Review of VCE Australian and Global Politics - Summary of Proposed Changes

Review of VCE Australian and Global Politics SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES

Review of VCE Australian and Global Politics

Summary of proposed changes to the study design

General changes The review of VCE Australian and Global Politics focused on: The nature and coherence of Units 1 and 2 including: reducing the divide between Australian and Global content; reducing the overlap with Units 3 and 4; introduction of Global Politics theory to create a better background to Units 3 and 4; introduction of case studies of political actors to encourage learning in depth and provide a better background to Units 3 and 4 Australian Politics Sequencing and clarity of the key skills including: alignment with the key knowledge and reflecting the types of assessment undertaken in the study. The introduction of a 10 year time frame for all examples and case studies in the six units. Introduction of key terms and concepts in the Key knowledge of Australian Politics to provide clarity for teaching and assessment. Review of Australian Politics Unit 3 to address workload concerns; to focus on the key aspects of Australian democracy and review options for comparing democracies. Global Politics Unit 3, Area of Study 2: removal on the limitation of Asia-Pacific states exercise of power to the region. Review of clarity of key knowledge in all units.

Specific changes

Unit 1 Unit 1: Political Studies i. Area of Study 1: Power and Ideas Introduction of key terms and concepts. Key knowledge related to the nature and purpose of power has been removed. Meanings associated with terms in the political spectrum have been introduced in the key knowledge. Ideas which shape political systems has been introduced in the key knowledge.

© VCAA August 2016 Page 1 Review of VCE Australian and Global Politics SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES Study of a non-democratic political system has been introduced in the key knowledge. Opportunities for younger Australians has been deleted from the key knowledge.

© VCAA August 2016 Page 2 Review of VCE Australian and Global Politics SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CHANGES ii. Area of Study 2: Political actors and power Introduction of key terms and concepts. All key knowledge has been re-written. Area of study now focuses on political actors: political parties, interest groups and media. Introduction of case studies of political actors to allow for learning in depth.

Unit 2 Unit 2: Political Studies i. Area of Study 1: Global links Clarification of the idea of Global community. Introduction of theories of realism and cosmopolitanism. Introduction of an Australian-focused case study. ii. Area of Study 2: Global cooperation and conflict Clarification around the idea of the contested nature of global community. Introduction of key global actors.

Units 3 and 4 Australian Politics Unit 3 Unit 3: Evaluating Australian democracy i. Area of Study 1: Australian democracy Introduction of key terms and concepts relating to Australian democracy. Clarification of democratic principles and values. Introduction of key Westminster values and principles, federal system of government, the Constitution and the role of the governor-general and the role of Prime Minister and Cabinet into the features of the Australian political system in practice. Protection of democratic rights and freedoms focuses on the Constitution and the role of the High Court. Key knowledge of electoral system and the parliament considers democratic strengths and weaknesses. Deletion of key knowledge relating to the challenges facing democracy in Australia. ii. Area of Study 2: Comparing democracies: Australia and the United States Introduction of key terms and concepts relating to American democracy. Deletion of options of the United Kingdom, Federal Republic of Germany and India as comparisons to Australian democracy with a new focus on the United States system only. Key knowledge has been re-written with specific American content.

Unit 4 Unit 4: Australian public policy i. Area of Study 1: Domestic policy Introduction of key terms and concepts relating to Australian domestic policy. Introduction of the influence of ministerial advisers on public policy. Deletion of global and international influences on domestic policymaking as a separate key knowledge dot-point. ii. Area of Study 2: Foreign policy Introduction of key terms and concepts relating to Australian foreign policy.

Units 3 and 4 Global Politics Unit 3 Unit 3: Global actors iii. Area of Study 1: Global actors Removed World Trade Organisation (WTO) from the key knowledge. Included in key knowledge: the ways that global actors challenge state sovereignty. iv. Area of Study 2: Power in the Asia-Pacific Removed the limitation on Asia-Pacific states exercising power only within the region. Clarification of factors which shape the national interests of states.

Unit 4 Unit 4: Global challenges iii. Area of Study 1: Ethical issues and debates Inclusion of specific reference to international law. Inclusion of specific reference to ‘justice’. Clarification of ethical debates. iv. Area of Study 2: Global crises Removal of ‘prosecuting war’ for improved clarity.

Assessment Outcome statements in most areas of study across Units 1 to 4 have been altered to reflect the focus of the unit.

