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Advice for teachers -
Industry and Enterprise

Developing a program

The study design 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 programs that include appropriate and stimulating learning activities to enable students to develop the key knowledge and key skills identified in the outcome statements for each unit.

VCE Industry and Enterprise develops students’ understanding of the world of work. It highlights the importance of young people actively participating in the Australian workforce, thereby contributing to Australian society and its economy. This study provides the opportunity for students to apply theory to practice by undertaking 35-hours of structured work placements. Structured Workplace Learning is compulsory for three out of the four units of VCE Industry and Enterprise.

Students discuss the meaning of enterprising behaviour in the context of industry and develop specific skills required to participate successfully in the workforce.​

Students develop the skills of investigation and research throughout the study and examine case studies of enterprising behaviour in industry as well as in relevant legislation. Students are given ample opportunity for self-reflection about personal skill acquisition.

Learning may be facilitated through development of programs that allow students to apply industry-based enterprising behaviour and innovative techniques to practical scenarios. Assessments are planned according to the key knowledge and key skills specific to an area of study.

The use of a range of assessment activities is encouraged. More than one assessment task can be used to assess satisfactory completion of each outcome in all Units 1 to 4.

In Units 3 and 4, assessments are more structured. The types of assessment tasks that may be used to assess each outcome are listed. The contribution each outcome makes to the total score for school-assessed coursework is also stipulated.

The study design designates that students must study ‘recent’ or contemporary industry examples. For VCE Industry and Enterprise, ‘recent’ is defined as being within the past four years.

Teachers of Industry and Enterprise need to consider:

  • The range of workplaces where students are undertaking structured workplace learning, as well as the specific industries students want and need to know more about.
  • The type and scope of work-related skills students already possess at the beginning of the study, as well as the work-related skills students will need to develop further, either for work placement or in relation to other areas of study.
  • Student background: some students may also be enrolled in a VCE VET unit or the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL). This study will provide an opportunity to build links with learning in these areas.
  • Access to local resources: numerous teaching resources are available for use. Some are listed in this advice. It is worth taking time to explore a local area and develop links with the local community. Visits to local businesses and organisations may facilitate guest speakers and access to local employers. The goal should be the development of a teaching and learning program relevant to the needs of the specific student cohort.
  • Timing of structured workplace learning: it is important to organise work placements as early as possible. The availability of placements and the needs of students and potential employers must be considered as well as the constraints imposed by the school timetable.

Developing work-related skills

Throughout the study, students are required to focus on the development of work-related skills. It is intended that they develop a suite of skills considered essential for effective participation both in work and life in general. The development of work-related skills may occur in a range of personal, community and work settings, including formal and informal education.

Teachers use class-based activities as well as structured workplace learning and enterprise projects, and activities to facilitate the development of students’ skills.

Self-assessment

Student self-assessment of personal development of work-related skills is an important aspect of VCE Industry and Enterprise. Self-assessment is a process facilitating development of independent learners and thinkers, allowing students an opportunity to take greater control of their learning.

Teachers are encouraged to provide opportunities for students to monitor, reflect, self-assess and evaluate their personal learning performance. The development of self-assessment is integral to the development of responsible and enterprising behaviours.

The capacity to self-assess effectively can be improved over time through explicit teaching. It should not be assumed that students have an inherent ability to gauge and articulate personal performance.

Teachers need to carefully guide the process of self-assessment. Criteria by which to measure performance, as well as processes to be followed during self-assessment, must be clearly articulated. This enables self-assessment to become an integral part of the learning process rather than simply an add-on.

Opportunities for self-reflection should be integrated into the learning process. Allowing students regular opportunities to stand back from the process and objectively judge personal performance is important.

Opportunities for self-reflection should occur at the beginning of each unit as well as during and upon completion of each unit of work.

These opportunities will support student development of work-related skills, which is a critical component of VCE Industry and Enterprise.

The ability to collect, analyse and organise information, as well as operate as part of a team, is essential. Teachers need to allow students to have ​opportunities to develop these skills, thereby facilitating development of work-related skills.

This can be done through:

  • introducing the notion of self-assessment at the beginning of each unit of work
  • providing examples of self-assessment in everyday situations
  • providing guidelines for the application of self-assessment
  • relating self-assessment to each specific work-related skill being addressed
  • prompting students to develop methods of performing particular work-related tasks and skills (e.g. solving problems, collecting information and negotiating)
  • building in regular time to reflect within a unit of work
  • providing students with self-assessment proformas to document performance.

The sample ​self-assessment record worksheets (docx - 68.85kb)​​ may be used to map development of student personal skills in Units 1 and 2.

Each self-assessment concentrates on one work-related skill. Students are asked to describe the means by which they have developed specific skills and to judge the effectiveness. They are also asked to reflect on possible further means of improving this work-related skill.

Student safety and wellbeing

When developing courses, teachers must consider issues including: duty of care relating to the health and safety of students during learning activities; structured workplace learning and excursions, legislative compliance, sensitivity to cultural differences within a cohort of students as well as differing personal beliefs; adherence to community standards and ethical guidelines.

For more detail regarding legislation and compliance, refer to the study design.