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The Board's Primary Curriculum Committee was provided with a very informative update on the Linkages project at its meeting on May 26. The progress report on the project included information about some additional research abstracts added to the Board's Linkages webpage and featured a presentation from the Broken Bay Diocese, which has Linkages projects operating in some of its primary schools. Representatives from one of these schools, St Cecilia's Primary School, Balgowlah, provided the Committee with valuable insight into changes that have occurred in the school's approach to curriculum planning, programming, teaching and learning as a result of the Linkages project. The school's Principal, Barbara Matthews, spoke of the approach to professional development taken by the school and the enthusiasm that the project has generated among staff, students and parents. Anne Jarjoura, a teaching executive at the school, gave a teacher's perspective on the impact of the project, particularly in relation to gaining a better understanding of syllabus documents through a focus on syllabus outcomes and linkages across the curriculum. Michelle Smith, Consultant with the Broken Bay Diocese, outlined how St Cecilia's and other schools involved in the project are developing understandings about syllabus content and assessment practices through Linkages, with a specific emphasis on generic skills.
If you would like further information regarding the Linkages Project, contact Suzanne Ziems, Senior Curriculum Officer, Primary, ph: (02) 9367 8274 or fax: (02) 9367 8476.
National Forum on Primary Curriculum Development
Representatives from the curriculum development authorities in each Australian State and Territory recently met in Sydney at the Office of the Board of Studies to discuss issues in primary curriculum development. Participants at the Forum looked at four major areas of interest: the crowded curriculum; values and the primary curriculum; curriculum integration; and learning technologies and the primary curriculum.
Curriculum development representatives discuss current issues at National Forum.
Board Inspector Phil Lambert, who chaired the Forum, said `The Forum provided for a productive exchange of viewpoints on issues that we all face in developing primary curriculum today for tomorrow. The issues are not unique to NSW nor, indeed, to anywhere else in Australia. We all left the Forum with a better understanding of what is happening across the country and where ground is breaking in each area discussed.'
Science and Technology K-6
The revision of the outcomes for the Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus and Support Document (1991) is now well underway. A `checking out' process, involving a sample of teachers, consultants and academics, was used in April and May to ensure that draft outcomes and indicators were derived from the content of the current syllabus. Further redrafting of the outcomes and indicators will occur during June, with broader consultation on the proposed Science and Technology K-6 outcomes and indicators scheduled to take place in July and August. The Science and Technology K-6 Outcomes and Indicators addendum is expected to be released to schools in Term 4.
A CD-ROM of Science and Technology K-6 student work samples is also being developed by the Board of Studies. Both the collection and the analysis of work samples have assisted the project team in the revision of the outcomes and the development of Science and Technology indicators. The CD-ROM is scheduled to be released at the same time as the addendum of outcomes and indicators.
Schools interested in providing feedback on the draft Science and Technology K-6 outcomes and indicators should contact the project manager, Mandy Shaw, on ph: (02) 9367 8267 or fax: (02) 9367 8476.
If you would like further information regarding these items or K-6 curriculum matters in general, contact Margaret Malone, Inspector, Primary Education, ph: (02) 9367 8199 or fax: (02) 9367 8476.
Human Society and Its Environment K-6
The Human Society and Its Environment K-6 CDROM has now been distributed to schools. The CD-ROM includes an electronic copy of the following documents released in hard copy earlier this year: