Towards 2012 VCE Australian and Global Politics study design Australian Politics 2012-2016

Towards 2012VCE Australian and Global Politics study designAustralian Politics 2012-2016

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http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/

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Outline of session

• Overview of Review process• Unit 1 & 2 Discussion of key changes• Unit 3 & 4 Discussion of key changes• Assessment• Questions

Review process

2009 Consultation with stakeholders in focus groups: feedback informed the terms of reference

2010 Two Review Panels ( Australian Politics and Global Politics) : practising teachers, academics, subject association, Assessment branch, Chief Assessor

Consultation draft study design and feedback

2011 Reaccredited study design released (in schools March)

Implementation workshops

The 2012 – 2016 Study Design

• To be implemented in schools in 2012• Copies of the Study Design have been sent to

schools. Also available on the VCAA website (www.vcaa.vic.edu.au)

• Teachers will be informed via the VCAA Bulletin when the Assessment Handbook is available. Note that this will be published online only.

• Sample examinations will be prepared and published in early 2012

What’s in a name?

• International Politics changed to Australian and Global Politics. Why?

• New name reflects the content – both Australian and Global• SD in both areas in concerns power and power relationships

= Politics• Increasing contemporary use of the term ‘global’ to describe

phenomena eg GFC, Global people movements etc.• Both terms ‘global’ and ‘international’ are used in the SD

• There is a variety of usage in tertiary institutions (eg Global Politics, Uni of Melbourne, IS is in School of Politics at Monash)

Contemporary Focus

All Units of Australian Politics, Unit introductions:

VCE Australian Politics is contemporary in focus. While the focus of this study is the twenty-first century and current events, historical events, examples and illustrations may provide students with contextual understanding and may provide unique examples of the workings of the Australian political system.

Contemporary Focus

All units of Global Politics, Unit introductions,

This unit is concerned with contemporary issues and events. While these may have antecedents in issues and events before the twenty-first century that students need to understand to contextualise contemporary global situations, focus needs to be on the twenty-first century when choosing particular examples and case studies.

Unit 1: The national citizen

Current 2012-2016

Politics, power and people The national citizen

Areas of Study Areas of Study

1. Democracies and Dictatorships 1. Power politics and democracy

2. Leading people 2. Exercising and challenging

power

Unit 1: Broad changes

• An opportunity to consider the nature of politics and power in a broader context

• Strong focus on Australian content and providing a better background to Units 3 and 4 Australian Politics than the current study design

• Far more detail in the Key knowledge dot-points to make the scope of the content clearer for teachers – NOT to increase workload.

• Strong focus on contemporary Australian democracy – rather than to provide a theoretical/ institutional course in politics


Area of Study 1: Power, politics and democracy

Outcome 1

Describe and analyse the nature and purpose of politics and power in a broad sense and in the context of contemporary Australian democracy

Unit 1: Area of Study 1

• Introduces students to the broad nature of politics and the use and types of power

• Recognition that politics and power can be exercised in non-formal settings - uses students own knowledge of power in their everyday lives

• Encourages students to reflect on their views and opinions in relation to current issues

• Introduces students to broad features of democracy in Australia and the ways that young people can be involved

Unit 1 AoS 1: Activity: 5 – 10 minutes

Power and Responsibility

‘Elite sportspeople such as AFL footballers occupy positions of power, and hence must accept the responsibility that goes with that power.’

‘I disagree. They are entertainers, not politicians. Provided they don’t break the law, they can do whatever they like in their private lives.’

• What do you think?


Area of Study 2: Exercising and challenging power

Outcome 2

explain why people seek political power, and the major political ideologies that influence political involvement and political movements.

Unit 1: Area of study 2

Covers:• Motivations for political involvement• Leadership styles• Political ideologies• Political movements

Provides opportunities for students to look at contemporary case studies of leaders/ political movements/ and links between ideologies and actions

Unit 1 AoS 2: Activity ( 10 minutes)

Left, Right or Centre? • Devise a series (5-8) questions designed to

determine a person’s attitude or opinion on a series of political/social/economic/cultural issues.

• Pose those questions to the person next to you.• Does that assist in determining their political

ideology?

