Five challenges in Australian school education

ACER researcher, Geoff Master’s 2016 paper provided a platform for Curriculum Leaders at the College to explore the key challenges for us to consider when evaluating and developing our curriculum and pedagogy

‘There are other reasons for questioning how well we are preparing students for life and

work in the 21st century:

· current curricula are often dominated by substantial bodies of factual and procedural knowledge, at a time when it is increasingly important that students can apply deep understandings of key disciplinary concepts and principles to real-world problems

· school subjects tend to be taught in isolation from each other, at a time when solutions to societal challenges and the nature of work are becoming increasingly cross-disciplinary

· school curricula often emphasise passive, reproductive learning and the solution of standard problem types, at a time when there is a growing need to promote creativity and the ability to develop innovative solutions to entirely new problems

· assessment processes – especially in senior secondary school – tend to provide information about subject achievement only, at a time when employers are seeking better information about students’ abilities to work in teams, use technology, communicate, solve problems and learn on the job

· students – especially in senior secondary school – often learn in isolation and in competition with each other, at a time when workplaces are increasingly being organised around teamwork and are requiring good interpersonal and communication skills

· school curricula tend to be designed for delivery in traditional classroom settings, at a time when new technologies are transforming how courses are delivered and learning takes place.’

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