Australian Curriculum, Assessment, and Reporting Authorities - Assignment Example

Assessment Name: Institution: The following context is an assessment that summarises various topics from different authors. The questions are derived from seminar reading activities for six weeks. This assessment is divided into two parts; part A and part B, part A will consist of short answers to questions from different authors from the reading activities in the six weeks. Part B will consist of a critical analysis of the aspects of the recently released Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authorities of the Draft shape of the Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship. Some of the Authors in the context are Kalantiz and Cope, Harvey, Hajkowicz and Moody CSIRO, Saul, Rudd and Smith, Hayne s and others. In part B, the dimensions of learning to be used include the social education, tools of learning, outcomes of learning, the balance of agency, significance of learner differences, the professional role of the teacher and the relation of the new to old. These dimensions will be used in the process of analyzing the Australian Curriculum. In the first question, Kalantzis and Cope described various tools of learning in the chapter about New Learning. These tools include the teacher talk, textbooks, student workbooks and the internet. The teacher talk and textbooks are the main sources that provide information to students in their learning. The internet is the new tool for learning, which provides diverse information for general and academic learning (Kalantzis & Cope 2008). The student workbook is the tool that students use to record crucial notes that they use in their assignments and revise for their exams. In the second question about Harvey’s viewpoint, the disruption on the Harvey’s viewpoint is that the neo-liberalism, which had been adopted by various states, has turned to torturing the low-income people by closing their houses. The neo-liberalism process was introduced in the crisis of the 1970s (Harvey 2010). This process was disguised by several persuasions about liberty, individual freedom, free market, virtues of privatization and free trade. The process has been successful due to the remarkable wealth and power centralization to those countries that welcomed the process. The problem affecting the low-income people disrupts the success of the neo-liberalism process due to the loans they are entitled to pay (Harvey 2010). The third question asks about the main thesis of the chapter by Hyslop-Marginson and Sears. The Hyslop-Marginson and Sears’ chapter describes the effects of neo-liberalism on the people’s lives. The education institutions, which include public schools and universities, are still influenced by the neo-liberal policies. This is because the institutions focus on human capital development and concentrate less on critical enquiry of economic, political and social conditions lying in the democratic citizenship (Hyslop & Sears 2006). The chapter provides educators with suggestions on how to resist challenges to authentic citizenship education. The chapter provides incentives and strategies to teachers on how to counter the policies of neo-liberalism. The neo-liberalism policies tend to threaten to turn the spaces in education to fields of instrumental preparation of human capital (Hyslop & Sears 2006). The fourth enquires how Hajkowicz and Moody obtained their findings in their article. The findings written by Hajkowicz and Moody originate from various sources. Over 40 scientists and business-development staffs have contributed the information in the findings. Some of the sources include the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Public service Commission, Worlds Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and various Ministries of the Australian Government (Hajkowcz & Moody 2010). Other sources included journals and authors dealing with world development and the future. The Future SharePoint site is the point where these findings have been posted. The site has become a crucial source for scientists to view information about the world (Hajkowcz & Moody 2010). In the fifth question, The main features of 2025 global landscape that the National Intelligence Council describe include new energy sources, demand for food, climate change and new technologies. The current energy sources such as gas and oil will decline as the globe nears the year 2025 (NIC 2008). The world will move into a fundamental energy transition towards the use of natural gas, coal and other options. Food demand will rise by over 40% in 2025 due to increase in world population and change diet preferences in the West. Development of new technologies is another feature that will provide various solutions to some of the problems facing the world such as sources of reliable energy (NIC 2008). The sixth question requires a personal example of a warrant that can be used in educational reasoning. A warrant is a term used to justify a move or inference from the ground given to the conclusion stated in the argument (Haynes 2002). An example of a warrant is that students who come in class when the teacher is already in class are punished, if they do not have a credible reason for lateness. This warrant has a conclusion of punishment and a ground of lateness. The arguments follow that the teacher defines whether the student has a credible reason for lateness. If the student does not have a suitable explanation, then he or she is punished. This warrant ensures that the students maintain punctuality in class for study. In the seventh question, it enquires about the meaning of “Education is the platform on which our future economic prosperity will rest” from Rudd and Smith. The authors meant that education would create a basis where people will learn to get inspired in investments and lead in reforms. These reforms and investments will lead to the growth of the economy and prosperity. Education being the platform, it requires to be delivered to the necessary people without limitations. This is the reason why the government has put education as one of the three main priorities for an enhanced Federal Labor Government (Rudd & Smith 2007). The eighth question asks the basis for building a middle class democracy as described by Saul. The basis for building a middle class democracy was the citizens to give themselves an unrestricted based public education system of the highest possible quality. This provides citizens with the education that can make them engage in the difficult job of becoming a citizen. In the globalised world, the most difficult job to have is being a citizen. The creation of middle class democracies has been challenged by the discouragement of universal public