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curriculum [n.]
[pl. curricula or curriculums] the subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college.
-ORIGIN Latin
‘course, racing chariot.’.
syllabus [n.]
[pl. syllabuses or syllabi] the topics in a course of study or teaching, especially for an examination.
-ORIGIN Latin, from Greek
sittuba ‘title slip, label’.
Compact Oxford English Dictionary
Being a federal system, each state and territory has developed a curriculum having various topic syllabuses. There is now a process underway to develop a national curriculum ‘from Kindergarten to Year 12, starting with the learning areas of English, Mathematics, Science and History, for implementation from 2011.’ [ACARA]. This would later be followed by Languages, Geography and The Arts. Information concerning this can be found in the Commonwealth section below.
This page covers curriculum and syllabuses in all states & territories, Commonwealth involvement now and in the future, and other curriculum sources including international information, journals and more.
Some previous material has been moved to specific pages, e.g. Middle Years of School, Assessment, Vocational Education, … .
States & Territories
Australian Capital Territory
- ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies
Senior secondary system. - ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies [Course Frameworks]
‘Course Frameworks are system curriculum documents for Years 11 and 12. They provide the essential basis for the development and accreditation of any course within a designated subject area a common basis for assessment and reporting of student outcomes in courses based on the framework.’ PDF. - ACT Senior Secondary Curriculum
Accreditation, development, more. - Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative - ACT
‘Sustainability curriculum package.’ - Curriculum Framework
‘2007 ACT curriculum framework, Every Chance to Learn, describes what is essential for ACT students to learn from preschool to year 10.’ Includes the following.
- Curriculum Design
Covers Scope & Sequence, Planning Units of Work, additional or worthwhile learning. - Curriculum Resources
‘Resources to support the implementation of the ACT curriculum framework will be progressively published from 2008.’ - Introduction to the Framework
PDF and Word documents. Framework Documents, Framework by bands of Development. - Parent Information
Brochure entitled ‘Every Chance to Learn’. PDF format.
- Curriculum Programs
Department of Education & Training. - Curriculum Support
Department of Education & Training.
New South Wales
- Centre for Learning Innovation
‘Promotes teaching and learning innovation throughout NSW government schools and TAFE NSW.’ - Curriculum Policy
The Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Catholic Education Office. - Curriculum Projects
Specific projects from the Australian Government Quality Teacher Program : NSW. - Curriculum Resources Overview
Information from Sustainable Schools NSW. - Curriculum Support Directorate
Department of Education & Training - NSW Board of Studies
Syllabuses for students from K-12. For parent information go to these sites.
- Board Of Studies NSW K6
Especially for K-6. - Useful Information for Parents
Separate sections address Primary, Years 7-10 & Years 11-12, an example of which is provided below. - Parents’ Guide to the NSW Primary Syllabuses
‘Provided to help you follow your child’s early learning and to help you talk with teachers about day-to-day classroom activities and your child’s progress.’
- Teaching and Learning Exchange [TaLe]
‘Gateway where teachers, school leaders and parents can easily locate research and resources to support student learning.’
Northern Territory
- Board of Studies
Curriculum, assessment, reporting, certification. - Curriculum
‘Since 2002 the Northern Territory has had a mandated Curriculum Framework that identifies outcomes for all learners from Transition - Year 10.’ - Curriculum Services Branch
Curriculum framework.
Presently being rebuilt as part of a new site.. - Curriculum Framework [NT]
Outcome-focused learning, layer 2 resources, reporting, curriculum framework, more. Much can be downloaded as PDF documents.
Queensland
- Curriculum
Summary of curriculum broken into sections from Preparatory to Year 12. Education Queensland. - Curriculum : Learning, Teaching, Assessment
‘Curriculum is all the planned, guided and implemented learning that occurs in a school. Queensland state schools develop school curriculum plans using the Key Learning Area syllabuses or New Basics organisers.’ - Queensland Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Framework
‘Will improve the quality of schooling and the comparability of assessment and reporting of student achievement right across the state. The Queensland Studies Authority is developing the materials and tools for the framework.’ - Queensland Studies Authority [Early Years]
General Information, Curriculum Guidelines, Support Materials. - Queensland Studies Authority [P-12]
Curriculum and outcomes information. Broken into sections for P-Year 3, Years 1-9, Year 10, Years 11 and 12. - Queensland Studies Authority [11-12]
Curriculum and outcomes information.
