Review of VCE Texts and Traditions

VCE Texts and Traditions

Summary of changes to the study design

General changes

The minor review of VCE Texts and Traditions focused on:

·  Improving clarity and consistency and removing ambiguities throughout the study design

·  Accommodating the different approaches of each of the Abrahamic traditions when using the exegetical methods of sociocultural criticism and literary criticism, particularly in relation to Unit 3 Outcome 3 and Unit 4 Outcome 1.

Specific changes

Unit 1

The unit overview has been updated to include a definition of exegesis.

For Area of Study 1, Outcome 1 has not changed. Students are now required to consider both the function and the characteristics of a text within its wider literary and religious context, allowing for greater emphasis on the place of the text within the religious tradition.

Area of Study 2 has been updated to broaden the cultural background of the text to include sociocultural, defined for this area of study as social, cultural and religious. This is reflected in the outcome, which now allows for broader social and religious considerations.

The comparison with similar literary narratives has been broadened to a comparison of similar literary texts.

Area of Study 3 has been updated to require the study of relevant scholarly commentaries, which can now include, but are not limited to, discussion and debate.

The outcome for this area of study now requires a range of understandings, which more accurately reflects the key knowledge.

Unit 1: Texts in traditions

i.  Area of Study 1: Exploring literary forms

ii.  Area of Study 2:Tthe formation and exegesis of text

iii.  Area of Study 3: Later uses and interpretations of sacred texts

Unit 2

This unit retains its focus on the role of texts in the context of society today.

Unit 2 now refers to ‘issues’ rather than ‘themes’ in order to distinguish this unit more clearly from the specific meaning given to themes in Units 3 and 4. It sharpens the focus onto social issues, as opposed to themes. This is reflected particularly in Area of Study 1 where students begin by considering the text itself and how and why it expresses a relationship to society, in relation to social issues

In Area of Study 2, Outcome 2 has been extended to include how the sacred texts have impact on society today, to capture the demands of the area of study more fully. The key knowledge has been updated to consider the type of authority currently attributed to a sacred text not only by a tradition, but by society in general. It has been made clear that social issues studied can be sourced from within or beyond the tradition and the focus has been sharpened to society today.

Area of Study 3 has a sharpened focus on comparison of similarities and differences found in sacred texts of different religious traditions and in the requirement focus on the values and teachings found in the sacred texts.

Unit 2: Texts in society

i.  Area of Study 1: Sacred texts in the past

ii.  Area of Study 2: Sacred texts today

iii.  Area of Study 3: Comparing religious traditions

Unit 3

In Unit 3, references to a range of literary aspects have been amended by using the term ‘literary criticism’. A definition has been provided for ’sociocultural context’ to include social, cultural, religious and political conditions, institutions and world views important to the development of the religious tradition. ‘Historical conditions’ have been added for Areas of Study 2 and 3. In Area of Study 1 the historical is treated separately from sociocultural context.

In Area of Study 1, students are now required to both identify and explain sociocultural and historical context. They are able to nominate relevant conditions, institutions, people, places and events as well as explain given ones.

In Area of Study 2 the term ‘literary aspects’ now encompasses literary forms, structures and techniques as well as issues involving the purpose, authorship and intended audience of the set text. The need to draw on a range of scholarly commentaries is highlighted.

The complexity of ‘nature of and challenges to exegetical method’ in Unit 3 Outcome 3 has been reduced to explaining the nature of exegetical method and specifically at least sociocultural criticism and literary criticism. Students will no longer study challenges to exegetical method. Further changes to the area of study allow for the requirements across different religious traditions and also allow students to engage more deeply with the meaning and significance for the original community.

Unit 3: Texts and the early tradition

i.  Area of Study 1: The background of the tradition

ii.  Area of Study 2: Thematic and literary aspects of the set texts

iii.  Area of Study 3: Interpreting texts

Unit 4

Unit 4, Area of Study 1 key knowledge has been updated to define sociocultural context as the social, cultural, religious, political and historical conditions, institutions and world views within which the text developed. The key knowledge has been amended to create a stem ‘the contextual placement of the passages for special study, including as appropriate to the tradition:’ followed by a series of key knowledge sub points related to different characteristics of context. Students now explain literary context rather than only identify it.

