A country\u2019s national curriculum is the document that best reflects the values of its people in a specific time. Looking back across past curriculum documents, it\u2019s clear to see the impact of such innovations as digital technologies or improved understanding of neurological diversity on education. The recently updated Australian curriculum speaks to current national priorities, setting revised expectations for what all students should learn, regardless of their background or where they live.<\/p>\n
Extensively reviewed in 2020\/2021 and compared with a range of curricula from high performing countries, it was endorsed by the education ministers in April 2022. The curriculum was digitised for the first time, making it more manageable for teachers to explore the learning areas and to clearly identify the essential content Australian students should learn.<\/p>\n
The Australian curriculum can be visualised as a three-dimensional model, built across three facts: Learning Areas, General Capabilities and Cross-curriculum Priorities.<\/p>\n
1. The Learning Areas are foundational to the Australian curriculum and identify the essential content that teachers should teach and students should learn. The learning areas are:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2. The General Capabilities specified in the Australian curriculum include:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The General Capabilities do not sit as separate learning areas, subjects or isolated skills. Instead, the intention is to strengthen learning area content through the application of relevant general capabilities in appropriate learning contexts.<\/p>\n For example, this might mean that students explore Intercultural Understanding through learning in Health and Physical Education or that Literacy capabilities are developed through Humanities and Social Sciences.<\/p>\n 3. Cross-curriculum Priorities support the Australian Curriculum to be a relevant, contemporary and engaging curriculum.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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