Dodgy SAC

[Srd2000]

Hello, so recently I have done a SAC and our teacher has given us lots of revision work and put practice exam questions online for us as well for us that they swear is relevant to the SAC. However, when we did the SAC, we felt as if we were not prepared rightfully by our teacher for the content. I am not saying that our teacher taught us the wrong material, I watched them go through the Key Skills in the study design, but the stuff they taught was not directly revised by our teacher.  The total SAC prep that I have done out of recommendation is as follows:
•   5 Assignments, totalling 70 questions that our teacher says are “super important”
•   9 Exam Papers, the questions that I did not get right or understand I did again
•   Morning classes 4 times a week, our teacher gave us hard questions they said would help us with the SAC
•   As well as past VCAA exams that I have printed myself and done
A lot of the practice our teacher gave us was more extended response questions, whilst the SAC had a large multiple choice for topics that we haven't covered recently.

To exemplify this, imagine the classes is learning how to throw a ball. The first, say, 3-4 lessons are on how to throw over-arm, then the next 6 weeks is on under-arm. You sign up for the baseball team to practice and your coach gives you extra drills to improve your under-arm throwing skills. Suddenly BAM! A wild SAC appears and the majority of the SAC is on over-arm throwing. Is this SAC and the preparation leading up to it on the teacher behalf wrong?

Bottom line is, can our teacher do this? What is the outcome? Do I just to suck it up and move on? What will happen to the other students, SAC, our results and the teacher? This is a year 12 SAC as well.

Thank you

[Aaron]

However, when we did the SAC, we felt as if we were not prepared rightfully by our teacher for the content

I know this is going to sound quite blunt and it's intended to sound blunt - but I don't think this is a reasonable statement. You are in Year 12 (or doing a Year 12 subject), which essentially means that you are 18 (or close to that age)... basically an adult. Did you raise these concerns with your teacher at any point? In Year 12, your teacher essentially acts as facilitator by guiding you to the correct content.. It's not a hand holding journey which is seen in the earlier years. In the end, you have to do the SACs and exams.

Bottom line is, can our teacher do this? What is the outcome? Do I just to suck it up and move on? What will happen to the other students, SAC, our results and the teacher? This is a year 12 SAC as well.

If the SAC meets the assessment requirements as set out in the study design, then they can. If you have queries or are unhappy, speak to your teacher and if you aren't happy with that, go higher (e.g. Head of Department). If they did not cover a specific point in the study design that should have been revised with you, I think this is more an internal error of judgement, if anything. In this case, see previous comment about contacting teacher/HoD.

Teachers and schools get audited by the VCAA at random each year so it most likely would have been picked up if a SAC does not follow the VCAA guidelines. But seriously.. if you have doubts, just speak to someone about it that can actually influence it (not on ATAR Notes).. Year 12 is too important.

[Srd2000]

I know, I know that we have to be prepared for anything in SACs and exams. But I feel that it is a completely new curve ball. I am probably exaggerating this, but it almost feels that our teacher has been making us do all the work for one thing, then assess us on something else. You learn A to be assessed on B.
There was also discussion on how our teacher taught how to do a part of the SAC in one of the before school classes, so only a couple of people knew how to do it correctly.

I am planning on speaking to our school's Senior School Coordinator about it. It's just I wanted to hear other peoples' opinions on the matter and any recommendations of what I should do next.

Thanks for the comments, Aaron.

[Aaron]

I am planning on speaking to our school's Senior School Coordinator about it. It's just I wanted to hear other peoples' opinions on the matter and any recommendations of what I should do next.

No problem mate. If you do plan on going down this route, make sure you have clear evidence as to the areas that were not covered but appeared on the SAC. Like I said, this is probably just an error of judgement that the teacher has made.... but it does need to be addressed regardless.

But yeah, in terms of the actual assessment: if it meets VCAA guidelines then you really can't do much about that particular assessment. Really hope whatever happens, works out for you. There is a degree of responsibility with the teacher, but full blame should not be directed to them.