Review of VCE Systems Engineering
Summary of proposed changes to the study
design
General changes
The review of VCE Systems Engineering focused on:
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Updating of content to ensure currency of the study design
Aligning terminology more closely with industry and academia practice
Improving clarity of language in study design
Expanding content in Cross study specifications to remove repetition across Units
Increasing opportunities to using digital technologies for teaching and learning and assessment,
with greater opportunities to use open source technology
Specific changes
Unit 1: Mechanical systems
Unit 1 retains two Areas of Study.
i.
ii.
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Area of Study 1: Mechanical systems design
Area of Study 2: Producing and evaluating mechanical systems
The titles of Unit 1 and Area of Study 1 have been made more succinct
Refinement of wording in Outcomes 1 and 2
Key knowledge and key skills have been made more succinct
Addition of hydraulics and pneumatics in key knowledge
Information related to the assessment of Unit 1 has been clarified to specify two
recommended assessment tasks and additional assessment tasks
Unit 2: Electrotechnology systems
Unit 2 retains two Areas of Study
i.
ii.
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Area of Study 1: Electrotechnology system design
Area of Study 2: Producing and evaluating electrotechnology systems
The titles of Unit 2 and Area of Study 1 have been made more succinct
Refinement of wording in Outcomes 1 and 2
Key knowledge and key skills have been made more succinct
Increased flexibility to use virtual or real instruments e.g. oscilloscope
Information related to the assessment of Unit 2 has been clarified to specify two
recommended assessment tasks and additional assessment tasks
© VCAA June 2017
Review of VCE Systems Engineering
Unit 3: Integrated and controlled systems
Unit 3 retains two Areas of Study
i.
ii.
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Area of Study 1: Integrated and controlled systems design
Area of Study 2: Clean energy technologies
The title of Unit 3 has been made more consistent with Area of Study 1; both titles have
also been made more succinct
Key knowledge and key skills have been made more succinct
Greater application of higher order thinking to explore solar and wind power such as
reference to cradle to cradle analysis and its links to sustainability.
Refinement of wording in Outcome 1
Unit 4: Systems control
Unit 4 retains two Areas of Study
i.
ii.
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Area of Study 1: Producing and evaluating integrated technological systems
Area of Study 2: New and emerging technologies
The titles of Unit 4 and Area of Study 1 have been made more succinct
Key knowledge and key skills have been made more succinct
Refinement of wording in outcome statements
Reference to open source technology
Explicit reference to both economic and environmental sustainability
Refinement of wording in Outcome 1
© VCAA June 2017
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Review of VCE Systems Engineering
Assessment
Outcome statements in all areas of study across Units 1 to 4 have been slightly altered to be more
succinct and provide greater clarity.
Units 1 and 2 Outcome statements
Current Study Outcome Statements
Consultation Draft Outcome Statements
Unit 1
Unit 1
Area of study 1
Area of study 1
Describe and use basic engineering concepts,
principles and components, and using selected
relevant aspects of the Systems Engineering
Process, design and plan a mechanical or an
electro-mechanical system
Describe and use basic engineering concepts, principles
and components, and design and plan a mechanical
system using the Systems Engineering Process
Area of study 2
Produce, test and evaluate a mechanical system using
the Systems Engineering Process
Make, test and evaluate a mechanical or an
electro-mechanical system using selected
relevant aspects of the Systems Engineering
Process
Area of study 2
Current Study Outcome Statements
Consultation Draft Outcome Statements
Unit 2
Unit 2
Area of study 1
Area of study 1
Investigate, represent, describe and use basic
electrotechnology and basic control engineering
concepts, principles and components, and using
selected relevant aspects of the Systems
Engineering Process, design and plan an
electrotechnology system
Area of study 2
Make, test and evaluate an electrotechnology
system, using selected relevant aspects of the
Systems Engineering Process.
© VCAA June 2017
Investigate, represent, describe and use basic
electrotechnology and basic control engineering
concepts, principles and components, and design and
plan an electrotechnology system using the Systems
Engineering Process
Area of study 2
Produce, test and evaluate an electrotechnology system,
using the Systems Engineering Process.
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Review of VCE Systems Engineering
Unit 3 Outcome Statements
Current Study Outcome
Statements
Consultation Draft Outcome
Statements
Outcome 2
Outcome 2
unchanged
Discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of renewable and
non-renewable energy sources, and
analyse
and
evaluate
the
technology used to harness,
generate and store non-renewable
and renewable energy.
Marks
allocated
50
Total marks
Assessment tasks
The student’s performance on
the outcome should be
assessed using one or more
of the following formats:

short written report:
media analysis, case
study, structured
questions

multimedia presentation
or report

oral presentation
50
*School-assessed Coursework for Unit 3 contributes 10 per cent.
Unit 4 Outcome Statements
Current Study Outcome
Statements
Consultation Draft Outcome
Statements
Outcome 2
Describe and evaluate a range of
new or emerging technologies, and
analyse the likely impacts of a
selected innovation.
Outcome 2
unchanged
Marks
allocated
50
Total marks
Assessment tasks
The student’s performance on
the outcome should be
assessed using one or more
of the following formats:

short written report:
media analysis, case
study, structured
questions

multimedia presentation
or report

oral presentation
100
*School-assessed Coursework for Unit 4 contributes10 per cent.
School–assessed Task Outcome Statements
Outcomes
Consultation Draft Outcome
Statements
Assessment Tasks
Unit 3
Unit 3
The assessment task for Outcome 1 is:
Outcome 1
Outcome 1

Investigate, analyse and use
advanced
mechanicalelectrotechnology integrated
and control systems concepts,
principles and components,
Investigate, analyse and use
mechanical-electrotechnology
integrated and controlled
systems concepts, principles
and components, and design,
© VCAA June 2017
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A record of investigation, design,
planning and production
AND
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Preliminary production work.
Review of VCE Systems Engineering
Outcomes
Consultation Draft Outcome
Statements
and use the Systems
Engineering Process to design,
plan and commence creation
of an advanced integrated and
controlled system.
plan
and
commence
production of an integrated and
controlled system using the
Systems Engineering Process.
Unit 4
Unit 4
Outcome 1
Produce, test and diagnose an
advanced mechanicalelectrotechnology integrated
and controlled system using
selected relevant aspects of
the Systems Engineering
Process, and manage,
document and evaluate the
system and processes.
Outcome 1
Produce, test and diagnose a
mechanical-electrotechnology
integrated and controlled
system using the Systems
Engineering Process, and
manage, document and
evaluate the system and
processes, as well as their use
of it.
Assessment Tasks
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Production work accompanied by a
record of progress and modifications
(images and text)
AND
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A record of diagnostic testing and
performance data
AND
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A report that evaluates and suggests
improvements to the operational system
with reference to the factors that
influenced its development and to the
student’s use of the Systems
Engineering Process.
*School-assessed Task for Units 3 and 4 contributes 50 per cent to the study score.
© VCAA June 2017
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