International Curriculum?

[Jean Walker]

Below is article from our local paper today. Can anyone anywhere in the world verify the statement in bold? I can't get a straight answer from our DoE as to exactly which countries are looking at us.

Any help greatfully received.

Tassie school reform hailed

12apr05

TASMANIA had nothing to fear from a move toward a national schools curriculum because such reform would be similar to the Essential Learning curriculum already developed in the state, a conference heard yesterday.

Education Department Curriculum Standards and Support executive director David Hanlon said the state was leading the world in curriculum reform.

He told the Tasmanian Learning and Skills Authority conference in Launceston that Essential Learning was being looked at internationally as a way of teaching which promoted the capacity to think.

"It's not good enough to be saying we want science or we want maths being taught," he said.

"We have to ask what do we want them to achieve, and how are we going to deliver them so they do achieve what we want."

He referred to studies which showed even high achieving students often had a fragile grasp of key concepts.

Mr Hanlon said as well as having a framework for learning in meaningful contexts which promoted the capacity to think, the other key of Essential Learning was a seamless curriculum stretching from birth to Grade 10.

He said without such a curriculum, learning could be lost.

"Too often in the past, the clock is always being wound back to zero, most notably going from primary school to secondary school, but sometimes even from the end of one school year to the next," he said.

[David Richardson]

Not in Sweden - so far as I can tell. However, there may be individual Swedish academics looking at Essential Learning, who haven't published anything yet.

[John Simkin]

Below is article from our local paper today. Can anyone anywhere in the world verify the statement in bold? I can't get a straight answer from our DoE as to exactly which countries are looking at us.

Over the years education ministers have made comments like this but this is not reflected in the changes that have been made to the system. It of course sounds good but when it comes down to it the state is not terribly keen on educating its citizens to think. As we all know, it is more about getting people to do as they are told.

[Jean Walker]

I have written to him asking him to list the specific countries to which he refers. I will pass on the reply I get, if any.

John

I think it's OK to think as long as you think the same thing (as him)