Implementation of the Australian Curriculum March 2012 Jenene Rosser

MCEECDYA December 2011 Ministers provided with an “out-of-session” paper seeking approval for changes to the Australian Curriculum Version 3.0 of the Australian Curriculum was released on 23 January 2012 SEE “VERSION HISTORY”

Australian Curriculum Australian Curriculum is: 1.Learning areas – “content”, achievement standards + samples of student work 2.General capabilities 3.Cross-curricula perspectives 4.Catering for the diverse needs of all students

Work samples Be cautious about the current work samples as these represent “ bits” of the standard and not a true portfolio of evidence collected over a year against the standards ACARA is working this year to build portfolios that represent AT the standard “Excellence”

2012 implementation All Queensland schools are expected to “implement” the Australian Curriculum in English, mathematics and science for P – Year 10 “implement” means Plan; Teach; Assess and Report on the AC in those learning areas by the end of 2012 “introduce” History as well

PLAN – means to draw from AC “content” to inform what the teacher will teach TEACH – means using whatever pedagogical approaches are appropriate to deliver the AC content ASSESS – means gathering evidence of the students’ knowledge, understandings and skills (what have they learnt, what do they know, what can they do?)

REPORT – means providing students, parents, other teachers and the school / system with information about how well the student has achieved against the AC achievement standards

For all remaining subjects being taught independent schools use –The Essential learnings OR –The outcome syllabuses OR –Any other curriculum documents currently informing work programs accredited by the NSSAB

2013 implementation In 2013 Queensland schools are expected to implement the AC History They are expected to account for the “rest of SOSE” as well It could be useful to consider implementing the AC Geography at the same time?? Draft Geography curriculum is already on the website

2014 / 2015 implementation At this stage no decisions have been made about implementation of Phase 2 or Phase 3 learning areas DEEWR is keen to have these implemented by the end of 2015 but states are resisting ACARA has provided assurances that the Phase 2 and Phase 3 curriculums WILL be developed by the end of 2013

Phase 2 / 3 implementation POSSIBLE implementation could be: 2014 – Geography and The Arts 2015 – Languages (Phase 1); HPE; Economics and Business, Civics and Citizenship; ICT and Design Technology 2016 – Languages (Phase 2) this would be in keeping with ACARA’s deliverables BUT there are many unknowns!

Senior schooling No decisions at this stage about implementation of senior curriculum in Qld 2015 the earliest for general implementation of the current 14 ACARA have proposed that they only develop 15 senior curricula….

Geography 7 x concepts in the knowledge and understanding (Place, Space and Environment developed in P – Year 6 through “big ideas”) Inquiry strand Years 7 – 10 – 2 x units per year Broad positive reaction so far to the draft curriculum

The Arts 5 x art forms – overarching organisers are making and responding P – Year 6 – students learn all five art forms – schools to determine how (may be an integrated approach) **Years 7 – 8 – students specialise in “one or more Arts subjects” Years 9 – 12 – optional specialisation in one or more Arts subjects

Languages Three interrelated strands: communicating, understanding, **reciprocating (writers have asked for clarification on the third strand) Learner pathways will be developed to accommodate second, background and first language learners (through the achievement standards) but organisation of language programs will be up to schools

Health and Physical Education Prof Doune Macdonald (UQ) lead writer Has developed an Initial Advice paper which informed an early draft of the Shape paper National forum on 6 th December 2011 Very positive reaction to her initial advice Five key propositions

Take a strengths-based approach Focus on educative outcomes of the learning area Develop ‘health literacy’ skills Value learning in, about and through movement Include a socially critical perspective

Business and Economics Nov experts met to provide initial advice 5 key propositions 1.Integrated curriculum and not two separate subjects (economics is the core and business is the application) 2.Core for Years 5 – 8 3.Elective study in Years 9 and 10

4. Developed in two year bands (5 - 6, 7 – 8, 9 – 10) 5. **Two senior subjects in Years 11 – 12 (major disagreement about this – still to be determined eg accounting and finance?)

