VCE Learning

To unpack the challenge of enhancing the quality of VCE learning What does the student need to know about how to interpret the task ? Ho w do they need to be able to show their knowledge ? How do they need to handle the stress of the display context ? What form does their topic knowledge need to be in (visual, verbal, etc)? What do they have to know about how to show their knowledge in the assessment context ? How will they connect what they know with what the task asks for ? How much do they need to know about each topic ? How do they need to know it ? What thinking do they need to do ? How do they need to be able use their knowledge ?

Analyse and describe the challenge How well do VCE students show the focus, motivation and persistence to achieve in VCE ? Ho w well do VCE students in NMR know how to show their knowledge ? How do they handle the stress of the VCE learning ? How well do VCE students learn topics in verbal ways ? Capacity to learn through literacy ? How appropriate are the expectations of VCE students in NMR ? How well they connect what they know with what the task asks for ? Any other ? How well do VCE students acquire the necessary VCE knowledge for each topic ? How well do VCE students show the thinking needed to success in VCE ? Where do issues /problems arise in VCE learning in NMR ?

Things you need to do to complete one of the tasks Need to have the topic knowledge in your head : need to ‘get ideas in your head’, have stored the ideas in long term memory. What does this look like ? What do you know when you know a topic : key vocabulary, ideas in sentences, questions it answers, when to use it, how to think about it. Need to have your topic knowledge in the most useful form (visual, verbal, etc) for the task. Need to store ideas in language forms, sentences. Importance of saying ideas in sentences, reading aloud from text. Need to know how to handle the stress in the assessment context ? Effective self talk, physical preparation

Things you need to do to complete one of the tasks Need to know how to interpret each task in the intended way. Need to connect what they know with what the task asks for You need to match the task with what you know (eg., it fits in here). Sometimes the task won’t match your knowledge directly- you may need to interpret it, reword it. Need to have an impression of what your response will be like : form an image of what the response would look like. Need to know how to show their knowledge ? Need to practise writing responses to typical tasks, think though writing

Things you need to do to complete one of the tasks Need to have enough knowledge of the topic to cover what the task requires. It needs to be ‘rich enough’ or have enough ‘breadth’ : Need to remember the ideas rapidly enough and automatically enough. You need to remember both the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of the task. Summarize and then summarize so that one idea stimulates others immediately. Need to know how to make their knowledge as clear / obvious as possible for examiners. Need to know the topic at the required depth. You need to know how you are required to think about the knowledge. You need to be able to do this. Identify the key thinking actions and apply them to what you know eg., ‘discuss.

Teaching to get at each of these Learning and remembering the knowledge Need to have the topic knowledge in your head : Need to learn the topic at the required depth, to ‘get ideas in your head’. What does topic knowledge look like ? What do you know when you know a topic ?  Learn key vocabulary, ideas in sentences, questions it answers, when to use it, how to think about it.  Look for key patterns and rules in the topics you are learning Teach students  The vocabulary of the subjects they are learning  How to teach themselves the new vocabulary, how to speculate about word meanings  How to link their meanings for a topic into meaning networks  How to form propositions for the key ideas in topics, how to paraphrase these  How to summarize a chapter of a text to extract main ideas and details  To link questions with the key ideas

Teaching to get at each of these Learning and remembering the knowledge Need to have your topic knowledge in the most useful form (visual, verbal, etc) for the task. sentences. Importance of saying ideas in sentences  Talk about the main ideas for the topic, paraphrase what they will do, imagine themselves doing it, read aloud from text.  If you know about a topic in images in your mind, practise talking about it in sentences

Teaching to get at each of these Learning and remembering the knowledge Need to know your learning strengths and weaknesses and how you can reduce the impact of these. Verbal versus experiental /action approach to learning Motivational orientation Goal setting and learning pathway See pages You can learn it.

Teaching to get at each of these Learning and remembering the knowledge Need to organize yourself as a learner ? See notes : Know how you learn Part 5 : Organising yourself as a learner

Teaching to get at each of these Learning and remembering the knowledge Need to store topic knowledge in memory Need to store ideas in language forms At the end of each topic make sure you can  say what you will remember as concisely as possible. Practise writing it, visualizing it, do it.  link it with what you know; how does it extend what you know / can do ? Where does it fit in ?  try to compress it using an acronym, a mnemonic, a formula  Where would you use it in the future ? Visualize remembering it On later occasions, practise recalling it.

Teaching to get at each of these Learning and remembering the knowledge Need to know the topic at the required depth. You need to know how you are required to think about the knowledge and do this.  Pick out the key thinking actions you will need to use and practise applying them to what you know eg., ‘discuss.  Make a list of these ‘thinking actions’ for each subject you are learning.  Practise explaining it to someone else.

Teaching to get at each of these Learn to interpret the assessment tasks and link your knowledge with it Need to know how to interpret each task in the intended way. Need to connect what they know with what the task asks for : You need to match the task with what you know (eg., it fits in here). Sometimes the task won’t match your knowledge directly- you may need to interpret it, reword it.  Ask yourself different types of questions about the ideas that you are learning. Practise linking tasks and questions with parts of each topic.  Work out the questions answered by key topics.  Practise making up sample questions and assessment tasks for topics on which you will examined.  Make up mock exam tasks.

