Economics

Economics

Course Summary

Economics is the study of how resources are allocated to meet the needs and wants of society. It attempts to explain how and why people behave the way they do and the consequences of their decision-making. By unpacking the economic considerations around how to best meet the needs and wants of citizens, the study of Economics provides students with valuable insight into issues that may affect them both individually and as members of society. Economics assists us in making more informed and responsible decisions and in making a contribution to public debate as active citizens.

VCE: Units 1, 2, 3 & 4 available  

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Select an industry and create a visual photo-journey of how technology has evolved in this industry over the past fifty years
  • Visit a supermarket to investigate the level of competition in certain lines of goods; complete fieldwork to gather information and data on product types and product range, producers and whether the good is manufactured in Australia or overseas; organise to speak to the store manager to discuss some of the current issues and challenges facing supermarkets in Australia, e.g. the level of competition in the grocery industry
  • Use the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) website (www.accc.gov.au) to investigate various types of anti-competitive behaviour; select one type of anti-competitive behaviour and prepare a written report on a current or a recent case investigated by the ACCC

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Approximate Costs

Unit 1 & 2

Excursion approx. costs $60

Learning Area Contact

Humanities Learning Area Leader

Madeleine Rowley

Vocational Major Personal Development Skills

Vocational Major Personal Development Skills

Course Summary

Vocational Major Personal Development Skills (PDS) takes an active approach to personal development, self-realisation and citizenship by exploring interrelationships between individuals and communities. PDS focuses on health, wellbeing, community engagement and social sciences, and provides a framework through which students seek to understand and optimise their potential as individuals and as members of their community.

This study provides opportunities for students to explore influences on identity, set and achieve personal goals, interact positively with diverse communities, and identify and respond to challenges. Students will develop skills in self-knowledge and care, accessing reliable information, teamwork, and identifying their goals and future pathways.

PDS explores concepts of effective leadership, self-management, project planning and teamwork to support students to engage in their work, community and personal environments.

Through self-reflection, independent research, critical and creative thinking and collaborative action, students will extend their capacity to understand and connect with the world they live in, and build their potential to be resilient, capable citizens.

Students must complete 2 units of Personal Development Skills to be eligible for their VCE Vocational Major certificate 

VCE: Unit 1, 2, 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Use a game like City Guesser to guess different locations in the world. After the game, debrief how students applied their understanding of community and the characteristics of community to make their guesses. Multiplayer options are available 
  • Conduct an excursion in the local community. This may include a visit to the local council, local community centre or another community-based organisation. Explore the characteristics that influence how community is formed and the different groups of people that exist with the community 
  • Visit the Australian of the Year website and develop a profile of an inspiring Australian of the Year. Detail how the person has engaged with the community and explore the impact the person has had on others, including any strategies they have used to promote community engagement and participation for others 

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Approximate Costs

Unit 1 & 2

Unit 3 & 4

Learning Area Contact

Learning Area Leader

Nadiene Pastras

Vocational Major Work Related Skills

Vocational Major Work Related Skills

Course Summary

Vocational Major Work Related Skills (WRS) examines a range of skills, knowledge and capabilities relevant to achieving individual career and educational goals. Students will develop a broad understanding of workplace environments and the future of work and education, in order to engage in theoretical and practical planning and decision-making for a successful transition to their desired pathway. The study considers four key areas: the future of work; workplace skills and capabilities; industrial relations and the workplace environment and practice; and the development of a personal portfolio. Students will have the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills gained from this study in the classroom environment and through Structured Workplace Learning (SWL). 

Students must complete 2 Units of Work Related Skills to be eligible for their VCE Vocational Major certificate 

VCE: Unit 1, 2, 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Engage in critical thinking relating to the changing nature of work using a PMI table (plus, minus interesting/implication) to respond to the key ideas presented in work-related online videos, for example, TED Talks
  • Conduct research to list the top 10 strategies to improve career prospects individually or in small groups. Present findings to the class and justify the reasoning for the rankings allocated
  • As a class, create a word wall relating to personal skills and capabilities to identify, define and clarify the meaning of these key terms

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Approximate Costs

Unit 1 & 2

Unit 3 & 4

Learning Area Contact

Learning Area Leader

Nadiene Pastras

Vocational Major Literacy

Vocational Major Literacy

Course Summary

VCE Vocational Major Literacy focuses on the development of the knowledge and skills required to be literate in Australia today. The key knowledge and key skills encompass a student’s ability to interpret and create texts that have purpose, and are accurate and effective, with confidence and fluency. Texts should be drawn from a wide range of contexts and be focused on participating in the workplace and community. Further to this, texts should be drawn from a range of sources including media texts, multimodal texts, texts used in daily interactions, and workplace texts from increasingly complex and unfamiliar settings. As students develop these skills, they engage with texts that encompass the everyday language of personal experience to the more abstract, specialised and technical language of different workplaces, including the language of further study. The applied learning approach of this study is intended to meet the needs of students with a wide range of abilities and aspirations. 

Course designed to complement the Vocational Major stream in the VCE

VCE: Unit 1, Unit 2 and Unit 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

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Approximate Costs

Unit 1 & 2

Unit 3 & 4

Learning Area Contact

English Learning Area Leader

Jakob De Wit

Vocational Major Numeracy

Vocational Major Numeracy

Course Summary

This subject covers a range of aspects of numeracy including personal, civic, financial, health, vocational and recreational. VCE Vocational Major Numeracy focuses on enabling students to develop and enhance their numeracy skills to make sense of their personal, public and vocational lives. Students develop mathematical skills with consideration of their local, national and global environments and contexts, and an awareness and use of appropriate technologies. 

