K-6 Educational Resources — Board of Studies, New South Wales, Australia
Primary Matters
Primary Matters November 1996
From Board Bulletin, Vol 5 No. 10 November 1996
Consultation on Science and Technology K-6
Consultation on the Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus and Support Document (1991) started on Tuesday September 10 and ended on November 14. The consultation process involved interviews with teaching staff in 38 primary schools throughout New South Wales, from Wagga Wagga to Broken Hill. These interviews were conducted by panels comprising members of the Board's Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus Advisory Committee, Board officers and system consultants. A report on the findings from the consultation is currently being generated. This report, which will be presented to the Board at its first meeting in 1997, will include recommendations regarding focus areas for the major evaluation of the syllabus in 1998 and areas requiring immediate support.
1997 - Curriculum Trialling and Consultation Schedule
The schedule of the trialling and consultation on K-6 curriculum documents in 1997 has now been finalised. Primary schools will provide feedback on syllabus content in two Key Learning Areas in 1997: Mathematics K-6 (outcomes and Chance and Data units) and English K-6 (draft syllabus and support material). The Physical Activity for Fitness and Health support document will be trialled in a limited number of schools in the first half of the year. Units of work in the area of Citizenship will also be trialled in some schools later in the year.
Early Childhood Seminar
A full-day seminar entitled 'Early Childhood and Board of Studies Syllabuses' is to be held at the Office of the Board of Studies in December. The aims of the seminar are to review Stage 1 syllabus and support material developed by the Board and to identify key issues in the development of syllabus content and outcomes for Early Stage 1 and Stage 1. The twenty-five participants who will be attending the seminar include classroom teachers, academics, representatives of the Early Childhood Education Council, consultants and syllabus writers.
Assessment K-10
The Board has decided to release its Assessment and Reporting Using Stage Outcomes document in two parts. The first part of the document, which will provide general advice on assessment using stage outcomes, was recently approved by the Board for distribution to schools. This part includes advice in the following areas:
- principles of assessing and reporting
- general assessment issues including:
- How are outcomes linked to student progress?
- Are students expected to achieve each outcome for a stage in order to progress to the next stage?
- Do teachers need to assess all of the outcomes in a stage?
- How do teachers judge whether students have achieved an outcome?
- When do teachers make judgements about the achievement of outcomes?
- How much evidence do teachers need to collect about a student's achievement of the stage outcomes.
- planning assessment, ie:
- What do teachers need to consider when planning activities?
- What is meant by valid and reliable assessment?
- How can students' self-assessment be incorporated into an assessment program?
- How are values and attitudes outcomes to be assessed and reported?
- interpreting information and making judgements, ie:
- What is meant by professional on-balanced judgement of achievement?
- record keeping using:
- portfolios
- checklists
- running records
The second part, which is planned for release in early 1997, will feature a number of case studies. These case studies will outline the processes undertaken by different NSW schools in developing their own reporting procedures. If you would like further information regarding these items or K-6 curriculum matters in general, contact Margaret Malone, Inspector, Primary Education (ph (02) 9927 8199 or fax (02) 9954 9218).