The Nov 2024 exam paper had two questions on content from Unit 1 Electricity, Section B, Q’n 12 on combining voltage sources in solar panels and Q’n 8c on electrical energy delivered by a current.
The Vicphysics Committee was of the understanding that the Nov exam could only assess Units 3 and 4 content because Units 1 and 2 are not a prerequisite. Vicphysics wrote to VCAA shortly after the exam to clarify the policy. VCAA’s response was uncommittal.
It is possible that the Examining Panel in seeking to design a question to assess the new dot point on solar panels over-reached the mark. The active verb in the new dot point is ‘describe’, which is in the bottom rung of the Verbs in the Key Knowledge, page 18 of the Study Design, with no suggestion of implying calculation.
Furthermore Unit 1 Electricity does not cover voltage sources in series and parallel.
It is likely that the design of this question was an oversight without any long-term implications. Not all dot points in Units 3 and 4 can be examined in any exam and often important concepts do miss out from time to time, so having marks on Unit 1 content does seem a lost opportunity.
Nevertheless, without any clear comment from VCAA, teachers may need to be circumspect in preparing their students for this year’s exam.
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