THE VICTORIAN CERTIFICATE OF
APPLIED LEARNING (VCAL)
Some Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS VCAL?
VCAL consists of four strands of learning, each focusing on a different skillset. Each strand operates
differently and students must complete all four strands. A strand typically consists of multiple units.
.
The four VCAL strands are
Literacy and numeracy skills
Industry specific skills
Work related skills
Personal development skills.
Industry specific skills - a note
There are no VCAL units within this strand.
In order to satisfactorily complete this strand
students will select units from VCE or VET programs
HOW ARE MY UNITS STRUCTURED?
Each VCAL Unit is made up of four or five Learning Outcomes that in turn
consist of multiple Elements. So a Unit like "Numeracy Skills Intermediate 1"
will contain four Learning Outcomes. One of those Learning Outcomes might
be "Planning and Organising", which will be composed of different elements
like Estimation, Knowledge and Application.
HOW WILL I BE GRADED?
To achieve a credit in a unit, VCAL students must demonstrate achievement
in each learning outcome for that unit. This will usually involve multiple
assessments and observations by your classroom teacher. One learning task
may cover elements from multiple learning outcomes. Ultimately your teacher
will provide you with a "competent" grade for the unit once you have met all
of the criteria. VCAL students do not receive a ranked mark.
WHAT KIND OF CLASSES WILL I HAVE?
Learning activities and assessments will be varied across differing
strands, with a focus on practicality. Where possible, students will be
given a range of varied classroom tasks. For example, lessons in a
numeracy classroom might include creating a budget, interpreting a
building plan or calculating the concentrations of different materials..
Each of these tasks might incorporate Elements from different Learning
Outcomes. For example, creating an order for a Hairdressing salon
might include comparing prices, understanding ratios, estimating stock
levels and using an organisational spreadsheet. Under this system
students can show their competence in multiple Elements just by
completing the one task.