australian curriculum update

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The Australian Curriculum Diocesan Update
great optimism, big potential, degree of
excitement, certainly challenges
Material drawn from Dr Brian Croke NSW Catholic
Education Commission Various ACARA presentations
and briefings Various BOS presentations
australian curriculum update
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Why an Australian Curriculum?

• COAG decided
• Skills, knowledge and capabilities for young
  Australians
• Combined efforts of states and territories
  focused on improving student learning
• Scoped in Melbourne Declaration on National
  Goals
• While the draft Australian curriculum has been
  organised around learning areas (English,
  mathematics, science, and history) priority has
  also been given to the teaching and learning of
  general capabilities and cross curriculum
  perspectives, with explicit attention being given
  to how general capabilities and cross curriculum
  perspectives contribute to and can be developed
  through teaching in each area.
• Greater consistency for the mobile student and
  teacher population 80 000 students change
  states each year

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Key Relationships

• ACARA
• Manages development of the Australian curriculum
  in collaboration with jurisdictions

• Board of Studies NSW
• Represents all stakeholders in NSW
• Consults broadly with teachers and others
• Advises the NSW Government on the suitability of
  curriculum
• Helps stakeholders to implement curriculum

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Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting
Authority (ACARA)

• ACARA commenced its work on 1 June 2009
• Independent Statutory Authority under the
  Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997
• MCEECDYA (all Australian education ministers) is
  responsible for setting ACARAs work program
  through a charter
• ACARA is responsible for national curriculum,
  assessment and reporting

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How ACARA operates

• Three ACARA Board Committees
• Curriculum
• Assessment and Reporting
• Finance and Risk
• Curriculum Committee
• Four learning area advisory panels English,
  mathematics, science and history
• Cross-curriculum panels Equity and Diversity,
  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Stages
  of Schooling
• Working groups in English as a second language
  and special education.
• Assessment and Reporting Committee
• Assessment and Reporting Policy Advisory Panel
• School Finance Working Group
• National Testing Working Group
• Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage
  (ICSEA) Expert Panel
• Technical Advisory Panel

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Phase 2 and 3

• Phase 2
• Geography, Languages, the Arts
• Writing, consultation, publication of final
  curriculum in 2011
• Phase 3
• ICT, Design and Technology, Health and Physical
  Education, Economics, Business, Civics and
  Citizenship
• Timelines yet to be determined
• Learning areas currently not included in this
  development will continue to be the
  responsibility of state and education authorities
  

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Implementation Plan

• A careful, coordinated implementation plan
• Board of Studies, DET, CEC and AIS cooperating
• Implementation timelines and support material
  completed after curriculum finalised

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What to teach how to teach

• Australian curriculum will make clear what we
  want all young Australians to learn
• Classroom teachers best placed to organise
  learning for students they will make decisions
  about the pedagogical approach intended to
  achieve the best learning outcomes
• Curriculum based on years but staged classes up
  to schools as is the case now

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The Australian Curriculum Scope of work across
learning areas

• General capabilities
• literacy, numeracy, information and
  communication technology, thinking skills,
  creativity, self management, teamwork,
  intercultural understanding, ethical behaviour
  and social competence.
• Cross-curriculum dimensions
• - Indigenous history and culture
• - sustainability
• - Asia and Australias engagement with Asia

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Phase 1 dates
1 March 2010 ACARA releases draft K-10 English, History, Mathematics, Science
March 2010 NSW consultations underway
30 May 2010 End ACARA consultation period
September/ October 2010 ACARA e-publishes final K-10 curriculum
FROM 2011 and BY 2013 Implementation K-10
Board of Studies senior years consultation
expected May/June 2010
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The Draft Curriculum

• Expressed through content descriptions what
  should be taught and the quality of learning
  expected at each year level.
• In most subjects the content descriptions will be
  organised into STRANDS.
• The depth to which students are expected to
  acquire knowledge and skills are defined by an
  achievement standard at each year level
• Currently pitched at C. Further work on AB
  and DE
• Grading Kindergarten students to be avoided

