Media Releases

• 1 November 2007, Exams start for WA students
  • 2007 Tertiary Entrance Examinations/WACE Examiantions & Year 12 Fact Sheet
• 4 October 2007, Recommendations for English course adopted
• 21 December 2006, More courses accredited
• 6 November 2006, TEE starts for WA students
  • 2006 Tertiary Entrance Examinations & Year 12 Fact Sheet
• Response to Kevin Donnelly’s geography editorial in The Australian
• 17 October 2006, 2007 World Conference on Science & Technology Education
• 6 July 2006, Letter to the editor regarding the misleading comparison between WA and NSW's History curriculum
• 18 June 2006, Schools to get details of Outcomes refinements this week
• 16 June 2006, Website threats to disrupt teacher training raise serious concerns
• 28 May 2006, Letter to the editor of calling for an investigation into the use of a document that is not the new music course as a basis for articles and editorial comment
• 25th May 2006, Letter to the Editor regarding misleading reporting on the WACE music course
• 24th May 2006, New music course will allow students to create even higher standards
• 21st April 2006, letter to the editor regarding inaccurate reporting
• 21st April 2006, Letter to the Editor in response to the Prime Minister's remarks about outcomes in education
• 20th April 2006,Letter to the Editor Re: Physics Sample exam Questions
• 13th April 2006,Support materials delivered to thousands of WA teachers
• 11th April 2006, Letter to the Editor - Letter in response to Economics course delay
• 10th April 2006, 17 courses full-steam ahead – one course delayed
• 4th April 2006, Letter to the Editor - Re: English Exam
• 31st March 2006, Letter to the Editor - Re: Examiner quits over ‘low’ OBE standards
• 23rd March 2006, Support for the New English Course
  
• 3rd March 2006, 6000 Teachers to Receive Professional Development for New Courses
  
• 15th July 2005, Southern Suburbs’ Teachers Skill Up on New Courses
• 12th July 2005, Melville Principal Backs New WACE
• 30th June 2005, Comment from Norma Jeffery, Chief Executive Officer of the Curriculum Council
• 1st May 2005, Vice Chancellors Endorse New Year 11 and 12 Curriculum

Media Contacts:
Tracy Taggart (Monday to Wednesday) or George Temple (Thursday to Friday)
Tel: (08) 9273 6329 or 9273 6703
Fax: (08) 9273 6371
Mob: 0403 310 583
Email: tracy.taggart@curriculum.wa.edu.au or george.temple@curriculum.wa.edu.au

1 November 2007
EXAMS START FOR WA STUDENTS

Tertiary entrance and Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) exams started today with more than 3000 candidates sitting the Geography exam across Western Australia.

Curriculum Council chairman Bill Louden said a total of 13,855 candidates were enrolled to sit the 2007 exams at 178 schools and secondary colleges throughout Western Australia and overseas. Overseas locations included Malaysia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, USA and the United Arab Emirates.

Prof Louden wished students the very best with their exams.

“Exam time is challenging for students, but it is also exciting because it represents the culmination of 12 years of schooling,” he said.

“For all the subjects being examined over the next two-and-a-half weeks, subject examiners are looking for what students know and understand, so candidates should take every opportunity to demonstrate that knowledge,” Prof Louden said.

“School assessments count towards the final TEE mark and in some subjects, practical components count for half of the mark.”

Prof Louden said 13,855 of WA’s 21,099 students were enrolled to sit at least one TEE subject/WACE course, with 11,198 seeking a tertiary entrance rank (TER) and university place by enrolling in four or more subjects/courses. This figure is up 6.9 per cent on last year.

Of the total number of students enrolled to sit at least one examination (13,855) in 2007, there are 13,729 Year 12 students, 112 Year 11 students and 13 Year 10 students.

The last written examination is Geology on Wednesday 21 November.

MEDIA CONTACT: George Temple, Curriculum Council (george.temple@curriculum.wa.edu.au or 9273-6703)

2007 Tertiary Entrance Examinations/WACE Examinations & Year 12 Fact Sheet

4 October 2007
Recommendations for English course adopted

The Curriculum Council has endorsed key recommendations of the English teacher jury.

Curriculum Council chairman, Professor Bill Louden, said Council endorsed the jury’s two key recommendations, which were practical and designed to improve the standards of the course.

“The first is to make some short-term changes for 2008 and 2009 and the second is to develop a new English course, which will be trialled in 2009 and implemented in 2010,” he said.

Council declined to accept the recommendation for optional exams as it was inconsistent with Government policy. “The State Government has indicated that it wants the rigour of exams introduced and that issue was outside the scope of the jury’s ambit,” Professor Louden said.

Proposed changes for 2008 and 2009 include:

• modification of the current course, by including types of texts that students need to study.
• providing greater clarity for assessment by using traditional marking to obtain a mark out of 100. From these marks, teachers will award a grade for each unit.
• providing a recommended list of books.
• including two more units that will be suitable for students who would like a more practically-oriented English course.

