“Find without a calculator”

“Find without a calculator”

The prime factors of 484 and use these to find the square root or 484

Kevin McMenamin (Access Education)

English Further Maths Psychology Maths Methods

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

50000

Top four subjects in 2011Student enrolments

English: 43 091

Further Mathematics: 30

717

Psychology: 16 512

Mathematical Methods

(CAS): 16 004 Kevin McMenamin (Access Education)

Statistics and comments from 2011

Examination 1More than 600 of enrolled students did not sit the examination.

Students should make better use of their 15 minutes of reading time.

Time management appeared to be an issue with some students not attempting or rushing to finish the last question. Questions do not have to be answered sequentially.

2011 VCAA Assessors Report Kevin McMenamin (Access Education)

“Learning takes effort and time”

Learn during class. Don’t be a passive learner and just take notes.Pay attention, be proactive, get involved and learn.

A straw pollSensory and Short Term memory Unless we actively take steps to

remember, the mind is capable of retaining information for only relatively short periods of time. Kevin McMenamin (Access Education)

After hearing very important information, the average person is able to recall:

No Review

Regular review

after one

day 50 % 95%

after one

week 35 % 83%

after ten

weeks17 % 70%

The need to practice, enquire and review is imperative to good lerning


Sensory to Short to Long

To listen well requires focus and attention Kevin McMenamin (Access Education)

Examination 2 Scores ranged from 0 to 160 out of a

possible 160. Mean score was 75.9 out of 160. Median grade was a B. 11% of candidates scored ≥ 128

marks. 24% of candidates scored ≥ 107

marks.

Statistics from 2011…

Grade

UG E E+ D D+ C C+ B B+ A A+

Range

0-9 10-17

18-25

26-33

34-42

43-56

57-71

72-88

89-106

107-127

128-160


Students must ensure that they: read questions carefully give answers to the required accuracy transcribe the correct equation provide answers to all parts of the question

answer the question that is being asked. re-read the question after they think they have completed the question.

Provide adequate working for ‘show that’ questions

show appropriate working for questions worth more than one mark


ASSESSMENT Assessment of levels of achievement School-assessed coursework and two end-of-

year examinations will be used to determine your overall level of achievement for Units 3 and 4.

Contribution to final assessmentUnit 3 school-assessed coursework: 20 %Unit 4 school-assessed coursework: 14 %Unit 3&4 examination 1 (Short answer questions): 22 %Unit 3&4 examination 2 (Multiple Choice and Analysis Task): 44 %


“Concentration”“Multi-tasking” is best done when mathematics is not involved. Make the time you spend studying mathematics efficient, constructive and effective.

‘A rule of thumb’In most good learning environments you are expected to work two hours outside of class for every one class hour.


School assessed courseworkThere are five school assessed coursework tasks spread across Unit 3 and Unit 4.

Assessment Task Part of Period Weighting

Test 1 Consists of multiple choice, short answer and extended response questions

Unit 3 40 - 50 minutes 3.33 %

Application TaskExtended investigation

Unit 3 360-450 minutes 13.33%

Test 2Consists of multiple choice, short answer and extended response questions

Unit 3 40 - 50 minutes 3.33%

Analysis Task 1A short assignment or problem solving activity

Unit 4 160-200 minutes 7%

Analysis Task 2 A short assignment or problem solving activity

Unit 4 160-200 minutes 7%

Total weighting of school assessed coursework 34%

A formula sheet is provided in each examination.

A bound reference is allowed into Examination 2.

A CAS calculator is allowed into Examination 2.

Assessment Task Part of Period Level of Difficulty

Weighting

Examination 1Consists of approximately 11 short answer questions.

November Exams

1 hour Medium 22%

Examination 2Consists of approximately 22 multiple choice and four extended response questions.

November Exams

2 hours Hard 44%

Note: Past papers are available on the VCAA website.

(www.vcaa.vic.edu.au) Kevin McMenamin (Access Education)

“Think about it!”

If something does not make sense right away, take the time to think about it.

Re-read the question; break it into 2-3

words at a time.

Draw a picture to visualise the problem.

Use your glossary to find the definition of

words. An Example Kevin McMenamin (Access Education)

Study scores You will receive a raw study score

out of 50 Around 8% of students receive a

score above 40 Around 2% of students receive a

score above 45


Scaling VTAC will apply scaling to all subjects to ensure they are of a comparable level.

The scaling relevant to Methods for last year was:

Raw 20 25 30 35 40 45 50Scaled 2009

24 30 35 40 44 48 50

Omitting Language subjects and after Specialist Mathematics, Mathematical Methods CAS is the highest scaled subject. Kevin McMenamin (Access Education)

“The 4 Rs”

• Review

• Repeat

• Retain

• Recall


To be successful you need to:

Have very good skills of algebraic manipulation.

Many unsuccessful students have trouble transposing an equation to isolate a subject.

loge (ax + 2) = 3 ax + 2 = e3 x + 2 = e3

a x = e

3

a– 2

loge (ax + 2) = 3

ax + 2 = e3

x + 2 = e3

a

x = e3

a– 2


480:answerCorrect

498

2500

***2500***

210

50

A

A

A

A

Always set out and show your working in a logical and neat format, consistent with acceptable mathematical practices and never erase anything.

Unsuccessful students leave out important steps in working and have poor skills of presentation and setting out.

To be successful you need to:

An Example Kevin McMenamin (Access Education)

To be successful you need to: Clearly understand when it is good

practice to use a CAS calculator and know what it says.

An Example Kevin McMenamin (Access

Education)

To be successful you need to: Have an aptitude to follow basic

instructions and to understand the information you read.

f (x) = e2x – 2m ex + 3

f (x) = e2x – 2m ex + 3

Unsuccessful students have trouble understanding the following statements:

Give the exact solution for … Use your graph to … Find to the nearest day; centimetre; whole

number … Give the coordinates of … Find correct to 3 decimal places … Find the exact area … In the form of … Show that …


Know the formula sheet and the contents of your summary book.

Recognise expressions, standard forms of graphs and diagrams

Regularly practise techniques, standard methods, routines and notation.

To be moderately successful and at the very

least you must:


Textbooks (other than the one you are using)

Jacaranda, Macmillan, Heinemann, Cambridge..

Revision Lectures: Around September/OctoberTutors Experienced teachers University students

Resources


If you would like a copy of this presentation please contact

Access Education:

Website: www.accesseducation.com.au

Email: [email protected]


http://www.accesseducation.com.au/

“Find without a calculator”

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