education by the government and encouraging private education (Saul 1999). In the ninth question, it asks about the central role of schooling by Reid et al., and its consistence with Connell’s main aim of formal education as the development of the capacity for social practice. The central role of schooling is preparing students to be fully independent citizens with the ability and right to contribute in the democratic practice, and control of political power (Reid, Faye &Dobbins 2006). This is done with an objective to work to obtain a socially honest society. Students need to develop the required critical knowledge, skills, and political commitment and will. This is consistent with what Connell said as the objective of formal education. Connell says that students attain learning strategies for themselves and the society (Reid, Faye &Dobbins 2006). The tenth question asks about the Sennett’s statement; “...uncertainties of flexibility; the absence of deeply rooted trust and commitment; the superficiality of teamwork; most of all, the spectre of failing to make something of oneself in the world...” on how its relevance to education. This statement is considered relevant to education by providing a sense of community in education. The students share same ideologies, values and daily practices. The statement contains conditions that push the students to look for further learning and research. It also gives advice to learners that they should learn to be independent to earn a life of their own through one’s hard work (Sennett 1998). The eleventh question enquires about what Baldwin demand of teachers. Baldwin wants teachers to teach children to know that their surrounding, which has the houses, the streets, the agonies and the dangers, are all criminal (Baldwin 1985). They should teach them that the surrounding is in that immoral state to destroy the child’s life. He also asked teachers to teach the children that there are few standards, which are worth the respect of a man. Teachers should teach children to be stronger than the plans that make the surrounding criminal and immoral (Baldwin 1985). The weapon of the child is to refuse to make peace with those plans of immorality. The twelfth question enquires about some of the links between Fraser’s perspective dualism and the views of Sennett. Fraser’s perspective of dualism is seen as the conceptual analysis of politics of recognition and politics of identity (Huttunen & Juha 2006). Politics of recognition is the remedy for the struggle of recognition in social life by others. Sennett explained the difference between the abstract and concrete equality (Huttunen & Juha 2006). The aspect of recognition to lead a suitable life in the society links the Fraser’s perspective dualism and Sennett views. The Draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship is the recently released Australian Curriculum that advocates various issues in citizenship education and civic development. This curriculum is dedicated to providing opportunities for young people to become enthusiastic and educated citizens (ACARA 2012). It will also provide crucial learning for young people to be informed in democracy by using organizational strands such as knowledge, understanding and skills. Students will participate in external experiences from school such as community activities, civic institution visits, parliamentary education programs and the electoral commission programs. The external experiences are linked to the school curriculum (ACARA 2012). This will ensure that the young citizens are up to date with the national issues. The Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship will participate in strengthening links between the students and the local, regional, national and global communities (ACARA 2012). This will boost the engagement of students with communities and civic institutions. This engagement includes participating in community decision making such as community fundraising, service programs and volunteer work, working with national and international NGOs. The relationship of students with the community will give the students chances to gain experience in different fields as they study. By accommodating students in community development, they get to know their rights and freedoms, which improve their knowledge of democracy (ACARA 2012). Active and informed citizenship will include a cognitive domain, behavioral domain and an affective domain. School activities will be concerned with developing these domains to the citizens. Cognitive domain consists of knowing, understanding and reasoning (ACARA 2012). The behavioral domain contains engagement, skills and behaviors. The last domain is the affective domain that contains values, attitudes and dispositions. The affective domain influences the behavioral and cognitive domains. The teacher will be entitled to instill discipline and required information to the student according to the level of education. The curriculum provides challenging but exciting opportunities to teachers, school authorities and prepares students for adult citizenship (ACARA 2012). Comparing the new to the old curriculum, the new curriculum is keen on improving the diversity of the students’ learning. The new curriculum will bring more changes that are positive to education and diversity to students (ACARA 2012). References: ACARA 2012, Civics and Citizenship Draft Shape Paper, ACARA Copyright Administration: Sydney. Baldwin, J. 1985, The Price of the Ticket: Collected Non-fiction, St Martin’s/ Marek: New York. Hajkowicz, S & Moody, J 2010, Our Future World: An Analysis of Global Trends, Shocks and Scenarios, CSIRO, Canberra. Harvey D. 2010, The Enigma of Capital and the Crisis of capitalism, Profile Books: London. Haynes, B. 2002, Australian Education Policy: An Introduction to Critical Thinking for Teachers and Parents, Social Science Press: Katoomba. Huttunen, R. & Juha, S. 2006, Critical and Cultural Orientation in Radical Adult Education, Sense publishers: Rotterdam. Hyslop, M. E & Sears A. 2006, Challenging the Dominant Neoliberal Discourse, Springer: New York. Kalantzis, M. & Cope B. 2008, New Learning: Elements of a Science of Education. Cambridge University Press: Port Melbourne. NIC 2008, Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World, US Government Printing Office: Washington DC. Reid, A., Faye, M. & Dobbins R. 2006, Teachers as Political Actors, Routledge: London. Rudd, K. & Smith, S. 2007, The Australian Economy Needs an Education Revolution, Retrieved from: www.alp.org.au. Saul, J 1999, Democracy and Globalization, Retrieved from: www.evatt.org.au/publications/papers/20. Sennett, R. 1998, The Corrosion Character: The Personal Consequences of Work in the New Capitalism, Norton: New York. Read More