ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS

1

• ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS
• Birth to Year 12
• The Essential Learnings are
• integral to the SACSA Framework
• describe the values dispositions, skills and
  understandings that are considered crucial in the
  education and development of all learners in our
  care
• bring a futures perspective to the curriculum
• provide connecting threads for the whole
  curriculum.

2
ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS cont. Two further
points The in depth understandings, skills and
actions described by the Essential Learnings are
resources which are drawn upon throughout
life. They enable people to productively engage
with changing times as thoughtful, active,
responsive and committed local, national and
global citizens.
3
ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS The five Essential Learnings
are Futures develop the flexibility to
respond to change, recognise connections with the
past, conceive solutions for preferred futures
and demonstrate life long learning. Identity
learners develop a positive sense of self, groups
and others, understand how identity is
constructed and respect individual and group
differences. Interdependence learners work in
harmony with others and for common purposes,
within and across cultures and understand what is
needed for sustainable social and physical
environments. Thinking learners become
independent and critical thinkers, with the
ability to appraise information, make decisions,
be innovative with ability to devise creative
solutions and understand themselves profoundly as
thinkers and learners. Communication learners
communicate powerfully using literacy, numeracy
and information and communication technologies
and have an in depth understanding of how
communication works.
4
FUTURES The Purpose To make current educational
practice more relevant to learners, and provide
them with the skills and the capacities to thrive
in a fast changing world. To develop proactive,
optimistic learners, who will take part in the
shaping of their own futures. This
means Learners developing an understanding of
patterns and connections within
systems. Learners understanding world views
when analysing future challenges. Learners
building scenarios of preferred
futures. Learners acquiring skills that will
enable them to thrive in a fast changing world
rather than becoming casualties of such change.
5
IDENTITY The Purpose To assist learners to
achieve a sense of their own current and emerging
identity. To develop proactive learners who will
take action to shape their own personal and
group relationships. This means Learners
developing an understanding of themselves, of
the groups to which they belong, and of other
members of their community. Learners coming to
an understanding of the social construction of
identities. Learners developing the capacity to
relate effectively to others and to resist the
pressure of negative stereotyping. Learners
achieving a sense of their own current and
emerging identities.
6
INTERDEPENDENCE The Purpose To develop learners
who recognise that their own lives and lifestyles
are inseparable from wider systems. To develop
learners who are proactive in shaping local and
global communities. This means Learners coming
to an understanding of cultural and global
connections, patterns and evolutions. Learners
coming to an understanding of what is needed for
sustainable social and physical
environments. Learners cooperating to achieve
agreed outcomes. Learners acting to benefit
their communities.
7
THINKING The Purpose To develop learners who
value both the rigorous and creative aspects of
quality thinking. To develop learners who have
the capacity to generate and evaluate ideas and
solutions. This means Learners knowing
themselves profoundly as learners and
thinkers. Learners using a wide range of
thinking modes. Learners utilising thinking from
a range of times and cultures. Learners
developing and employing enterprising
attributes. Learners developing enterprising and
creative solutions for contemporary issues.
8
COMMUNICATION The Purpose To develop learners
who understand the complexity and power of
communication and how it works. To develop
learners who have the capacity to communicate
effectively through their understanding of
literacy, numeracy and information and
communication technology. This means Learners
having an understanding of the complexity and
power of language and data. Learners having an
understanding of how communication
works. Learners having the ability to make
effective use of language, mathematical
information and the tools of information and
communications technology. Learners being able
to effectively use communication in a range of
modes and with a range of audiences.
9

• Essential Learnings in the SACSA Framework
• (Where you will find them)
• The General Introduction
• - a brief description of each
• - overview page of the Essential Learnings
• Band Introductions more detailed description
  relating to the characteristics of learners at
  this stage of learning
• Written into
• strand descriptors
• key ideas
• key idea examples
• standard outcomes
• evidence of outcomes

10
IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL/SITE IMPLEMENTATION Some
discussion issues Planning programming. Use
the learning areas as vehicles for developing the
Essential Learnings. Focus on depth of
understanding. Take an issue/concept from the
Essential Learnings and develop it through the
integration of learning areas eg relationships,
identity, conflict, systems, change, patterns
connections. Consider extra curricular
activities that develop Essential
Learnings. Plan whole school/site
approach. Possibilities for Monitoring the
development of Essential Learnings for individual
students. Portfolio approach Use of curriculum
standards Student reflections expressing their
learning and understandings Students collecting
evidence of growth Self, peer and
parent/caregiver assessment.
11

• Implications cont.
• Pedagogy
• Consider learner centred processes such as
• negotiating own learning and assessment
• actively engaging in the examination of issues
  and discovery learning
• experimenting with ideas and possibilities
• using a wide range of processes to gather and
  present new information
• Consider learning developed in authentic contexts
  such as
• community and field experiences
• interaction with various cultures and views
• taking positive local and global social and civic
  action
• using community and global resources
• demonstrating enterprising attributes

12

• Pedagogy cont.
• Consider processes developed over time such as
• transferring learning to new contexts
• exploring the big picture and how the parts of
  the picture fit together
• articulating deeper understandings of each of the
  Essential Learnings and their connectedness to
  each other
• Consider processes that gather evidence over time
  such as
• keeping learning portfolios
• gathering and evaluating evidence of actions
  taken individually and in groups
• recognising and documenting evidence of their
  growth
• presenting evidence in various contexts
• building on Essential Learnings understandings
  and capabilities

13
THE KEY COMPETENCIES The Essential Learnings
encompass the key competencies. When developing
the key competencies content becomes a vehicle
for experiencing, practising and applying
processes that are a basis for life long learning
and problem solving. The key competencies
therefore contribute to the Essential Learning
capacities. The key competencies are clearly
stated and can be found strongly in
Interdependence, Thinking and Communication.