Primary Matters, June 2000

Primary Matters
June 2000 -- Vol 9 No 4

Creative Arts K—6 Update

The checking process used to inform the further development of the Creative Arts K—6 Syllabus has now been completed.

Meetings with generalist teachers from various types of primary schools assisted in addressing a number of issues raised during the consultation on the draft syllabus. The major changes to the syllabus include the organisation of the content into stages and the development of stage statements and indicators. Meetings with consultants and officers from curriculum support units have been held to keep school systems and sectors informed. A key discussion point at these meetings has been the nature of support that will be available in each artform (Visual Arts, Music, Dance and Drama).

Work has now commenced on the revision of the units of work support document following changes made to the syllabus and consultation on specific units. There will be modifications to some units and additional supportive information in others. Student work samples collected during the trialling period will be incorporated and the overall size of the document will be reduced. It is now expected that the syllabus will be considered by the Board of Studies early in Term 3.

Further information on the Creative Arts K—6 Syllabus can be obtained by contacting Margaret Malone at lambert@boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au or by phone on 9367 8199, or Kerry Thomas at thomas@boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au or by phone on 9367 8161.

Primary Matters

Outcomes and Indicators for Science and Technology K—6 given the thumbs up.

The issue of defining and identifying world-class standards was given particular attention at the recent Curriculum Corporation national conference in Melbourne.

Using criteria derived from the literature on standards setting, Dianne Kerr, the Executive Director, Department of Education, Training and Employment, Western Australia, presented her analysis of curriculum documents in Science from each Australian state and from a number of overseas countries. Criteria included the manageability of outcomes, the developmental sequences, the clarity of the standards developed, the provision of supporting information to illustrate the standard and the degree to which the learning outcomes are assessable.

Ms Kerr identified the curriculum documents of three states as worthy of praise in relation to the criteria and found very few examples from overseas. The Australian states that were singled out were Queensland, Western Australia and NSW (Science and Technology K—6 Outcomes and Indicators).

While each of these states received her commendation, she observed that they all could do with some additional features.

The area where the NSW standards could be enhanced, according to the analysis, related to the production of work samples to illustrate the standard. We will be making sure that a copy of the Science and Technology K—6 CD-Rom of Student Work Samples is sent to Western Australia when it is released later this year!

The Science and Technology K—6 Outcomes and Indicators are available on the Board's K—6 website (http://www.bosnsw-k6.nsw.edu.au). A hard copy of the outcomes and indicators are scheduled for release in July along with the CD-Rom of Student Work Samples.

Further information regarding these items or K—6 curriculum matters in general can be obtained from Margaret Malone, Inspector, Primary Education, on lambert@boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au or by phone (02) 9367 8199 or fax (02) 9367 8476.