Rationale: 

VCE Outdoor and Environmental Studies provide students with the skills and knowledge to safely participate in activities in outdoor environments and to respect and value diverse environments. The blend of direct practical experience of outdoor environments with more theoretical ways of knowing enables informed understanding of human relationships with nature.

Students will be encouraged to seek a range of outdoor environments and outdoor experiences, varying in duration from multi-day/journey-based activities to half/whole-day activities and class-time activities on school campus grounds or in the nearby local environment 

In Units 1 and 2 students will participate in a 3 day camp to Torquay and a 3 day canoe/hike along the Glenelg River. In Units 3 & 4 students are expected to attend one organised camp per unit. They will participate in a bushwalking/surfing in the Lorne region, plus an environmental awareness camp to the Otway region. The cost of participating in the camps is in addition to the fees and levies charged at the beginning of the year – information regarding the costs for these activities can be gained by contacting the College (approximately $300 per annum). We are currently in the process of investigating an Alpine trip. This may cost approximately $900. Information will be distributed early in the year if this is becomes a viable option.

Unit 1:  Connections with Outdoor Environments 

Students will cover the following areas of study:

• Our place in Outdoor Environments

• Exploring outdoor environments

• Safe and Sustainable participation in Outdoor Environments

Unit 2:  Discovering Outdoor Environments

Students will examine the following Areas of Study:

• Understanding Outdoor Environments

• Observing impacts on Outdoor Environments

• Independent participation in Outdoor Environments

Unit 3:  Relationships with outdoor environments

Students will examine:

• Changing Relationships with Natural Environments

• Relationships with Australian environments in the past decade

Unit 4: Sustainable Outdoor Environments

Students will study:

• The importance of Healthy Outdoor Environments

• The future of outdoor Environments

Entry

There are no prerequisites for entry to Units 1, 2 and 3. Students must undertake Unit 3 prior to undertaking Unit 4. Units 1 to 4 are designed to a standard equivalent to the final two years of secondary education. This subject will cost approximately $300 per year.

ASSESSMENT:

Units 1 & 2: For this unit students are required to demonstrate achievement of the two outcomes - based on the student’s performance on a selection of assessment tasks.

Units 3 & 4:

• Unit 3: School-assessed Coursework 25 %

• Unit 4: School-assessed Coursework 25 %

End of year examination: 50%

Contact Time:

Lessons per week: 5 periods

Subject duration: Year Long

PE/ Health/ Outdoor Education Leader: Dean Collishaw