VCE Global Politics: Units 3 and 4:
2016–2017
Advice for teachers
VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
Authorised and published by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
Level 1, 2 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
ISBN: 978-1-925264-20-3
© Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority [year]
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Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 4
Administration .............................................................................................................................. 4
Curriculum..................................................................................................................................... 4
Developing a course ................................................................................................................... 4
Employability skills ...................................................................................................................... 5
Resources ................................................................................................................................... 5
Assessment................................................................................................................................... 5
Scope of tasks ............................................................................................................................ 7
Units 3 and 4 ............................................................................................................................... 7
Authentication ............................................................................................................................... 8
Learning activities ...................................................................................................................... 10
Unit 3: Global actors.................................................................................................................. 10
Unit 4: Global challenges .......................................................................................................... 15
School-assessed Coursework (SAC) ........................................................................................ 22
Unit 3 ........................................................................................................................................ 22
Performance descriptors............................................................................................................ 24
Appendix 1: Employability skills ............................................................................................... 28
Appendix 2: Examples of weekly course outlines .................................................................... 30
Unit 3: Global actors.................................................................................................................. 30
Unit 4: Global challenges .......................................................................................................... 32
Appendix 3: Glossary ................................................................................................................. 34
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Introduction
The VCE Global Politics Unit 3 and 4 Advice for teachers handbook provides curriculum and
assessment advice for Units 3 and 4. It contains advice for developing a course with
examples of teaching and learning activities and resources for each unit.
Assessment information is provided for school-based assessment in Units 3 and 4 and
advice for teachers on how to construct assessment tasks with suggested performance
descriptors and rubrics.
The course developed and delivered to students must be in accordance with the VCE Global
Politics Study Design Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017.
Administration
Advice on matters related to the administration of Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)
assessment is published annually in the VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook. Updates
to matters related to the administration of VCE assessment are published in the VCAA
Bulletin.
Teachers must refer to these publications for current advice.
VCE Global Politics Study Design Units 3 and 4 examination specifications, past
examination papers and corresponding examination reports can be accessed at:
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vce/studies/physics/exams.aspx
Graded Distributions for Graded Assessment can be accessed at
www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vce/statistics/2013/index.aspx
Curriculum
Developing a course
A course outlines the nature and sequence of teaching and learning necessary for students
to demonstrate achievement of the set of outcomes for a unit. The areas of study describe
the learning context and the knowledge and skills required for the demonstration of each
outcome.
Teachers must develop courses that include appropriate learning activities to enable
students to develop the knowledge and skills identified in the outcomes in each unit.
Global Politics is a study of how key global actors interact in contemporary international
relations. The course focuses on the challenges to the power and sovereignty of states as a
result of the forces of globalisation, ethical issues and global crises. Students identify and
describe specific global actors and explain and analyse their aims, roles and power through
case studies of actions that have taken place in the twenty-first century. It is important for
teachers to make students aware of the overlap of content, events and ideas between areas
of studies in Unit 3 and Unit 4. Course development should use the first area of study as
establishing core knowledge that connects to more detailed case studies in other areas of
the course. Case studies are an important resource when contextualising and elaborating on
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the key knowledge and key skills. In particular, the national interests and power of a selected
state in the Asia-Pacific region are evaluated in close detail. The course requires
understanding of the competing viewpoints and arguments associated with important ethical
issues, such as human rights, and an ability to carefully analyse the causes of and
responses to major global crises of the twenty-first century, such as terrorism and Climate
Change.
Employability skills
VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4 provide students with the opportunity to engage in a range
of learning activities. In addition to demonstrating their understanding and mastery of the
content and skills specific to the study, students may also develop employability skills
through their learning activities.
The nationally agreed employability skills are: Communication; Planning and organising;
Teamwork; Problem solving; Self-management; Initiative and enterprise; Technology; and
Learning.
The table links those facets that may be understood and applied in a school or nonemployment related setting, to the types of assessment commonly undertaken within the
VCE study.
Resources
A list of resources is published online on the VCAA website and is updated annually. The list
includes teaching, learning and assessment resources, contact details for subject
associations and professional organisation.
Assessment
Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning. At the senior secondary level it:




identifies opportunities for further learning
describes student achievement
articulates and maintains standards
provides the basis for the award of a certificate.
As part of VCE studies, assessment tasks enable:
 the demonstration of the achievement of an outcome or set of outcomes for satisfactory
completion of a unit
 judgment and reporting of a level of achievement for school-based assessments at Units
3 and 4.
The following are the principles that underpin all VCE assessment practices. These are
extracted from the VCAA Principles and guidelines for the development and review of VCE
Studies published on the VCAA website.
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VCE assessment
will be valid
This means that it will enable judgments to be made about demonstration of the
outcomes and levels of achievement on assessment tasks fairly, in a balanced
way and without adverse effects on the curriculum or for the education system.
The overarching concept of validity is elaborated as follows.
VCE assessment
should be fair and
reasonable
Assessment should be acceptable to stakeholders including students, schools,
government and the community. The system for assessing the progress and
achievement of students must be accessible, effective, equitable, reasonable
and transparent.
The curriculum content to be assessed must be explicitly described to teachers
in each study design and related VCAA documents. Assessment instruments
should not assess learning that is outside the scope of a study design.
Each assessment instrument (for example, examination, assignment, test,
project, practical, oral, performance, portfolio, presentation or observational
schedule) should give students clear instructions. It should be administered
under conditions (degree of supervision, access to resources, notice and
duration) that are substantially the same for all students undertaking that
assessment.
Authentication and school moderation of assessment and the processes of
external review and statistical moderation are to ensure that assessment
results are fair and comparable across the student cohort for that study.
VCE assessment
should be
equitable
Assessment instruments should neither privilege nor disadvantage certain
groups of students or exclude others on the basis of gender, culture, linguistic
background, physical disability, socioeconomic status and geographical location.
Assessment instruments should be designed so that, under the same or similar
conditions, they provide consistent information about student performance. This
may be the case when, for example, alternatives are offered at the same time for
assessment of an outcome (which could be based on a choice of context) or at a
different time due to a student’s absence.
VCE assessment
will be balanced
The set of assessment instruments used in a VCE study will be designed to
provide a range of opportunities for a student to demonstrate in different contexts
and modes the knowledge, skills, understanding and capacities set out in the
curriculum. This assessment will also provide the opportunity for students to
demonstrate different levels of achievement specified by suitable criteria,
descriptors, rubrics or marking schemes.
Judgment about student level of achievement should be based on the results
from a variety of practical and theoretical situations and contexts relevant to a
study. Students may be required to respond in written, oral, performance,
product, folio, multimedia or other suitable modes as applicable to the distinctive
nature of a study or group of related studies.
VCE assessment
will be efficient
The minimum number of assessments for teachers and assessors to make a
robust judgment about each student’s progress and learning will be set out in the
study design. Each assessment instrument must balance the demands of
precision with those of efficiency. Assessment should not generate workload
and/or stress that unduly diminish the performance of students under fair and
reasonable circumstances.
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Scope of tasks
For Units 3 and 4 in all VCE studies assessment tasks must be a part of the regular teaching
and learning program and must not unduly add to the workload associated with that
program. They must be completed mainly in class and within a limited timeframe.
Points to consider in developing an assessment task:
1. List the key knowledge and key skills.
2. Choose the assessment task where there is a range of options listed in the Study Design.
It is possible for students in the same class to undertake different options; however,
teachers must ensure that the tasks are comparable in scope and demand.
3. Identify the qualities and characteristics that you are looking for in a student response and
design the criteria and a marking scheme
4. Identify the nature and sequence of teaching and learning activities to cover the key
knowledge and key skills outlined in the Study Design and provide for different learning
styles.
5. Decide the most appropriate time to set the task. This decision is the result of several
considerations including:
 the estimated time it will take to cover the key knowledge and key skills for the
outcome
 the possible need to provide a practice, indicative task
 the likely length of time required for students to complete the task
 when tasks are being conducted in other studies and the workload implications for
students.
Units 3 and 4
The VCAA supervises the assessment for levels of achievement of all students undertaking
Units 3 and 4.
There are two main forms of school-based assessment: School-assessed Coursework
(SAC) and in some studies, the School-assessed Task (SAT).
School–assessed
Coursework
A SAC is selected from the prescribed list of assessment tasks designated for that
outcome in the study design. A mark allocation is prescribed for each SAC. Teachers
may develop their own marking schemes and rubrics or may use the performance
descriptors
The VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook provides more detailed information about
School-assessed Coursework.
School-assessed
Task
A SAT is a mandated task prescribed in the study design. The SAT is assessed using
prescribed assessment criteria and accompanying performance descriptors published
annually on the relevant study page on the VCAA website. Notification of their
publication is given in the February VCAA Bulletin. Teachers will provide to the VCAA a
score against each criterion that represents an assessment of the student’s level of
performance. Details of authentication requirements and administrative arrangements
for School-assessed Tasks are published annually in the current year’s VCE and VCAL
Administrative Handbook.
