2. Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
VCAL Introduction
David Gallagher
Manager - VCAL
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority

3. Senior School Certificates
VCAL
(Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning)
Literacy & Numeracy, Industry Specific Skills,
Work Related Skills,
Personal Development Skills
Senior School Certificates
VCE
(Victorian Certificate of Education)
Usually units
90 different studies available
Vocational Education & Training
VCE VET Program
School Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship
Other VET Certificates

4. Policy driving VCAL
Ministerial Review of Post Compulsory Education and Training Pathways in Victoria 2000 (Kirby Report) stated:
Strong links between education/training outcomes and employment
Pathways for young people are uncertain, unequal and poorly signposted
VCE has its limitations as a program suited to the entire cohort at the upper secondary age

5. VCAL Senior secondary school qualification Accredited in July 2002
Based on existing good practice
Develops and extends pathways for young people to:
Work, apprenticeships/traineeships
Training and further education

6. VCAL enrolments 2011

7. VCAL providers 2011

8. Applied learning principles
Negotiate curriculum. Engage in a dialogue with learners about their curriculum
Connect with the communities and real life experiences
Integrate learning. Real life tasks are used to achieve leaning outcomes from a number of the VCAL strands
Share knowledge. Recognise the knowledge learners bring to the learning environment

9. Applied learning principles cont’d
Concerned with working with a student in a holistic manner - valuing skills and knowledge that may not normally be the focus of more traditional school curricula
Takes into account differences in preferred learning styles and ways of learning
Assess appropriately

10. VCAL VCAL Fab Four Curriculum flexibility Learner diversity
Community connections
Assessment practices

11. VCAL curriculum strands
Four compulsory curriculum strands:
Literacy and Numeracy Skills
Industry Specific Skills
Work Related Skills
Personal Development Skills

12. VCAL curriculum strands
Work Related Skills (WRS)
School based projects focusing on enterprise, teamwork, communication, resume writing, job applications, researching industry areas, OH&S etc. The unit may include structured work placements.
Personal Development Skills (PDS)
Development of knowledge/skills that leads to the development of self, social responsibility, building community, civic responsibility and improving self confidence.

13. VCAL curriculum strands
Literacy & Numeracy Skills (LNS)
Literacy Skills curriculum encourages the development of knowledge/skills, in the contexts of family, employment, further learning and community
Numeracy Skills curriculum develops skills to use mathematical skills within society related to design, measuring, time, travel etc
Industry Specific Skills (ISS)
The development of knowledge/skills related to one or more vocational areas in preparation for work or further training

14. VCAL award levels
3 VCAL award levels:
Foundation
Intermediate
Senior

15. VCAL course components
A VCAL learning program may contain curriculum components
drawn from:
VCAL units (LNS, ISS, WRS and PDS)
VCE units (including VET in the VCE programs)
Other VET curriculum or Training Packages
Further Education accredited curriculum

16. VCAA VCAL resources
Professional development program for VCAL providers
Curriculum Planning Guides
Unit Assessment Planning Guide
VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook
Brochures for parents/Year 10 students
Web address:

17. Community support

18. Applied Learning in the VCAL
School-based learning in classroom contexts
Work-based learning in work place settings
Service learning in community contexts
Project-based learning based involving 'real-world' issues
Adult learning in vocational learning contexts

19. John and the Country Fire Authority
John is 16 years old and completing his VCAL by blending his study at school with training courses and volunteer work with the Country Fire Authority (CFA).

20. John and the Country Fire Authority
Adult-based VET Certificate courses in fire fighting
Fund-raising activities for the Fire-wise Trailer Contributions to fire-safety community education program
Workplace learning with the Country Fire Authority
Presentations for local community and publications developed and published for media
Industry Specific Skills
Personal Development Skills
Work Related Skills
Literacy & Numeracy Skills

22. Contact Details David Gallagher + 61 3 9032 1727
Cornelia DeBrincat
Anton Bouwer
Website:

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