VCE Vocational Major (VM)

Unit 1 VM Literacy

Areas of study

• Literacy for personal use

• Understanding and creating digital texts

Learning program & assessment

• Students examine how purpose, language and structure are present in texts they will see in everyday life

• Students participate and engage in learning practices that will equip them to deal safely and respectfully with others in the digital and virtual world

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include reflective journals, written pieces, performances, digital presentations, video, podcast, or oral presentations.

Unit 2 VM Literacy

Areas of study:

• Understanding issues and voices

• Responding to opinions

Learning program & assessment:

• Students will explore how people respond to issues based on their opinions, values, and perspectives. 

• Students will develop their opinions on a range of issues and explore how to react in a respectful and persuasive manner.

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include case study, response to structured questions, digital presentation, oral report, video, podcast or oral presentation, recorded debate, or discussion.

Unit 3 VM Literacy

Areas of study:

• Accessing and understanding informational, organisational, and procedural texts

• Creating and responding to organisation, informational or procedural texts

Learning program & assessment

• Students will participate and engage in activities that equip them to access, understand and discuss informational, organisational, and procedural texts.

• Students will read and respond to a variety of technical content from a vocational, workplace or organisational setting of their choice, demonstrating understanding of how these texts inform and shape the organisations they interact with, as well as their context, purpose and audience.

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include a series of annotations and summaries, a research task, a case study analysis, a set of instructions including visuals/diagrams, a brochure or report including visuals/diagrams, a vlog

Unit 4 VM Literacy

Areas of study:

• Understanding and engaging with literacy for advocacy

• Speaking to advise or to advocate.

Learning program & assessment:

• Students will read, discuss, analyse, and create texts that influence or advocate for self, a product, or a community group of the student’s choice.

• Students will use their knowledge and understanding of language, context, purpose and audience to complete oral and written presentation which showcase their learning. 

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include a series of annotations and summaries, a blog or vlog, a multimodal presentation created for promotion, a video, podcast or oral presentation, a digital presentation of a portfolio.

Unit 1 Foundation Maths

Areas of study

• Algebra, number, and structure

• Data analysis, probability, and statistics

• Financial and consumer mathematics

• Space and measurement

Learning program & assessment

• Students will develop mathematical knowledge, skills, understanding and dispositions to solve problems in real contexts for a range of workplace, personal, further learning, and community settings relevant to contemporary. 

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include portfolio, assignments, tests, solutions to sets of worked questions, summary notes or review notes, modelling tasks, problem solving tasks, mathematical investigations.

Unit 2 Foundation Maths

Areas of study

• Algebra, number, and structure

• Data analysis, probability, and statistics

• Financial and consumer mathematics

• Space and measurement 

Learning program & assessment

• Students will work on extending breadth and depth in the application of mathematics to solving practical problems from contexts present in students’ other studies, work and personal or other familiar situations.

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include portfolio, assignments, tests, solutions to sets of worked questions, summary notes or review notes, modelling tasks, problem solving tasks, mathematical investigations.

Unit 3 VM Numeracy

Areas of study

• Algebra, number, and structure

• Data analysis, probability, and statistics

• Financial and consumer mathematics

• Space and measurement 

Learning program & assessment

• Student should be able to define and explain key concepts as specified in the content from the areas of study and apply a range of related mathematical routines and procedures to solve practical problems from a range of everyday and real-life contexts.

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include mathematical investigations

Unit 4 VM Numeracy

Areas of study

• Algebra, number, and structure

• Data analysis, probability, and statistics

• Financial and consumer mathematics

• Space and measurement 

Learning program & assessment

• Student should be able to define and explain key concepts as specified in the content from the areas of study and apply a range of related mathematical routines and procedures to solve practical problems from a range of everyday and real-life contexts.

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include mathematical investigations

Unit 1 VM Work Related Skills (WRS)

Areas of study

• Future careers

• Presentation of career and education goals

Learning program & assessment

• Students will investigate information relating to future employment, including entry-level pathways, emerging industries, and growth industries and trends, and evaluate the impact of pursuing employment in different industries.

• Students will reflect on this research in the context of their individual skills, capabilities and education and/or employment goals. They will develop and apply strategies to communicate their findings.

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include a record of data analysis, a research task, a career and education report, a career and education presentation, a career and education research task, a career plan.