“A meeting of teachers in charge of English will be held in mid-November to discuss the proposed refinements of the course for next year,” Prof Louden said.

Curriculum Council chief executive officer, David Wood, said the proposed changes will provide greater clarity for teachers and students alike.

“Just as importantly, we hope these changes will help restore teacher confidence,” he said.

“Another recommendation endorsed by Council is the formation of a group that includes a significant number of jury members who will advise on the progress of the report recommendations.”

To view the English teacher jury report, visit the Curriculum Council website at http://newwace.curriculum.wa.edu.au/pages/teacher_juries.asp

MEDIA CONTACT: Rosemary Naughton, Curriculum Council (rosemary.naughton@curriculum.wa.edu.au or 9273-6384)

21 December 2006
More courses accredited

A special meeting of the Curriculum Council this week considered seven more courses of study as part of the WA Certificate of Education in Years 11 and 12.

English Literature; History: Ancient and Modern; Career and Enterprise; French; and Indonesian were accredited or re-accredited.

Chief Executive Officer, David Wood, said the English Literature course now provided for more traditional approaches if students and teachers prefer.

"It allows teachers to adopt more contemporary approaches, including the study of cultures which provides the best of both worlds," he said. "The central features of literature including the study of novels, prose, drama and poetry will continue."

Mr Wood said some teachers had told the Council they thought the proposed exam was too general. A second trial exam providing more guidance to students would be written very early in 2007 and teachers would be asked which form of exam they preferred.

He said the two new mathematics courses, Mathematics and Mathematics: Specialist, were considered and Council endorsed the overall unit structure, scope, sequence and content.

"However, Council decided that more work was needed on the course standards and trial exams needed to be set," he said.

"The implementation year will be determined after this work is completed and teachers have had a good look at the two courses in term 1 next year.

"The courses will be presented to teachers at awareness days to be held when school starts next year. This will give all mathematics teachers a chance to have a say on when the new courses should be implemented."

Mr Wood said 48 of the new courses were now accredited after significant improvements including updated content statements or syllabus for each unit.

English, Aviation, Media: Production and Analysis and Engineering Studies would be taught in Year 11 and 12 next year and Physical Education Studies, Earth and Environmental Studies, Applied Information Technology and English as a Language/Dialect will be taught in Year 11 for the first time in 2007.

The remaining 40 courses would be introduced in 2008 with the first examinations in November 2009. Teachers will have a full year to plan and get ready to teach the new courses.

He said that, in addition to the new courses, Council had established procedures that allowed schools to submit their own courses or programs for endorsement by the Council and inclusion on a student's statement of results. This allowed studies in areas such as workplace learning; university studies; personal development programs; community organisation programs; and VET stand-alone programs.

Council had also established procedures that will see students complete 20 hours of community service and have this included on their statement of results.

"The Council has now established procedures to acknowledge student achievement across a broad range of areas while ensuring that more traditional school studies continue to be central to our senior schooling in Western Australia," he said.

MEDIA CONTACT: John Altham or Tracy Taggart 9273 6329 or 0403 310 583

6 November 2006
TEE starts for WA students

Tertiary Entrance Examinations (TEE) started today with more than 3900 candidates sitting for Applicable Mathematics at examination centres across Western Australia.

Curriculum Council chief executive officer David Wood said 12,663 candidates were enrolled to sit for the 2006 exams at 140 schools and secondary colleges throughout Western Australia and overseas, including China, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. He said one candidate would sit TEE exams in Ghana in West Africa.

Mr Wood wished all TEE students the very best with their exams.

"TEE time is challenging for students and their families but it is also exciting because it represents the culmination of 12 years of schooling," he said.

"For all the subjects being examined over the next two-and-a-half weeks, subject examiners are looking for what students know and understand, so candidates must take every opportunity to demonstrate that knowledge," Mr Wood said.

"School assessments count towards the final TEE mark and in some subjects, practical components count for half of the mark."

Mr Wood said 12,663 of WA's 20,382 students were enrolled to sit at least one TEE subject, with 10,478 or 83.7 % seeking a Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) and university place by enrolling in four or more subjects.

Of the total number of students enrolled to sit at least one examination in 2006, there are 12,519 Year 12 students, 135 Year 11 students and nine Year 10 students.

The last written examination is Geology, which will take place on Wednesday 22 November.

All Year 12 students, including TEE candidates, will be able to access their results from December 27 on the Internet at http://www.year12results.wa.edu.au or by phoning the Tertiary Institutions Service Centre's TISCline on 1901 191 091.


Media contact: Tracy Taggart 9273 6329 or John Altham 0403 310 583

Further information and TEE statistics follow.

Click here to read the full media release.

