priorities and the australian curriculum

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Navigating the high seas:developing the Cross-curriculum priorities in the Australian Curriculum

ACSA Conference Darwin 2013Deborah Palmer, Manager: Curriculum

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The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by

altering his attitudes. William James

Philosopher and Psychologist

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Priorities and the Australian Curriculum

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The Genesis

Active and informed citizens

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• The Gaps- Life expectancy- Health outcomes- Education

outcomes

• Richness and diversity of culture

• Knowledge systems

• Historical interactions between Australia's First Peoples and those who have arrived since 1788

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories

and cultures

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China1.343 billion

India1.205 billion

USA0.314 billion

Indonesia0.249 billion

Brazil0.194 billion

Pakistan 0.190 billion

Nigeria0.170 billion

Bangladesh0.161 billion

Russia0.143 billion

Japan0.127 billion

The population of Asia is 61% of world population

Why the Asia Priority

66.6% of all Australian exports go to Asian countries

50.4% of Australia’s two-way trade occurs with Asia countries

Australia’s top 12 aid recipients are all in the Asia-Pacific region

Sustainability

Environmental sustainability

Social sustainability

Economicsustainability

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I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the

sky,And all I ask is a tall ship and a

star to steer her by…

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

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Navigation

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Piracy

Nothing to do with

me – I teach maths

I believe in these but we can’t fit

them into the already crowded

curriculum

All very well, but I know nothing about these areas

Can’t do it – no resourcesWhy can’t students and teacher decide what matters to them?

(or…fill in the gap)

Nothing more than tokenism

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Uncertain climates

They don’t provide both sides of the

story

These are politically

driven

The priorities exclude other

cultures

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Gathering navigational tools – writers and advisers

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Their taskKey concepts

Organising

ideasComponents

Overview

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Key Concepts

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Key Concepts

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Key concepts - Sustainability

Systems

World views

Futures

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Structure

Active engagement

Knowledge and understandingKey

concept 1

Key concept

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Skills

Key concept 3

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Completing the chartsOrganising ideas

Components

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Taking learning areas on the journey

Cross-curriculum inclusivity checks

CCP writers with learning area expertise

Learning area writers

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So…

• The vision for an inspired journey

• Charts and tools of navigation

• The will to make that journey happen

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Thank you

Deborah PalmerManager, Curriculum

deborah.palmer@acara.edu.au