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In VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4 the student’s level of achievement will be determined by
School-assessed Coursework and an end-of-year examination. The VCAA will report the
student’s level of performance as a grade from A+ to E or UG (ungraded) for each of three
Graded Assessment components: Unit 3 School-assessed Coursework, Unit 4 Schoolassessed Coursework and the end-of-year examination.
In Units 3 and 4, school-based assessment provides the VCAA with two judgments:
S (satisfactory) or N (not satisfactory) for each outcome and for the unit; and levels of
achievement determined through specified assessment tasks prescribed for each outcome.
School-assessed Coursework provides teachers with the opportunity to:





select from the designated assessment task/s in the Study Design
develop and administer their own assessment program for their students
monitor the progress and work of their students
provide important feedback to the student
gather information about the teaching program.
Teachers should design an assessment task that is representative of the content (key
knowledge and key skills underpinning the outcome) and allows students the opportunity to
demonstrate the highest level of performance. It is important that students know what is
expected of them in an assessment task. This means providing students with advice about
the outcome’s key knowledge and key skills to be assessed. Students should know in
advance how and when they are going to be assessed and the conditions under which they
will be assessed.
Assessment tasks should be part of the teaching and learning program. For each
assessment task students should be provided with the:
 type of assessment task as listed in the study design and approximate date for
completion
 time allowed for the task
 allocation of marks
 nature of any materials they can utilise when completing the task
 information about the relationship between the task and learning activities should also be
provided as appropriate
Following an assessment task:
 teachers can use the performance of their students to evaluate the teaching and learning
program
 a topic may need to be carefully revised prior to the end of the unit to ensure students
fully understand the key knowledge and key skills required in preparation for the
examination
 feedback provides students with important advice about which aspect or aspects of the
key knowledge they need to learn and in which key skills they need more practice.
Authentication
Teachers should have in place strategies for ensuring that work submitted for assessment is
the student’s own. Where aspects of tasks for school-based assessment are completed
outside class time teachers must monitor and record each student’s progress through to
completion. This requires regular sightings of the work by the teacher and the keeping of
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records. The teacher may consider it appropriate to ask the student to demonstrate his/her
understanding of the task at the time of submission of the work.
If any part of the work cannot be authenticated, then the matter should be dealt with as a
breach of rules. To reduce the possibility of authentication problems arising, or being difficult
to resolve, the following strategies are useful:
 Ensure that tasks are kept secure prior to administration, to avoid unauthorised release to
students and compromising the assessment. They should not be sent by mail or
electronically without due care.
 Ensure that a significant amount of classroom time is spent on the task so that the
teacher is familiar with each student’s work and can regularly monitor and discuss
aspects of the work with the student.
 Ensure that students document the specific development stages of work, starting with an
early part of the task such as topic choice, list of resources and/or preliminary research.
 Filing of copies of each student’s work at given stages in its development.
 Regular rotation of topics from year to year to ensure that students are unable to use
student work from the previous year.
 Where there is more than one class of a particular study in the school, the VCAA expects
the school to apply internal moderation/cross-marking procedures to ensure consistency
of assessment between teachers. Teachers are advised to apply the same approach to
authentication and record-keeping, as cross-marking sometimes reveals possible
breaches of authentication. Early liaison on topics, and sharing of draft student work
between teachers, enables earlier identification of possible authentication problems and
the implementation of appropriate action.
 Encourage students to acknowledge tutors, if they have them, and to discuss and show
the work done with tutors. Ideally, liaison between the class teacher and the tutor can
provide the maximum benefit for the student and ensure that the tutor is aware of the
authentication requirements. Similar advice applies if students receive regular help from a
family member.
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Learning activities
Unit 3: Global actors
Area of Study 1: Global actors
The interrelationship between sovereignty and power of states and their interaction with global actors is
best illustrated through regular exposure to contemporary examples from a wide variety of media and
journal sources.
Using case studies students should understand the role of the state as the principal actor in global
politics; this can be contextualised by looking at one or more states. The distinction between states and
nations should be acknowledged. Students should investigate the key challenges to state sovereignty,
including examples where state borders are contested by internal and external forces, such as
territorial disputes or internal challenges to states such as natural disasters and/or civil war that require
multilateral resolutions. Additionally, the effects of globalisation have created issues and problems that
cannot be solved alone by states. States have responded to shared problems or threats by forming
regional groupings, some of which can affect traditional principles of sovereignty, for example the
European Union’s members cooperate across a wide range of traditional ‘state issues’, from economic
regulation, immigration, foreign policy to law where member states give up some degree of sovereignty
to the supranational European Union bodies.
A good starting point for investigating these Intergovernmental organisations (IGOs) is their official
websites, which contain in-depth factual detail on their work. As an introductory teaching and learning
activity, students could complete a web quest on each of these institutions’ aims, roles and power.
Journal and news articles provide a good springboard for the evaluation and analysis of the work of
these IGOs.
The Study Design requires the evaluation of the power of two non-state actors; choose two legal
organisations or one legal organisation and one global terrorist movement. If a global terrorist
organisation is selected as one of the two non-state actors, it must operate in at least two states.
Consider the reasons for the growth in non-state actors and their role in challenging the power of the
state and placing pressure on states. The illegal and shifting nature of global terrorist movements
means students will rely more on secondary sources such as books, journals and documentaries.
Some contemporary examples of non-state actors are:
 human rights organisations (which may also include NGOs that provide development assistance):
Amnesty International, Médicins Sans Frontières, Red Cross, Save the Children, Human Rights
Watch, Democracy Watch, Global Witness, Marie Stopes International, Oxfam, Save the Children
 environmental organisations: Greenpeace, WWF, Friends of the Earth, Earth Action, Green
Alliance, Nature Conservancy, Rainforest Alliance, United Earth
 organised religions: Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism
 global terrorist movements: Al Qaeda, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Kurdistan
Workers Party, (PKK), Hezbollah.
Transnational Corporation (TNC) are controversial actors because of their power and impact on the
global economy and on individual states. Some current examples for possible investigation include:
General Electric, Royal Dutch Shell Group, Vodafone Group, Toyota Motor Corporation, ExxonMobil
Corporation, Volkswagen Group, GDF Suez, CITIC Group, and Samsung Electronics.
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Outcome 1:
Examples of learning activities
Evaluate the power of key
global actors in the twenty-first
century and assess the extent
to which they achieve their
aims.
 define the following terms and find contemporary examples to support the
definition: ‘nation’, ‘state’, ‘sovereignty’, ‘power’, ‘global governance’,
‘multilateralism’, ‘public opinion’, ‘globalisation’
 research and outline the bases of power of each global actor; rank the
global actors in order of importance; justify the ranking
 research the European Union as an example of a regional grouping, and list
the various ways it has impacted on state sovereignty, such as the
economic bailout of Greece
 research a situation in which the sovereignty of a state has been challenged
by an issue of contested or changing borders, such as in the Ukraine
 investigate two non-state actors; for example, legal non-government
organisations, such Amnesty International, or Greenpeace; an organised
religion, such as the Catholic Church; or a global terrorist organisation, such
as al-Qaeda; outline the aims of each of the selected non-state actors and
explain their role and power as a global actor
 prepare a group presentation on an intergovernmental organisation (IGO);
outline its aims and power and the extent to which its aims are achieved
 compile a media file on global actors; include at least ten articles from the
last 12 months and at least one cartoon; outline the key points of each
article and explain how the issues in the articles and cartoon relate to the
aims, roles or power of global actors
 evaluate the power of one Transnational Corporation (TNC) in terms of
achieving its aims and its roles in global politics and the global economy
 plan an essay response, including topic sentences and evidence, to the
following statement: ‘States are the most powerful actors in global politics’
 develop a class wiki in which class members discuss the influence of the
key global actors
 individually select an NGO and conduct research on its aims, roles and
power of the non-state actors; share research in a blog or a collaborative
document
 produce a poster to illustrate the different sources of power of various global
actors and how they interact with one another
 compile a list of technological, communication and economic changes which
have facilitated the growth and power of non-state actors and one TNC
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Detailed example
CREATE A PRESENTATION ON AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION (IGO)
1. In groups, students research the IGO under the following headings:
 aims
 roles
 size of membership
 power used to achieve its aims
 aims achieved
 aims not achieved
 challenges and difficulties in achieving aims
 criticisms of its work.
2. Students create the presentation using key facts, words, examples and evidence.
3. During group presentations, students complete a table on each institution using the points above as
headings.
4. Using this information, students respond to the following topic: ‘Intergovernmental Organisations face too
many challenges to achieve their aims to be effective in managing global politics. Discuss.’