2006 Tertiary Entrance Examinations & Year 12 Fact Sheet

Response to Kevin Donnelly’s geography editorial in The Australian

Once again, Kevin Donnelly has misled readers of The Australian newspaper with his biased column (28/9/06). In particular, his reference to Western Australia’s consultation draft exam is inaccurate.

The source for the stimulus material in the draft exam is a report by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), 1987. The report is a reputable, internationally recognised body presenting expert opinions. Contrary to Donnelly’s position, a doomsday scenario is not presented. The WCED lists broad barriers to economic development, including the reliance on fossil fuels, the growth in the human population beyond the capacity of natural systems, and the lack of a strong framework for economic decision-making that considers environmental issues. The WCED does not attribute environmental problems to large companies, however it does indicate that one consequence of our heavy reliance on fossil fuels is problems of economic development resulting from the powerful position of these multinational corporations.

Donnelly’s linking of the new Geography course with an “Age of Aquarius” attempts to dismiss part of the core shared values that underlie the Western Australian Curriculum Framework. He fails to acknowledge that this is a small extract from the course rationale. He ignores the references to geographical skills, knowledge and understanding that are also central to the course.

Donnelly states that the WA course ignores the work of environmental sceptics such as Bjorn Lomborg. The course does not promote any particular viewpoints, but requires students to critically examine different points of view. Lomborg’s most well-known book, The Skeptical Environmentalist, was in fact found by the Danish Committees on Scientific Dishonesty in 2003 to “Objectively . . . fall within the concept of scientific dishonesty . . . in view of the subjective requirements made in terms of intent or gross negligence, [it] cannot fall within the bounds of this characterization. Conversely, the publication is deemed clearly contrary to the standards of good scientific practice”. This is exactly why Geography students are encouraged to rigorously examine arguments around an issue.

17 October 2006
2007 World Conference on Science & Technology Education

Sustainable, responsible and global are the key themes of the 2007 World Conference on Science and Technology Education, which will be held in Western Australia next July.

Co-convenor Elaine Horne said the conference will bring together science and technology educators and professionals from around the world to share knowledge and build professional networks.

She said the conference will address serious global issues that teachers and other educators can use as springboards for action within their own countries or regions. There will also be a focus on topical issues relevant to all educators who work in policy, classroom, curriculum, research and external agencies.

Major themes will be education for sustainable development, world health, and science for life and citizenship.

Ms Horne said around 800 delegates are expected to attend the conference, which will feature world renowned speakers including the presenter of the BBC TV series, the Human Body, Lord Robert Winston, Multiple Intelligences educator, Professor Howard Gardner, assistant director-general for natural sciences at UNESCO, Walter Erdelen, and the head of Royal Perth Hospital Burns Unit, Dr Fiona Wood.

The conference patrons are the 2005 Nobel laureates Professor Barry Marshall and Dr Robin Warren, 1996 Nobel laureate Professor Peter Doherty, and STAWA representative Professor John de Laeter.

Aimed at science teachers, science education advisers and policy officers, university science educators, laboratory technicians and top science students, the conference is hosted by the Science Teachers' Association of Western Australian (STAWA), the Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA) and the International Council of Associations for Science Education (ICASE). UNESCO is the major partner of the conference.

The conference has the support of the WA Premier, the Minister for Energy, Science and Innovation and the Minister for Education and Training.

The conference will be held at the Sheraton Perth Hotel and Mercedes College from 8 to 12 July 2007.

To find out more about the conference, log onto www.WorldSTE2007.asn.au.

6 July 2006
Letter to the editor regarding the misleading comparison between WA and NSW's History curriculum

Justine Ferrari's comparison between the history curriculum provided in NSW and WA is a sad indictment on current journalism, because it rewrites reality.

Justine and readers of The Australian need to be aware that from Kindergarten to Year 6 in NSW, history studies are part of the Human Society and Its Environment learning area and in WA it is called Society and Environment. They are essentially the same, in that both learning areas use a multi-disciplinary approach to the social sciences. In WA, through such an approach, teachers focus on enabling students to achieve good outcomes - one of which is defined as Time, Continuity and Change.

From Years 7-10, NSW chooses to offer the single disciplines of Geography and History whereas in WA the multi-disciplinary approach is continued so that students develop fundamental understandings and skills in other social sciences such as economics, politics and law. In WA there is no Year 10 certificate, whereas in NSW there is and this may be one reason why more specific subjects are identified. In Years 11 and 12, WA also adopts specific History courses.

From K-10 the content that students should learn to achieve the Time, Continuity and Change outcome is clearly defined in the WA Curriculum Guides. These materials are specific for teachers in stating what history knowledge, understandings and skills should be taught. Those guides show specific suggestions, not dissimilar to the examples quoted as being representative of Years 9 and 10 in NSW. Although this was pointed out to the journalist, no reference was made to the suggestions we provide in our guides. The comparison made at the end of Justine Ferrari's article is very selective and misleading about the direction provided to teachers in WA in relation to history studies.