South Australia
- Implementing Curriculum in South Australia
The SACSA Framework. 2008 article from Curriculum Leadership Journal. - Islamic College of South Australia
Select Curriculum from the main menu, then various levels from this. - Learning and Curriculum in the EarlyYears
Priorities, focus area, targets, what’s new. - SACE Board of South Australia
Senior curriculum linked to the South Australian Certificate of Education. - SACSA
Curriculum standards and accountability framework. - Training & Skills Commission
Training and skills development information.
Tasmania
- Curriculum : Assessment
Curriculum & assessment : Essential Learnings, Learning Areas within Essential Learnings, Kindergarten Development Check [KDC], Learning, Teaching & Assessment Guide. - Curriculum Centre
‘Curriculum area resources designed specifically for teachers can be accessed at the Curriculum Centre.’ Department of Education log-in required. - Curriculum Resources and Support
- Tasmanian Curriculum
Overview, information on standards and implementation. - Tasmania Together - Curriculum Resources
‘These guides provide teachers and students with an introduction and links to Tasmania Together. The ideas are linked to the areas in the Tasmanian Curriculum. The purpose of these guides is to encourage students to have a say about their future through Tasmania Together [2020].’ You can find School Case Studies here. - The Tasmanian Curriculum 2008 …
‘Overview of changes. This chart outlines the main changes from the Essential Learnings Framework to the Tasmanian Curriculum. For further details look at the summary below or access the relevant syllabus and support materials.’ - TQA
Syllabuses for senior schools.
Victoria
- Laying the Foundations, Years
Prep-4
Information from the Department of Education & Training, plus the following.
- LOTE Curriculum
Also try Languages Online for related resources and Learning & Teaching Support. - Prep to Year 10 Resources
‘Curriculum that is offered to students from Prep to Year 10 is accompanied by a range of teaching and learning aids to ensure teachers and students maximise the opportunity for education.’ Covers 3 major strands and multiple domains. In each there are sections on resources, the learning framework, professional development, assessment and more. - Programs for Students with Disabilities
Documents including reports and resources. - Victorian Curriculum & Assessment Authority
AIM, P-10, Senior Studies. ‘We are responsible for the provision of high quality curriculum and assessment programs for all students in Victoria.’
Western Australia
- Curriculum Council [WA]
Year 11 and 12 Subject and Additional Subject Information & Syllabus Information - Curriculum Council - Post Compulsory
Senior curriculum, post-compulsory. - Curriculum Framework [WA]
All subject areas. - Curriculum Framework Support WA
A list of Curriculum Council Internet Resources. Catholic Education Office. - Curriculum - Learning & Teaching K-12
‘All teaching and learning in Catholic Schools in Western Australia is founded in the Curriculum Framework. The Curriculum Framework is built upon a commitment to the philosophy that learning is continuous and the essential purpose is to improve the learning and achievement of all students.’ - Curriculum Materials Information Service
Publications, resources.
Commonwealth
- Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority
‘Responsible for developing an Australian national curriculum for all students from Kindergarten to Year 12, starting with English, Mathematics, the Sciences and History. National curriculum will be developed collaboratively. It will be the product of Australians working together to develop a world-best curriculum.’ News, ways of participating, read publications, keep up to date with this major move. Check Vodcasts on the site. Download The Shape of the National Curriculum : A Proposal for Discussion as a starting point to building your knowledge level.
Previously the National Curriculum Board. -
Australian Curriculum - Consultation Portal
‘Welcome to the Australian Curriculum consultation website where you can review and comment on the draft K-10 Australian Curriculum in English, history, mathematics and science’. You need to register to access the contents but registration is free. Commentary period open till 23 May 2010. - Australia’s National Curriculum
Rudd’s Revolution in Education Begins. Article by Stephen Crabbe, Suite 101™. Another article from the same author is What Sort of National Curriculum ? Hopes and Fears for Australian Education under Kevin Rudd. Centres on what such a curriculum should contain. - The Curriculum Corporation
Body established by the Federal and State Governments to work in the curriculum area. Also covers the National Profiles. - The Education Centre
Formerly the Curriculum Resource Centre. Catalogue, resources, skills, services.
