Syllabus development (2 Viewers)

[digimonstudent]

lucky it wont change my exams,
it seems stupid

hey does this mean 2010 yr 12 students have to sit for this new HSC?

 

[buchanan]

No. ............

 

[digimonstudent]

No. ............

GREAT! that makes 10's the last yr 12 to do the good HSC. hey this new HSC is jsut taking out hard stuff aint it? its not making anything harder is it?

 

[buchanan]

Well the syllabus hasn't been released yet, but if you go by the drafts, there was some dumbing down, as well as addition of some new things which some people said was too hard.

 

[Trebla]

When will this syllabus be released?

 

[buchanan]

It's supposed to be December 2008.

But they really have till Jan. 27, 2009 to release it to comply with the rule about having a syllabus in schools 1 year before implementation.

 

[buchanan]

On the other hand, many head maths teachers are complaining that if the Board of Studies syllabus is due for implementation in 2010 and the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority's syllabus is due for implementation in 2011, then all maths departments in NSW will have to rewrite programmes 2 years in a row. Once in 2009 and again in 2010. They find this quite unacceptable.

So there is a possibility that the Board of Studies will withdraw their new syllabus.

 

[Trebla]

Maths: who is confused? - National - smh.com.au

 

[buchanan]

Good. So it will be delayed. The Board of Studies was advised to delay it and they tried to ignore this advice - until the Minister told them to delay it.

In any case if the documents are released after January 27, 2009, implementation would have to be delayed anyway.

 

[buchanan]

Now that the National Curriculum Board's role has been extended to include assessment and reporting, in writing submissions (due Feb 28, 2009) for the <a href="http://www.ncb.org.au/verve/_resources/National_Mathematics_Curriculum_-_Framing_Paper.pdf">National Mathematics Curriculum Framing Paper</a> one should also consider the document <a href="http://www.latwf.org/docs/Transformative_Assessment--A_Call_to_Action_and_Action.pdf">Transforming Education: Assessing and Teaching 21st Century Skills</a>

 

[Schoey93]

So when are the syllabi due for implementation? I am confused. Do Yr 11 2010 get the new syllabi or Yr 11 2011?

 

[buchanan]

Official notice from the Board of Studies (from Dec. 19, 2008) is as follows:

The Stage 6 Mathematics syllabuses are nearing finalisation following feedback on the consultation drafts distributed earlier this year.

In light of the work being undertaken by the National Curriculum Board to develop a national curriculum in Mathematics for K–12, the Board of Studies will consider the implications of finalising the syllabuses at its meeting in February.

 

[buchanan]

Specifically the meeting is on February 17.

It was supposed to be for implementation in 2010 and was supposed to be released December 2008 but has not been released yet.

There is a rule that syllabuses should be in schools at least 1 year before implementation.

Term 1 2010 is supposed to start Jan. 27.

So if they release it by Jan. 27 2009, we could still implement it in 2010 and be working within that rule.

If it is released after Jan. 27 2009 but they still insist on it being implemented in 2010, the Board of Studies would be in breach of that rule.

The National Curriculum Board's curriculum is supposed to be implemented in 2011.

So the Board of Studies may decide to delay implementation by 1 year to avoid having maths departments rewriting programs 2 years in a row.

 

[Schoey93]

www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/mathematics-general-1-stg6-draft.pdf

www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/mathematics-general-2-stg6-draft.pdf

www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/mathematics-advanced-st6-draft.pdf

http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/mathematics-extension-1-st6-draft.pdf

http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/mathematics-extension-2-st6-draft.pdf

The syllabuses/syllabi have already being released (see above, they are listed in order of supposed difficulty). These are, admittedly, draft syllabuses, but they are nonetheless complete and minimal changes need to be made to them.

Also, buchanan, is there any chance a petition might encourage the Board to go ahead and implement the syllabuses for Year 11 2010... I like the new syllabuses much better than the old ones. The Mathematics General courses are so much better now, the Mathematics General 2 courses especially should now be much more credible.

 

[buchanan]

As you point out these are not the new syllabuses. They are only the drafts which were released several months ago.

If you care to look at previous posts in this thread you will also discover several submissions pertaining to these drafts.

In 2000 the final syllabus for General Mathematics was very different from the draft. So I'd be very cautious about predicting that the final syllabuses will be similar to the drafts this time.

I respect your enthusiasm regarding quick implementation of the new syllabus, but please be aware that several concerns were raised in submissions for the drafts culminating in advice that the Board of Studies delay the release and implementation of the final syllabus.

A petition you suggest may gain some support, but at the moment it seems that many are supporting the delay.

So rather than a petition, I suggest you write a submission instead.

Also at the moment, focus has shifted from the Board of Studies towards the National Curriculum Board. So your submission should be directed to them at this stage.

I would also suggest that as we enter Phase 4 of the Board of Studies syllabus (implementation phase) that another submission be made later in regards to the success or otherwise of that implementation.

 

[Trebla]

Wait, so that means it will be finalised but not implemented (as of yet)?

 

[buchanan]

We can speculate as much as we want, but if you are asking me for advice I suggest that we wait for the outcome of the Feb. 17 meeting.

 

[Schoey93]

I sent a submission (accidentally sent to the Board of Studies NSW instead of the National Curriculum Board - I only read your post afterwards buchanan). I sent it to Chris Thompson, the BOS NSW Head of Mathematics. I argued that while the new syllabuses are not perfect, and do not teach mathematics as an art form, the way it should be taught, they are a great improvement of the old syllabuses. The implementation of Mathematics General 1, the new basic course that only requires a standard of Stage 5.1 math should see a huge increase in Stage 6 math enrolments, so why delay a syllabus that is likely to bring about great positive change, I argued.

I need the National Curriculum Board's mailing address, please!

Also, buchanan, if Mr C. Thompson only receives my submission tomorrow, is it to late?


I have not heard from him. Surely if the syllabuses are released one day late it will not matter? After all, most schools resume on Wed January 28, and keep Tues 27 January as a staff day.

Thank you in advance,

James

 

[buchanan]

For submissions to the NCB, send to

feedback@ncb.org.au

For submissions to the BOS, send to

margaret.bigelow@bos.nsw.edu.au

 

[buchanan]

Draft AAMT Submission:

http://www.aamt.edu.au/content/download/11221/144628/file/AAMT_nat_curric_resp_DRAFT.pdf

Send comments to feedback@aamt.edu.au for final submission due Feb 19, 2009.