Yours sincerely,

DAVID AXWORTHY
A/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

18 June 2006
Schools to get details of Outcomes refinements this week

Details of modifications and refinements to implementation of new outcomes and standards-focused courses next year will be sent to schools this week.

Acting Curriculum Council CEO David Axworthy said feedback from teachers, which had led to a simplification of the process, should now give all senior high school teachers confidence to move forward.

"Many teachers agree students should not have to be making choices about whether they want to go to university, or TAFEWA, or another pathway in Year 10 as they have been in the past," Mr Axworthy said.

"The student-focus of the existing Outcomes courses and the 17 new courses to be introduced next year, will make it possible for all of the new courses to count towards the WA Certificate of Education.

"In listening to the concerns of teachers, we have been able to modify or clarify courses, content, assessment, standards and examinations, to confirm that the best aspects of our current system are being retained.

"I would also like to acknowledge the years of hard work by the teachers of new courses, already in place (English, Media, Engineering and Aviation), for proving it is possible to introduce new courses and make valuable changes.

Mr Axworthy said in moving to reduce the workload for teachers all new courses would be based on the current TEE syllabus format.

"For each course new and existing content will be signalled clearly and the language of those documents will be well understood by teachers," he said, "teachers will be able to use their existing teaching programs or lesson plans and will also receive additional support in the implementation process.

"It is also important to note that in those courses, which are replacing existing TEE courses, new content will not be included in exams until 2009."

The Council's chief said assessment guidelines would be simplified and the nature and weighting of outcomes would be clarified on a course by course basis. The Curriculum Council website and teacher support materials would be updated as soon as possible, to reflect the modifications and refinements.

16 June 2006
Website threats to disrupt teacher training raise serious concerns

Curriculum Council CEO David Axworthy yesterday advised organisers he would not be taking part in a showcase event for a discredited Eastern States-based education spokesman and the Western Australian group PLATO.

Mr Axworthy's decision to withdraw from the debate follows calls through PLATO to disrupt upcoming teacher training, arranged by the Curriculum Council.

"I've apologised to the organisers for late notice of my withdrawal from Tuesday's forum, however, it is vital everyone understands that the interests of trainers working for the Curriculum Council and other WA teachers come before any involvement I might have with the Institute of Public Affairs' event," Mr Axworthy said.

"I am seriously concerned about the tactics of PLATO and the group's unacceptable website activity this week has precipitated my decision.

Mr Axworthy said new postings on PLATO's website had called for teachers attending next month's professional development sessions to disrupt the training and 'join each other in mocking the presenters'.

"This kind of personal attack on people, who are doing an important job of informing teachers, is not the way professionals should be acting," he said.

Click here to read the full media release.

28 May 2006
Letter to the editor of calling for an investigation into the use of a document that is not the new music course as a basis for articles and editorial comment

Dear Editor

I wrote to you last Thursday and my office left a message with your assistant on Friday to ask you to immediately investigate our concerns that articles and editorials in your newspaper were based on a document that is not the new Music course of study for Western Australia. I'm concerned you have not acted to end this extraordinary fraud on the readers of The Australian.

Worse still, on Friday Curriculum Council staff members discovered your newspaper has been asking respected music experts to comment on the unreliable document in question, but, those experts were being given the impression it is the new Music course when, in fact, it isn't.

Whether any of your staff realised this was the wrong document and that it was not the new Music course is not clear, but, there was at the very least (a basic requirement in journalism) a failure to check it was the correct material.

The new Music course was accredited in November last year and is available on the Curriculum Council's website.

Your articles and editorials ran strident attacks on the 'new Music course' based on content it doesn't have. This is dishonest, misleading to your readers and has caused serious confusion. I ask you to make a front page apology - especially to the music experts who were misled by your staff.

Click here to read the entire letter.

25th May 2006
LETTER TO THE EDITOR REGARDING MISLEADING REPORTING ON THE WACE MUSIC COURSE

Dear Editor

I have serious concerns with your Editorial in the Australian today (25 May) sadly and inaccurately titled Dum-Dum-Dum Down.

The unfortunate facts are that your editorial writer built the piece on incorrect or wrong information, which was used as a premise for an argument. As such you don’t have a valid editorial, but worse, you have mislead your newspaper’s readers.

I have attached a list of errors or misleading information, so you can understand the depth of my concern. However, along with viewing those I would also like you to examine the behaviour of journalists Paige Taylor and Justine Ferrari, who were supplied with information to correct the errors that found their way into your Editorial.

After yesterday’s front-page article “Day the Music Died At School” (24 May) we provided Paige Taylor with the attached media release and invited her to Melville SHS to talk with both Arts Framework Officer Christine Adams and teacher Rohan Smith, plus his students who are currently trialling a part of the new Music course to be introduced next year.