Area of Study 2: Power in the Asia-Pacific region
It is imperative that all case studies used stay within the parameters of the definition of the
Asia-Pacific region provided in the Study Design on page 6.
A good starting point for investigating a selected Asia-Pacific state is the online CIA World
Fact book. A useful introductory teaching and learning activity would be for students to
complete a web quest on the basis of power for the selected Asia-Pacific state, as well as to
investigate some of the transnational issues facing the state. Further detail on specific states
can be accessed through online international relations journals such as the Council for
Foreign Relations and Foreign Policy magazine. The BBC website provides solid
introductory material on each state in their ‘Country profiles’, as well as providing excellent
contemporary examples of different forms of power and policy instruments in use.
Types of power fall into two categories, hard and soft and within this there are many types,
military, economic, political, diplomatic, cultural, trade and aid. It is important that students
are aware of the differences between these types; explain why states utilise different types
of power and the aim behind its use and the distinction between types of power and foreign
policy instruments. The latter is purely external to the state such as diplomacy, trade, foreign
aid and the use of military. When analysing types of power, use a variety of source material
such as media articles, quotes from speeches and cartoons. Developing a glossary is a
good starting point and students should build on this with current examples from their case
study of one Asia-Pacific state.
The following case studies could be used to investigate how the selected Asia-Pacific state
pursues its national interest, its intentions and the effectiveness of the type of power and
foreign policy instrument used.
 Australia: Operation Sovereign Borders; changes in refugee policy; AUSMIN; Pacific
Island Forum role; aid to Indonesia; role in WTO, APEC and TPP establishment;
participation in UNSC.
 China: building of artificial islands in the South China Sea; East China Sea Air Defence
Zone; aid to Cambodia; Confucius Colleges, chequebook diplomacy with Pacific Island
states.
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 USA: response to 2013 North Korea crisis; aid to Myanmar and Colombia; Jalan Sesama
in Indonesia; Radio Free Asia; relationship with Russia.
 Japan: relationship with USA; changes to Pacifist Constitution; response to South China
Sea dispute; expanding Asian aid program; expanding trade agreement profile
 Indonesia: military stationed in West Papua; response to South China Sea dispute;
komodo dragon diplomacy; Rohingya refugee crisis; relationship with Australia.
The relationship between states and how this affects their goal in achieving their national
interests is an interesting angle with which to approach this area. Third-agenda issues
including environment security, resource security and human security need to be covered
within these national interests. The following case studies could be used to investigate why
national interests within states differ and are often contested.
 Australia: ideological differences between the Greens, Liberals and Labor over national
security and asylum seeker policy and its subsequent impact on international standing.
 China: differing interpretations of territorial integrity as it relates to national security by
groups in Tibet and Xinjiang.
 USA: differing interpretations of national security and how to achieve it as a result of
ideological differences between the Democrats and Republicans.
 Japan: differing interpretations of national security in relation to changes to the Pacifist
Constitution as well as the continued presence of US bases as a result of ideological
differences
 Indonesia: differing interpretations of territorial integrity as it relates to national security by
groups in West Papua.
Outcome 2:
Examples of learning activities
Analyse and evaluate types of
power as used by a specific
Asia-Pacific state in the region
in pursuit of its national
interests.
 compile a media file on the selected Asia-Pacific state; include at least ten
articles from the last 12 months; outline each article and explain how the
issue is related to the concepts of national interest and power
 discuss the difference between the terms ‘nation’, ‘state’, and ‘nation-state’
 create an Asia-Pacific state profile that describes the state formation,
cultural and ethnic identity, ideology, historical links and relationships to
foreign powers
 research the basis of power for the selected Asia-Pacific state by looking at
the following: geographic area, major natural resources, population, ethnic
groups within population, GDP, GDP/Capita, major imports, major exports,
net importer or exporter, current account balance, external debt as
percentage of GDP, military spending annually, manpower available for
military, strength of the military, i.e. technical capabilities, current locations
where troops are deployed; Which of these might be the most important
power asset? Why? Which of these are power deficits for the selected
state?
 list examples of when the selected state has used hard and soft forms of
power; beside each of these, note the aim behind that use of power and the
outcome of that use of power
 prepare a group presentation assessing the effectiveness of one foreign
policy instrument
 analyse political cartoons that illustrate the effectiveness of power
 draw a cartoon to illustrate the pitfalls of a state using military power to
achieve its national interest
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 investigate one group which has a particular interpretation of the national
interest; list the factors for this different interpretation under the following
headings: historical, social, political, economic, and cultural
 write an essay that compares the effectiveness of different forms of power
in achieving the national interest
 list evidence for and against the selected state in achieving its national
interest
 hold a debate on the following: ‘soft forms of power are more effective then
hard forms’
Detailed example
CARTOON ANALYSIS
1. In groups, students list as many questions as they can about:
 the factors that shape the national interests of the selected Asia-Pacific state
 the influencing types of power utilised by the selected Asia-Pacific state.
2. Students organise their questions using the following headings:
 national Interests – national security, economic prosperity, regional relationships and international
standing
 types of power – hard, soft, military, economic, political, diplomatic and cultural
3. In groups, students locate two cartoons that relate to the national interests and types of power.
4. Students select three appropriate questions for each cartoon to support their analysis. They modify
questions if required.
5. Students annotate the cartoons using the selected questions and features from the cartoon, supporting facts
and evidence from case studies on the Asian-Pacific state.
6. Students create an infographic on illustrating the effectiveness of the state in achieving its national interests
and then present the infographic to the class.
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Unit 4: Global challenges
Area of Study 1: Ethical issues and debates
The two contemporary ethical issues selected should be examined in equal detail. The
following case studies could be used to investigate the ethical issues:
 Human rights: China’s emphasis on economic rights over civil rights, the rights of women
in fundamentalist Islamic states, the rights of the child in developing states, the use of
torture in combating terrorism, the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ in Libya and Syria.
 People movement: Australian government policy and the treatment of asylum seekers,
work of the UNHCR in the Syrian crisis, Rohingya crisis and statelessness,
Mediterranean migrant crisis and European Union policy on resettlement.
 Development focusing on poverty and inequality: sustainable development goals, fair
trade, trade liberalisation, micro-finance schemes, development aid, debt relief.
 Arms control and disarmament: Arms Trade Treaty, the monitoring of Iran’s nuclear
program, use of chemical weapons in the Syrian crisis, proliferation of weapons to nonstate terrorist organisations, work of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs.
Within each of the case studies, students explore key international treaties associated with
each ethical issue. It is important to consider that International law is broader than treaties
and to make the distinction between declarations and international treaties. Declarations,
such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or the Millennium Declaration, are not
international treaties. According to the United Nations, international treaties are legally
binding multilateral agreements between states in written form and governed by international
law. Intergovernmental organisations may also be party to a treaty. Teachers must ensure
students study relevant treaties for the ethical issue. An overly deep legal understanding of
international treaties is not necessary. Emphasis should be placed on the ability of states
and institutions of global governance to uphold and enforce international treaties and indict
actors who flout them.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of international treaties for each ethical issue:
 Human Rights: Convention on the Rights of the Child, Convention against Torture,
Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, International Covenant on the Elimination of all forms of Racial
Discrimination, European Convention on Human Rights.
 People Movement: Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, Convention against
Transnational Organised Crime (which includes Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and
Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children; and the Protocol against
the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Air, and Sea), Council of Europe Convention on
Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
 Development focusing on poverty and inequality: International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights, Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination
Against Women, Convention on the Rights of the Child, Convention on the Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and Development.
 Arms Control and Disarmament: Arms Trade Treaty, Convention on the Prohibition of the
Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their
Destruction, Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and
Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, Treaty on the NonProliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
©VCAA, 2015
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
Outcome 1:
Examples of learning activities
Evaluate two global ethical
issues from a range of
perspectives, and analyse the
effectiveness of global actors’
responses to these issues.
 discuss the meaning of the terms ‘cosmopolitanism’, ‘realism’, ‘justice’,
‘ethics’; research and list examples of each
 compile a media file on the two selected ethical issues and debates
 collect at least ten articles from the last 12 months; outline each article and
explain how the issue is related to the study of ethical issues and debates
 research two international treaties relevant to each of the selected ethical
issues and debates; outline the significant aspects of these, which global
actors seek to uphold them and how each treaty is enforced
 research the response of three different global actors to the selected ethical
issue
 create a mind map to illustrate the underlying causes of the ethical issue or
debate
 create a table to illustrate the effectiveness of responses by global actors; in
the first column state the aim of the response; in the second column outline
the form the response took; in the third column outline the result of the
response; compare the aim to the result; how effective was the response?
 in groups, students assume the role of key stakeholders within the selected
debate; research the position of the stakeholder; present their perspective
 identify groups affected by the selected ethical issue or debate and list three
impacts on them
 write an essay which discusses and evaluates a range of debates and
interpretations within one ethical issue
 define the following terms and find contemporary examples to support the
definitions: ‘human rights’, ‘people movement’, ‘refugees’, ‘development’,
‘poverty’, ‘inequality’, ‘arms control’, ‘disarmament’
 identify the difficulties faced by global actors in responding effectively to
ethical issues
 conduct a classroom debate on each of the ethical debates for an ethical
issue; one participant states the argument of the debate with evidence,
another provides the counterargument with evidence and a third decides
which argument is a better argument and why
 create a poster of an international treaty, including a map of states that have
ratified the treaty, three significant articles within the treaty and a brief
overview of two global actors’ responses to the treaty
Detailed example
STAKEHOLDER DEBATE
1. In groups, each student assumes the role of a stakeholder within a selected ethical debate of an ethical
issue (these will come from the global actors).
