Case Study: VCE PE Study Design

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Later Years Teaching Overview
Later years teaching and learning comes with additional burden to student and teacher. Challenges relating to student academic achievement align with future progress outside of school, tertiary education and employment (Dufaux 2012). Teachers face the additional expectation from students, parents/carers in supporting their learning outcomes, supporting wellbeing of both, with potential strain to relationships often dependent on academic progress. Teachers can perceive greater pressure from school leadership in achieving student’s academic success, thereby enhancing a school’s reputation, and internal competition for education resources. Greater workloads from designing effective learning programs aligned to curriculum, potentially narrowing of curricula, while ensuring assessment and resulting data is accurate, feedback has been provided, remedial learning has occurred, students feel supported and learning needs addressed and catered for (Heffernan et al 2019; Portia et al 2024). In overview, later years teaching can add to existing teaching burden, albeit the rewards of mentorship, contributing to student achievement and progress within our society, can lead to intrinsic reward and positive self-achievement for teachers (Heffernan et al 2017; Leahy and Selwyn 2019).

Learner Cohort Overview
Greater retention in school education is associated with academic success and lifelong learning (Fowler and Boylan 2010). Marks et al (2000) identified year 12 retention and participation from year 9 at 76%, whereas Australian Bureau of Statistics (2024) records a retention of year7/8 to year 12 at 79%, suggesting greater number of students are participating across longer term secondary school education, enhancing potential for future tertiary education. Australia’s broad diverse population makeup, from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to international students with English as a second language, supports a multicultural diverse society, yet poses challenges around support for learning and building strong societal relationships of respect. The learning cohort come from varied cultural, religious, socioeconomic backgrounds, presenting with varied academic, physical and psychological diversity, which influence the learning of students in a highly stressful year, where academic results can provide pathways to further education and employment (Dufaux 2012). Therefore, individual learning needs across the cohort remain an influential consideration in developing and teaching effective learning programs.

Learner Needs
Gray and Hackling (2009) identified the community and culture within respective secondary schools influenced the learning and wellbeing of senior students, positively associated with increased participation and retention. Weldon et al (2018) found teachers were generally confident in supporting students with identified learning needs, however, were not confident the broader cohorts learning needs were met or extended when supporting learning outcomes. Building pre-assessment into curriculum should support the identification of diverse learning needs, that is understanding where individual students are at, with subsequent design of learning program to meet those needs. Further a differentiated approach may include varied learning styles to support learning behaviours, including visual, auditory and kinaesthetic especially associated to physical education (Hattie 2009). Academic research (Hattie 2012) and educational department guidance (Department of Education 2020) suggests the use of high impact teaching strategies (HIT’s) supports a variety of student learning needs; therefore, employment of such strategies appears useful in enhancing learner outcomes across the learner cohort.

Program Overview
In context of AT2, The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), PE Study Design is the subject material of this case study. In overview, the Study Design aims include enabling students to align practical and theoretical activities to understand behaviours related to participation in physical activity, exercise and sport. Psychological and physiological influences on physical activity, exercise and sport performance and participation over life including anatomical and biomechanical influences, and the influence of environmental and sociocultural factors. Further, learners engage with physical activity and movement to develop understanding of body systems and evaluate the physiological changes of the body through measuring and testing recognised factors relative to physical activity, exercise and sport (VCAA 2021). The Study Design is therefore constructed to be taught across theoretical and practical settings, allowing for practice of theory. Further, the Study Design has some limited alignment with principles of Applied Learning, supporting more meaningful learning including relating learning to real world practical context, including student physiological data. The Study Design is assessed through teacher recognition that students have met learning outcomes from the program, typically theory and practical tasks assessed via school assessed coursework (SAC) and end of year examination.

