes … parallel to each other. ’ 4. Unit 4 Area of Study 3, Detailed Study 3. 1, the formula in the sixth dot point on page 40 should be: qv. B = mv 2/r Other errata which may be identified prior to 2009 implementation will be published in the Bulletin in December 2008.

Working with the VCE Physics Study Design 2009–– 2012 Learning: alternative student views of Physics concepts Learning - may be seen in terms of conceptual development or change, rather than the accumulation of (often disconnected) information - documented alternative views (sometimes called misconceptions) of physics concepts may be considered when planning teaching, learning and assessment activities - students’ conceptual understandings were considered in revising dot points for the 2009 -2012 Physics Study Design References: 1. For resources on identifying and overcoming stuents’ misconceptions refer to http: //www. education. monash. edu/research/groups/smte/projects/cups/ 2. DEECD’s Science continuum includes information about alternative ideas held by students and contrasts these views with the scientific view. Example http: //www. education. vic. gov. au/studentlearning/teachingresources/science/ scicontinuum/l 6 newton. htm#1 looks at Newtonian forces and motion

Learning: research Longitudinal research studies in the area of students’ alternative views conclude that alternative views about specific concepts in Physics have persisted. • What are the difficulties in changing students’ views about Physics concepts? • How can the research findings about students’ alternative views be applied more effectively in the classroom?

Working with the VCE Physics Study Design 2009–– 2012 Addressing alternative student views of Physics concepts When working with the VCE Physics Study Design to develop teaching, learning and assessment programs, teachers should consider: - What are the prior conceptions and attitudes held by students? (research/ pre-testing) - How can the research about students’ ‘alternative views’ be utilised in planning curriculum? - Which teaching strategies may be helpful in modifying students’ alternative views related to specific concepts? - What are the intellectual and emotional demands involved for students to develop or change their identified views?

Working with the VCE Physics Study Design 2009 -2012 Flexibility of curriculum design (1 of 2 slides) The VCE Physics Study Design provides a variety of opportunities for planning for individualised student learning: - choice of one of six Detailed Studies in each of Units 1 and 2 - combine specific Areas of Study 1 or 2 with appropriate Detailed Studies to develop thematic approaches to the study of Physics related to student interests e. g. issues related to nuclear power, sustainability, medical technology - teach multiple Detailed Studies in the one class - develop key skills in a variety of contexts, sequenced appropriately for the needs of students and allowing teachers to best use available school resources

Working with the VCE Physics Study Design 2009 -2012 Flexibility of curriculum design (2 of 2 slides) - develop employability skills which may be relevant to particular learning and assessment activities, and which may assist students in determining preferred career pathways - use multiple assessment formats (appropriate to students’ learning styles) to determine students’ prior views (diagnostic assessment) and monitor development (formative assessment) of conceptual understanding, in addition to summative assessment - utilise human and other resources external to the school - investigate possibilities for specialist delivery of study design content (in schools having multiple Physics teachers at one year level or who have formed a network with Physics teachers in nearby schools)

Working with the VCE Physics Study Design 2009 -2012 Curriculum design: Case study – topic selection Selection of topics When planning for Unit 2, a Physics teacher decided to combine ‘Motion’ with ‘Medical Physics’. In particular, the teacher felt that this combination would appeal to students who: • were interested in sport and sports injuries • intended to pursue further interests in the medical sciences

Working with the VCE Physics Study Design 2009 -2012 Curriculum design: Case study – stimulus material Stimulus material included • newspaper articles which referred to a broad range of motion and impact injuries • statistics related to the nature and frequency of sports injuries • advertisements for new sporting equipment and materials for improved performance • X-ray, CT, MRI and PET images related to sports injuries • case study – rehabilitation after injury: medical imaging as a diary of progress

Working with the VCE Physics Study Design 2009 -2012 Curriculum design: Case study – topic sequence The teacher planned a sequence of lessons involving: • use of the stimulus materials • POE (predict, observe, explain) activities related to motion in sport to explore student views about motion • selected key knowledge related to sport and impact (dot points 1 to 9 and 14 to 18 in study design) selected relevant key skills (from page 12 of the study design) which support understanding and application of key knowledge • pre-organised visit to hospital to look at medical imaging in situ: different perspectives e. g. radiographer/doctor/patient • appropriate assessment as, of and for learning, including the opportunity for students to study their selected sport in more detail

Working with the VCE Physics Study Design 2009 -2012 Curriculum design: Case study – considerations In determining topic sequence and selection, the teacher considered: • student interests • student prior knowledge and skills, including mathematical capacity • availability of school resources • availability of external resources: human, physical, educational programs and facilities • dealing with possible sensitivities to topics selected

Acknowledgments Australian Institute of Physics (Vic Branch) Education Committee Science Teachers Association of Victoria (STAV)

Contact Details Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) Website: www. vcaa. vic. edu. au Maria James, Curriculum Manager – Science Ph: (03) 9651 4655 james. maria. m@edumail. vic. gov. au Kris Allen, Examinations Project Manager Ph: (03) 9225 2356 allen. kristin. m@edumail. vic. gov. au