2. Each student researches the perspective and arguments of their stakeholder. They ensure that they have at
least three different arguments that support their perspective. These are supported by evidence (statistics,
quotes, case studies).
3. Each student presents their perspective and key arguments to the class.
4. After each presentation, other key stakeholders will ask one group of stakeholders questions about their
perspectives and arguments, to which they must respond. Ensure notes are taken of these responses, and
of the perspective and arguments of the other key stakeholders.
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
5. Once all stakeholders have presented their perspectives and arguments, for each of the ethical debates of
an ethical issue, these are summarised in a table.
6. In the first column summarise the perspective; in the second column outline the key arguments; in the third
column list the evidence used to support the argument; in the fourth column summarise a counter-argument
to the perspective presented in column one by another stakeholder. Repeat this process until all stakeholder
perspectives have been included for each ethical debate of the ethical issue.
7. Evaluate your table. Which perspective do you believe to be the strongest? Why?
Area of Study 2: Global crisis
The two global crises selected should to be examined in equal detail. Choosing case studies
that overlap with Unit 3 Area of Study 1 and Unit 4 Area of Study 1 is useful in limiting the
breath of the course, for example the following could be paired together:
 Climate change with Unit 3 Area of Study 1 Environmental NGO’s – Greenpeace
 Armed conflict with Unit 3 Area of Study 1 contested and changing borders – Crimea and
Ukraine and/or Unit 4 Area of Study 1 Human rights and/or people movement
 Terrorism with Unit 3 Area of Study 1 Non-state actors, global terrorist movements –
Islamic State In Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and/or Unit 4 Area of Study 1 Human rights
and/or people movement
 Economic stability with Unit 3 Area of Study 1 IGOs – International Monetary Fund (IMF)
in post GFC Europe
Climate change presents policymakers with significant difficulties, some of which lie in the
fact that responses require global cooperation by states at an unprecedented level, whether
national interests prevail over global climate challenges, and how other economic priorities
and political factors play a role. When investigating climate change, students could study the
ongoing work of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UNIPCC)
or the European Union (EU), highlighting attitudes, policies and actions to avert climate
change.
Armed conflict, for example in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, or the Ukraine, are all good examples
of case studies that show the complexities of modern conflict as well as conflict as a
common instrument of state power. Consider whether mechanisms of global governance in
the UN Security Council or regional groups like the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
(NATO) are effective in responding to and resolving conflict. Case studies can also explore
whether the notion of sovereignty evident in unilateralism or in use of veto in the Security
Council presents an insurmountable challenge to responding effectively to conflict.
Terrorism could be based on case studies used to develop students’ understanding that
terrorism is due to the perceived success of tactics, which are attracting publicity and
promoting the rise of support networks to facilitate terrorist objectives. Students should
consider the effectiveness of terrorism in achieving its aims and consider the reasons why
some groups resort to violence to achieve their objectives.
Economic instability could include a case study that shows the increased interconnectedness of the world economy that has brought with it many benefits, but has also
highlighted the capacity for global economic instability and challenges to global governance.
This poses the question of whether economic instability is a feature of market economic
systems and the increasing interdependence within the global economy.
©VCAA, 2015
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
Outcome 2:
Examples of learning activities
Explain two contemporary
global crises and evaluate the
effectiveness of responses to
these.
Climate change
 discuss the causes of climate change using edited clips from the film
Inconvenient Truth
 produce a flow chart or an annotated timeline of the key events and
developments in the emergence of the climate change crisis
 collect and produce maps to show the potential effects of climate change
on sea levels, temperature changes, environmental degradation, including
desertification and water shortages
 analyse cartoons of the key terms: ‘crisis diplomacy’, ‘international
cooperation’, ‘globalisation’ and ‘unilateralism’
 research the responses and proposed solutions from relevant global actors,
including the Kyoto Protocol, the work of United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), 2015 Paris negotiations
COP21; create a newspaper and journal collage
 discuss difficulties in achieving effective resolutions outlined in the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); conduct a
conference role play
 discuss key aspects of the crisis of climate change, including resource
exploitation, national interests, and methods of adapting to and reducing
climate change
 use the 2015 Paris negotiations COP21 to create a newspaper and journal
collage
 research and share in a class blog articles and journal analysis of climate
change and include up-to-date reports
 write an essay on the topic ‘the climate change crisis is shaped by its
causes – discuss’
Armed conflict
 discuss the meaning of the terms ‘crisis’, ‘crisis diplomacy’, ‘international
cooperation’, ‘sustainability’ and ‘utility of violence’ and find examples of
each in practice
 create a map identifying the name of nations involved in armed conflict, their
allies, and annotate the attitudes towards the armed conflict
 identify and debate conflicting views of the causes of the invasion and
occupation of Iraq 2003–2014
 watch edited clips from the film Fahrenheit 9/11 and describe the images of
the Iraq war; discuss censorship and bias
 conduct research into the causes and reasons for the conflict in Iraq; create
a mind map of the causes
 assess the case for war and US unilateralism
 carry out a newspaper archive study of The New York Times, Al Jazeera,
The Age and The Australian Archives
 role-play a member of the Security Council of the United Nations and write a
speech about a conflict and deliver it at a conference session of the Security
Council; the role-play should aim to illuminate the concepts of ‘crisis’,
‘diplomacy’ and ‘international cooperation’
 compile a list and explanation of the difficulties in achieving an effective
resolution to the Iraq armed conflict; note the responses and proposed
solutions from relevant global actors, the occupation and rebuilding of Iraq,
the sectarian and civil conflict including ISIS and the effect of the staged
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
withdrawal of US and coalition ground troops
 role-play a political analyst advising the US President of background and
assessment of different strategies and aspects of the armed conflict
including intervention, war as an instrument of state policy, prosecuting war
and war crimes in international law
Terrorism
 in groups research the aims, strategies and actions of Al Qaeda, Hezbollah,
Hamas, PLO, Jabhat al-Nusra, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL),
Boko Haram or Jemaah Islamiyah
 define key terms in the context of the crisis of terrorism, crisis diplomacy,
international cooperation, globalisation and unilateralism
 in groups use a hexagon activity to identify and explain the causes of
terrorism
 research the origins of ISIL and its connections with other terrorist groups
like Al Qaeda, Jabhat al-Nusra, Hamas and Hezbollah
 research responses to terrorism, war on terror, counter terrorism, antiterrorism, US air support for Iraq, use of drones, key aspects of the crisis of
terrorism, including non-state terrorism, terrorism as an instrument of state
policy and the role of asymmetric warfare
 identify the responses and proposed solutions from relevant global actors,
for example non-negotiation with terrorist policy
 explain the difficulties in achieving an effective resolution to terrorism; for
example, ISIL in Syria and Iraq as a result of asymmetric warfare,
integration with civilians, counter terrorism and anti-terrorism
 create a class blog that collates research articles and journal analysis on
terrorism
Economic instability
 consider the example of the Great Depression and use a fishbone to
explain the causes of economic instability
 research the polar economic theories,of economic rationalism and austerity
on one side and Keynesian economic strategies of government stimulus on
the other
 apply the terms ‘crisis diplomacy’, ‘international cooperation’, ‘globalisation’
and ‘unilateralism’ to economic instability using examples of the G20 and
European Community in the GFC 2007–9 or Greek Debt Crisis 2013–15
 research the 2007 GFC explaining the responses and proposed solutions
from relevant global actors, including the US government, European
Community, IMF and World Bank
 compile a media file of a least ten articles from the last two years and
annotate them to show how they interpret economic instability
 discuss the difficulties in achieving effective resolutions by the European
Union, IMF, World Bank
 Role play a G20 Conference taking on a range of actors and discuss
difficulties in achieving effective economic resolutions
 discuss the key aspects of the crisis of economic instability, including
globalisation, capitalism’s boom-bust cycle, the role of key global actors as
regulators and stabilisers of the global sovereign debt crisis in Greece and
the European Union
 write a briefing paper for the German Chancellor and the French President
assessing the options for dealing with the Greek Debt Crisis
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
Detailed example 1
CLIMATE CHANGE: ROLE-PLAY COP12 COPENHAGEN
1. Students role-play an emergency conference session of the COP12 Conference of the Parties to United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that will illuminate the concepts of crisis
diplomacy and international cooperation. The members discuss difficulties in achieving effective climate
change resolutions made in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
2. Roles are allocated to students, including permanent members, elected members and observers. These
include:
 key nations and groups: USA, Germany, France, Russia, Great Britain, Japan, South Korea, People’s
Republic of China, Brazil, South Africa, India, Argentina, Australia, Pacific Islands
 possible observers – World Wide Fund for Nature, Greenpeace
3. Conference participants demonstrate responses to the conflict by writing and delivering a speech in their
role.