VCAA Teaching Activities and Plans
VCAA provide a sample teaching sequence for Unit 3 and 4, providing weekly topics of learning, supported by a range of practical activities to be incorporated in theory and practical learning environments. This samples sequence is firm, such that shifting too much from the guidance may be detrimental to outcomes. Further an Advice For Teachers Guide, is available, which provides curriculum and assessment advice for teaching through units 1 – 4 (VCAA 2021). Regarding Unit 3, multiple learning activities are provided with two detailed practical examples or sample teaching plans, providing a template for teaching plan design. In review of samples, there is clear alignment between the Study Design and sample learning activities and teaching plans, in example the Study Design aims include engaging in sport to identify and refine effective movement to enhance performance, where a sample learning activity suggests digitally filming and reviewing athletic disciplines (e.g. shot put throw and long jump) to assess factors supporting performance including release angles and acceleration. In critical analysis the advice appears to meet learning intentions and aims of the Study Design. While it is acknowledged there is alignment, the framework appears more focused towards all learners, which is recognised as meeting broad learner needs. In observation there appears little sample activity or guidance in differentiating teaching across varied learner needs.

Theories and Frameworks and Pedagogical Approaches
While there is no specific qualification of pedagogical approaches, there appears a focus around Cooperative learning, Games Centred learning and Personal and Social Responsibility, which are recognised pedagogical approaches within PE teaching and learning (Hernando-Garijo et al 2021; Fernandez-Rio and Iglesias 2024). It follows there is a combination of theories and framework that influence the teaching of PE through this Study Design. Teaching through this Study Design seems mostly teacher focused, where teachers impart knowledge on students, suggestive of a Behaviourist approach. However, the sample activities also allow for some independent and group student led development, which is more aligned to social Humanist approaches and Constructivist theories based around building on knowledge (Zhou and Brown 2015).
In example problem solving tasks and activities in identifying physiological adaptations to changes in movement appear based around student centred learning, that is after teacher led sharing of knowledge. Concluding, a combination of theoretical approaches seem to have been used in guiding pedagogical approaches to learning, using teacher led strategies to start and progress learning, followed by more student informed learning; perhaps a suitable process to adapt learners to the heavy workload, before encouraging greater sharing of learning.

Theory Observations
It is the author’s view that VCAA and DoE have placed emphasis on the development of teaching and learning approaches based around a combination of theories, instead of focusing on a single independent theory to support all teaching. This approach has alignment to learning needs where diversity of learners requires a broader approach to capture all needs. Further, the DoE emphasis around use of HITs (DoE 2020), that is ten teaching and learning strategies to support variety of learners, providing alternative approaches. It is considered the Study Design and associated sample activities, and guidance are not focused on student led or inquiry-based learning as a primary teaching and learning approach, perhaps guaranteeing timelines are kept ensuring required content is taught and learnt. Further, this method shows some adaptation, allowing for varied strategies based around teacher experience and practice, demonstrating balance in design with ability to change teaching and learning styles to suit learners. A consistent theme in the education of pre-service teachers. This approach seems useful and effective, given use over time. While there may be interest in encouraging greater student led focus through Humanist and Behaviourist learning approaches, there is concern learners may not recognise and absorb all relevant content (Whittle et al 2018). There may be trepidation in promoting such an approach given the potential for negative outcomes related to further education and employment.

VCE Teaching
Further to Later Years teaching overview, the following factors are more attuned to VCE PE. Research across teaching indicates an increased workload through extra administration, managing student behaviour and safety and teacher wellbeing, which can lead to burnout and withdrawal from education (Bamby 2006; Winwood and Garrick 2017; Heffernan et al 2019). Recognising these issues broadly affect all secondary teachers yet become additional burden to the VCE teachers who contend with differing tensions and complexities. VCE PE teachers’ perspectives on these challenges include significant quantity of subject content and inflexible time constraints, resources and space for practical activity. Cross faculty collaboration around expectations related to assessment, data and feedback, which have resulted in tension across teaching staff, perhaps resulting in adverse relationships across varied faculty (Heffernan et al 2019; Whittle et al 2018).

Teaching Strategies
In review of the Design Study, teaching and learning
strategies demonstrate several HIT practices, including Structured Lessons, Multiple Exposures, Explicit Teaching, Collaborative Learning, and Feedback (Hattie 2009). There is a clear alignment with DoE (2021) guidance in using HIT strategies to support learning needs, however, there does not appear to be clear use of Differentiation in the sample learning sequences. It can be argued that existing teaching strategies are generally effective based on factors including, longevity of the existing Study Design with gradual modification suggesting VCAA and DoE remain convinced of effective teaching strategies. In assessment and data evidence of some inner East Melbourne schools, median study scores remain stable or are trending positively across a 10-year period, albeit gradually (Better Education 2024), suggestive of effective teaching strategies. It should be noted that median study scores variables may affect broad results, therefore should be considered relative to the cohort. While arguable effective, the limited growth across data sets suggests there may be areas for development. Given limited use of Differentiation to support diverse learners, there appears opportunity for development in this area in supporting learners across cohorts. Perhaps a combination of existing teaching and learning strategies with additional HIT strategies may result in more effective teaching and learning outcomes.

