The Curriculum Audit

1. The Curriculum Audit This presentation is to provide a framework to assist schools when they audit their current curriculum plans against the Essential Learnings.This presentation is to provide a framework to assist schools when they audit their current curriculum plans against the Essential Learnings.

2. Where are you in terms of providing students with the skills they need for the 21st century? “Learning demands for the 21st Century examines the challenges for students learning in the 21st century to which curriculum, assessment and reporting must respond. It notes a growing consensus about social, cultural and economic change and their implications for schooling. In particular, it considers policy recommendations about ‘what is essential’ for young people to learn.” Essential Learnings and Standards: Position Paper November 2007. Research around 60% of jobs present 12 year olds will take on haven’t been invented yet. This slide sets scene for presentation in that we will challenge participants to take a good hard look at what is happening in their schools re curriculum “Learning demands for the 21st Century examines the challenges for students learning in the 21st century to which curriculum, assessment and reporting must respond. It notes a growing consensus about social, cultural and economic change and their implications for schooling. In particular, it considers policy recommendations about ‘what is essential’ for young people to learn.” Essential Learnings and Standards: Position Paper November 2007. Research around 60% of jobs present 12 year olds will take on haven’t been invented yet. This slide sets scene for presentation in that we will challenge participants to take a good hard look at what is happening in their schools re curriculum

3. QCAR – 5 elements

4. The 3 Components of the Auditing Process for Quality Curriculum Audit the current Whole of School Curriculum Plan against the Essential Learnings. Audit the teacher designed tasks for task quality. Audit the multiple on-going opportunities available for staff to discuss the quality of student work. Significance of the Three Cogs All components need to be addressed. Staff members may use each component to foster discussions. The synergy of all components working together within the auditing process will promote an informed result. The auditing process need not necessarily be implemented in a linear fashion, but could be completed simultaneously. How the auditing process occurs will be a school based decision and dependent upon the school context. Significance of the Three Cogs All components need to be addressed. Staff members may use each component to foster discussions. The synergy of all components working together within the auditing process will promote an informed result. The auditing process need not necessarily be implemented in a linear fashion, but could be completed simultaneously. How the auditing process occurs will be a school based decision and dependent upon the school context.

5. The Components of an Audit Whole of School Curriculum Plan How are you progressing with the implementation of the Essentials? Is there continuity in your program across year levels; 3/5/7/9 junctures; Early and Middle Years Phases of Learning? Is there communication between feeder primary and secondary schools? The first two questions are concerned with individual school contexts. The third question extends to the wider educational community. Curriculum design is everyone’s responsibility. The first two questions are concerned with individual school contexts. The third question extends to the wider educational community. Curriculum design is everyone’s responsibility.

6. Brainstorm all the curriculum offerings at your school.Lay all your curriculum cards on the table.

7. Auditing your whole of school curriculum plan includes examining units of work: enacted in each year level within a looping or multi-age framework or within and across discipline areas

8. Have you identified all learning opportunities? Teacher designed tasks Rich tasks Assessment bank tasks Geographic/Cultural/Student Specific programs Blue Prints Secondary elective programs KLA specific courses of study Differentiated learning programs (Music, Camping, Chess, Philosophy) Cross curricular priorities such as ICT’s, Literacy Strategy, Numeracy Strategy, Values Framework, Indigenous Perspectives, Smart Moves.

9. P-12 Curriculum FrameworkPolicy and Guidelines for Queensland State Schools Maps the necessary considerations for Queensland State Schools in planning and implementing their curriculum from the Preparatory Year to Year 12.Maps the necessary considerations for Queensland State Schools in planning and implementing their curriculum from the Preparatory Year to Year 12.

11. WHAT STATE SCHOOLS VALUE FRAMEWORK ORGANIZERSFIVE CITIZEN ROLES Eco-citizen (Sustainability) Healthy citizen (Identity, Relationships and Wellbeing) Creative citizen (Creativity) Informed citizen (Thinking, Reasoning, Communicating) Democratic citizen (Civics and Citizenship) For more information contact: Anna Brazier, Director, Curriculum Anna.brazier@deta.qld.gov.au These fundamental principles and values have been encapsulated within the values framework in five CITIZEN ROLES. It is intended that each of the citizen roles are explored through the school curriculum and that they are not viewed as an additional component of student learning. Online modules that show how the essentials pick up the 5 citizens are currently being written. These fundamental principles and values have been encapsulated within the values framework in five CITIZEN ROLES. It is intended that each of the citizen roles are explored through the school curriculum and that they are not viewed as an additional component of student learning. Online modules that show how the essentials pick up the 5 citizens are currently being written.

13. What goes, what stays, what work has to be done?

14. Depending on the audience, teachers will have different labels for these. Could include: Teacher generated tasks Work programs Class units School-based units Rich tasks Blueprints Depending on the audience, teachers will have different labels for these. Could include: Teacher generated tasks Work programs Class units School-based units Rich tasks Blueprints

16. Questions to consider for quality task design What curriculum intent is central to the learning? What knowledges and ways of working are required on the part of the learner, both prior to and during the completion of the task? How does the task provide for intellectual challenge and engagement? How did the task allow for assessment of the task-targeted Essential Learnings? What provisions have been made to ensure that all students access the task? Which curriculum literacies must be explicitly taught to enable all students to access this task? How were students made aware of the criteria for judging quality? How does the task provide opportunities to maximise student learning? How did the student receive feedback on the quality of learning evidenced? What were the strengths of the task? How could it be improved? How might the task link to future learning and allow students to transfer their learning to other contexts? Questions to consider – this is not an hierarchical list. The list may be used to assist the audit of quality task design. Questions to consider – this is not an hierarchical list. The list may be used to assist the audit of quality task design.

17.  Teachers talking to teachers This is about social or internal moderation Reflection / discussion on how this is done at schools or ‘not done’ at schools Pull out the word ‘opportunities’ – if it is not happening – how can it happen? How can opportunities be provided within and across settings for this to occur? There are three things require for moderation to occur: Evidence (student work) Standards (words on the page – matrix / rubric / grading master / marking scheme) Consensus (teachers talking to teachers about student work) Teachers talking to teachers This is about social or internal moderation Reflection / discussion on how this is done at schools or ‘not done’ at schools Pull out the word ‘opportunities’ – if it is not happening – how can it happen? How can opportunities be provided within and across settings for this to occur? There are three things require for moderation to occur: Evidence (student work) Standards (words on the page – matrix / rubric / grading master / marking scheme) Consensus (teachers talking to teachers about student work)

18. Are there opportunities for professional dialogue in your school? Are you confident to make judgements about student achievement?  Are there opportunities for you to develop these skills? What processes do you and your school undertake to arrive at consistent, comparable judgements about students’ achievements?  Is the school scheduling time for social moderation? It asks the more pertinent question of teachers which is “in your mind – what constitutes quality assessment practice in relation to making judgments about student work?” It asks the more pertinent question of teachers which is “in your mind – what constitutes quality assessment practice in relation to making judgments about student work?”

19. What formal and/or informal ways are used in your school to convey information to parents about student achievement?  Does the school have identified protocols for communication with parents and caregivers? What critical aspects of achievement does the teacher’s comment need to address in the compliance report?

20. In Summary Have you identified? Gaps and overlays Missing essentials Essentials being covered too frequently Have you made informed decisions about what changes are to be made? Identify how the essentials are scaffolded across year levels/multi-age/looping sectors Have you avoided? A flick and tick style audit Look at how each essential has been addressed- Is it in a minor or significant way?

21. After reflection, where are you now in terms of providing students with the skills they need for the 21st century?