4. Participants suggest and present arguments for proposed solutions to climate change ranging from
greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, carbon trading schemes, renewable energy targets and aid
to nations to meet these targets.
5. After the Conference presentations, students in their roles discuss the challenges to effective resolution of
the crisis.
6. After the Conference, each student writes a newspaper article reporting on their viewpoint of what
happened. Later, students compare their articles.
4. Detailed example 2
ARMED CONFLICT – IRAQ: ROLE-PLAY A SECURITY COUNCIL EMERGENCY SESSION
1. Demonstrate responses to the conflict by writing and delivering a speech in a role play of an emergency
conference session of the Security Council of the United Nations Organisation that will also illuminate the
concepts of ‘crisis diplomacy’ and ‘international cooperation’.
2. Allocate roles, including permanent members, elected members and observers. These include:
 permanent members: USA, Russia, Great Britain, France, People’s Republic of China
 elected members: South Africa, India, Colombia, Germany, Portugal, Rwanda (Africa), Republic of
Korea, Argentina, Australia, Luxembourg
 possible observers: Palestinian Authority, Red Cross, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.
3. Suggest and present arguments for proposed solutions to the armed conflict in Iraq; actions might range
from armed intervention, air strikes, ground forces, sanctions, or support for NGOs and nation
governments.
4. Prepare and deliver speeches.
5. After the Conference presentations, discuss the challenges to an effective resolution of the crisis.
Detailed example 3
TERRORISM
1. This group work involves a hexagon activity. This can be generated from HookED SOLO hexagon
Generator activity: http://pamhook.com/solo-apps/hexagon-generator/, or Mind Map. Include the key terms:
‘crisis diplomacy’, ‘international cooperation’, ‘globalisation’, ‘unilateralism’.
2. In this SOLO activity, the website allows terms, organisations, examples, causes, responses, and
proposed solutions to be typed into a hexagon generator, which can then be printed, cut up and used to
demonstrate knowledge and understanding in a visual way. Students work in groups, collaborate and
collate information and demonstrate connections and causal relationships.
3. In this activity students define the term ‘terrorism’, set out a history of terrorism, including groups that arose
from the Irish Revolt, Che Guevara’s revolutionary movement, and Palestinian Liberation Organisation.
©VCAA, 2015
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
4.
5.
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
Students identify examples of terrorism over the last ten years, including attacks such as Charlie Hebron
(2015), Mumbai (2008). They map incidences of terrorism and highlight their frequency across the world,
including in Yemen, Israel, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India (Mumbai), France (Paris), UK (London), US
(New York) and Syria. They also look at the causes of terrorism and effects of terrorism.
Students identify and explain responses to terrorism, and the effectiveness of these responses. Responses
include legislation, education and public awareness programs, increases in national security precautions,
international law enforcement, cooperation, sanctions, covert operations, drone attacks, air strikes, nonnegotiation policies and invasion.
Detailed example 4
ECONOMIC INSTABILITY: G20 CONFERENCE
1. Students role-play a G20 Meeting. The members of the G20 are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada,
China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia,
South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.
2. Students also role-play interested observers and protesters. They present a petition and list of demands as
protesters from the anti-globalisation movement.
3. As participants, students demonstrate responses to the Greece Sovereign Debt Crisis 2015 or Global
Financial Crisis in 2007 by writing and delivering a speech in their role at an emergency conference
session of the G20. In their speech, students explain the concepts of ‘crisis diplomacy’ and ‘international
cooperation’.
4. Key terms used should include: ‘crisis diplomacy’, ‘international cooperation’, ‘globalisation’, ‘unilateralism’.
5. After the Conference, each student writes a newspaper article reporting on their viewpoint of what
happened. Later, students compare their articles.
©VCAA, 2015
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
School-assessed Coursework (SAC)
Unit 3
Note: The following task and advice is a sample only. Teachers may choose to adapt the
conditions under which the SAC will be completed according to the task they select for their
students.
This assessment task has been developed taking into consideration the outcome, key
knowledge, key skills, the school-based assessment requirements and the performance
descriptors.
The following example SAC assesses Unit 3 Outcome 1 using an essay as the assessment
task. The School-assessed Coursework essay should provide an opportunity for the student
to evaluate the power of a key global actor and assess the extent to which the global actor
achieves their aims. Teachers may select from a range of ways in which the task could be
completed, for example:
 Give the class one topic for all students to complete.
 Provide the students with two topics and allow each student to select one to write about.
 Release topic 24 hours before the completion of the SAC to allow students planning and
preparation time.
 Allow students to bring in a page of study notes to assist in the completion of their essay.
Unit 3
Example Assessment Task
Outcome 1
Evaluate the power of key
global actors in the twenty-first
century and assess the extent
to which they achieve their
aims.
Essay
Intergovernmental organisations face many challenges in seeking to achieve
their aims. Discuss.
Time
This task should be completed in class over approximately 40-60 minutes.
Requirements
Students can bring in one A4 support notes that may include evidence (facts,
quotes, statistics, and dates).
The essay question should allow students to pursue a range of points relevant to the types
and scale of the challenges, depending on their selection of global actors, in this case
intergovernmental organisations (IGOs). To evaluate the success or otherwise of a selected
IGO, students would draw on the evidence researched in the learning activity and teachers
could direct students towards a detailed example that would illustrate the points in support or
against the essay’s question statement. For example, teachers could draw attention to the
power of states in particular cases or examples of interactions with selected IGOs. Such
cases could include states challenging the UN role of seeking to prevent conflict, due to
national interests or structural factors within the UN. An example of such an event would be
the annexation of Crimea in 2014 by Russia. Additionally, some states, such as the USA and
Western European states are able to influence decision making in IGOs like the WTO and
prevent the liberalisation of agricultural trade by their refusal to reach agreement in the Doha
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
Round. Alternatively, the economic power of the IMF and conditions attached to recent
bailouts to countries such as Greece suggest that some IGOs have greater power over
states. These arguments could be drawn out of the evidence collected as part of the learning
activity about IGOs. The lack of universal support by states for the ICC and its work provides
another broad example of challenges facing IGOs. In contrast, students could be guided to
see actions by specific humanitarian or environmental NGOs as demonstrating support for
UN aims, rather than posing a challenge to it. An example could be the awareness raised by
Amnesty International of the 2014 UN Human Rights Commissioner about alleged abuses
and war crimes in Sri Lanka.
Reference to specific cases, such as those outlined above, are essential for students to be
able to demonstrate achievement across the range of skills and knowledge assessed for
Outcome 1. At the discretion of the teacher, students could bring in support notes that may
include evidence (facts, quotes, statistics, and dates). If time permits the teacher may decide
to allocate a preliminary lesson during which students may sight the SAC and create their
own study notes for use during the completion of the SAC.
©VCAA, 2015
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
Performance Descriptors
GLOBAL POLITICS
SCHOOL-ASSESSED COURSEWORK
Performance Descriptors
DESCRIPTOR: typical performance in each range
Very low
Low
Medium
High
Very high
Little explanation and some
description of the key global
politics terms and limited use of
them in context when developing
an argument
Some description of the key
global politics terms and some
use of them in context when
developing an argument
Satisfactory explanation of key
global politics terms and use of
them mostly in an appropriate
context when developing an
argument
Detailed explanation of key
global politics terms and use of
them in an appropriate context
when developing an argument
Comprehensive and detailed
explanation of key global politics
terms and use of them in an
appropriate context when
developing an argument
Unit 3
Outcome 1
Some description and little
explanation of the aims, roles
and power of states
Some explanation of the aims,
roles and power of states
Satisfactory explanation of the
aims, roles and power of states
Detailed explanation of the aims,
roles and power of states.
Comprehensive and detailed
explanation of the aims, roles
and power of states
Evaluate the power of key
global actors in the twentyfirst century and assess the
extent to which they achieve
their aims.
