Australian Curriculum Information for parents

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Australian CurriculumInformation for parents
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Background
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Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting
Authority (ACARA)

• 2008 National Curriculum Board (NCB).
• 2009 ACARA became responsible for national
  curriculum, assessment and reporting.

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ACARA website
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Why an Australian Curriculum?

• A COAG decision.
• Provides skills, knowledge and capabilities for
  young Australians.
• The combined efforts of states and territories
  focused on improving student learning.
• Offers greater consistency for the mobile student
  and teacher population.

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Melbourne Declaration (2009)
Learning areas
English
Mathematics
Science (inc. physics, chemistry and biology)
Humanities and Social Sciences (inc. history, geography, economics, business, civics and citizenship)
Languages (focus on Asian languages)
The Arts (performing and visual)
Health and Physical Education
Information and Communication Technologies
Design and Technology
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Australian Curriculum Learning areas
Australian Curriculum Learning Areas Australian Curriculum Learning Areas Australian Curriculum Learning Areas Australian Curriculum Learning Areas Australian Curriculum Learning Areas
Phase 1 Year K(P)10 Phase 1 Year K(P)10 Phase 1 Year K(P)10 Phase 1 Year K(P)10 11 12
English 4 courses
History 4 courses
Science 4 courses
Mathematics Mathematics 2 courses
Phase 2 Phase 2 Phase 2 Phase 2 Phase 2
Arts Geography Languages Arts Geography Languages Arts Geography Languages Arts Geography Languages Arts Geography Languages
Phase 3 Phase 3 Phase 3 Phase 3 Phase 3
Health and Physical Education K(P)10 Others may be announced Health and Physical Education K(P)10 Others may be announced Health and Physical Education K(P)10 Others may be announced Health and Physical Education K(P)10 Others may be announced Health and Physical Education K(P)10 Others may be announced
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Developing Australian Curriculum
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Australian Curriculum development
Stage Activity
Curriculum framing Confirmation of directions for writing curriculum
Curriculum development Two-step process for development of curriculum documents Step 1 broad outline scope and sequence Step 2 completion of detail of curriculum
Consultation National consultation and trialing
Publication Digital publication
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Timelines
Phase 1 English, mathematics, science and history Phase 1 English, mathematics, science and history Phase 2 Geography, languages and the arts Phase 3 The whole curriculum TBA
Development stage K(P)10 Years 1112 K(P)12 2010 Advice is being sought regarding ACARAs approach to the development of the whole curriculum and those learning areas not currently being developed by ACARA
Curriculum framing April 2009 April 2009 June 2010 2010 Advice is being sought regarding ACARAs approach to the development of the whole curriculum and those learning areas not currently being developed by ACARA
Curriculum development May Dec 2009 June 2009 Feb 2010 Begin late 2010 2010 Advice is being sought regarding ACARAs approach to the development of the whole curriculum and those learning areas not currently being developed by ACARA
National consultation and trial 1 March 23 May 2010 April June 2010 Early 2011 2010 Advice is being sought regarding ACARAs approach to the development of the whole curriculum and those learning areas not currently being developed by ACARA
Digital publication September 2010 September/ October 2010 Mid-2011 2010 Advice is being sought regarding ACARAs approach to the development of the whole curriculum and those learning areas not currently being developed by ACARA
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Australian Curriculum structure

• Rationale
• Aims
• Organisation of the learning area
• strands
• content descriptions
• content elaborations
• Achievement standards
• samples of student work

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Content descriptions and elaborations

• Content descriptions are explicit statements
  about what all students should be taught.
• Content elaborations are designed to support
  teachers understanding of the content
  descriptions.

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General capabilities
Literacy Self-management
Numeracy Teamwork
ICT Intercultural understanding
Thinking skills Ethical behaviour
Creativity Social competence
Cross-curricular dimensions
Indigenous history and culture
Sustainability
Asia and Australias engagement with Asia
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What will the Australian Curriculum look like?
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Years K(P)10
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K(P)10 Strands
Learning area Strands
English Language Literature Literacy
History Historical knowledge and understanding Historical skills
Science Science inquiry skills Science as a human endeavour Science understanding
Mathematics Number and algebra Statistics and probability Measurement and geometry
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K(P)10 Achievement standards

• The quality of learning expected of students who
  are taught the content.
• Specified for each learning area by year of
  schooling.
• Students who have reached the standard are well
  able to progress to the next level.

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Years 11 and 12
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Years 11 and 12
Learning area Senior courses
English English Literature English for life and the workplace English as an additional language or dialect (EALD)
History Ancient history Modern history
Science Biology Chemistry Physics Earth and environmental science
Mathematics Essential mathematics General mathematics Mathematical methods Specialist mathematics
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English four courses

• English for life and the workplace
• Focus on further students literacy and language
  skills for effective participation in work,
  training and community, social and civic life.
• English as an additional language or dialect
  (EAL/D)
• Focuses on students for whom English is an
  additional language.
• English
• Focuses on extending students use of language and
  literature and meeting the demands for further
  study, work and community, social and civic life.
• Literature A two-year course focusing on the
  study of literature.

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Science four courses

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Earth and environmental science
• History two courses
• Modern history
• Ancient history

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Mathematics four courses

• Essential mathematics
• Focuses on applied mathematics for everyday life.
• General mathematics
• Focuses on mathematics suitable for preparation
  for further study with a moderate demand
  in mathematics.
• Mathematical methods
• Focuses on substantial development of
  mathematical knowledge and higher level
  mathematics.
• Specialist mathematics
• Focuses on mathematics for further study in
  mathematics or engineering and students with a
  strong interest in mathematics.

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Assessment processes and certification will
remain a state/school responsibility

• States and territories will be responsible for
• assessment
• certification
• quality assurance
• tertiary entrance.
• Where there is a nationally developed course
  states/territories will cease to offer any
  comparable existing course.
• The number of courses may grow over time.

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Providing feedback
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Providing feedback
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Queenslands alignment with the national approach

• Excellence and equity through
• clarity about content
• clarity about standards
• valuing teacher professionalism.

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Keep in touch
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Australian Curriculum contacts

• General enquiries
• australiancurriculum_at_qsa.qld.edu.au
• Subscribe to ACARA Update
• http//www.acara.edu.au

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Sign up for QSAs Australian Curriculum Latest
e-newsletter http//www.qsa.qld.edu.au