Unit 2 VM Work Related Skills (WRS)

Areas of study 

• Skills and capabilities for employment and further education

• Transferable skills and capabilities

Learning program & assessment

• Students will consider the distinction between essential employability skills, specialist and technical work skills and personal capabilities, and understand the importance of training and development to support the attainment and transferability of skills. 

• Students will collect evidence and artefacts relating to their personal skills and capabilities and promote them through resumes, cover letters and interview preparation.

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include a skills audit, participation in mock interviews, a further education and/or training plan, a cover letter, a resume, a mock interview.

Unit 3 VM Work Related Skills (WRS)

Areas of study

• Workplace wellbeing and personal accountability

• Workplace responsibilities and rights

• Communication and collaboration

Learning program & assessment

• Students will learn how to maintain positive working relationships with colleagues and employers, understanding the characteristics of a positive workplace culture and its relationship to business success. They will investigate key areas relating to workplace relations including methods for determining pay and conditions, workplace bullying, workplace discrimination, workplace harassment and dispute resolution.

• Students will discover how teamwork and communication skills contribute to healthy, collegiate and productive workplaces. 

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include a case study, a research task, a presentation, a report, a case study, a role play or performance, a presentation, a record of observed active listening techniques, a role play of performance, a presentation.

Unit 4 VM Work Related Skills (WRS)

Areas of study

• Portfolio development

• Portfolio presentation

Learning program & assessment

• Students will develop and apply their knowledge and skills relating to portfolios, including the features and characteristics of a high-quality physical and/or digital portfolio. The unit culminates in the formal presentation of a completed portfolio in a panel style interview and an evaluation of the end product.

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include evidence of research into a variety of portfolios to identify purpose, characteristics, intended audience and appropriate artefacts, presentation of a portfolio related to a target industry or target audience panel, evaluation of presented portfolio

Unit 1 VM Personal Development Skills (PDS)

Areas of study

• Personal identity and emotional intelligence

• Community health and wellbeing

• Promoting a healthy life

Learning program & assessment

• Students will investigate the elements of emotional intelligence and begin to develop an awareness of interrelationships between communities and the health and wellbeing of individuals. 

• Students will examine relationships between technologies and health and wellbeing, and develop tools for analysing the reliability, validity and accuracy of information and the efficacy of health messages.

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include a recorded reflection on personal attributes, a reflective journal, a case study, a project plan, a research task, annotated photographs, a critical evaluation of an activity or program, a digital or oral presentation reflecting on activity or program.

Unit 2 VM Personal Development Skills (PDS) 

Areas of study

• What is community?

• Community cohesion

• Engaging and supporting community

Learning program & assessment

• Students will consider the concept of community engagement and recognise the benefits and challenges of community engagement to address a range of issues. 

• Students will investigate the key features of effective community engagement to address issues and implement initiatives.

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include a visual presentation, a record and reflection of guest speaker/s or interview with community member/s, research task, an oral, digital or written report, a case study, a community engagement plan/concept map.

Unit 3 VM Personal Development Skills (PDS)

Areas of study

• Social awareness and interpersonal skills

• Effective leadership

• Effective teamwork

Learning program & assessment

• Students will examine leadership qualities and the characteristics of effective leaders and how these qualities can be applied to the achievement of goals within personal and community contexts.

• Students will evaluate individual contribution as well as the overall effectiveness of the team. 

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include a critical reflection on the use of interpersonal skills, a digital, oral, or written presentation, a report, a personal reflection of participation in practical tasks, a critical evaluation of a team activity, a compilation and reflection on a variety of feedbacks, an evaluation report of participation in practical tasks, a critical reflection on team members’ feedback.

Unit 4 VM Personal Development Skills (PDS) 

Areas of study

• Planning a community project

• Implementing a community project

• Evaluating a community project

Learning program & assessment

• Students will identify environmental, cultural, economic, and social issues affecting the community and select one for an extended community project. They will look at past approaches to the selected issue in Australia and elsewhere, consider how they will research information, and formulate an objective to achieve. 

• Student will participation in an extended project relating to a community issue. They will use their knowledge and understanding of language, context, and audience to complete an oral presentation that showcases their learning. 

• Students will present project to an appropriate audience of peers or community members and evaluate the effectiveness of chosen response to the issue.

• Assessments are based on practical applications of the outcome and can include a research or investigation report, a project plan, a record of active implementation, participation and execution of a planned project, a presentation regarding individual or team effectiveness in executing planned project.