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Curriculum and Instruction

Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)

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Full-Text Articles in Education

Science In The Early Years. Paper 3: Monitoring Children's Learning, Christine Rosicka, Gayl O'Connor Jun 2020

Science In The Early Years. Paper 3: Monitoring Children's Learning, Christine Rosicka, Gayl O'Connor

Early Childhood Education

This third paper in the Science in the Early Years series continues to review current research into science learning and monitoring in the early years. The aim of this series is to provide early years educators with an insight into current research; highlight how research findings relate to children’s science learning; look at the current understandings about monitoring early years science learning; and provide examples of how early years educators can incorporate this research into their practices. This series defines ‘early years’ as the two years prior to school and the first three years of primary school, which in Australia …


Science In The Early Years. Paper 4: Educator Facilitation, Gayl O'Connor, Christine Rosicka Jun 2020

Science In The Early Years. Paper 4: Educator Facilitation, Gayl O'Connor, Christine Rosicka

Early Childhood Education

This fourth paper in the Science in the Early Years series concludes the review of current research into science learning and monitoring in the early years. The aim of this series is to provide early years educators with an insight into current research; highlight how research findings relate to children’s science learning; look at the current understandings about early years science; and provide examples of how early years educators can incorporate this research into their practices. This series defines ‘early years’ as the two years prior to school and the first three years of primary school, which in Australia generally …


Science In The Early Years: Monitoring Science Understandings: Checklists For Ac Foundation – Year 2, Australian Council For Educational Research Jun 2020

Science In The Early Years: Monitoring Science Understandings: Checklists For Ac Foundation – Year 2, Australian Council For Educational Research

Early Childhood Education

This resource consists of templates of checklists for teachers of Years F to 2. They are tailored to the Australian Curriculum (AC) F–2 learning outcomes and they are to help record evidence of children’s science learning and to monitor this across time. The checklists have been populated with the AC strands (Science Understanding, Science Inquiry Skills, and Science as a Human Endeavour) and outcomes identified for the four teacher resources accompanying Paper 1: Early years science and integration: Plant treasure hunt, Floating and sinking; Paper 2: Science inquiry skills: Light and shadows, Exploring mixtures.


Science In The Early Years: Plant Treasure Hunt. Educator Resource, Australian Council For Educational Research Jun 2020

Science In The Early Years: Plant Treasure Hunt. Educator Resource, Australian Council For Educational Research

Early Childhood Education

This educator resource describes an activity which encourages children to explore ideas about plants in an outdoor environment. They build on their understanding of what a plant is by drawing one and then go outdoors to find examples of plants (a ‘treasure hunt’). This activity allows children to learn about different examples of plants other than flowers, or plants that are grown in a pot. Children often discount other examples of plants such as trees, grass and vegetables. The activity is linked to the Australian Curriculum (Foundation to Year 2) and provides teacher notes about the scientific classification of plants.


Science In The Early Years: Light And Shadows. Educator Resource, Australian Council For Educational Research Jun 2020

Science In The Early Years: Light And Shadows. Educator Resource, Australian Council For Educational Research

Early Childhood Education

This educational resource for early years teachers describes an activity best suited to children in Foundation to Year 2 (F–2) as it addresses the Year 1 Science Understandings outcome as well as addressing Science Inquiry Skills outcomes for F–2. It is also suitable for preschoolers to help overcome common misconceptions about shadow formation. F–2 students should be encouraged to explain why shadows are formed as well as describe them. Preschoolers should be given the opportunity to describe and explain shadows too. This resource provides an explanation of how shadows are formed and guidelines about how to teach these scientific concepts.


Science In The Early Years: Floating And Sinking. Educator Resource, Australian Council For Educational Research Jun 2020

Science In The Early Years: Floating And Sinking. Educator Resource, Australian Council For Educational Research

Early Childhood Education

This teaching resource for early years educators explores the scientific concepts behind floating and sinking. It describes an activity for small groups of children and explains how it links to the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and the Australian Curriculum (Foundation to Year 2).


Science In The Early Years: Exploring Mixtures. Educator Resource, Australian Council For Educational Research Jun 2020

Science In The Early Years: Exploring Mixtures. Educator Resource, Australian Council For Educational Research

Early Childhood Education

This activity is suitable for preschoolers to investigate the behaviour of two common household products (oil and water). The emphasis is on supporting children to develop their inquiry skills to describe what they observe when trying to mix these liquids. Preschoolers should be given the opportunity to communicate (describe and explain) their observations. The activity can be extended to Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 students who should be encouraged to predict what will happen, communicate (explain) why some of the liquids used do not mix, as well as to describe the changes they observe when mixing materials. All children …


Key Skills For The 21st Century: An Evidence-Based Review, Esther Doecke, Quentin Maire Aug 2019

Key Skills For The 21st Century: An Evidence-Based Review, Esther Doecke, Quentin Maire

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

It is vital that education systems deliver quality outcomes for all young people and prepare them well for their future in the economy and society. To do so, many systems have traditionally had a strong focus on developing academic skills, particularly in literacy and numeracy. In recent years, education systems have developed greater expectations that schools will also equip young people with a broader set of skills for the 21st century (e.g. creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving). This paper addresses these developments and the challenges they present. Building on an evidence-based review, this paper asks what are the key skills required …


Teaching And Assessing The General Capabilities In A Secondary School Context, Loren Clarke, Melissa Hughes Aug 2019

Teaching And Assessing The General Capabilities In A Secondary School Context, Loren Clarke, Melissa Hughes

2009 - 2019 ACER Research Conferences

Education researchers, policymakers and private enterprise agree that, in addition to content knowledge, students in the 21st century need to acquire particular skills to equip them for active citizenship in the modern world. This is a real challenge for teachers today: how do they teach and assess the skills needed to live and work in the 21st century? This paper will explore the development of Eltham High School’s focus on teaching and assessment of collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking over the past seven years. It will explore the development of the assessment program, its connection to the school and state …


Rapid Review Of Curriculum 2013 And Textbooks, Kathryn Moyle, Anita Rampal, Dewi Rochsantiningsih, K Kristiandi Apr 2017

Rapid Review Of Curriculum 2013 And Textbooks, Kathryn Moyle, Anita Rampal, Dewi Rochsantiningsih, K Kristiandi

Curriculum development and review

Indonesia wants to improve the quality of students’ learning outcomes as a matter of urgency. One strategy being used to achieve this objective, is to improve the national curriculum, Curriculum 2013. The theoretical basis underpinning Curriculum 2013 has been informed by promising practices from across several countries, that have placed an emphasis on fostering student-centred and enquiry-based learning, and the development of ‘21st century skills’. This Rapid Review of Curriculum and Textbooks 2013 was undertaken at the request of Ministry of Education and Culture (MoEC), to examine recent curriculum reforms and implementation strategies used in Indonesia, in order for MoEC …