Some description and little
evaluation of the power of key
global actors when drawing a
conclusion
Some explanation and little
evaluation of the power of key
global actors, with some relevant
evidence when drawing a
conclusion
Some evaluation of the power of
key global actors, with relevant
evidence when drawing a
conclusion
Detailed evaluation of the power
of key global actors, with
detailed use of evidence to draw
conclusions
Comprehensive evaluation of the
power of key global actors, with
a sophisticated use of evidence
to draw conclusions
Some description and little
analysis of the challenges facing
state sovereignty when drawing
a conclusion
Some explanation and little
analysis of the challenges facing
state sovereignty, with some
relevant evidence when drawing
a conclusion
Some analysis of the challenges
facing state sovereignty, with
relevant evidence when drawing
a conclusion
Detailed analysis of the
challenges facing state
sovereignty, with detailed use of
evidence to draw conclusions
Thorough analysis of the
challenges facing state
sovereignty, with a sophisticated
use of evidence to draw
conclusions
Little explanation of the extent to
which global actors achieved
their aims when drawing a
conclusion
Some explanation of the extent
to which global actors achieved
their aims, with some relevant
evidence when drawing a
conclusion
Satisfactory assessment of the
extent to which global actors
achieved their aims, with
relevant evidence when drawing
a conclusion
Detailed assessment of the
extent to which global actors
achieved their aims, with
detailed use of evidence to draw
conclusions
Highly developed assessment of
the extent to which global actors
achieved their aims, with a
sophisticated use of evidence to
draw conclusions
KEY to marking scale based on the Outcome contributing 50 marks
Low 1–10
© VCAA 2015
Very low 11–20
Medium 21–30
High 31–40
Very high 41–50
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
GLOBAL POLITICS
SCHOOL-ASSESSED COURSEWORK
Performance Descriptors
DESCRIPTOR: typical performance in each range
Very low
Unit 3
Outcome 2
Analyse and evaluate
types of power as used
by a specific AsiaPacific state in the
region in pursuit of its
national interests.
Low
Medium
© VCAA 2015
Very high
Little use of key global politics
terms and limited use of them in
context when developing an
argument
Some use of key global politics
terms and some use of them in
context when developing an
argument
Satisfactory use of key global
politics terms in an appropriate
context when developing an
argument
Detailed use of key global
politics terms in an appropriate
context when developing an
argument
Comprehensive and detailed use
of key global politics terms in an
appropriate context when
developing an argument
Some description and little
analysis of the types of power
used by one Asian-Pacific state
Some explanation and little
analysis of the types of power
used by one Asian-Pacific state
with some use of source material
when drawing a conclusion
Some analysis of the types of
power used by one Asian-Pacific
state with appropriate use of
source material when drawing a
conclusion
Detailed analysis of the types of
power used by one Asian-Pacific
state with detailed use of source
material to draw conclusions
Thorough analysis of the types
of power used by one AsianPacific state with a sophisticated
use of source material to draw
conclusions
Some description and little
analysis of ideas and debates
about national interests when
drawing a conclusion
Some explanation and little
analysis of ideas and debates
about national interests with
some relevant evidence when
drawing a conclusion
Some analysis of ideas and
debates about national interests
with relevant evidence when
drawing a conclusion
Detailed analysis of ideas and
debates about national interests
with detailed use of relevant
evidence to draw conclusions
Thorough analysis of ideas and
debates about national interests
with a sophisticated use of
evidence to draw conclusions.
Some description and little
evaluation of the importance and
effectiveness of different types of
power and foreign policy
instruments in the pursuit of
national interest when drawing a
conclusion
Some explanation and little
evaluation of the importance and
effectiveness of different types of
power and foreign policy
instruments in the pursuit of
national interest, with some
relevant evidence when drawing
a conclusion
Some evaluation of the
importance and effectiveness of
different types of power and
foreign policy instruments in the
pursuit of national interest, with
relevant evidence when drawing
a conclusion
Detailed evaluation of the
importance and effectiveness of
different types of power and
foreign policy instruments in the
pursuit of national interest, with
detailed use of relevant evidence
to draw conclusions
Comprehensive evaluation of the
importance and effectiveness of
different types of power and
foreign policy instruments in the
pursuit of national interest, with a
sophisticated use of evidence to
draw conclusions
Some description and little
evaluation of the success of an
Asia-Pacific state in achieving its
national interests when drawing
a conclusion
Some explanation and little
evaluations of the success of an
Asia-Pacific state in achieving its
national interests, with some
relevant evidence when drawing
a conclusion
Some evaluation of the success
of an Asia-Pacific state in
achieving its national interests,
with relevant evidence when
drawing a conclusion
Detailed evaluation of the
success of an Asia-Pacific state
in achieving its national interests,
with detailed use of relevant
evidence to draw conclusions
Comprehensive evaluation of the
success of an Asia-Pacific state
in achieving its national interests,
with a sophisticated use of
evidence to draw conclusions
KEY to marking scale based on the Outcome contributing 50 marks
Low 1–10
High
Very low 11–20
Medium 21–30
High 31–40
Very high 41–50
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
GLOBAL POLITICS
SCHOOL-ASSESSED COURSEWORK
Performance Descriptors
DESCRIPTOR: typical performance in each range
Very low
Unit 4
Outcome 1
Evaluate two global
ethical issues from a
range of perspectives,
and analyse the
effectiveness of global
actors’ responses to
these issues.
Low
Medium
© VCAA 2015
Very high
Little explanation and some
description of the key global
politics terms and limited use of
them in context when developing
an argument
Some description of the key
global politics terms and some
use of them in context when
developing an argument
Satisfactory explanation of key
global politics terms and use of
them mostly in an appropriate
context when developing an
argument
Detailed explanation of key
global politics terms and use of
them in an appropriate context
when developing an argument
Comprehensive and detailed
explanation of key global politics
terms and use of them in an
appropriate context when
developing an argument
Little description and some
explanation of treaties relating to
two ethical issues
Some analysis and some
description of treaties relating to
two ethical issues
Some analysis of treaties
relating to two ethical issues
Detailed analysis of treaties
relating to two ethical issues
Thorough analysis of treaties
relating to two ethical issues
Some description and little
evaluation of ethical debates on
two ethical issues when
developing an argument
Some explanation and little
evaluation of an ethical debate,
with some evidence on two
ethical issues when developing
an argument
Some evaluation of an ethical
debate, with relevant evidence
on two ethical issues when
developing an argument
Detailed evaluation of an ethical
debate, with detailed relevant
evidence on two ethical issues
when developing an argument
Comprehensive evaluation of an
ethical debate, with sophisticated
use of evidence on two ethical
issues when developing an
argument
Some description and little
analysis of responses of global
actors to two ethical issues when
developing an argument
Some explanation and little
analysis of responses of global
actors to two ethical issues, with
some relevant evidence when
developing an argument
Some analysis of the
effectiveness of responses of
global actors to two ethical
issues, with relevant evidence
when developing an argument
Detailed analysis of the
effectiveness of responses of
global actors to two ethical
issues, with detailed use of
relevant evidence when
developing an argument
Thorough analysis of the
effectiveness of responses of
global actors to two ethical
issues, with sophisticated use of
evidence when developing an
argument
KEY to marking scale based on the Outcome contributing 50 marks
Low 1–10
High
Very low 11–20
Medium 21–30
High 31–40
Very high 41–50
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
GLOBAL POLITICS
SCHOOL-ASSESSED COURSEWORK
Performance Descriptors
DESCRIPTOR: typical performance in each range
Very low
Unit 4
Outcome 2
Explain two
contemporary global
crises and evaluate the
effectiveness of
responses to these
Low
Medium
© VCAA 2015
Very high
Little explanation and some
description of the key global
politics terms and limited use of
them in context when developing
an argument
Some description of the key
global politics terms and some
use of them in context when
developing an argument
Satisfactory explanation of key
global politics terms and use of
them mostly in an appropriate
context when developing an
argument
Detailed explanation of key
global politics terms and use of
them in an appropriate context
when developing an argument
Comprehensive explanation of
key global politics terms and use
of them in an appropriate context
when developing an argument
Some identification and little
explanation of the key aspects of
two global crises
Some explanation of the key
aspects of two global crises
Detailed explanation of the key
aspects of two global crises
Thorough explanation of the key
aspects of two global crises
Sophisticated explanation of the
key aspects of two global crises
Little analysis and some
description of the causes and
response to two global crises
Detailed description and some
explanation of the causes and
response to two global crises
Some analysis of the causes and
response to two global crises
Detailed analysis of the causes
and response to two global
crises
Thorough analysis of the causes
and response to two global
crises
Some description and little
evaluation of the effectiveness of
solutions to two global crises,
using little evidence to draw
conclusions
Some explanation and little
evaluation of the responses and
solutions to two global crises,
using some evidence to draw
conclusions
Some evaluation of the
effectiveness of responses and
solutions to two global crises,
using appropriate evidence to
draw conclusions
Detailed evaluation of the
effectiveness of responses and
solutions to two global crises,
using detailed evidence to draw
conclusions
Comprehensive evaluation of the
effectiveness of responses and
solutions to two global crises,
using sophisticated evidence to
draw conclusions
KEY to marking scale based on the Outcome contributing 50 marks
Low 1–10
High
Very low 11–20
Medium 21–30
High 31–40
Very high 41–50
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
Appendix 1: Employability skills
Assessment task
Employability skills selected facets
A multimedia presentation
Communication (sharing information; writing to the needs of the audience;
Sharing information)
Planning and organising (collecting, analysing and organising information)
Self-management (Articulating own ideas and visions; evaluating and
monitoring own performance)
Technology (using IT to organise data)
A case study
Communication (reading independently; writing to the needs of the audience;
Sharing information)
Planning and organising (collecting, analysing and organising information)
Learning (managing own learning; Applying learning to 'people' issues, e.g.