Civics and Citizenship 14 th Nov - a small group of experts met to discuss initial advice – Prof Murray Print is the lead writer Key political interest in this learning – eg funding for Discovering Democracy; national assessment in Years 6 and 10 every 3 years (in 2007 “fewer than one third of the Year 10 students achieved their designated proficiency level”); Melbourne Declaration

Focus on knowledge and understanding of institutions and processes (Civics) and dispositions and skills for participation (Citizenship) – but through an integrated approach Two years bands approach Focus on broader concept of governance beyond government and on transparency and accountability

Learning should broadly be about learning how to live together in diverse societies ‘values’ are important – should be a focus on the ‘common good’ Emphasis on Australia’s democracy and ‘rights and responsibilities’ Demonstrate the connections to the other social sciences

Technologies Two separate subjects – Design and technologies and Digital technologies Will be written separately but may be taught together Two strands for each – technologies knowledge and understandings / digital technologies processes and production

Big ideas: 1.Engaging in creating preferred futures 2.Using technologies processes – design and design thinking 3.Learning about and using digital technologies 4.Managing projects effectively

Work to support all learners Currently under the consultation button on the australiancurriculum.edu.au website is draft work on Progressing to Foundation level for students with intellectual impairment – work has stalled ACARA has released support materials for EAL/D learners in English (other learning areas to soon follow)

General capabilities New version now on the website Continua available in each of the seven –At the end of Years 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 for literacy, numeracy and ICTs –At the end of Years 2, 6 and 10 for the remaining four – ethical behaviours, personal and social competence, intercultural understandings and critical and creative thinking – although they will also be further ‘fleshed out’

Senior Schooling Work progressing on first 14 senior curricula…. General consultation from April for 12 weeks Expected to be finalised by December 2012 Achievement standards at the end of Year 11 and Year 12 – five levels

Curriculum Content The Curriculum content specifies the knowledge, understanding and skills that we want young people to learn across the years of schooling F – 10 – what teachers are to teach. Includes the content descriptions and year level statements (MAY also include the elaborations)

Achievement Standards An achievement standard describes the expected achievement for students who have been taught the associated Australian Curriculum content for a particular year of schooling. The achievement standards must also inform what the teacher has to teach

Achievement Standards Backward by design Teachers plan from the achievement standard – i.e. they have the “end in mind” What is it that students will have to demonstrate in the achievement standard? How might this unit allow me to collect some of the evidence required? How do I plan for students to show me what they know and can do about this topic?

Achievement Standards The achievement standards are developed based on two paragraphs (assessable elements or criteria) –One for KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING and –One for SKILLS

Compliance? As the Principal, are you satisfied that your school can demonstrate (through texts – digital or otherwise):- – that teachers have taken account of the “content” they need to teach at each year level –that teachers have given their students every opportunity to demonstrate the achievement standards related to the content they have been taught.

Note Shape Paper p. 17 – “the curriculum provides flexibility for teachers to take into account the different rates at which students develop….” (see handout)

Reporting Framework Schools Assistance Act 2008 – twice yearly... A – E or equivalent five point scale The use of Australian Curriculum achievement standards as a common reference point for reporting to parents will contribute to greater national consistency in reporting.

LASDs The QSA has published advice for Years 3 – 10 that will provide clarity about: assessment and achievement standards including: –how to make judgments about the quality of student work across a five-point scale –how to apply the standards to mid-year and end-of-year reporting

QSA’s work to support teachers to move from one AC achievement standard to a five point reporting scale will take a slightly different approach for –Years 3 – 10 and –Prep – end of Year 2 (please note this advice is still to come)

Early Years P – Year 2 – QSA is progressing work on advice and guidelines for reporting in the early years ISQ wants to give member schools choice about the approach they take QSA’s work is about “how well” the student has achieved the standard ISQ’s work is about a continuum of learning P – end of year 2

Years QSA has provided Learning area standards descriptors (LASDs) in English, mathematics and science These have been developed in two year bands and are DRAFT during 2012 for teachers to trial with implementation They are for an ‘on-balance’ judgment of a portfolio of work They may inform task specific criteria sheets

C2C Curriculum into the Classroom (C2C) – previously known as the curriculum for Scribbly Gum SS or SHS Non-government schools have been denied access