ACARA Update, October 2018
Elaborations released: incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures into Science curriculum
In response to feedback from community and educators, ACARA has released information to support teachers to incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures into teaching the Australian Curriculum: Science. Ninety-five ‘elaborations’ – practical examples that provide guidance on teaching the Australian Curriculum – have been published on the Australian Curriculum website within the Science learning area for all year levels.
Read our media release (PDF 53 kb).
Read more about the new elaborations on the Australian Curriculum website.
NAP sample – science literacy assessments
Number of schools: 560. Number of students: 11,200. Runs 15 October – 2 November.
The NAP sample assessments are a suite of tests, deployed in a three-yearly cycle, which monitor student achievement in science literacy, ICT literacy, and civics and citizenship. This year is science literacy.
The science literacy assessment has been held every three years since 2003. In 2015, it was conducted online for the first time. 2018 marks another milestone – this is the first year that Year 10 students will participate in the assessment. The purpose of the test is to inform schools, educators and the community about the levels of achievement for science literacy among Year 6 and Year 10 students.
All participating schools will receive reports summarising their students’ results, with a national public report of the outcomes released in 2019. A rigorous selection process is used to ensure the sample represents Australia’s Years 6 and 10 cohorts.
See:
World Teachers' Day 2018
5 October was World Teachers' Day 2018, an international initiative run by UNESCO. In Australia, it was celebrated on 26 October (during the school term).
A big 'thank you' to all teachers across Australia, who are making an amazing contribution in shaping the education and future of their students!
Visit the UNESCO website to read more about the World Teachers' Day.
Australian Parents Council: national survey on education
The Australian Parents Council (APC) has launched a national survey where parents get to have their say on what they really care about when it comes to education.
The survey aims to gauge parent opinions on a range of current education matters, including the implementation and impact on families of changes to school funding. Questions also cover teacher quality, individual education for every child, testing, stress, technology, bullying and more.
"This is one of the most comprehensive parent-to-parent survey's on education issues ever undertaken in Australia," says APC President, Shelley Hill.
The APC survey is open to all parents with children in preschool, school or post-school education, in Catholic, independent and government sectors. It should only take a couple of minutes to complete, but parents are welcome to add comments. All responses will remain anonymous.
Visit the 'Media Statements' page of the APC website to read more about the survey.
Enter the Australian Parents Council Survey.
UNESCO school reporting initiative
The UNESCO Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP–UNESCO) has published six case studies from Asia and the Pacific to inspire and inform open school data policies.
One of these case studies is from Australia, involving the My School website. These case studies across various countries in our region look at a range of school reporting initiatives to create a new evidence base for more informed policy-making on how to use school-related data to create more transparent education systems.
Visit the Institute for Educational Planning website for more information.
