The Australian Curriculum

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Introduction

From a Latin word for course, later to define course of syllabus, Curriculum is now a formal outline to assist teachers by providing the core structure to learning and it constitutes a wide and inclusive range of planned educational experiences. Recent times have shown an understanding of curriculum to be that it “represents the expression of educational ideas in practice” (Prideaux, 2003).

Delivery of one national curriculum was thought to be achievable in a country the size of Australia and would potentially prove to be a much better use of expert’s time by streamlining eight individual written state curricula covering, for the most part the same information, to one single and improved Australian curriculum (ACARA & McGaw, 2008).

The Australian curriculum clarifies what students need to learn and what teachers need to deliver in education. It is expected that while the curriculum provides the framework of education, individual schools can combine teaching experience, pedagogical strategies and knowledge of their school community to form a comprehensive learning experience for each individual student (ACARA, b, 2010). Subjects such as English, Science, Mathematics and History are covered in the curriculum with a general overview and set of aims along with an idea of how this works for year levels.

Updating and improving curriculum attends to the needs of each generation of learners in a world that perpetually changes. Australian curriculum covers traditional subjects in and addition strives to support 21st century learning and is available online to attest to this ideal. The Australian curriculum is yet to be developed to include a larger range of subjects as outlined in Melbourne Declaration on Educati...

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...riculum.edu.au/Curriculum/Overview

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ACARA. (Publisher) & McGaw (Presenter). (2008, July 17). Welcome Address [Vodcast video

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Hill, P. (2010). An Australian curriculum to promote 21st century learning. Retrieved March 16, 2011,

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