Australia as a nation is underpinned by the belief of a democratic society that requires the acquisition of essential knowledge, skills and values in order to enable all citizens to proactively play a part in the shaping their preferred future of a more equitable and socially just world (Bliss, 2005). To that end, Values and Values-based Education are considered to be an integral aspect of the Educational landscape as there is a recognition that values are not only a crucial part of a critical understanding of society, but also the key to successful participation in our democracy (Allison & Von Wald, 2010). For this reason the incorporation of values in schools is becoming increasingly important, as the active construction and clarification of values associated with contemporary legal issues in schools provides for the inclusion of the Australian Government’s key policy document, National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools (Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training, 2005).
Today’s students are fast becoming members of an increasingly independent pluralistic community that supports a strong commitment to Values education, incorporating values exploration and clarification into student’s learning experiences in the classroom (Lovat, Dally, Clement & Toomey, 2011). Moreover, values are not only considered to be the key to modern education policy but the current Queensland Senior Legal Studies Syllabus 2007, which is aimed at assisting individual students to develop the knowledge, attitudes, values and beliefs that will enhance their ability to participate actively as critical members of society; a key aim of Values Education in schools (Australian Government Department of Education, Sc...
... middle of paper ...
... Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA). (2008). Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. Retrieved from Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs website http://www.mceecdya.edu.au/verve/_resources/National_Declaration_on_the_Educational_Goals_for_Young_Australians.pdf
Queensland Studies Authority. (2007). Legal Studies Senior Syllabus 2007. Retrieved from Queensland Government: Queensland Studies Authority website http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/downloads/senior/snr_legal_studies_07_syll.pdf
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (1998). Learning To Live Together In Peace and Harmony: Values Education for Peace, Human Rights, Democracy and Sustainable Development for the Asia-Pacific Region. Bangkok, TH: UNESCO Principal Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.
I believe that values are taught and learned at an early age. If the teaching is successful, as it was in my case, the student should hold true to the values that he or she was raised with. Everybody is raised with different values, whether the difference is religious, moral, or social, and they should all be respected by others. I will not change or alter my values because they are very important to both my family and me, and I firmly believe in them.
The Australian Curriculum is fluid, ever-changing and highly politicised. There is constant debate surrounding what should, and should not be taught in Australian schools. The Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) Curriculum in particular, has undergone dramatic changes over the last few years. This essay will critically analyse two provocations relating to the HASS 7-10 curriculum, and some of the surrounding issues that HASS teachers contend with on a day to day basis. The first provocation, the purpose of Civics and Citizenship teaching is to teach about democracy, not for democracy, will be examined in relation to opinions regarding left-wing bias in the Civics and Citizenship curriculum, and the idea that the course teaches too much ‘for’
There are four sources of Law in the Australian Legal System. They are Statute Law, which is made in Parliament, Common Law and the Law of E...
Consequently, this means all types virtual backpacks, cultural capital, socioeconomic status and other factors need to be valued. Part of value adding is getting the community involved. A multicultural café event was set up at a small school in Sydney that has a high socioeconomic status and a small amount of students with a language background other than English (LBOTE), this was woven into the curriculum over two terms (Ferfolja, 2015). What they found was that the students participated enthusiastically, however very few parents of the LBOTE students attended and some of the cafés were not accurate. As education changes in line with social justice when curriculum, pedagogy and assessment is altered there can be unfavorable effects too. Australia had schemes to promote the education outcomes of girls and consequently these changes in curriculum and the assessment process have been viewed as too successful by some and policy has consequently shifted to boys educational outcomes (Marks, 2009). Curriculum changes can be a long process, however necessary as some children find the curriculum problematic. The Australian curriculum can be seen as linguistically foreign, culturally insensitive or inappropriate for Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) children who are in school (Kenyon, Sercombe, Black, & Lhuede, 2001). As indigenous children are a part of the least privileged and significantly disadvantaged group in Australia (C. Mills & Gale, 2010), social justice is failing educating those students. The Australia curriculum, which has been accessible since 2010, declares that it is committed to a curriculum that promotes excellence and equity in education in addition to teachers using the curriculum to assist in physical, social and aesthetic needs of all students amongst other factors (Australian Curriculum,
Mark Slouka argues that the humanities are needed to keep individual values and ideas an essential component in education. Rather than relying on the typical mathematical and scientific ways of teaching, the "robotic approach," Slouka believes that remembering and practicing individual values is essential in learning not only in school but in life as well. Values are now only
"A value determines what a person thinks he ought to do, which may or may not be the same as he wants to do, or what is in his interest to, or what in fact he actually does. Values in this sense give rise to general standards and ideal by which we judge our own and others conduct; they also give rise to specific obligations” (CCETSW,
...f] Queensland: Queensland Law Reform Commission. pp. 2 - 20. Available through: QLD Government http://www.qlrc.qld.gov.au/wpapers/wp37.pdf [Accessed: 2 Mar 2014].
