3. Glossary
Glossary
The Senior Studies use an unique set of terms to refer to the processes and programmes that can get a bit confusing. This glossary will help you to understand some of these terms.
Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) ‒ The overall ranking on a scale of zero to 99.95 that a student receives, based on their study scores. The ATAR is calculated by VTAC and used by universities and TAFE institutes to select students for courses.
Authentication ‒ The process of ensuring that the work submitted by students for assessment is their own.
Derived Examination Score (DES) ‒ Provision available for students who have missed an examination or whose examination performance has been impaired due to illness or other personal circumstances.
Examinations ‒ External assessments set and marked by the VCAA. All VCE Unit 3 and 4 studies have at least one examination. Most written examinations are held in October and November, with a small number in June. Performance examinations and oral components of Languages examinations are held in October.
General Achievement Test (GAT) ‒ A test of knowledge and skills in writing, mathematics, science and technology, humanities and social sciences and the arts. All students enrolled in a VCE Unit 3 and 4 sequence must sit the GAT. It is used by the VCAA to check that schools are marking School-assessed Tasks to the same standard, as part of the statistical moderation of School-assessed Coursework and as a quality assurance check on the VCAA’s marking of examinations and School-assessed Tasks.
Graded Assessment ‒ All VCE studies have three Graded Assessments for each Unit 3 and 4 sequence, except for scored VCE VET programs, which have two. Each study includes at least one examination, most have School-assessed Coursework (SAC), and some have School-assessed Tasks (SAT).
Host School - a school or venue that hosts students studying a VET Subject.
Outcomes ‒ What a student must know and be able to do in order to satisfactorily complete a unit as specified in the VCE study design or VCAL unit.
Pre-requisite - a subject that is essential for entry to a tertiary course of study.
Study design ‒ A study design for each VCE study is published by the VCAA. It specifies the content for the study and how students’ work is to be assessed. Schools and other VCE providers must adhere to the requirements in the study designs.
Study score ‒ A score from zero to 50 which shows how a student performed in a VCE study, relative to all other Victorian students enrolled in that same study in a result year. It is based on the student’s results in school assessments and examinations.
Units ‒ The components of a study design that are a semester in duration. There are four units in each study design, Units 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Unit of Competence - One of the many small units that make up VET Unit of Study.
Vocational Major (VM) - The Vocational Major is an applied learning program within the VCE designed to be completed over a minimum of two years.
Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) ‒ An accredited senior secondary school qualification.
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) - is is a statutory authority primarily accountable to the Minister for Education, serving both government and non-government schools. The VCAA develops and implements curricula and assessment for Victorian students.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) ‒ Nationally recognised vocational certificates. These certificates may be integrated within a VCE or VCAL program.
VCE VET ‒ VET certificates developed into full programs of study within the VCE and contributing to satisfactory completion of the VCE under the same recognition arrangements as for VCE studies.
VET Provider - this can be any Registered Training Organisation (RTO) that enrols students and issues thr results and certificates. It might be a Vocational Education Institute (TAFE) or a privately run RTO.
Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) ‒ VTAC acts on behalf of universities, TAFEs and other providers facilitating and coordinating the joint selection system. VTAC calculates and distributes the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).