We pointed out to Paige that it is wrong to say that the new music course will “no longer require” students to learn to play an instrument. This is not new. The current TEE course already provides an option for students to pass the course by either performing on a musical instrument (which the majority choose to do) or through presenting a folio of compositions, or research and compositions, demonstrating an understanding of the knowledge and skills required. The implication this is a new element is clearly wrong.

In an email to Justine Ferrari on Monday (22 May) – following an article she had written titled "Canberra told to keep off education” I pointed out that her contention there was NO mention of books in the exam was misrepresentative. Today’s Editorial has repeated the error and worsened the situation by also claiming that in the new English course students will not be required to “spell or demonstrate their ability to write continuous prose” – that is also wrong.

I would appreciate it if you could set the record straight for your readers tomorrow.

Yours sincerely

David Axworthy
A/CEO of the Curriculum Council (WA)

24th May 2006
NEW MUSIC COURSE WILL ALLOW STUDENTS TO CREATE EVEN HIGHER STANDARDS

Performing, composing and arranging, are key components of the Essential Content in the new Music course to be introduced in Years 11 and 12 in 2006.

Curriculum Council Arts Officer Christine Adams said she was concerned the new course had been denigrated and seriously misrepresented in media reports today.

“To say the new course does not require students to play an instrument implies this is somehow new, when in fact students currently have the option to complete the TEE music course with a focus on composition that doesn’t require a student to play an instrument,” Ms Adams said. 

“Students will study both performance and composition and be assessed on their greatest strength – the notion of a music course with no performance or composition is ridiculous.” 

“Also, the emphasis on recitals and rehearsals, practice and performance, has not shifted at all. The course incorporates the social and cultural perspective of a genre to allow students to gain a greater understanding of the music they are performing.”

Ms Adams said media reports had also claimed that a student could pass the new course by writing a rap song, backed by music downloaded on the Internet.

“This matter has been taken out of context and is therefore misleading,” she said.

“The course requires students to compose music and be engaged in a total experience. They can choose from a range of genres and show their detailed understanding of that music and they will not be limited to music of a particular genre and time, as they are now.”

As you would expect a beginning unit would allow students to get an understanding of the breadth of music. Over the duration of the new course students will develop their skills and study particular genres in considerable depth. 

The new Music course opens up opportunities. High ability students will be able to focus on their own specialities and work on their strengths. Teachers can develop courses that also engage beginning music students.

“Everything currently being taught in TEE Music can be included in the new course,” the Arts Officer said. “If the teacher wants to continue teaching baroque and classical music they can, however, they would also add some other essential content.”

Interest in and development of WA music has exploded in recent years, in a whole range of genres and the new course will give Year 11 and 12 students greater options to tap into the new opportunities.

“A student whose performance or composition is judged to be at the highest standard in the new course has the potential to be even better than our current top students.” 

Media Contact: Ashley Malone
Principal Media & Communications Adviser
Tel: (08) 9273 6710 or Mob: 0403 310 583

21st April 2006
LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor

RE: Howard blasts OBE as rubbish (21/4)

I am disappointed to see that journalists at The West Australian continue to persist to print inaccurate information about Western Australia’s education system. The assertion that students do not need to understand spelling, punctuation and grammar in English is simply untrue. I can only assume there is some agenda involved in continually printing incorrect statements as fact.

The WA system focuses on the individual needs of students and encourages them to achieve their full potential. All WACE courses are rigorous, quality-assured and of a high standard.

Students will be penalised for poor spelling, punctuation and grammar in WACE examinations. English teachers continue to be responsible for selecting the texts that students study in the classroom and are maintaining a strong focus on novels and literature.

David Axworthy
A/CEO of the Curriculum Council (WA)

20th April 2006
LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor

RE: PM canes ‘rubbish teaching’ (21/4)

I was disappointed to see that my comments provided to The Australian regarding Prime Minister John Howard’s remarks about the national focus on outcomes education were not included in today’s article.

In WA, outcomes-focused education was introduced in 1998 and has been progressively implemented in schools from Kindergarten to Year 10. It is now being extended to Years 11 and 12.

The WA outcomes and standards-based curriculum focuses on the needs of students and encourages them to achieve their full potential. All WACE courses are rigorous and of a high standard. Students will be penalised for poor spelling, punctuation and grammar in the WACE examinations. English teachers continue to be responsible for selecting the texts that students’ study in the classroom and are maintaining a strong focus on novels and literature.

David Axworthy
A/CEO of the Curriculum Council (WA)

20th April 2006
LETTER TO THE EDITOR

RE: Physics Sample Exam Questions

Dear Editor

The “OBE physics fails Year 10 test” article (19 April, 2006) incorrectly stated that students of the new Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) Physics course will sit Year 12 exams next year.

In fact, this course will not be examined in Year 12 until 2008. Exploratory exam items were made available to teachers of 17 new Phase 2 courses (which included Physics) last week. They will also receive a full consultation draft examination paper in May. This draft exam will form part of Day 5 of teachers’ professional development (PD), during which they will be asked to provide their feedback.