Unit 2: The global citizen

Current 2012-2016

Politics, power and people The global citizen


1. Looking out 1. Global threads

2. The international community 2. Global cooperation and conflict


• 21st century rather than an historical approach• Approaches globalisation from the perspective of

students • Introduces students to forms of global participation• Focuses on international cooperation and conflict

and the roles of global actors• Provides more detail in the Key knowledge dot-

points to make the scope of content clearer NOT to increase workload


Area of Study 1: Global Threads

Outcome 1

Identify the ways in which the lives of citizens in the twenty-first century are interconnected globally.


• Focus on political, economic and social threads which connect citizens in the twenty-first century

• Allows students to start with ‘threads’ which are familiar to them and be introduced to others

• Allows exploration of a huge range of examples (Facebook, WikiLeaks, McDonalds)

• Explores the notion of ‘global citizenship’ and key concepts associated with globalisation


Area of Study 2: Global cooperation and conflict

Outcome 2

Describe and analyse the extent to which the international community is cohesive, and whether it can effectively manage cooperation, conflict and instability in relation to selected case studies.


• Centres on international cooperation and conflict and how it is managed by the international community

• Allows for case study focus of cooperation and conflict

• Case studies include environment, refugees, war, genocide and organised crime

Activity: Global citizenship ( 10 minutes)

• How are you a global citizen?• Describe three of your current roles as a global

citizen ( eg shopping on eBay)• How could you use these experiences in an

assessment task for Unit 2 ( eg a poster or YouTube)?

Unit 3: Evaluating Australian democracy

Current 2012-2016

Democracy in the making Evaluating Australian Democracy


1. Washington to Canberra 1. Australian Democracy

2. Continuity and change 2. Australian Democracy in perspective


• Reverses the Areas of study in the current design – consultation found this more logical

• Far more detail in the Key knowledge dot-points to support teaching and learning NOT to increase the workload

• Introduces other political systems for comparison rather than the USA alone


Area of Study 1: Australian Democracy

Outcome 1

Describe and analyse key aspects of democratic theory and practice, and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the Australian political system


• Covers:• Values and principles of democracy• Democracy in practice• The Australian Electoral System• The Australian Parliament• The Australian Constitution – with a narrower focus than the current study

- on rights and freedoms• Challenges facing Australian democracy• More specific key knowledge to support teaching and learning sequence

NOT to increase workload

Unit 3 AoS 1 – Activity (10 minutes)

Snapshot of Australian democracy

Discuss and feedback to the group:• Two indications that Aust democracy is getting

stronger• Two indications that Aust democracy is getting

weaker.


Area of Study 2:

Outcome 2

Critically compare the political system of Australia with one other democracy, and evaluate an aspect of the political system that Australia might adopt to strengthen its democracy.


• Compares features of the political system of Australia with one of: USA, UK, Germany, India

• Focus is on the democratic strengths and weaknesses - and what aspects of another system might be adopted by Australia

• Covers: electoral system, legislative branch, protection of democratic rights and freedoms, political leadership, parties.

• An aspect that Australia might adopt to strengthen its democracy

Unit 3: Area of study 2: Questions

Unit 4: Australian public policy

Current 2012-2016

The challenge of power Australian public policy


1. People and policy 1. Domestic policy

2. Contemporary foreign policy 2. Foreign Policy


•Largely similar to the current study design

BUT

•More detail in the Key knowledge to unpack both areas of study


Area of Study 1: Domestic policy

Outcome 1

Explain how Australian federal domestic public policy is formulated and implemented, analyse the factors which affect these processes, and critically evaluate a selected contemporary domestic policy issue

Unit 4, Area of study 1: Domestic policy

•The nature of domestic public policy formulation and implementation•The complexities of domestic policy making in a democracy; particularly complexities concerned with politics and elections•The range of influences on policy-making•The extent of success in formulating and implementing public policy•Study of a specific, contemporary domestic policy issue

Unit 4 AoS 1 Activity (10 minutes)

Evaluating the success of Indigenous policy

• How can the success of Australian indigenous policy be determined?

