Guest posting to voced-coord email list.
Item 5 of 10:

Date: Thu, 29 Oct 1998 20:18:58 +1100
To: voced-coord@owl.qut.edu.au
From: Jim Cumming
Subject: VocEd: Years 9 and 10 (guest)

Dear Colleagues

Steve and Lyn have raised interesting points about assessment, accreditation and certification.

It is significant that around Australia at present there are at least three models of completion and certification operating in relation to Years 9 and 10:

1. totally school-based;
2. school-based with some external moderation; and
3. school-based with some external testing.

In the ACT, Qld, SA, Vic and WA, it is generally the case that teachers are responsible for the assessment of their students and that principals are ultimately responsible for deciding whether a student has completed Years 9 and 10 satisfactorily. In Tas and NT some external moderation of Year 10 subjects is undertaken. In NSW external tests are administered to all students in Year 10 (English literacy and Mathematics in 1998; to be expanded to include Science in 1999; to be expanded to include History/Geography/Civics in 2002).

There is evidence to suggest that in some systems the level of prescription with regard to curriculum and assessment for students in Years 9 and 10 is increasing (eg in terms of mandated subjects, minimum hours and other requirements). A key question that is emerging for some students, teachers and parents is:
"What happens to students who fail to meet mandated requirements or minimum standards that are being set by state and territory education authorities?"
For example, will they be expected to repeat the year? Will they be offered 'alternative' courses? Will they be streamed into VET or other programs?

Jim Cumming
Educational Solutions Pty Ltd
Tel (02) 6254 8538
Fax (02) 6255 2072
jcumming@dynamite.com.au