As part of the Curriculum Council’s ongoing consultation, this feedback will be forwarded to the Physics examination panel before the final examination is written. The Curriculum Council’s examination panels include representatives of schools, universities, training providers and industry. These are people who are committed to providing quality education for Western Australian students.

Right now, the focus of PD is to ensure that teachers fully understand the new courses and how to assess them.

Mr Vojkovic should know that the Curriculum Council provides ongoing opportunities to comment on draft exam materials. His comments were misguided and unhelpful to his teaching peers who are committed to delivering the new WACE courses. 

David Axworthy
A/CEO, Curriculum Council

13th April 2006
SUPPORT MATERIALS DELIVERED TO THOUSANDS OF WA TEACHERS

The Curriculum Council has delivered on its commitment to provide core support materials to more than 5000 teachers by today.

Core support materials, including draft exam items, were provided to teachers of 17 new courses at professional development, either on or before today.

In a huge logistical exercise, professional development is being delivered today by 340 trainers at 100 locations across the State.

The Curriculum Council’s director of accreditation and moderation, Rees Barrett, said a consultation draft exam was also being sent to teachers of each course. The delivery of this additional support material is over and above what was required of the council.

“We will collect feedback from teachers about the release of the consultation draft exams, which will be provided to our examination panels. The exam panels will then develop a sample exam and final exam,” Mr Barrett said.

“Let’s not forget that these courses aren’t being examined for the first time until November 2008,” he said.

“The preparation and delivery of this support material has been a huge logistical challenge for Curriculum Council staff and they’ve done a great job.

“We also appreciate the work of the trainers who delivered the PD.”


For more information about courses in the new Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), visit the Curriculum Council’s website at www.curriculum.wa.edu.au

For more information please contact: Tracy Taggart on 9273-6329 , 0403 310 583 or taggt@curriculum.wa.edu.au

11th April 2006
LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor

Re: OBE in chaos as course is delayed, 11/4/06

Today’s front page story was again highly misleading and full of inaccuracies. The Curriculum Council was not “forced to admit” the delay of the Economics course. As part of the routine process to check for quality, 18 new courses underwent an external review process. Seventeen of the courses were endorsed. The council’s Economics Assessment Review and Moderation (ARM) panel - which is comprised of university, school and industry representatives - recommended the delay of the Economics course and we acted on its advice. I reiterate that the delay of the course is in the best interest of students and teachers.

The date set to provide teacher support materials for new courses being implemented in Year 11 in 2007 was agreed upon by the Curriculum Council and the parliamentary inquiry, not forced upon the council by the government.

Teachers are seeing external exam questions for courses on the last day of term because that’s the day most schools chose for teacher professional development. Let’s not forget that these sample exams are for courses that will be examined in November 2008. It is hardly too late for teachers to see a sample exam in April 2006.

Sincerely
David Axworthy
A/CEO
Curriculum Council

10th April 2006
17 COURSES FULL-STEAM AHEAD - ONE COURSE DELAYED

A Curriculum Council meeting of course experts has confirmed the readiness of 17 new courses of study and recommended the delay of the Economics course.

Acting chief executive officer of the Curriculum Council, David Axworthy, said the decision to postpone the Economics course followed the advice of the Economics Assessment Review and Moderation (ARM) panel, which includes representatives of schools/sectors, university and industry.

Instead of being implemented in Year 11 in 2007, the new Economics course will be implemented in 2008.

Mr Axworthy said the ARM panel was not satisfied that the course effectively described what students needed to demonstrate.

“The ARM panel asked the Curriculum Council to postpone the introduction of the new economics course and we have acted on its advice,” he said.

“The panel wanted more time to seek feedback on the new course and we have agreed to give it to them, as it is clearly in the best interests of students and teachers.”

Economics ARM panel member, Mandy Hudson, said the delay in implementing the new course provides an opportunity to refine and work on the design brief for the course.

“We recognise that there can be a stronger Economics course at the end of this process,” Ms Hudson said.

Seventeen other courses are still on track for implementation next year. These include Physical Education Studies, Applied Information Technology, Accounting and Finance, Drama, Geography, Politics and Law, Music and five science courses.

For more information about courses in the new Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), visit the Curriculum Council’s website at www.curriculum.wa.edu.au

For more information please contact: Tracy Taggart on 9273-6329 , 0403 310 583 or taggt@curriculum.wa.edu.au

4th April 2006
LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor,

Re: Exam story, pg 13, 1 April 2006

Your article comparing the sample exam for the new Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) English course with an exam from 1965 was unfair and misrepresentative. In 1965, there was only one English subject available to students undertaking their Leaving Certificate. As a result - and understandably - it had a strong literature focus.

If a historical perspective was required, a more accurate comparison would have been with the 1969 English exam paper, which was the first year that two English subjects (English and English Literature) were introduced into upper-secondary school in WA. The 1969 English exam paper was supplied to the West Australian for comparison with the new sample exam, but was not used.