Units 1 and 2 Outcome statements

Current Study Outcome Statements Consultation Draft Outcome Statements Unit 1 Unit 1 Area of Study 1 Area of Study 1 Describe and analyse the nature and Identify and explain key ideas relating to purpose of politics and power in a the exercise of political power, and broad sense and in the context of analyse and evaluate different approaches contemporary Australian democracy. to governmental power both democratic and non-democratic. Area of Study 2 Explain why people seek political Area of Study 2 power, and the major political Explain and analyse the roles and ideologies that influence political functions of political parties, interest involvement and political groups and the media and their influence movements. on participation in Australian politics.

Current Study Outcome Statements Consultation Draft Outcome Statements Unit 2 Unit 2 Area of Study 1 Area of Study 1 Identify the ways in which the lives of Identify and analyse the social, political citizens in the twenty-first century and economic interconnections created by are interconnected globally. globalization and evaluate Australia’s participation in the global community.

Area of Study 2 Area of Study 2 Describe and analyse the extent to Describe and analyse the extent to which which the international community is global actors can effectively manage cohesive, and whether it can cooperation, conflict and instability in effectively manage cooperation, relation to selected case studies. conflict and instability in relation to selected case studies.

Australian Politics Unit 3 Outcome Statements

Marks Current Study Outcome Consultation Draft allocat Assessment tasks Statements Outcome Statements ed Outcome 1 Outcome 1 For each outcome, Describe and analyse key Explain the key values 50 select one or more of aspects of democratic and principles of the the following: theory and practice, and Australian political system A multimedia evaluate the strengths and evaluate its presentation and weaknesses of the democratic strengths and A case study Australian democratic weaknesses. An essay system. Outcome 2 50 A report Outcome 2 Analyse the key features Critically compare the of the US political system Short answer political system of and critically compare the questions Australia with one other political systems of An extended democracy, and evaluate Australia and the United response. an aspect of the selected States in terms of the political system that extent to which Australia might adopt to democratic values and strengthen its democracy. principles are upheld.

Total marks 100

*School-assessed Coursework for Unit 3 contributes 25 per cent.

Australian Politics Unit 4 Outcome Statements

Marks Current Study Outcome Consultation Draft allocat Assessment tasks Statements Outcome Statements ed Outcome 1 Outcome 1 For each outcome, Explain how Australian Explain how Australian 50 select one or more of federal domestic public federal domestic public the following: policy is formulated and policy is formulated and A multimedia implemented, analyse the implemented, analyse the presentation factors which affect these factors which affect these A case study processes, and critically processes, and critically evaluate a selected evaluate a selected An essay contemporary domestic contemporary domestic A report policy issue. policy issue. Short answer Outcome 2 Outcome 2 50 questions Describe, analyse and Analyse the nature, An extended discuss the nature, objectives and response. objectives and instruments of instruments of contemporary Australian contemporary Australian foreign policy, and foreign policy, and the evaluate challenges

Total marks 100

Global Politics Unit 3 Outcome Statements

Marks Current Study Outcome Consultation Draft allocat Assessment tasks Statements Outcome Statements ed Outcome 1 Outcome 1 For each outcome, Evaluate the power of key Evaluate the relative 50 select one or more of global actors in the power of key global actors the following: twenty-first century and in the twenty-first century a multimedia assess the extent to and assess the extent to presentation which they achieve their which they achieve their a case study aims. aims and are able to challenge state an essay sovereignty. 50 a report Outcome 2 Outcome 2 short-answer Analyse and evaluate Analyse and evaluate the questions types of power as used by effectiveness of the use of an extended a specific Asia-Pacific various types of power by response. state in the region in a specific Asia-Pacific pursuit of its national state in pursuit of its interests. national interests. Total marks 100

Global Politics Unit 4 Outcome Statements

Marks Current Study Outcome Consultation Draft allocat Assessment tasks Statements Outcome Statements ed

Outcome 1 Outcome 1 50 For each outcome, Evaluate two global Analyse the ethical select one or more of ethical issues from a debates relating to two the following: range of perspectives, global ethical issues, and a multimedia and analyse the evaluate the presentation effectiveness of global effectiveness of global a case study actors’ responses to these actors’ responses to these issues. issues. 50 an essay Outcome 2 Outcome 2 a report Explain two contemporary Analyse two short-answer global crises and evaluate contemporary global questions the effectiveness of crises and evaluate the an extended responses to these. effectiveness of global response. actors' responses to these.

Total marks 100