VCE VET ICT key terms

A nationally endorsed package of skills and knowledge describing what a person must be able to do in a particular ICT work role, and the standard against which competence is judged.

A set of nationally endorsed qualifications, units of competency and assessment guidelines for an industry. The ICT training package supplies the units that make up VCE VET ICT programs.

A formal certification awarded when a person has been assessed as competent in all units required for a training package qualification, such as a certificate level in information technology.

One of the discrete tasks or functions that together make up a unit of competency, describing the essential outcomes a candidate must demonstrate.

Statements within an element of competency that specify the standard of performance expected, used as the reference points for judging whether a candidate is competent.

The combined requirements of a unit, including its elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, and range of conditions, against which evidence is judged.

A process where a candidate's existing skills and knowledge, gained through work, study or life experience, are assessed against a unit so they need not repeat training.

Awarding credit towards a qualification for units already completed in another course or qualification, without reassessing the candidate's skills in those units.

The VET process in which eligible candidates in a scored VET program receive a numerical study score based on graded assessment tasks and an external examination, rather than only competency judgments.

A numerical ranking from zero to fifty that shows a candidate's overall achievement in a scored VET program relative to other candidates in that study.

A task set by the school or training provider in a scored VET program that is assessed against grade descriptors and contributes marks towards the study score.

A written description of typical performance at each grade level, used to decide whether a candidate's work meets the standard for a particular grade on a graded assessment task.

A common examination set and marked outside the school for all candidates in a scored VET program, contributing a fixed percentage of the final study score.

A published document describing the content, format, conditions and weighting of an external examination so candidates and teachers know what will be assessed.

The official document setting out the content, assessment requirements and structure of a VET or VCE study, guiding teaching, learning and assessment for that program.

A document or instrument that sets out the task, conditions, evidence required and judgment criteria used to assess whether a candidate is competent or to assign a grade.

The information gathered about a candidate's performance, such as completed work, observations or questioning, that is judged against the unit requirements to decide competence.

The judgment that a candidate has met all requirements of a unit of competency, demonstrated through sufficient and valid evidence of performance.

The judgment that a candidate has not provided sufficient evidence to meet all requirements of a unit, indicating further learning or reassessment is needed.

An assessment principle meaning the evidence gathered actually measures what it claims to measure, so judgments reflect the unit of competency rather than unrelated factors.

An assessment principle meaning results are consistent across assessors, tasks, occasions and candidates, so the same performance would lead to the same judgment.

An assessment principle requiring that all candidates have equitable opportunity to demonstrate competence, with assessment free from discrimination and unreasonable barriers.

A change to assessment conditions or tasks that removes an unfair disadvantage for a candidate with a disability or special need without changing the standard required.

The process of confirming that work submitted for assessment is genuinely the candidate's own, often by signing declarations and keeping evidence of drafts and development.

A quality assurance process comparing assessment judgments across schools or assessors to ensure grades and competency decisions are consistent and comparable.

A process of adjusting school-based assessment scores using examination results and statewide data so that scores from different schools can be fairly compared.

Documentation kept by the assessor showing what evidence was collected, the judgment made for each unit, and the basis for that decision.

A planning table mapping each unit's elements and performance criteria against the assessment tasks that will gather evidence, ensuring full coverage before assessment begins.

Supervised learning in a real or simulated workplace where a candidate develops and demonstrates industry skills, often contributing evidence towards units of competency.

A period of work with an employer arranged as part of a VET program so the candidate gains authentic experience and evidence for assessment.

The official online record of endorsed training packages, qualifications and units of competency, used to confirm which units are current and nationally recognised.

The part of a training package that sets out requirements for assessment, including assessor qualifications, assessment pathways and advice on gathering evidence.

Part of a unit of competency that lists the contexts, equipment, legislation or variables in which the elements and performance criteria must be demonstrated.

The section of a unit of competency describing the skills and underpinning knowledge a candidate must be able to apply to perform the elements to the required standard.

A published report showing how candidates' results were spread across grades for a study, used to inform teaching and understand assessment outcomes.

An official post-examination publication reviewing how candidates performed on each question, identifying common errors and giving advice for future candidates and teachers.

Awarding of units when a candidate has met all requirements, which is required before the study can contribute to the senior secondary certificate.

A signed statement by a candidate confirming that submitted assessment work is their own, supported by evidence of the drafting and development process.

A defined activity with stated conditions and requirements that candidates complete so assessors can gather evidence and make a competency or graded judgment.