• Assuming it is less than successful, what factors might be responsible?

• How might these factors be overcome?


Area of Study 2: Foreign Policy

Outcome 2

Describe, analyse and discuss the nature, objectives and instruments of contemporary Australian foreign policy, and the challenges facing Australian foreign policy

Unit 4, Area of Study 2: Foreign Policy

Covers : •The nature of AFP ( including difference between domestic policy and foreign policy)•Key objectives of AFP•Key instruments of AFP•Key challenges facing AFP

Unit 4, AoS 2: Activity (10 minutes)

Australia's national interests are no longer simply shaped by our regional strategic geography . . . while our region remains critical, we are now also profoundly shaped by political, economic and social developments around the globe; and . . . our analysis and our diplomacy must, as a result, be directed both to our neighbourhood and to the world.

Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd, March 2011.

How might Australia’s national interests be directly affected by the ‘Arab awakening’ in North Africa, and the Middle East?

Advice to teachers/ Resources

NOT MANDATED.However:•Provides a range of advice on the study•Examples of issues and case studies•Sample teaching and learning activities•Examples of detailed learning activities•Week by week plans for units

Resources •Online from the study page

Assessment Units 1 and 2

• Satisfactory completion of a unit is based on whether a student has demonstrated achievement of all of the specified outcomes

• Assessment is school-based and teacher assessed

• Be guided by the Key knowledge and Key skills when developing learning activities

• Assessment tasks should be part of the teaching and learning program

Assessment Units 1 and 2

• Assessment tasks should be completed mainly in class

• Select a variety of assessment tasks to provide for different learning styles

• Select tasks from the lists on pages 15 – 16 and 20 of the study design

• The number of tasks is up to the school – the purpose is to allow students to demonstrate the outcome

AP- Assessment Unit 3

Outcomes Marks

Allocated Assessment tasks

Outcome 1 Describe and analyse key aspects of democratic theory and practice, and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the Australian democratic system.

50

Outcome 2 Critically compare the political system of Australia with one other democracy, and evaluate an aspect of the selected political system that Australia might adopt to strengthen its democracy.

50

Total Marks 100

For each outcome select one or more of the following: • a multimedia presentation • a visual representation • a case study • an essay • a report • a test • structured questions • short-answer questions • an extended response.

Total marks 100 *School-assessed Coursework for Unit 3 contributes 25 per cent.

AP- Assessment Unit 4

Outcomes Marks Allocated

Assessment tasks

Outcome 1 Explain how Australian federal domestic public policy is formulated and implemented, analyse the factors which affect these processes, and critically evaluate a selected contemporary domestic policy issue.

50

Outcome 2 Describe, analyse and discuss the nature, objectives and instruments of contemporary Australian foreign policy, and the challenges facing Australian foreign policy.

50

Total Marks 100

For each outcome select one or more of the following: • a multimedia presentation • a visual representation • a case study • an essay • a report • a test • structured questions • short-answer questions • an extended response.

Total marks 100 *School-assessed Coursework for Unit 3 contributes 25 per cent.

Assessment Units 3 & 4

S/NSatisfactory completion of unit is based on whether the student has demonstrated achievement of all specified outcomes

Contribution to Study Score

Unit 3 School-assessed coursework

25%

Unit 4 School-assessed coursework

25%

Examination – end of year

50%


School-assessed coursework• Teacher set and assessed and reported to

VCAA• See Assessment Handbook for advice on

assessment tasks and performance descriptors• Range of assessment tasks available • Part of the regular teaching and learning

program, and completed mainly in class within a limited time frame

• SACs may be audited by VCAA.


Examinations

• Sample examination will be published in 2012

• Format and structure still to be decided

• As is the case at present, the examination will be of two hours duration.

Thanks to AGP presenters:

• Paul Gilby• Anna- Louise Simpson• Gregory Sturges• Rod Wise

Contact Details

Pat HincksCurriculum Manager: Humanities and Social Sciences

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority(VCAA)

Ph: (03) 9651 4439Mobile: 0400 831 [email protected]

Documents

Towards 2012 VCE Australian and Global Politics study design Australian Politics 2012-2016