Senior Physics
September 2019: Physics Review Survey is released
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority has asked Vicphysics Teachers’ Network to survey teachers on the current Units 1 and 2 study design to inform the development of the next study design. The survey closed on 18th October, 2019.
October 2018: Physics Review Questionnaire
Units 1 and 2 of the current study design for VCE Physics are accredited until 31 December 2020 and Units 3 and 4 are accredited until 2021 (Ed Note: These dates have been extended). Units 1 and 2 of the study are scheduled for a review in 2019. As part of this review, the VCAA monitored the implementation of VCE Physics Units 1 to 4 in schools and collected data to inform the review. To assist this process, the VCAA conducted a questionnaire of practicing teachers and interested stakeholders, a copy of the questionnaire is provided below.
Physics Review Questionnaire 155 kB
A pdf copy of the Physics Review Questionnaire.
March 2015: New study design document released for implementation in 2016 and 2017.
October 2014: Consultation period has finished.
See below for results of consultation forums and the AIP Education Committee’s submission.
August 2014: VCAA Consultation Draft released
VCAA has released the Physics consultation draft.
The AIP Committee, as Vicphysics was known them, organised a series of consultation forums around the state. These were held in the first two weeks of September, as well as one on Saturday 23rd August for the forum group leaders to work through and refine the discussion questions.
Review of the Proposed Physics Curriculum 199 kB
The review of the proposed physics curriculum prepared by the AIP Education Committee and submitted to VCAA.
Letter on Consultation Forums 46.1 kB
Newsletter emailed to physics teachers announcing the release of the consultation draft and the opening of the registration for Consultation Forums.
Physics Study Design: Consultation Draft 839 kB
Summary of Changes in the Physics Study Design 441 kB
A 11 page Word document.
Comments from the Physics Consultation Forums 323 kB
A compilation from the reports by each of the groups discussing the consultation questions. The compiled comments have been augmented by submissions that came to the AIP Education Committee from teachers.
Discussion Questions for the Physics Consultation Forums 101 kB
The questions cover i) an overview of the course, ii) student-designed practical investigations, iii) common questions on the Areas of Study and iv) specific questions for each Area of Study.
December 2012
The Physics Australian Curriculum was released.
Physics in the Australian Curriculum 409 kB
Physics Curriculum document released by ACARA in December 2012
The curriculum overview on the ACARA website says in part: … State and territory curriculum, assessment and certification authorities are responsible for how senior secondary courses are organised, and they will determine how the Australian Curriculum content and achievement standards are to be integrated into their courses.
The state and territory authorities will also determine the assessment and certification specifications for those courses and any additional information, guidelines and rules to satisfy local requirements including advice on entry and exit points and credit for completed study.
During 2013, it was proposed that ACARA would work with each of the respective state and territory curriculum, assessment and certification authorities, as each authority determines what will be integrated into their local courses, and report back to Ministers about:
- the senior secondary Australian Curriculum content that will be common to all states and territories,
- the process and timelines for validation of the draft achievement standards, to inform subsequent discussion about their proposed use,
- the process and timeline within which each state and territory will undertake the integration of the Australian curriculum content and achievement standards into state and territory courses and commence implementation of the new courses..
The emphasis in bold is the website manager’s.
The 2013 Physics Teachers’ Conference featured a discussion group session titled ‘Setting the Parameters for a Physics Curriculum’ in which participants expressed their views on the structure, content and sequence for the study design that will be constructed by VCAA’s Physics Review Panel.
Discussion Questions and Background Material
Questions for the Small Group Discussions at the Physics Teachers’ Conference 28.2 kB
A possible restructuring of topics 32.8 kB
A one page Word document.
Group Responses from the Discussion Session on Physics Curriculum 301 kB
The discussion session was held at the Feb 2013 Physics Teachers’ Conference. The theme of the discussion was ‘Setting the Parameters for a Physics Curriculum’. The responses from the groups are collected for each question and presented as a 15 page Word document.
Group Responses from the Discussion Session on Physics Curriculum (Excel) 35.2 kB
The discussion session was held at the Feb 2013 Physics Teachers’ Conference. The responses from the groups are entered in an Excel spreadsheet to enable each group’s comments to be easily read.
July 2012
Final Consultation
The final Consultation Draft for Physics in Years 11 and 12 was released on Friday, 10th May, 2012. The draft is available below. The consultation period lasted until Friday, 20th July, 2012.
Consultation Draft for Physics in the Australian Curriculum 826 kB
Draft for the consultation period to 20th July, 2012.
ACARA Survey for Senior Sciences Consultation 182 kB
The AIP (Vic Branch) Education Committee organised a series of consultation forums across the state.
The Committee submitted its response to ACARA along with the other documents below as appendices.
Response by the AIP (Vic Branch) Education Committee 73.7 kB
Comments on the Physics draft from the Consultation Forums 180 kB
This file contains comments from the forums held during the holidays.
Comments on the Physics draft by Keith Burrows 112 kB
These comments focus on the need to create a curriculum which will attract more students and the problems with the ‘Models’ approach in the draft.
Comments on the Physics draft by Theo Hughes 239 kB
These comments focus on the Inquiry Skills and the analysis of data.
Response by Colin Hopkins 87.6 kB
This response looks at the whole document, section by section, if not dot point by dot point.
July 2010
Earlier Consultations
The earlier Consultation Draft for Physics in Years 11 and 12 was released on Friday, 14th May, 2010. That draft is available below. The consultation period lasted until 30th July, 2010.
The AIP (Vic Branch) Education Committee organised a series of consultation forums across the state. The forums were held in the week beginning 19th July that year and in the following 12 locations: Metropolitan (Sunshine West, Northcote, Kew, Ringwood, Mentone and Mt Eliza) and Regional (Geelong, Mildura, Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and Sale).
Consultation draft for Physics Years 11 – 12 133 kB
This 22 page pdf file outlines the proposed Physics course for Years 11 and 12.
Comments from the Consultation Forums 339 kB
Comments from the 14 Consultation Forums held across the state in the week beginning Monday 19th July. All reports have now been entered. The document is now 28 pages.
Response to Physics Draft by Dr Christina Hart 51.7 kB
Response to Physics Draft by AIP (Vic Branch) Education Committee 445 kB
Science: F – 10
The final version on Science F – 10 has been approved by the meeting of Education Ministers and has been released by Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, ACARA. The science document can be accessed at here . The ACARA website gives the Rationale, the Organisation in strands and sub-strands and the Curriculum from Foundation (the new name for Prep) to Year 10.
Australian Curriculum Framing Papers
In 2009 ACARA released ‘framing papers’ for English, Maths, Science and History. The science document was 12 pages long with a detailed 6 page survey form in the appendices
The document discussed the following matters: Selection of science content, Relevance of science learning, Flexibility and equity, General capabilities, and under the Structure of the curriculum, the Elements of a science curriculum and an outline for the different Stages of schooling, specifically stage 1 (typically from 5 to 8 years of age), stage 2 (typically from 8 to 12 years of age), stage 3 (typically from 12 to 15 years of age) and stage 4 (typically from 15 to 18 years of age).
ASTA produced a set of questions to be considered by teachers when responding to the framing paper. The AIP Education Committee has also added some questions. See document below.
National Curriculum Framing Paper Questions 27.6 kB
The Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA) has produced a set of questions that should be considered by teachers when responding to the National Curriculum Framing Paper on Science. The AIP Education Committee has also added some questions to this document.