WitCH 84: VCAA’s Design Flaws

We still haven’t had time to take a proper look at the 2023-2027 VCAA Mathematics Study Design, but it smells very very bad.

A blog-reader has alerted us to a VCAA webinar on Mathematical Methods in the new study design. The video can be viewed here, with transcript here (Word, idiots), and PowerPoint slides here (PowerPoint, idiots). The study design is here (Word, idiots). The previous discussion on this blog can be found here.

The video made us nauseous.

Continue reading “WitCH 84: VCAA’s Design Flaws”

Discussion of the 2022 NHT Specialist Exams

This is our post for discussion of the 2022 NHT Specialist Mathematics exams, which have now been posted, here and here. (See also our corresponding 2022 NHT Methods exams post.) We’ve had a quick browse, and found plenty of irritants but no glaringly large errors. We don’t plan to look further or to post on the exams, except to follow up on whatever people find worthy of comment. Continue reading “Discussion of the 2022 NHT Specialist Exams”

Discussion of the 2022 NHT Methods Exams

This is our post for discussion of the 2022 NHT Mathematical Methods exams, which have now been posted, here and here. (See also our corresponding 2022 NHT Specialist exams post.) We’ve had a quick browse, and found plenty of irritants but no glaringly large errors. We don’t plan to look further or to post on the exams, except to follow up on whatever people find worthy of comment.  Continue reading “Discussion of the 2022 NHT Methods Exams”

Specialist Mathematics 1&2 Note-Sharing and Idea-Sharing

Perhaps people are done, but given the previous discussion, here and (weirdly) here, and a couple requests, it seems worth a shot.

Given VCAA’s pigheaded ramming through of their still-non-existent and now invisible new study design, some teachers have expressed concern about what and how to teach in Specialist Mathematics 1&2 in 2022. One teacher, we’ll call them Mr. Puzzled, emailed us:

I am a 11 & 12 specialist maths teacher and have been spending countless hours trying to prepare some sort of course outline for the upcoming year without clear advice from VCAA on what we need to cover. Continue reading “Specialist Mathematics 1&2 Note-Sharing and Idea-Sharing”

Secret 2021 Specialist Business: Exam 2 Discussion

Last one. We’re keen to hear.

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UPDATE (09/05/22)

We’ve now had a chance to look at the exam report. Of course blatantly lying about the screw up in 2(a) is not good, even if it’s par for VCAA’s gutless course. Our comments on this, and everything, are interlaced below, in green.

Continue reading “Secret 2021 Specialist Business: Exam 2 Discussion”

Secret 2021 Methods Business: Exam 2 Discussion

As for yesterday, we’ve been handballed a copy of the Methods 2 exam, and we haven’t looked at it yet.

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UPDATE (23/04/22)

Our comments on the exam report are now interlaced below, in green. here. Needless to say, the examiners didn’t confess to, much less apologise for, any of their screw-ups.

Continue reading “Secret 2021 Methods Business: Exam 2 Discussion”

Secret 2021 Methods Business: Exam 1 Discussion

Methods Exam 1 was today. We’ve been handballed a copy of the exam but haven’t looked at it yet, and we’ve not yet heard any reactions. People are free to give their thoughts in the comments below, and we’ll update this post as the dust settles.

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UPDATE (22/04/22)

OK, we’ve now been through the exam report. Since the exam was relatively benign, and too easy, the report doesn’t bring up a lot else. But there is Q9, on which the report is disgraceful. We hammer this below, in green. Continue reading “Secret 2021 Methods Business: Exam 1 Discussion”

Discussion of the 2021 NHT Methods Exams

This is our post for discussion of the 2021 NHT Mathematical Methods exams (here and here). See also the accompanying 2021 NHT Specialist exams post, here. See also the relevant Witches: here, here and here.

UPDATE (08/10/21) The exam reports have reappeared, as PDFs, here and here. The exam 2 report has important updates, and important non-updates; see the comments in blue, below.

UPDATE (22/09/21) The exam reports are now out, here and here (VCAA-Word-Stupid). We’ve added a couple comments below, in green.

Continue reading “Discussion of the 2021 NHT Methods Exams”