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Consultation update English (K-10)
Strengths Issues Revision considerations
Teaching of literature in primary years Articulation of grammar Incorporation of visual literacy Inclusion of general capabilities General clarity of content descriptions Need for Greater coherence and consistency Clearer relationship between the content and the achievement standards General capabilities to be more evident Viewing and oracy to be stronger Review of levels of expectation at Years K (too ambitious) and Year 10 in particular (too hard) Consideration of consistent handwriting style Achievement standards to have further clarity, detail and definition Curriculum to be accessible for students with special needs and learners of English as an Additional Language Use of sub strands/consistent use of titles of content descriptions across year levels Sequencing of content, particularly spelling, punctuation and grammar Consistent level of detail in content descriptions Clarity around how the strands relate to each other Review of achievement standards Foregrounding of visual literacy and oral communication Explicit references to the modes Clearer links to the Early Years learning Framework Further development of the Literature strand
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Consultation update Maths (K-10)
Strengths Issues
Rigour and relevance Balance across strands Connection between strands Opportunity for depth Application to everyday life Preparation for 21st century Online accessibility Clarity of sequencing Extent of statistics content Inconsistencies in geometry and algebra content Inappropriate content placement Practicality Sequencing concerns Unrealistic expectations in achievement standards Students with special needs not addressed Up skilling of teachers needed
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Consultation update Science (K-10)
Strengths Issues Revision considerations
Inclusion of three strands Science understanding Science as a Human Endeavour Science Inquiry Skills Focus on science through an inquiry approach Science Inquiry Skills strand comprehensive and well articulated Two-year blocks for development of Science as a Human Endeavour and Science Inquiry Skills Sequencing generally appropriate Too much content (especially at Years 3 and 7-10) Overlap with other learning areas (geography, health) Sequencing issues Lack of emphasis on contemporary science Ambiguous or inappropriate content elaborations Status of cross curriculum priorities Achievement standards are summaries of content Reduction of content in the Science Understanding strand to enable adequate time for teaching of the other two strands Presentation of a conceptuality coherent framework for development of strands Revision of content elaborations for purpose, clarity and showing links between strands Revision of achievement standards to show quality of learning
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Consultation update History (K-10)
Strengths Issues Revision considerations
Skills and methodologies are simple and clear to understand Repetition has been avoided in the curriculum to a large extent Early and continued learning of history skills is a step forward Conceptual development makes sense Historical understandings not evident explicitly Clarity around depth studies Too much content (especially at Years 7-10) Time allocation inadequate Lack of emphasis on contemporary history Status of cross curriculum priorities Achievement standards not reflecting content Explicit reference to historical understandings and historical skills Historical knowledge to be used as a vehicle for developing understanding and skills Coherence of sequences clarity of content descriptions clarity of content elaborations Clarity of achievement standards Overviews and depth studies Clearer definitions of the intent of overviews and depth studies, more consistent with the Shape paper Greater specification of significant knowledge in the overviews Clarification of indicative time allocations for the overviews and depth studies Revision of Years 9-10 to ensure alignment with Years 11-12
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Working with an online curriculum

• Can view the curriculum in different ways (eg by
  learning area or strand by year level or across
  year levels with particular capabilities or
  cross curriculum dimensions highlighted)
• Can download or print in preferred view/s
• Will be able eventually to link to available
  resources connect with other teachers and
  support planning of teaching and learning
  programs.
• This will be a BIG challenge, dynamic and
  changing material. Will require teacher
  navigation skills, persistence and patience.

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Issues Raised

• Interrelationships of key players (ACARA, DET,
  BOS, Associations)
• ACARA website navigation/document layout, digital
  over print
• Extent of the content, detail, different
  expectations of the states
• Time allocations, content delivery, finding
  additional hours in key subjects
• Starting ages across the country
• Continuity and sequencing of the content
• Articulation to senior years

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Issues Raised

• Pitching and matching standards (A-E
  descriptions)
• Varied expectations of students
• Teacher knowledge gaps, professional development,
  change management
• Weight of change, primary generalists with 4 new
  curricula
• Integration of the cross-curriculum perspectives
  and capabilities
• Accessing online resources, using the web
  effectively
• Catering for students with Additional Needs

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The senior secondary years curriculum

• Courses for phase one subjects
• English to have four courses
• (a-d graduated from the needs of workplace
  English, to LOTE students to high level intensive
  literature for University)
• Mathematics to have four courses
• (a-d graduated to include everyday maths, post
  school study in business or finance, to maths for
  high level university study)
• Science to have four courses
• biology, chemistry, physics, earth and
  environmental science
• History to have two courses
• ancient history, modern history

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Senior Secondary 2

• ACARA is responsible for developing curriculum
  content and achievement standards for certain
  senior secondary subjects.
• States and territories will continue to offer
  subjects that do not overlap significantly with
  the Australian Curriculum subjects.
• The list of Australian Curriculum subjects may
  grow in time if there is national agreement.
• ACACA agencies will be responsible for delivery
  of nationally agreed curriculum content and
  achievement standards within their jurisdiction
  ie determining their assessment, certification
  and quality assurance requirements.

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Implementation

• ACARA intends that the Australian curriculum in
• English, Mathematics, Science and History be
• available for implementation from 2011
• Advice will be provided to schools about
  implementation
• timelines and support materials developed by the
  Board
• and the education sectors after the curriculum is
  published
• in Term 3.
• How the curriculum is taught and assessed
  remains the
• responsibility of each education sector

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Challenges

• High expectations for all students but not
  different curriculums
• World class, 21st century
• Diverse learning abilities
• What the curriculum is, and what it isnt

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australian curriculum update