Personal Journal Entry

Part A
What are the main points of argument for and against a national Australian
curriculum?
I believe one of the main points for is the call for uniformity across the nation.
Also a national curriculum can provide a reference point for all Australians and
overseas nations to view the standards set for education in Australia.
I think a National curriculum presents an ideology for all educational institutes to
strive for.
However each state may want to be individually recognised or have its own ideology
and values and may not want to have these dictated by federal government.
Parents may view a national curriculum as too academically focussed and not skills
based. From a parent point of view national curriculum may be seen as preparation
for university rather than providing a broad range of life skills that they see as
important.
In regards to stages of curriculum development all I know is educators were able to
make submissions and attend talks in order to have a say in its content.
The Curriculum Development process as discussed in ACARA (2009) details four
phases,

curriculum

shaping,

curriculum

writing,

implementation,

and

evaluation/review. Educators input is sought during both the curriculum shaping

and evaluation/review phases. Curriculum shaping produced key documents, a
position paper and draft shape paper. These documents formed the Shape of the
Australian curriculum, a broad outline of goals and intentions. Curriculum writing
takes

place

using

the

shape

paper

to

produce

curriculum

documents.

Implementation involves presentation of curriculum documents to schools. The

curriculums inclusion is the responsibility of school Authorities. Curriculum
documents are released in stages and after implementation evaluation and review
occurs periodically through consultation with educators.
Green (2003) discusses the history of curriculum development in Australia and the
issues around state governments resistance to relinquish control of state controlled
education. Green (2003) identifies one reason as states wanting to uphold their own
values. Barry McGaw (2008) in his address to the National Curriculum Board sites a
need for the curriculum to be broad enough to allow states inclusion of local
requirements. It is also noted a national curriculum is not just to benefit those moving
interstate.

ACARAs (2012) rational gives the need for uniformity as setting standards for
education in Australia, and as a reference for overseas countries. The rational also
states it seeks to improve quality by providing a world-class curriculum with high
expectations countrywide. The rational touches on the need for curriculum to provide
not only knowledge but also skills and understandings required for living and
employment in the 21st century.
Will curriculum focus be on skills for life or/and academic outcomes?
Curriculum focus is reflected in student assessment with assessment being closely
linked to the nature of the curriculum (Brady & Kennedy, 2007).
Reference:
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2009).
Curriculum development process. Retrieved from
www.acara.edu/verve/_resources/ACARA_Curriculum_Development_Process_V3.0.
pdf

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2012). The

shape

of

the

Australian

curriculum

version

3.

Retrieved

from

www.acara.edu/verve/_resources/The_Shape_of_the_Australian_Curriculum_V3.pdf

BarryMcGaw. (2008, July 17). Barry McGaw AO, Welcome address, Queensland
consultation

forum-National

Curriculum

Board.

[Video

file].

Retrieved

from

http://www.acara.edu.au/news_media/vodcasts.html

Brady, L. and Kennedy, K. (2007). Curriculum construction (3rd ed.). Frenchs Forest:
Pearson.

Green, B. (2003). Curriculum inquiry in Australia: Toward a local genealogy of the

curriculum field. In Pinar,W.F. (Ed.), International handbook of curriculum research.
Retrieved from http://curtin.eblib.com.au/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=238924