Assessment
Assessment across unit of study within PE VCE is clearly outlined in the Study Design, although it is noted there is no explanation why units 1 and 2 are an internal school assessment, and units 3 and 4 count towards VCE (VCAA 2021). Perhaps this is an area for improvement, so to provide clear communication and expectations in future Study Designs. Regarding assessment design and scheduling, the Study Design, Advice for Teachers and Sample Teaching Schedules provide clear advice around the use of assessment, when assessment can occur, and how assessment can occur. In example Advice for Teachers, clarifies assessment tasks must be directly related to the unit of work, and assessments should be conducted during class time around suitable timeframes (VCAA 2021). Further, there is scope for varied assessment options, albeit tasks must be comparable, suggestive of differentiation dependant around teacher’s identification of learners needs.

Use of Resources
In addition to the Study Design, Advice For Teachers and Sample Teaching Schedules, VCAA (2021) provide an array of resources to support planning and teaching of VCE PE. Examples include previous VCE assessment reports providing data and usefulness of approaches. Video support examples related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in VCE, aimed to provide teachers with a deeper understanding of teaching practice. Further, resource guidance is provided in assessing Health and PE books, Journals and Periodicals, websites and ICT tools for use through the Study Design. Concluding, the resources available for teacher practice are broad and helpful for practice. Additional resources and guidance include a specific guidance document around Applied Learning in PE, encouraging the use of this practice. Further, the broad guidance and resource materials appear suited towards schools with adequate levels of facilities and resources, such that it may be useful to provide guidance for schools in rural and remote environments where facilities and resources may differ to schools in high populations areas. Considering additional strategies in assessment, there appears a gap between VCE and VCE Vocational Major (VM). Assessment strategies promoted for both VCE and VCE VM through VCAA are broadly well designed, however guidance on levels of support for variety of learning needs across all students in VCE assessment does not allow for differentiation of assessment which is however recognised in VCE VM. This assessment is guided by Applied Learning principles, where assessment methods that align with content and learner context are used (Victorian Applied Learning Association 2021).
While recognising the need for setting of high expectations in VCE, and not aiming to lower set standards of achievement, perhaps there is opportunity to integrate elements of the VCE VM assessment processes, supporting additional opportunity for success. While the author has no set plan for possible integration, further research into potential of integration, may provide differentiation into VCE assessment, where appears historically limited.
Regarding the use of innovative resources in the Design Study, there is evidence of strong ICT use through the teaching programs. In example teaching and learning on Biomechanics requires broad understanding of angle variations and acceleration relative to mechanical movements of the body, where analysis tools can be used to measure angles of limbs, and acceleration and deceleration over time. Further, the use of such tools is not considered an additional burden to the learning content and could be comfortably integrated into lesson design and plans. Further to the creative use of ICT, an alternative Outcome for AOS 1 is a collaborative learning project with local council and school to measure physical activity of students to, from and within school. This approach would provide students with a real-world experience of understanding physical activity levels across adolescents, and through sharing data and results with local council, pose an agenda for change of behaviour, including bike lane and vehicle restriction areas around school. These alternate approaches fall within VCAA curriculum (2021), and incorporate Applied Learning principles (Victorian Applied Learning Association 2021) to enhance community relationships, and integrating the learning with real world tasks, especially for those who seek employment in the physical activity, exercise and sport environment where such skills are integral to supporting the community. Further, adapting teaching practice to encourage differentiation in learning is likely to positively support learning outcomes (Hattie 2009), therefore scaffolding learning to support individuals can be integrated in theory and practical lessons. Establishing pretesting at the commencement of AOS Units would provide relative data of students to differentiate learning. This process is unlikely to provide additional burden to the content and is likely to enhance learning (Hattie 2009; DoE 2021).




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