A better and more relevant comparison would have involved comparing the sample exam for the new course with last year’s (2005) English TEE exam paper.

David Axworthy
A/CEO
Curriculum Council

31st March 2006
LETTER TO THE EDITOR

31 March 2006

Dear Editor,

Re: Examiner quits over ‘low’ OBE standards (West Australian, 30/3/06, pg 1)

It is not the Curriculum Council’s policy to talk about internal dealings of its examination panels, nor to identify panel members. However, I am commenting now to ensure there is no misunderstanding about the workings of the council’s examination panels and assessment, review and moderation (ARM) panels.
The Curriculum Council values the work, professionalism and integrity of the 2,600 people who serve on its many committees and panels, including its examination panels and ARM panels. Membership of our panels and committees include representatives of schools, universities, training providers, industry and the wider community, who give their time in pursuit of quality education for Western Australian students.
Nine people serve on the English ARM panel and three serve on the English examination panel. In terms of the English examination, the sample exam paper that was published on the Curriculum Council’s website was written by the examination panel, not the Curriculum Council Secretariat nor the ARM panel.

David Axworthy
A/CEO
Curriculum Council

23rd March 2006
SUPPORT FOR THE NEW ENGLISH COURSE

Independent research indicates that teachers are supportive of the new English course being taught in year 11 this year.

The Curriculum Council acting chief executive officer, David Axworthy, said the positive feedback was part of the two year rolling evaluation of the English course.

As part of the evaluation, 267 English teachers who attended recent Curriculum Council assessment seminars were surveyed. The responses of teachers who completed the survey were collated and analysed by an external evaluation company.

Mr Axworthy said the resulting report revealed that around 90 per cent of English teachers were confident in teaching outcomes.

“The English teachers surveyed said that they were confident about their understanding of what students need to know and do in order to demonstrate achievement of outcomes”, he said.

“Teachers attending the seminars were also asked to evaluate various aspects of their professional development and the usefulness of support material. The professional development program and support materials for the new English course were found to be valuable to the majority of teachers.

“In particular, 83 per cent of teachers found the sample schemes of assessment (showing how to collect evidence on student achievement) useful and 86 per cent valued the sharing of ideas and tasks.”

Mr Axworthy said that the external survey results confirm that there is growing confidence of teachers in their ability to teach the new English course – of the 267 English teachers who attended the seminars; only one indicated a lack of confidence in using course outcomes to assess students.

“Clearly, English teachers do understand the outcomes and are getting on with the job and providing students with appropriate, challenging and stimulating material for study.

“The overwhelming majority of teachers feel confident in what they are doing.”

The rolling evaluation of English will consist of two interim reports this year. The first interim report will be made available to all schools by the end of May 2006.

For more information about the English course, or any other Curriculum Council course, visit the council’s website at www.curriculum.wa.edu.au.

For more information please contact: Tracy Taggart on 9273-6329 , 0403 310 583 or taggt@curriculum.wa.edu.au

3rd March 2006
6000 TEACHERS TO RECEIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR NEW COURSES

The second of five days of professional development for 6000 teachers has commenced today for the 18 new Curriculum Council courses to be offered in 2007.

The program began with more than 1150 teachers from Catholic and Independent schools, along with some state school teachers, receiving valuable information and training from around 100 experienced trainers at 15 locations in Perth and Bunbury.

In Bunbury, 14 trainers have led sessions for around 120 country teachers for new courses including Chemistry, Physics, Economics, Geography, Visual Arts, Drama and Physical Education Studies.

Another 4500 Western Australian teachers will access the training in April.

Mr David Axworthy, acting chief executive officer of the Curriculum Council, says that today marks the commencement of four more days of face-to-face professional development to support teachers of the new courses.

“Teachers will receive a comprehensive file of support materials, including sample programs, assessment tasks, sample unit outlines and examples of student work that they can use to help them to teach the new courses in 2007.”

“Consultation drafts of external exam papers for all 18 courses will be available on 13 April 2006 on the Curriculum Council website.”

Ms Adele Bradley, manager of post-compulsory implementation at the Curriculum Council, says that professional development has proven an important and valuable part of the support that the Curriculum Council provides to teachers.

“In today’s training, teachers will work through the course to build understandings of the content, outcomes, standards and the assessment requirements of the course.”

The Curriculum Council will make an online and CD-Rom version of the professional development sessions available to teachers requiring additional training support.

“The Curriculum Council expects to have the second day of professional development session available electronically by 13 April this year,” said Ms Bradley.

Teacher surveys from last year’s training for the new English, Engineering Studies and Media Production and Analysis courses suggested that there was increasing confidence the more sessions of professional development that teachers attended.

91% of English teachers surveyed after five days of professional development indicated that they felt confident to teach the new course.