interpersonal and cultural aspects of work; having enthusiasm for ongoing
learning)
Self-management (articulating own ideas and visions)
An essay
Communication (reading independently; writing to the needs of the audience;
persuading effectively)
Problem solving (testing assumptions taking the context of data and
circumstances into account)
Planning and organising (collecting, analysing and organising information)
Learning (managing own learning; having enthusiasm for ongoing learning)
Self-management (evaluating and monitoring own performance)
A report
Communication (sharing information; reading independently; writing to the
needs of the audience; persuading effectively)
Problem solving (developing practical solutions; testing assumptions taking
the context of data and circumstances into account)
Planning and organising (planning the use of resources including time
management; collecting, analysing and organising information)
Initiative and enterprise (generating a range of options; being creative)
Self-management (evaluating and monitoring own performance; taking
responsibility)
Learning (managing own learning; having enthusiasm for ongoing learning)
A test
Planning and organising (managing time and priorities – setting time lines;
coordinating tasks for self and with others)
Self-management (evaluating and monitoring own performance; Evaluating
and monitoring own performance; taking responsibility)
Learning (managing own learning; acknowledging the need to learn in order to
accommodate change)
Structured questions
Communication (writing to the needs of the audience)
Planning and organising (collecting, analysing and organising information)
Learning (managing own learning)
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
Assessment task
Employability skills selected facets
Short-answer questions
Communication (writing to the needs of the audience; persuading effectively)
Planning and organising (collecting, analysing and organising information)
Learning (managing own learning)
An extended response
Communication (reading independently; writing to the needs of the audience;
persuading effectively)
Problem solving (testing assumptions taking the context of data and
circumstances into account)
Planning and organising (collecting, analysing and organising information)
The employability skills are derived from the Employability Skills Framework (Employability Skills for the Future, 2002),
developed by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Business Council of Australia, and published
by the (former) Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training.
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
Appendix 2: Examples of weekly course
outlines
All units in VCE Global Politics are constructed on the basis of 50 hours of class contact
time.
The example weekly course outlines below are provided as guides only. They are not
intended to be prescriptive. Teachers should use these outlines in conjunction with the
outcome statements and key knowledge and skills in the study design.
Unit 3: Global actors
Area of Study 1: Global actors
Weeks 1–2
Outline of study, indicating assessment tasks and examination of the key terms; overview of
the global political arena and the key actors, including how they relate to one another; using
a case study, examine the power of the state under the following headings: role, power,
history of state system; investigate the challenges to state sovereignty; outline the historical
background and goals of regional groupings, such as the EU; outline situations where there
are contested or changing borders, such as in the Ukraine; investigate issues and crises that
require multilateral resolution, such as the refugee crisis in the Middle East.
Weeks 3–4
Evaluate the UN as an intergovernmental organisation under the following headings: aims,
roles and power and extent to which aims achieved; investigate actions by the Security
Council in relation to the conflict in Syria; the work of the UNHCR, UN peacekeeping forces
in Darfur or South Sudan; evaluate through an analysis of the Rome Statutes the
effectiveness of the ICC as an intergovernmental organisation, its aims, roles and power,
influence and extent to which aims are achieved; for example, Congolese trials or trials
relating to events in Darfur; evaluate the IMF as intergovernmental organisation: its aims,
role and power, and the extent to which its aims are achieved, e.g. its work in Cyprus and
Greece; evaluate the WTO as an intergovernmental organisation using the following
headings: aims, roles and power and extent to which aims achieved; evaluate it through an
investigation of the failure of the Doha round of talks, trade dispute resolution mechanisms,
moves by states to create free trade agreements outside of the WTO framework; complete
short-answer questions on the four intergovernmental organisations.
Weeks 5–6
Evaluate human rights non-state actors such as NGOs using the following headings: aims,
role and power, and extent to which aims achieved, e.g. on questions of Human rights;
NGOs include: Amnesty International, Médicin Sans Frontières, Red Cross, Oxfam; evaluate
environmental NGOs using the following headings: roles and power and extent to which
aims achieved, e.g. through an investigation of Greenpeace, WWF, and Friends of the Earth.
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
Weeks 7–8
Evaluate TNCs by investigating the aims and roles of one TNC and evaluate its power within
global politics or the global economy; e.g. research the operations of BP, BHP Billiton,
McDonalds, Royal Dutch Shell in Nigeria, and BHP in PNG; revise for the SAC; complete
short-answer questions on TNCs.
Area of Study 2: Power in the Asia-Pacific region
For the purpose of this weekly outline, China has been selected as the state in the AsiaPacific that will be studied.
Week 1–2
Outline of study, indicating assessment tasks and examination of the key terms and key
ideas of one state in the Asia-Pacific; overview of the key terms, including the explanation of
the distinction between nation, state and nation-state and between power and foreign policy
instruments; introduce China’s history, basis of power, key national interests, economic rise
and ongoing militarisation; conduct a web quest on China’s power assets and deficits; collect
articles for a media file assessment; investigate the extent to which national interests of
national security, economic prosperity, regional relationships and international standing have
been achieved; complete short-answer questions on the elements of national interest, the
factors that shape the national interest and evaluate the success in achieving its national
interests; draft an essay evaluating the success of China in achieving its aims.
Week 3–4
Investigate the national security of China: Why are national interests important? To what
extent have natural interests been achieved? Why are there different interpretations of
national interests? Conduct a group research and presentation on one secessionist region
that challenges the state security (Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia) and the reasons
for their desire to attain secession; draft an essay analysing the ideas and debates about
different interpretations of the national interest; continue collecting articles for the media file
assessment; evaluate military power and cultural power in pursuit of national interests,
including militarisation, sabre rattling, strategic placement of armaments and the army,
Confucius Colleges, Xinhua TV network; complete short-answer questions on military and
cultural power; create a table assessing effectiveness of military power and cultural power in
achieving China’s national interests.
Week 5–6
Students continue collecting articles for their media file assessment; evaluate diplomacy and
political power in pursuit of national interests, including use of UN veto, chequebook
diplomacy, panda diplomacy, legislation, white papers; complete short-answer questions on
diplomacy and political power; create a table assessing effectiveness of diplomacy and
political power in achieving China’s national interests; evaluate economic power, trade and
aid in pursuit of the national interest, including aid for resources, chequebook diplomacy,
ODA patterns, contribution to UN missions and humanitarian bodies, trade patterns, Three
Direct Links, investment; complete short-answer questions on economic power, trade and
aid; assessment: create a table assessing the effectiveness of economic power, trade and
aid in achieving China’s national interests; revise for the SAC.
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
Week 7–8
Evaluate hard power and soft power; do a comparative analysis of the different forms of
power and foreign policy instruments in pursuit of the national interest; draft an essay
evaluating the effectiveness of different forms of power and foreign policy instruments;
Revise for the SAC.
Unit 4: Global challenges
Area of Study 1: Ethical issues and debates
For the purpose of this weekly outline, the ethical issues and debates selected are people
movement and human rights.
Weeks 1–2
Outline the study, indicating assessment tasks and examination of the key terms; focusing
specifically on people movement, explain why it is an ethical issue and describe
cosmopolitan and realist perspectives to the ethical issue of people movement; outline the
obligations under international treaties relating to people movement, particularly the
Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (Refugee Convention); investigate the
responses of global actors to the global refugee crisis using a case study and establish
whether global actors adhere to the Refugee Convention; global actors could include:
Australia, the European Union, and the UNHCR; using examples such as the EU’s response
to the Syrian refugee crisis, analyse how the global actor responded to the crisis; complete
short-answer questions on the ethical issue of people movement.
Weeks 3–4
Analyse and discuss ethical debates on people movement, ensuring both sides of the
debate are covered; utilise the evidence found from investigating responses of global actors
to provide different perspectives to the debate; discuss the effectiveness of the global actors’
responses to people movement; draft an essay analysing this response; revise for the SAC.
