India Education & Career

At a major University of Melbourne Graduate School of Education event held at the weekend, delegates discussed how the National Curriculum can equip students to be successful in work and life, considering three key themes: creativity, richness and coherence.

Professor John O’Toole who convened the weekend’s National Curriculum Symposium and is lead writer for the arts subject area, says when stakeholders are examining the contents of the first four subject areas, (English, Maths, Science and History), they should consider the individual subject in the context of the overall curriculum.

“We need to understand that breadth and depth of knowledge are not mutually exclusive, but actually interdependent, and our students can master the ‘basics’ while still enjoying a rich variety of subjects.

“Learning is not a single and linear process, and teaching one subject does not have to mean excluding everything else. After all, in life, we need to learn how to use a wide base of skills and knowledge to be successful in our careers and personal lives.

“Our current school curriculum was designed to teach young people how to secure a job for life. In the 21st century, school leavers might have five separate careers in their lifetime, so the curriculum should teach students how to deal with change and respond flexibly to challenges.”

Concern was expressed by delegates that the National Curriculum could risk encouraging the introduction of simple performance indicators and more frequent literacy and numeracy tests to measure school standards, but Professor O’Toole says Australia’s education community is being listened to by Government and playing a valuable role in the debate.

“We were delighted that a number of senior figures from the Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority (ACARA) attended the Symposium and were so keen to hear what delegates had to say.

“The general feeling is that we are having very open and honest debate about the National Curriculum, which is being listened to at the highest levels. That is very encouraging.”