For more information please contact: Ann’Elisha Stephen on 08 9273 6302 , 0403 310 583 or stepa@curriulum.wa.edu.au

24th January 2006
THOUSANDS ENROL IN NEW COURSES IN 2006

Thousands of Year 11 students across metropolitan and regional Western Australia will begin new courses in English, Engineering and Media Production and Analysis next week. 

The Curriculum Council’s acting chief executive officer, David Axworthy, said about 13,000 Year 11 students are expected to enrol in new courses in English, Engineering and Media Production and Analysis this term.

“These three new courses follow the implementation of the new aviation course last year,” Mr Axworthy said.

“The new courses are part of the State education system’s transition to the new Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE),” he said.

“By the time the new WACE is fully implemented in 2009, around 50 new courses will replace all of the subjects previously offered to students in Years 11 and 12.

“The new WACE offers students more course choices and doesn’t lock them into set pathways.

“Another advantage of the new system is that it allows students in special programs like media, sports and aviation to use these courses to contribute to their Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER).

“Significantly, the new system has been endorsed by the vice chancellors of WA’s five universities.”

Mr Axworthy said the outcomes and standards focused curriculum provides the opportunity for students to engage in more challenging problem solving, and application of knowledge and skills they have learnt.

He said the new courses are more up-to-date, relevant and challenging for students.

“The new courses have been designed to enable teachers to cater for the needs of individual students.”

For more information, visit the Curriculum Council’s new WACE website at http://newwace.curriculum.wa.edu.au/pages/home.asp

For more information please contact: Tracy Taggart on 9273-6329 , 0403 310 583 or taggt@curriculum.wa.edu.au

15th July 2005
SOUTHERN SUBURBS’ TEACHERS SKILL UP ON NEW COURSES

A major professional development program for southern suburbs teachers continued in Canning on Friday, June 17 to support the introduction of the new Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) for Years 11 and 12.

Up to 42 English teachers from 14 local high schools including Kelmscott  Senior High School, Carmel Adventist School, Belmont City College, Forrestfield Senior High School attended sessions at the Willow Pond Reception Centre (Canning) Lot 55 Nicholson Road CANNING VALE.

Engineering Studies and Media Production and Analysis teachers will also attend professional development sessions in the metropolitan area.

Up to 30 further professional development sessions on the new courses will be held in the southern suburbs from May to December this year.

“English, Engineering Studies and Media Production are three new courses to be introduced next year and the professional development sessions in Canning are part over 250 professional development sessions across the State,” Curriculum Council CEO Norma Jeffery said.

The new WACE is the result of the Post-Compulsory Education Review conducted by the Curriculum Council from 1998-2002. The review encompassed a major consultation process involving parents, teachers, Government and non-Government schools, unions, the training sector, and the broader community.

The new curriculum has been designed to meet the changing needs of employers, universities and TAFE colleges – and students. Up to 50 new courses will be progressively introduced from 2005-09.

“In the past 20 years our society has undergone a revolution in communication technology and there have been changes in the nature of work and what we expect of our students, let alone the huge growth in students undertaking vocational studies,” Mrs Jeffery said.

The new system, which has the support of Western Australia's five universities, will complement changes that have already been introduced for kindergarten to Year 10 and will provide for a seamless curriculum in WA.

Mrs Jeffery said at the end of the professional development program teachers would have developed greater understanding of their first semester’s teaching materials for 2006, including the student tasks and assessment tools for a unit.

A number of new courses are being developed by the Curriculum Council including Psychology, Marine and Maritime Technology, Earth and Environmental Science, Recreation and Environmental Studies, and Aboriginal and Intercultural Studies.

Mrs Jeffery said some concern about such a significant change was to be expected but many schools and teachers from the metropolitan area had welcomed the professional development sessions and believed it would give them better insight into the new WACE system.

“I can assure all teachers that the Curriculum Council is very keen to work with all teachers, government and non-government schools systems and the Department of Education and Training to address any issues,” she said.

“There is a strong level of support for the new WACE system though it was recognised there were also significant issues that could only be addressed in the professional development program.”

Those concerns were largely centred on the level of support to be provided to assist teachers in dealing with the new system.

In response, a comprehensive range of course-of-study support materials have been developed. The materials contain sample tasks, schemes of assessment, programs, and annotated work samples to make clear the different standards of achievements.

Teachers will also have the opportunity to share their materials with their colleagues around the State.

Additional professional development programs will take place in Perth over the next 2½ years to support the roll-out of new courses.

The Curriculum Council’s professional development program is in addition to the support offered by the Department of Education and Training. The Department’s support will include the establishment of a mentor program where experienced teachers will assist other teachers during the implementation process.

More information on the WACE system, including the opportunity for teachers and administrators to register for professional development, is available on the Curriculum Council’s website at www.curriculum.wa.edu.au.

For more information please contact: Jeanette Murray on 0403 310 583