Australian Curriculum
INTRODUCTION.
Curriculum is designed to develop successful learners. Confident and creative individuals and active and informed citizens (MCEECDYA, 2008, p.13). In 2008, the Australian Government promised to deliver a fair and equitable curriculum for the national’s educational system, taking the task away from the State and Local Governments. The purpose of this was to create an even level of education throughout the country whether in Hobart of Cape York, and to ensure our nations position into the 21st century. This essay will demonstrate the Nation’s curriculum, its structure and development ready for its initial implementation in 2011.
THE STRUCTURE OF AUSTRALIAN CURICULUM.
The Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting authority (ACARA) are responsible for the development of the Australian curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 12 (ACARA, 2009). In 2008, Prime Minister Julia Gillard, then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace relations and Minister for Social Inclusion announced a plan to implement a national curriculum to Australia (Brady & Kennedy, 2010, p.12).
To structure the new curriculum and ensure the successful implementation within 3 years, ACARA was formed. The Nation’s Curriculum has been divided into 2 sections being K-10 and Senior Years. The curriculum for K-10 and Senior Years will now include the following subjects, English, Mathematics, Sciences, History, The Arts, Languages, Health and Physical education and Information and Communication Technology, although at Senior Years the curriculum is broken down again for more advanced learning within each topic, eg. English and English as a Second Language (EAL) to name a few. The initial implementation in 2011, will include the first four subjects being English, mathematics, Science and History.
Although the structure of the curriculum is for the relevant subjects, within each curriculum, a breakdown of the aim (objective), content
Curriculum is designed to develop successful learners. Confident and creative individuals and active and informed citizens (MCEECDYA, 2008, p.13). In 2008, the Australian Government promised to deliver a fair and equitable curriculum for the national’s educational system, taking the task away from the State and Local Governments. The purpose of this was to create an even level of education throughout the country whether in Hobart of Cape York, and to ensure our nations position into the 21st century. This essay will demonstrate the Nation’s curriculum, its structure and development ready for its initial implementation in 2011.
THE STRUCTURE OF AUSTRALIAN CURICULUM.
The Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting authority (ACARA) are responsible for the development of the Australian curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 12 (ACARA, 2009). In 2008, Prime Minister Julia Gillard, then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace relations and Minister for Social Inclusion announced a plan to implement a national curriculum to Australia (Brady & Kennedy, 2010, p.12).
To structure the new curriculum and ensure the successful implementation within 3 years, ACARA was formed. The Nation’s Curriculum has been divided into 2 sections being K-10 and Senior Years. The curriculum for K-10 and Senior Years will now include the following subjects, English, Mathematics, Sciences, History, The Arts, Languages, Health and Physical education and Information and Communication Technology, although at Senior Years the curriculum is broken down again for more advanced learning within each topic, eg. English and English as a Second Language (EAL) to name a few. The initial implementation in 2011, will include the first four subjects being English, mathematics, Science and History.
Although the structure of the curriculum is for the relevant subjects, within each curriculum, a breakdown of the aim (objective), content
References: • ACARA. Australian Curriculum Draft (2009). Rerived from http:// www.australiancurriculum.edu.au. • Brady, L. & Kennedy, K. (2010). Curriculum construction (4th ed.). French’s Forest: Pearson. • Marsh, C (2008) Becoming a teacher (4th Ed). Pearson education. • MCEECDYA. (2008). Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. Canberra. ACT: Author. Retrieved from MCEECDYA website: http://www.mceecyda.edu.au. • Smith, M.K. (1996,2000) ‘Curriculum theory and practise’. The Encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from www.infed.org/biblio/b-curric.htm.