The Future of Schooling in Australia Report

1. The Curriculum Discourse in Australia in 2007 and Beyond: The Future of Schooling in Australia ReportCurriculum Corporation 14th Annual Conference, Sydney Hilton Hotel 12-13 November 2007Professor Peter Dawkins, Secretary, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development

2. The Future of Schooling in Australia Report • What has changed or become clearer since the Adelaide Declaration? • A broad framework for designing curriculum • Towards a national curriculum • Enhancing assessment and reporting • Other matters

3. What has changed or become clearer since the Adelaide Declaration? • Global environment • 9/11 • Global warming • Information revolution • the rise of China and India • Research evidence • the economic impact of school education • the social impact of school education

4. Dealing with these challenges of the 21 Century • Education is crucial for future economic prosperity. • Young people need the right skills to operate in an information-rich world. Economic and technological • Education is critical to both understand & address emerging environmental challenges. Environmental • Education promotes social cohesion • Key driver for delivering equality of opportunity • Spiritual, moral, cultural, & physical development Social/cultural/ethical

5. Curriculum: a solid foundation to enable advanced learning It is critical that every student achieves/develops: A solid foundation in skills and knowledge on which further learning and adult life can be built. Deep knowledge and skills enabling advanced learning, ability to create new ideas & translate them into practical applications. General capabilities that underpin flexible thinking, a capacity to work with others, an ability to move across subject disciplines

6. Curriculum offering for all students “All students in Australian schools should have access to a broad and comprehensive curriculum that details the knowledge, understandings, skills and values to be achieved and provides a basis for the attainment of high standards of achievement”

7. Early Years • Literacy and numeracy • Social, emotional and physical development

8. Middle and Later Years • Increasing focus on disciplines within science, social science and humanities • Specialised areas of learning • Problem solving, synthesising, teamwork and being able to move across disciplines

9. Innovation & creativity • Fundamental to individual & national prosperity in a global market place • Critical in developing responses to both new and intransigent social challenges Recognition that new ways of thinking are borne out of deep knowledge & its application across disciplines

10. Learning Areas

11. Learning Areas

12. Towards national curricula “Collaboration between the States, Territories and Commonwealth… has put in place a number of agreements that provide a framework for national curricula.”

13. Towards national curricula Now a general will to take this collaboration to the next stage: • National dialogue • Sharing best practice • Using curriculum expertise • Interest in comparing student outcomes • Assisting students who crossstate boundaries • Economic efficiencies

14. Towards national curricula: the action plan States and Territories commit to working together in collaboration with Catholic and Independent sectors to share high quality curriculum material Developing nationally consistent curricula that: • Sets core standards and achievement standards • Provides flexibility for jurisdictions and school sectors • Establishes standards as a basis for national testing • Broadens options for students • Ensures achievement reported on same scale nationally

15. Assessment and Reporting • diagnostic assessment is most important • parents and students need reports on progress • more sample assessment of students • school comparisons not straightforward –value added measures have promise

16. Action Plan for Assessment and Reporting Testing to improve student performance Working together to: • improve school capacity to assess performance • ensure quality national tests & explore sample tests • share targeted intervention strategies in like schools • Reporting on performance • reporting in clear language • reporting at all benchmark levels in national tests • fair, public reporting on school performance (‘value added’)

17. Curriculum, assessment and reporting - just part of the collaborative agenda • Quality of teaching & school leadership • Early childhood • School retention/transitions • Improving indigenous outcomes • Partnerships with parents, community, business ALSO

18. Future of Schooling : Next Steps “We ask that State and Territory Ministers for Education take the report to MCEETYA to seek endorsement and to establish a process for the development of a new Declaration on the Future of Schooling in Australia, drawing on this report. This process should include the Catholic and Independent school sectors” Council for the Australian Federation , 25th September 2007

19. From collaborative federalism to a discourse about 21st Century curriculum The Future of Schooling in Australia report establishes the platform for further constructive debate about the future of curriculum in Australia

20. Dealing with these challenges of the 21 Century • Education is crucial for future economic prosperity. • Young people need the right skills to operate in an information-rich world. Economic and technological • Education is critical to both understand & address emerging environmental challenges. Environmental • Education promotes social cohesion • Key driver for delivering equality of opportunity • Spiritual, moral, cultural, & physical development Social/cultural/ethical

21. Curriculum: a solid foundation to enable advanced learning It is critical that every student achieves/develops: A solid foundation in skills and knowledge on which further learning and adult life can be built. Deep knowledge and skills enabling advanced learning, ability to create new ideas & translate them into practical applications. General capabilities that underpin flexible thinking, a capacity to work with others, an ability to move across subject disciplines

22. Learning from Overseas Success:Finland Report takes note of the success of curriculum reform in Finland • Moved to national standards • Core content specification • Flexibility for schools in timing and methods

23. Other developments overseas: UK The UK Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is developing a new national curriculum built around two fundamental aims: Aim 1: The school curriculum should aim to provide opportunities for all pupils to learn and to achieve Aim 2: The school curriculum should aim to promote pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and prepare all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life.

24. Other developments overseas: US • Six US states are considering ways of incorporating 21st century skills into their curricula: • Maine • Massachusetts • North Carolina • South Dakota • West Virginia • Wisconsin

25. Summary • Collaborative federalism approach to curriculum, assessment and reporting • Commitment to high quality teaching and learning and the sharing of best practice • A process for developing a new Declaration to succeed the Adelaide Declaration • This provides an opportunity for a national dialogue about 21st Century Curriculum building on the Future of Schooling Report