Must be able to log in to access this site. - The Le@rning Federation
‘To keep stakeholders, education organisations, educators, content developers, the general public informed about the progress of the Initiative. Information about the project, key documents, resources, forums, other specialised services. The Le@rning Federation is a curriculum initiative of State and Federal governments of Australia and New Zealand.’
Other Information
General Sites
- An Action Research Approach to Curriculum Development
Article with embedded links, references, more. University of Sheffield, UK. - Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
‘A community of educators, advocating sound policies and sharing best practices to achieve the success of each learner.’ Worth joining, while their journal Educational Leadership is excellent. - Australasian Curriculum Assessment Certification Authorities
‘The national body for the chief executives of the statutory bodies in the Australian States and Territories and New Zealand responsible for certificates of senior secondary education.’ - Australian Curriculum Frameworks and Syllabuses [K-10]
‘Websites sorted by Curriculum Area’ and listed for each state and territory. - Becta
‘Leads the national drive to improve learning through technology. We also work to support the education workforce to make the best use of technology to improve learning.’ British group that works with schools, school authorities, government, industry. Of interest would be the Emerging Technologies for Learning [2006] and its follow-up, the Emerging Technologies for Learning : Volume 2 [2007], both in PDF format. Both ‘should open readers up to some of the possibilities that are developing and the potential for technology to transform our ways of working, learning and interacting over the next three to five years.’ - Changing Secondary Schools in Australia Years 7 to 10
‘Summarises the junior secondary curriculum in eight public education systems in Australia as well as in the New Zealand system. Overview of the structure of the secondary system, advice, links relating to students transferring schools, information about the junior secondary curriculum, subjects, courses, and an outline of the various methods of assessing and reporting student achievement when students complete Year 10.’ - Curriculum Development
International Bureau of Education of the United Nations [UNESCO]. Covers areas such as Good practices, Action Research, Training Tool, more. Their Resource & Studies is worth visiting, covering research and resources from around the world. - Curriculum Organiser
‘Designed to organise curriculum for the individual teacher and the whole of school. Four layers of planning documents [from student to system] with extensive program contents.’ Free sample downloads. Note this is a Fee-based program for either/both individuals and/or schools. - Free Curricula Centre
‘Helps students worldwide reach their educational potential by producing and distributing university-level curricula that can be copied freely and modified cooperatively. FCC serves as a focal point for the development and sharing of textbooks, instructor guides, and other educational materials. These materials are released at no cost into the public domain or under an open source style license.’ - Good Practice, Curriculum Development
Interesting site [multiple sections], aimed directly at university lecturers. Done by a Canadian university. - INCA
International Review of Curriculum and Assessment Frameworks Internet Archive. ‘Descriptions of government policy on education in Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland [forthcoming], Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the USA, Wales. Focuses on curriculum, assessment, initial teacher training frameworks for preschool, primary, lower secondary and upper secondary education in schools [3-19 age range].’ - International Baccalaureate Organization
Information about structure and content of the three [3] different program levels offered [based on ages]. - National Educational Technology Standards
‘The standards are credited with significantly influencing expectations for students and creating a target of excellence relating to technology - Now, we’re defining what students need to know and be able to do with technology to learn effectively and live productively in a rapidly changing digital world.’ - National Museum of Australia
Curriculum Links. With an emphasis on Indigenous studies, linked in some detail to specific curriculum areas for each state. - Kraus Curriculum Development Library
‘Searchable database of curricula brings together educational objectives, content, instructional strategies, evaluative techniques for all subjects covered in PreK-12 and Adult Basic Education.’ Take a Free trial to assess its worth. - Wilson’s Curriculum Development Index
Topics from defining curriculum to objectives of various kinds and methods of change. Each has information, related links. His Links page is worth visiting as well.
Well presented.
Journals
- International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership
Abstracts, PDF files of selected articles. - Journal of Curriculum Studies
Abstracts of relevant articles from 54 issues are provided. - The Curriculum Journal
Gain a Free copy, access online contents, previous Tables of Contents.