Weeks 5–6
Focusing specifically on human rights, explain why it is an ethical issue and describe
cosmopolitan and realist perspectives to the ethical issue of human rights, and actors’
obligations under international treaties relating to the ethical issue of human rights;
investigate responses of global actors to two human rights treaties; consider the
effectiveness of the responses to human rights issues and the treaties relating to the issue;
complete short-answer questions on ethical issue of human rights.
Weeks 7–8
Analyse and discuss ethical debates within human rights, ensuring both sides of the debate
are covered; investigate global actors’ responses to these debates as evidence for different
perspectives; draft an essay analysing the effectiveness of the global actors’ response to
human rights issues; revise for the SAC.
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
Area of Study 2: Global Crises
For the purpose of this weekly outline the global crises selected are armed conflict and
terrorism.
Weeks 1–2
Explain the causes of armed conflict such as nationalism, ethnic rivalries, sectarian
differences, control of economic resources; in Iraq, for example, the causes include
decolonisation, Cold War alliances, western intervention, Arab Israeli conflict, resources, Iran
Iraq War, invasion of Kuwait, United States, UNO invasion of Kuwait to defeat Iraq,
disarmament of Iraq, arms control measures, 9/11 terrorist attack on New York, invasion of
Iraq in 2003; consider examples of armed conflict in the last ten years such as the 2003 US
invasion of Iraq and the consequences of occupation and reconstruction, insurgency,
sectarian conflict and terrorism.
Weeks 3–4
Evaluate the effectiveness of responses to the armed conflict such as Crisis Diplomacy,
United Nations sanctions, unilateral invasion, counter terrorism, and war as an instrument of
state policy, a just war; consider the difficulties in resolving armed conflicts such as invasion,
asymmetric warfare, terrorism, occupation, reconstruction, insurgency and counter terrorism;
discuss key aspects such as war as an instrument of state policy, prosecuting war and war
crimes in international law.
Weeks 5–6
Define terrorism and discuss the debate around the difficulties defining the concept; discuss
the characteristics of terrorism in State and Non-state terrorism, terrorism as an instrument
of state policy and asymmetric warfare; explain the causes of terrorism, for example, the
Arab Israeli conflict, western intervention in the Middle East, extremist Islam, inequality,
political marginalisation and globalisation; investigate examples of terrorism such as ISIL
and/or the Syrian Government; discuss the justifications for the use of terrorism.
Weeks 7–8
Evaluate the effectiveness of responses to terrorism, for example, Guantanamo Bay, torture,
invasion, drone attacks, air strikes and counter terrorism; analyse difficulties in resolving the
crisis of terrorism such as domestic action, increased security and surveillance, the Patriot
Act in the US.
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
Appendix 3: Glossary
Aid
Refers to the provision of assistance, predominantly monetary, to global actors with the
intention of influencing their decisions and actions in order to achieve a specific objective.
Cultural power
Refers to a ‘desirable’ and transportable culture that states can use to achieve ends that
might not be achieved through military and political means.
Cosmopolitanism
Refers to the ideology that humanity is one single community, regardless of state, culture or
levels of economic development. All humans are equal and should be treated equally and
global actors should act with this motivation.
Crisis diplomacy
Refers to negotiations between actors in the global political arena in response to the crisis;
most commonly concerning conflicts and natural disasters, but also economic and health
crises.
Diplomatic power
Refers to the power accrued to states through their relationships with others in the form of
alliances or alignments. Essentially, it is the ability of a state to influence other global actors
by way of discussion and negotiation.
Economic power
A state’s economic power is often determined by figures such as the gross domestic product
(GDP), which indicate the wealth of a state and its economic activity. Economic power can
also be assessed by the state’s reliance on imports of raw produce. Crucially, economic
power refers to a state’s ability to influence the actions of another state through monetary
means.
Environment security
Refers to a soft form of security that includes ensuring a state’s environment is protected, i.e.
development does not come at the cost of the environment. Achievement of this form of
security is closely linked to a state’s economic prosperity and concepts such as
sustainability.
Ethics
This seeks to address questions of morality and extends to global politics, as global actors
have underlying ethics to their actions, such as realism or cosmopolitanism.
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
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Global governance
Refers to institutions, rules, norms and legal arrangements that seek to facilitate
cooperation, and manage relations, between states. Governance is carried out by both
governmental organisations such as the United Nations and non-governmental organisations
such as the International Criminal Court.
Globalisation
Refers to acceleration and intensification of exchanges of goods, services, labour and
capital, which promote global interdependence. These have been facilitated by rapid
changes in communication and technology.
Hard power
Refers to power exercised through coercion, or threatened acts of coercion, to influence the
actions of other global actors. Most commonly exercised through military forms.
Human security
Refers to a soft form of security for a state that includes the protection of its own citizens as
well as seeking to protect and uphold the human rights of others. Achievement of this form of
security is closely linked to a state’s international standing.
Idealism
Refers to a school of thought in which foreign policy is influenced above all else by moral
principle, as opposed to practical and pragmatic considerations.
International cooperation
Refers to occasions when global actors work together to achieve common ideals and goals.
Justice
Refers to the concept of moral rightness based on ethics, law, fairness and equity that,
importantly, also seeks punishment when said ethics are breached. Extends to global politics
through international systems of justice, such as the International Criminal Court and
International Court of Justice, which seek to uphold international law and deter future
violations.
Military power
Military power comes from the military capacity that a state has, as well as its ability to use
this power to achieve national interest objectives. The capacity will depend on the amount of
money spent on the military, the type and caliber of weapons available, the number of
servicemen and women in the armed forces, their commitment, morale, training and the
relationship between the military and the state.
Multilateralism
Refers to a system of coordinating relations between three or more states, usually in pursuit
of objectives in particular areas.
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
ADVICE FOR TEACHERS
Nation
Refers to groups of people claiming common bonds based on culture, language and history.
Some nations have their own state, such as the Japanese, while others want their own state
such as the Tibetans and Kurds.
Nation-state
Political or social grouping in which people within territorial boundaries, with recognised
sovereignty, have common bonds based on culture, language and history. For example,
Japan.
National interests
Used as an all-embracing concept to justify policy preferences and actions, and includes the
goals or objectives of foreign policy. Essentially, it gives the government the ability to justify
any foreign policy action.
National security
Traditionally this term refers to the protection of a state’s borders from intruders and the
maintenance of sovereignty; it has evolved to include other softer forms of security.
Political power
Refers to the use of a state’s internal political machinery to exert influence over the actions
of others. For example, white papers, legislation, speeches.
Power
Refers to the ability of one global actor to influence the actions of another global actor.
Power can be exercised in a range of types and forms.
Pragmatism
A school of thought in which foreign policy is influenced above all else by practical
considerations, as opposed to moral principles.
Public opinion
A sentiment shared by a group of people that can influence the foreign policy of states.
Unilateralism
Refers to the policy of a state acting alone, with little regard for the views or interests of other
global actors, in pursuit of foreign policy objectives.
Resource security
A soft form of security that includes ensuring a state’s access to key resources, e.g. water
and oil. Achievement of this form of security is closely linked to a state’s economic
prosperity.
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VCE Global Politics Units 3 and 4: 2016–2017
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Realism
Realism is the ideology that the global political arena is made up of individual states and
every state acts in its own national interests to ensure its sovereignty. Any cooperation made
by states with other global actors is only to further their own national interests.
Security
Traditionally this term refers to the protection of a state’s borders from intruders and the
maintenance of sovereignty, most commonly achieved through the use of military power. It
has now evolved to include softer forms of security, such as access to resources and the
protection of the environment.
State
Traditionally this term refers to the central actor in global politics. States possess a
permanent population, defined territory and recognised sovereignty. States are not
necessarily culturally homogenous, for example Australia.
Soft power
Refers to the ability to shape the actions of other global actors through un-coercive means,
for example diplomacy, culture, policies and history. A term first coined by Joseph Nye.
Sovereignty
Legitimate or widely recognised ability to exercise effective control of a territory within
recognised borders. This is the primary organising principle of global politics, providing
states with the authority to represent their territorial entity within the international community.
State sovereignty can be challenged internally (for example, secessionist groups) or
externally (for example, one state invades another).
Third-agenda issues
Refers to issues that can only be successfully resolved through the joint action of the
international community. These issues affect a number of states at any one time and thus
cannot be solved by one state alone, for example global warming or terrorism.
Trade
Refers to the manipulation of the exchange of goods, services, labour and capital to
influence the actions of another state.
Transnational Corporations (TNCs)
Refers to a company whose operations and investments extend beyond the boundaries of
the state in which it is registered, and can also be referred to as a Multinational.
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