Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) in the Australian Curriculum comprises of the study of History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship and Economics and Business. History and Geography are taught in all the primary years (F-6), with Civics and Citizenship being introduced in year three and Economics and Business beginning in year five (Australian Curriculum 2017b; Gilbert & Hoepper 2014, p. 8). The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) state that it is the responsibility of educators and schooling systems to organise the way in which the classroom learning is to take place in a way that bests meets the needs of the students within the HASS curriculum (Australian Curriculum 2017b). The aims of HASS emphasise the ‘capacity to use inquiry methods and skills, including questioning, researching using reliable sources, analysing, evaluating and communicating’ (Australian Curriculum 2017c). One of the many ways to teach such skills to students is through the process of …show more content…
74). Malgaguzzi (1998, as cited by Hill et. al 2005, p. 47) asserts that in using the inquiry process, students develop a sense of wonder as they learn to ask open-ended, intriguing questions and experience discoveries. When students pose problems, question assumptions and make informed choices, they begin to construct meaning (Hill et. al 2005, p. 47; Reynolds 2014, p. 3). As students construct meaning for themselves, through inquiry, they develop ‘important intellectual and participation skills which will prepare them for effective participation in society’ (Gilbert & Hoepper 2014, p. 74). Learning through the inquiry process extends beyond just the classroom or schooling arena. Indeed, learning through inquiry is a lifelong skill that teachers can assist students to develop (Lupton
The Australian Curriculum is organised in a few different ways. There are two main design elements, Curriculum content (what the teacher is to teach) and Achievement standards (what the student is to learn). There is also Reporting Framework which incorporates elements of both areas. These elements were designed to provide guidelines as to what would be included in the Australian Curriculum. The Curriculum Content is organised into categories (strands), and are presented with descriptions to report and describe what is to be taught at each year level. Together, these descriptions form the scope and sequence across all covered years of schooling (Foundation to Year Ten). The areas of study covered in each year build upon the previou...
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.
The purpose of this paper is to articulate an Indigenous health and wellness concern such as youth education and how to affects Indigenous populations. Youth education has been a prominent social determinant of health with many people who are from Indigenous backgrounds. Children are moulded into their own beings at a young age and having an influential education from the start is key to a successful person and living a fulfilled life. The reason I have chosen this topic is because it became of great interest to me how Indigenous education is not prominently looked upon.
The Australian curriculum has been designed for children in their schooling years from foundation to year twelve. Currently the curriculum has covered four learning areas (English, Mathematics, Science and History) from kindergarten to year ten. “The Australian Curriculum describes knowledge, skills and understanding organised by learning areas.” (ACARA, 2010 d). Each learning area contains a: rationale – describing the nature of learning, aims – the intended result of learning from the curriculum, year level description, strands – interrelated broad organisers for the content in each learning area, content descriptions – describe what teachers are expected to teach, content elaborations – content description sup...
The education of Aboriginal people is a challenge that has been a concern for many years and is still an issue. However, it remains the best way young people can climb out of poverty. With the colonialization and the oppression of Aboriginals, there have been many lasting side effects that continue to be affecting the Aboriginal youth today. “While retention and graduation rates have improved among urban Aboriginal population, an educational gap still remains between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth in urban settings” (Donovan, 127). Many suffer from a diminished self-worth, as they do not feel valued and feel inferior to their classmates. In this essay I am going to outline the reasons Aboriginals are struggling, discuss what is being done
42,43). This is also evident in the Western Australian syllabus where School Curriculum and Standards Authority (2017), integrated four subjects, History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship, and Economics and Business, which help students to develop multifaceted expertise and understand the role that interrelationships play in the real world, (Edutopia, 2008, para. 1). This is evidence to show that traditional history has had an influence in the formulation of the current Western Australian history syllabus and the Australian history curriculum at
Constructivism theorists believe that learning is an ongoing collective application of knowledge where past knowledge and hands on experience meet. This theory also believes that students are naturally curious. If students are naturally curious, their curio...
ACARA. (2012). The Australian Curriculum v3.0. Retrieved March 22nd , 2011, from The Australian Curriculum: http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/GeneralCapabilities/Literacy/Introduction/Introduction
These are both an independent statutory authority that provides a high quality curriculum, assessment and reporting that enables individual lifelong learning. VCAA is responsible to the Victorian Minister for Education to serve all schools in Victoria. The humanities curriculum has changed over time fifteen years ago humanities units were known as SOSE and at a level one standard the curriculum focus in Australia was family and neighborhood: needs & wants, roles and responsibilities of family members and reasons for rules and regulations. However, in the present strand one in the curriculum is the basis of History: Family structure, gender roles, previous events and Geography: weather, seasons, famous landmarks and their location. This is one example of how humanities and its importance has developed overtime, it can now be seen as a wide range of aspects within society and the world, not just the fundamentals of living.
Inquiry Learning is a way to make the student find their own answers for their questions (Lakes Matyas, Ph.D). Posing a question for the students is a way to get them started. Then, by guiding the students on their own different searches, they all come together in the end to share their findings to answer the question.
...achievement. The inquiry process is engaging and interactive. Students are learning, not only more science, but the study of the world around them. For all students, especially those with diverse backgrounds and learning disabilities, it is essential for inquiry to be provided with direct instruction, classroom support, and a guided process.
Often time’s curriculum is thought of as a set of rules and standards given to teachers to follow. However, more goes into a curriculum than just what meets perceived. Teachers are not just the vehicles from which a curriculum flows but in a sense, they embody it. There are four main different avenues in which curriculum is constructed. It’s constructed through government agencies, publishers, school systems, and teachers. It can be defined as “content, a set of specific educational plans, a changing series of planned learning experiences, or as everything that learners experience in school” (Van Brummelen, 20). A curriculum is strongly built behind a worldview. “A worldview is a comprehensive framework of basic convictions about life. Worldviews
Inquiry is asking a question to determine more information and indulge in curiosity. Most associate inquiry with learning and research in a classroom or a workplace setting; however, the importance of inquiry goes far beyond education and information, as it relates to emotional capacity as well as morality. In my life so far, inquiry has evolved in its form and changed the way I think and have thought about the world. As far as where I am now, being a freshman in college, taking First Year Seminar has done nothing but benefit my want to learn. Specific ways in which I have used inquiry in my life involve working toward goals that I set (in terms of my discipline or future career), improving and maintaining relationships that affect my life
I would like to teach K-3. I believe that these years of education is very crucial for learning and developing their skills. Inquiry-based learning will only enhance these curious students to explore, share ideas and ask questions. Our role as a teacher will help identify needed resources and monitor, guide the students inquiry. Children learn by doing.
The benefits of action research far out weight the snags. My current views on action research have not changed. I still believe it is a key piece to creating a better instructional environment. However, I have gained insight on how peers should be invited into the process. Throughout this process the collaboration with peers has been crucial. My colleagues have provided me with resources, tips, and feedback. Consequently, I have developed an understanding that action research is meant to be collaborative. I feel it would work best when done within a department, or cross-curricular. Therefore, as I continue to determine the implication of higher order questioning, I am enlisting my colleagues in the process. Moreover, students need to be active participants. By enlisting their ideas on questioning techniques, I hope to gain insight and further my instructional practices. ” Action research transformed my relationship with students because I could no longer conceive of researching without seeking their insights, reflections, and questions about teaching and learning” (Pine 2009, p 33). Action research is more than one teacher determining the effects of their teaching. Action research is teachers and students working collaboratively to use data to create stronger learning