The development of a national curriculum for Australia is not a new endeavour (Marsh, 2010). The ideal is that national curriculum across Australia would mean that students are provided with a quality education that helps to shape the lives of the nations citizens and continue developing the productivity and quality of life within Australia. The Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA] have the task of developing and implementing a nationwide curriculum. ACARA (n.d.-c) claims have addressed needs of young Australians while considering that changing ways in learning and challenges will continue to shape students education in the future. A look at what the Australian Curriculum is, its purpose, structure and scope, learning theories and teaching processes and whether the curriculum has the capacity to meet the needs of 21st century learners will show that the initial construction of a national curriculum appears to be successful. However, the effectiveness of the Australian Curriculum will only be able to be evaluated in the future after implementation across the country.
Values are beliefs that make us who we are as a person and they are categorized as strengths and weaknesses. Our values in life start from childhood to adolescent years. They become a building block to how you wish to flourish in life. As a senior advancing into today's society, my values in life is to contribute to the welfare of others, work where physical and mental health are important, and have opportunities for advancement.
In modern democratic society school curriculum has become a prioritised concern for many citizens. It is a key factor in the shaping of future generations and the development of society. Decades have lapsed and numerous attempts have been made to produce a national curriculum for Australia. In 2008 it was announced that the Rudd government in collaboration with State and Territories would produce a plan to move towards a national curriculum (Brady & Kennedy, 2010). To date this has been realised in the deliverance of the Australian Curriculum v1.2 which will be examined in this paper.
Everyone’s got bad values and morals which isn’t a good thing for anybody. This essay goes over an article by John Leo and how it talks about what kind of bad morals people, especially students have. What the audience wants to know from this is why are they influenced to do this or where did they get influenced from. This article gives us some examples of bad morals and of solutions so we as students can understand what this article is trying to get at. This article also talks about character, and what importance and effectiveness it has on us as students. The article gives us information on which values we have been adapting ourselves with and which values and morals should be taught. It talks about student education, and how they should have good morals. George W. Bush has information and it expresses his ideas for why having bad morals are bad and how having good morals can be good. For example, in this article it talks about how a Massachusetts teacher could clarify her students have cheated or not. The reason she
A value system is a rational set of morals brought up by an organization, society, or an individual as a norm of guidance towards their behaviors (Hebel, 1998). Almost all the time, people depend on these fundamental principles on what is wrong and right. Whether one is aware of it or not, different sets of personal core values vary upon each person. Such values include integrity, authenticity, compassion, courage, and truthfulness to name a few. Your values define who you are. At times, there is a huge gap between how people become aware of their values and the way they live their lives. We can overcome our most difficult beliefs, habits, and challenges by setting them aside and replacing them with the true values that conform to our lives. Anything that is considered destructive or jeopardizing towards our development professionally and personally should be put aside (“How Values,” n.d.). Understanding our core values doesn’t just simply give us direction and guidance towards living a purposeful life, but it gives us sentimental fulfillment and happiness while at the same time bettering ourselves to become better people.
During the Ancient Greek time period when educators like Plato and Aristotle advocated for the education of young children, Dever and Falconer (2008) stated that these philosophers shared in the belief that educating children was, “… important to a society’s strong moral fiber.” (p. 4). I am in agreement with their theory because there have been many modern day studies on how education has reduced the negative behaviors of our youth today. Dr. Robb (2008) talks about some of the studies that have been conducted on values education programs which are geared toward educating troubled youth and they got varying results. In his conclusion of the studies he states, “The evidence is not clear-cut: some studies showed the effect of values education to be only short lived (six months).” (Robb, 2008). The proof that Plato and Aristotle’s theory does work is in the results that the programs, like values education, do work no matter how short lived the resul...
In a society with a vast array of different beliefs and mediums through which these beliefs are presented, children can get lost in an overwhelming sea of influential ideas and concepts not necessarily intended for their eyes and ears. Character education is a concept that calls for teachers and school curriculums to guide students in learning what Edward F. DeRoche and Mary M. Williams (2001, p. 25) described as “core values held sacred by a democratic society.” Parents are generally considered the teachers of morals, but if values like sharing, compassion, and honesty are never enforced or addressed outside the home, these values may never be established as a stable foundation in the child’s mind. Character education’s purpose is to help children choose to be well-mannered, stable, cooperative individuals. Character education is not in every school system, but its support is growing along with the amount of research evidence increasing in its favor (Viadero, 2003). The teaching of values in education has evolved into character education, and today there are different studies, designs, and resources for character education programs in schools to foster moral growth and citizenship in children.
My core educational values define what I believe is necessary tools students need to be successful. Such values are provided by the community of people (educators, parents, business partners) who touch the students’ lives. I value knowledge because without awareness of specific content, students are not able to truly feel a part of society. I value development of skills in order for students to apply their knowledge. When skills are applied, students demonstrate their knowledge and ability to function in our current world. I value critical thinking in our students so they can extend their knowledge and skills to solve complex problems benefitting our present and future. I value citizenship and feel that education has a responsibility to model and nurture character qualities in our students. Educating students is raising them equipped with tools that will enable them to function as contributing participants in a productive society. Knowledge, skills, critical thinking, and citizenship are educational values at the core of developing a student ready for the world’s challenges.