VCE: Unit 1, 2, 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

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Approximate Costs

Unit 1 & 2

Unit 3 & 4

Learning Area Contact

Maths Learning Area Leader

Michael Barnard

Industry and Enterprise

Industry and Enterprise

Course Summary

Industry and Enterprise at WSSC prepares you to effectively take part in the workplace.  In this course you will explore the development of enterprising behaviour, leadership and innovation in different workplace settings. You will also look at the significant issues faced by industry. You will develop work-related skills by actively exploring personal career goals and pathways. 

After completing the relevant occupational health and safety (OH&S) induction program, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and skills in the practical application of your work-related skills, by completing at least 35 hours of structured workplace learning. 

VCE: Unit 1, Unit 2 and Unit 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Undertake structured workplace learning and complete a reflective journal or report of your experience
  • Investigate a career and create a profile for presentation
  • Develop a digital curriculum vitae and learning portfolio

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Approximate Costs

Unit 1 & 2

Unit 3 & 4

Learning Area Contact

Humanities Learning Area Leader

Nadiene Pastras

Art Creative Practice

Art Creative Practice

Course Summary

Do you like expressing your own original ideas through art? In Art Creative Practice you will explore, develop and refine a range of fine art materials to investigate the characteristics and uses of a range of art materials. There is a strong focus on individual ideas. You will actively participate in managing the production of artistic work across an extended period. During this subject, you will investigate and respond to a range of artists and artworks in a formalised critical writing format. In Unit 1 students must experiment with a range of art materials including painting, drawing, digital photography and collage. In Units 2-4 students are able to choose from the above materials to focus on for tasks.

VCE: Unit 1, Unit 2 and Unit 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Create reports and posters on artists and artworks
  • Analyse artists and artworks
  • Explore a range of class materials
  • Present critiques on your work
  • Produce trial work accompanied by annotations
  • Documented folio of finished art work
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRCECjpvTvI

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Approximate Costs

Unit 1 & 2

Unit 3 & 4

Learning Area Contact

Arts Learning Area Leader

Lynette Campbell

VCE VET Salon Assistant (Hairdressing)

VCE VET Salon Assistant (Hairdressing)

Course Summary

Have you always wanted to be a hairdresser? Enjoy doing other people’s hair and helping them feel good about themselves? Studying Hairdressing (Salon Assistant) at WSSC will provide you with the necessary skills and knowledge to begin your career in the hairdressing industry. You will develop strong communication, traditional and contemporary skills. This will be delivered through a mixture of learning through theory and practice, as well as on Structured Workplace Learning.

This course is delivered over 2 years.

VCE: Unit 1 & Unit 2 sequence available

ATAR Contribution: Unit 3 & 4 students do not receive a Study Score contribution for this subject

VET: SHB20216 Certificate II in Salon Assistant

Structured workplace learning advice: 40 hours is required. An additional 80 hours strongly recommended but not compulsory 

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Develop an understanding of the hairdressing industry
  • Perform basic application of hair colour and removal
  • Demonstrate basin skills
  • Develop an understanding of how to dry hair to shape and massage techniques

This program is run as part of an Auspicing arrangement with Inspiring Training Academy – RTO# 22728

This program is run as part of an Auspicing arrangement with Wodonga Institute of TAFE, a Registered Training Organisation.  TIOD: 3097

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Approximate Costs

Unit 1 & 2

Unit 3 & 4

Learning Area Contact

Technology Learning Area Leader

Simon Hampton

VCE VET Hospitality & Cookery (Unit 1 & 2)

VCE VET Hospitality & Cookery (Unit 1 & 2)

Course Summary

Are you looking to working in the Hospitality industry? Are you creative? Hospitality prepares you for a range of potential career paths within the Hospitality industry. Topics that will be studied include hygiene, safety, using a range of equipment, preparing food using basic cookery methods, maintaining the quality of perishables, cleaning kitchen premises.

VCE: Unit 1 & Unit 2

VET: Units towards

SIT20322 – Unit 1, 2 students receive SIT20322 Certificate II in Hospitality as well as a statement of attainment under SIT20421 Certificate II in Cookery.

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Demonstrated hospitality knowledge through theory assessments and practical application and observations
  • Prepare and serve food to customers in WSSC Pepper Restaurant

This program is run as part of an Auspicing arrangement with IVET – RTO# 40548

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Approximate Costs

N/A

Learning Area Contact

Technology Learning Area Leader

Simon Hampton

Chemistry

Chemistry

Course Summary

Are you creative and interested in reactions, chemical reactions? Do you want to know what underpins the production and development of energy, the maintenance of clean air and water, the production of food, medicines and new materials, and the treatment of waste? Studying Chemistry enables you to examine a range of chemical, biochemical and geophysical phenomena through the exploration of the nature of chemicals and chemical processes. You’ll develop an understanding of the structure of materials, ionic compounds, periodic table, chemical energy sources, manufacturing processes and much more.

VCE: Unit 1, Unit 2 and Unit 3 & 4 sequence available

Learning Activities & Assessment

  • Explore the origin and nature of material through a combination of theory, research and hands-on investigation
  • Conduct research investigations in relevant topics
  • Design a practical investigation into physical and chemical properties of water; acid and base reactions; redox reactions; and analysis of water
  • Develop a deeper understanding of more complex chemistry concepts and theories
  • Design a major practical investigation into an area of interest that is reported in the form of a scientific poster

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Approximate Costs

Unit 1 & 2

Unit 3 & 4

Checkpoints (Optional) $35

Learning Area Contact

Science Learning Area Leader

Terri Gregotski