An Analysis of a Curriculum Debate

Paper Summary:

This paper explores the issue of whether Australia should implement a national curriculum. The paper begins by outlining the positive aspects of doing so and then, in order to provide a more rigorous and insightful approach to developing a basis for a national curriculum for Australia, the paper incorporates the research report 'Rethinking National Curriculum Collaboration; Towards an Australian Curriculum' by Alan Reed. The paper examines both sides of the debate on the issue and looks at some of the challenges that would be faced in the implementation process. The paper concludes that the implementation of a national curriculum is crucial to the future of Australia as it seeks to grapple with the complexities of globalisation, the speed of knowledge production, and the challenges of diversity.

From the Paper:

"There have been various attempts to engineer various national curriculum agreements such as the attempts in the period from 1989-93 to establish a single national curriculum to form a national collaboration. The most recent manifestation of a national curriculum collaboration was the decision in July 2003 by the Minister Council for Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCEETYA) to develop national curriculum consistency in Mathematics, Science, English and Civics. There has also been a search for curriculum commonality and recently the Commonwealth has tied State-territory funding for education to their participation in assessment/performance testing in primary and secondary schooling which in effect determines curriculum design."

Sample of Sources Used:

• - Lovat, T.J. & Smith, D.L. (2003) Curriculum Action on Reflection (4th Edition). Melbourne: Thomson
• - ACT Department of Education and Training (2007). Every chance to learn: Curriculum framework for ACT schools Preschool to year 10. Canberra: ACT DET
• - Allan Reid, 2005, Rethinking National Curriculum Collaboration, Australian Department of Education DEST, Australia
• - Kelly, 1999 Curriculum Reform, ACER: Melbourne
• - http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/05/2235057.htmv

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• Research Paper # 104614 : "Educators and Early Childhood Inclusion"

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