Teaching to get at each of these Learn to interpret the assessment tasks and link your knowledge with it Need to have enough knowledge of the topic to cover what the task requires. It needs to be ‘rich enough’ or have enough ‘breadth’  Apply the thinking actions used in the subject to the topics.  Draw ideas maps to show your knowledge at any time.  Look for new links between ideas.  Look at an idea from different angles In some tasks in humanitites and English you will need to look at ideas from different perspectives, for example, de Bono, Bloom.

Teaching to get at each of these Learn to interpret the assessment tasks and link your knowledge with it Need to remember the ideas rapidly enough and automatically enough. You need to remember both the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of the task. Summarize and then summarize so that one idea stimulates others immediately.  Write summaries of topics and then summaries of the summaries. Pack as much information as possible into each key word or picture.  Write each summary on a small index card.  In some subjects your summary can be lists of questions and answers.  Compress ideas and link ideas to other ideas. Begin with a detailed concept map and end up with a few key words.  Use ‘replay time’: When you have begun to summarise topics by linking key words, practise revising the key words at various times in the day, for example, when you wake up you can replay the words you have for ionic bonding.

Teaching to get at each of these Learn how to show what you know: play the assessment game Need to know how to show their knowledge ?  Need to practise writing responses to typical tasks, think though writing  Know the formats you will have for showing what you know; multiple choice or short answer questions versus writing formats such as essays. Practise using them.  Plan how you will 'unload' your ideas. If writing isn't your strength and you have to write essays, you can unload your ideas in other ways first.

Teaching to get at each of these Learn how to show what you know: play the assessment game Need to have an impression of what your response will be like  Take time to form an image of what the response would look like.  Know what you want to say Get straight in your mind what you want to say for any task. Practise putting these together as concisely as you can before each exam.

Teaching to get at each of these Learn how to show what you know: play the assessment game Need to know how to make their knowledge as clear / obvious as possible for examiners.  Know the types of questions you will be asked Look over tasks in earlier tests and exams. What formats were easy/ hard ?  Help examiners see what you know. Show clearlywhat you know. Avoid the examiner needing to 'dig around' to see what you know. For an extended writing piece :  express each idea as simply and as clearly as possible  make sure each paragraph has a topic sentence that sums up what the paragraph says  number each part of each task as clearly as possible. Think of how you will convince the examiner of what you know. If you are arguing for a particular point of view, say your view as clearly as you can. Avoid writing all you know about a topic. Instead, direct your answer to the questions asked.

Teaching to get at each of these Learn how to show what you know: play the assessment game Need to know how to handle the stress in the assessment context ? Effective self talk, physical preparation  Use effective self-talk Tell yourself that you will use the exam to show what you do know.  If there are things you can't remember about a task, don't panic. Remember that they will probably come into your mind in a short while. Concentrate on what you do know, not on what you don't.  Using the reading time When writing begins.

A VCE year learning plan Learn, memorize and apply the new ideas Automatize what you know Exam Preparation In the exam : A strategic exam plan

A VCE year learning plan Learn, memorize and apply the new ideas 1.Learn vocabulary for each topic and paraphrase the ideas, link up the ideas, select the key ideas. 1.at the end of each study session store the key ideas in memory. 1.practise thinking about the ideas in different ways. 1.make up easy and difficult questions and tasks about the topic for other students. Learning how to organise yourself as a VCE learner. Develop positive VCE learning /study skills. Gather data about how to learn.

A VCE year learning plan Automatize what you know 1.Learn to use what you know automatically and make links between ideas more automatic so that one ideas stimulates others. 1.Link questions with what you know 1.Summarize and summarize again : compress what you know. 1.Ask yourself different types of questions about the ideas that you are learning. 1.Practise applying the ideas in a range of contexts. 1.Practise remembering, for example, What are the four main ideas you know about ….? See yourself automatizing what you know. Teachers use dialogue that guides/directs the automatizing

A VCE year learning plan Exam Preparation 1.Draw up your study plan. 1.Practise doing linking past exams and link these tasks with your topic knowledge. What ways of thinking do they want you to use ? 1.Practise interpreting different types of tasks; work on what each type asks you to do. 2.Practise using different strategies for showing what you know in writing and organise how you do this. 3.improve your time management on task 4.Explain key ideas to someone else. 1.Replay time or stretch time. 1.Work with friends works

A VCE year learning plan In the exam : A strategic exam plan 1.Fit your knowledge to the exam; Know what you want to say, Know the types of questions you will be asked; practice answering exam tasks 1.Plan how you will 'unload' your ideas, plan how you will use your time 1.Preparing for subjects you 'can't' prepare for, eg English 1. Using the reading time 1.When writing begins 1.Use effective self-talk 1.Help the examiner see what you know.

A VCE year learning plan Learn, memorize and apply the new ideas Automatize what you know Exam Preparation In the exam : A strategic exam plan

A VCE year learning plan Learn, memorize and apply the new ideas Automatize what you know Exam Preparation In the exam : A strategic exam plan

A VCE year learning plan Learn, memorize and apply the new ideas Automatize what you know Exam Preparation In the exam : A strategic exam plan