The VCE Economics Workshop is unlike student lectures offered by CPAP and other organisations. The workshop will be facilitated by authors and examination assessors, David MacGregor and Romeo Salla and is designed to be interactive, with the ability for students to quiz David and Romeo along with the provision of exercises to both stimulate students and improve skills related to the:

*  interpretation of possible examination questions or economic information more  generally;

*  definition of key economic concepts and how to use them appropriately;

*  application of economic theories and concepts;

*  analysis and evaluation of economic information; and

*  interpretation and analysis of statistical and graphical data.

The workshop will commence at 9.00am, with a short morning and afternoon recess, and lunch from 12.30pm - 1.15pm, before concluding at 5.00pm. All participants will be provided with lunch and refreshments (consisting of sandwiches, fruit platters, orange juice and coffee/tea).

David and Romeo have developed expertise in VCE Economics identifying those issues that are relevant and important to students preparing for their examination. In this workshop, they will focus students’ attention on the ‘big issues,’ and those questions that continue to trouble even the ‘brightest students.’ The workshop will commence with a summary/overview of the course, before David and Romeo isolate the four areas of study and use them as a foundation from which to prepare students for the examination. Common problems areas will be clarified, relevant past exam questions will be explored, and possible questions for the 2010 examination will be analysed. Students will be shown how to simplify or ‘unpack’ difficult questions, minimising the risk of ‘straying’ or ‘rambling’ in the examination, and will be provided with strategies to help deliver concise and accurate responses that impress the assessors. If you are a student aiming for a 40+, but require that extra ‘something,’ then this workshop could be the key!

About the facilitators

David MacGregor completed Honours and Masters degrees in Commerce (Economics major) at the University of Melbourne. He was employed by the University as an Assistant Lecturer in the Institute of Education as well as a Tutor in 1st and 2nd year Macroeconomics, Microeconomics and Econometrics. Since completing his Diploma of Education he has taught at Ballarat Grammar, Lauriston Girls’ School, Camberwell Grammar and currently at Mazenod College, where he is Head of Business Studies. He has held positions of responsibility with the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) as a State Reviewer and as an assessor of final examinations between 1995-1996 and 2003-2009. He has also contributed to various publications and regularly presents to economics teachers and students on behalf of the VCTA. David was a member of the panel of experts that developed the new VCE Economics study design, is co-author of the VCE text ‘Economic Fundamentals in Australia’ and is the current co-editor of Compak, the official publication of the Victorian Commercial Teachers Association.

Romeo Salla completed Honours and Masters degrees in Commerce (Economics major) at the University of Melbourne before moving to Canberra to work as an Economist with the Commonwealth Department of Treasury. After a few years he was promoted within the federal bureaucracy to the position of Senior Economist with the Industry Commission (now Productivity Commission). Since 1996, he has been employed as a Senior Teacher and Head of Faculty at large private schools in Melbourne and he is currently teaching Economics at Geelong Grammar School. He has held positions of responsibility with the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) as a State Reviewer, and assessor of final examinations since 1996, and he was the long standing Economics editor of the VCTA website (ComNET). Mr Salla is also the founder of the website MacGregorwww.economicstutor.com.au, has contributed to various publications, and has regularly presented to economics teachers and students on behalf of the VCTA. Romeo is also the author of the CPAP Study Guide to VCE Economics and co-author of the texts ‘Monumental Humanities 3’ and ‘Economic Fundamentals in Australia.’

Download a brochure/application for here