The focus areas that can be selected for study in Unit 4, Area of Study 2 have been amended from study of a ‘social’ theme’ to study of any theme.. Revisions to the key knowledge and skills have been made to articulate more explicitly the requirements for this area of study. For example students now consider both why and how the later tradition discussed and understood the meaning of a religious idea, belief or theme. This leads students to then consider how the tradition explained or reconciled its later interpretation with the original text.

Unit 4: Texts and their teachings

i.  Area of Study 1: Interpreting texts

ii.  Area of Study 2: Religious ideas, beliefs and themes


Assessment

Outcome statements in some areas of study across Units 1 to 4 have been altered to reflect the focus of the unit.

Units 1 and 2 Outcome statements

Current Study Outcome Statements / Revised Study Outcome Statements
Unit 1
Area of Study 1
Recognise and explain different literary forms and analyse their role within a tradition’s scriptures.
Area of Study 2
Apply basic exegetical methods against the cultural background in which the texts are located.
Area of Study 3
Discuss understandings and interpretations of sacred text. / Unit 1
Area of Study 1
Recognise and explain different literary forms and analyse their role within a tradition’s scriptures.
Area of Study 2
Apply basic exegetical methods against the background in which the texts are located.
Area of Study 3
Discuss a range of understandings and interpretations of sacred text
Current Study Outcome Statements / Revised Study Outcome Statements
Unit 2
Area of Study 1
Understand the origin and development of selected texts that express a tradition’s relationship to its society
Area of Study 2
Understand the type of authority that a tradition attributes to its sacred texts, and how these texts affect the tradition’s understanding of its relationship to society today.
Area of Study 3
Discuss the similarities and differences between the ways sacred texts of two or more religious traditions view a particular social theme. / Unit 2
Area of Study 1
Understand the origin and development of selected texts that express a tradition’s relationship to its society
Area of Study 2
Understand the type of authority that a tradition currently attributes to its sacred texts, how these texts affect the current tradition’s understanding of its relationship to society, and how the effects of the sacred text upon society today.
Area of Study 3
Compare the similarities and differences between the ways sacred texts of two or more religious traditions present a particular social issue.

Unit 3 Outcome Statements and Assessment

Current Study Outcome Statements / Revised Study Outcome Statements / Assessment tasks
Outcome 1
Identify and explain social and cultural contexts that influenced the early development of the religious tradition.
Outcome 2
Discuss major themes of the set text, and analyse its literary structure and issues related to the writing of the set text.
Outcome 3
Apply exegetical methods to develop an interpretation of some of the passages for special study, and discuss the nature of, and challenges to, exegetical method. / Outcome 1
Identify and explain sociocultural and historical contexts that influenced the early development of the religious tradition.
Outcome 2
Discuss major themes of the set text, and analyse literary structure and other aspects related to the writing of the set text.
Outcome 3
Apply exegetical methods to develop an interpretation of some of the passages for special study, and discuss the nature of exegetical method. / For Outcomes 1 and 2 one or more:
Extended responses
Report
Short-answer questions
Textual commentary
For Outcome 3 one or more:
Exegetical tasks

Unit 4 Outcome Statements and assessments

Current Study Outcome Statements / Revised Study Outcome Statements / Assessment tasks
Outcome 1
Apply exegetical methods to develop an interpretation of all
the passages for special study.
Outcome 2
Discuss a significant religious idea, belief or social theme in the set text, and analyse and evaluate how related passages from the set text have been interpreted within the tradition at a later stage in the light of the particular idea, belief or theme. / Outcome 1
Apply exegetical methods to develop an interpretation of all
the passages for special study.
Outcome 2
Discuss a significant religious idea, belief or theme in the set text, and analyse and evaluate how related passages from the set text have been interpreted within the tradition at a later stage in the light of the particular idea, belief or theme. / For Outcome 1 one or more:
Exegetical tasks
For Outcome 2 one or more :
Essay
Extended responses
Report
Short answer questions
© VCAA, April 2016 / Page 5