Australian national curriculum & ICT

Skills and understanding for participation in new and emerging technologies will be a key feature of the Australia’s new national curriculum . ICT skills and understanding are recognised as a ‘general capability’, together with ‘ethical behaviour’, ‘intercultural understanding’, and ‘literacy’ in relation to new media and digital technologies. But the new curriculum is yet to elaborate the ICT ‘continuum’ and define ICT achievement standards for Years 2, 6 and 10. These elements have been scheduled for the third phase of curriculum development. The first phase of curriculum development will run to late 2011.

According to the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, ACARA has provided advice to MCEECDYA in regards to the development of the whole curriculum, covering all of the learning areas indicated above. Agreement was reached at the MCEECDYA April 2010 meeting on phase three learning areas and the timetable for development. More information about phase 3 Australian Curriculum development will soon follow.