new draft senior national syllabuses (1 Viewer)

[Sanical]

why would any of us want to go? =/.

 

[umm what]

what is this? :S

 

[funnytomato]

NSW senior students would lose the option of studying 3 unit maths under the draft national curriculum, a move which some university academics fear would seriously undermine the number of students attempting high level mathematics.

The proposed new curriculum - on which the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority is currently seeking responses - has also divided the mathematics community by substantially increasing the amount of statistics being studied at the expense of algebra and geometry.

Associate Professor Norman Wildberger, chairman of a working party in the school and mathematics and statistics at the University of NSW, worries that more students will end up taking easier options that leave them unprepared for some university courses.

Advertisement: Story continues below The proposed curriculum would replace the current 2, 3 and 4 unit structure with two courses, mathematical methods and specialist mathematics. The first would be harder than the current 2 unit mathematics course and the second would include material currently taught at university.

Dr Wildberger fears students doing the current 2 unit course may not cope with the new course while others who are studying the 3 unit course (also called Extension 1) would drop back.

''In NSW, we're going to notice that absence of the middle level. Only the very best students will undertake specialist maths, which means that far more students will be taking mathematic methods,'' he warned.

The president of the Maths Teachers Association of NSW, Heather Weber, acknowledged the new subject matter had provoked considerable debate within the maths fraternity, winning supporters and detractors.

But she sees clear value in a course equivalent to the current 3 unit offering. ''It is important that we maintain a mid-level course between 2-unit and 4-unit mathematics,'' she said.

So too does Sophie Sauerman, a student at Monte Sant Angelo who will sit the 3 unit HSC exam and hopes to do international studies and law at university.

''I love extension maths. I do it more because I love doing it than for a career option. But I don't think I'd be able to do 4 unit, so I would be sad,'' she said.

''I'm very methodical, whereas 4 unit maths is more out-of-the-box thinking and I'm not as good at that.''

Dr Wildberger says the draft curriculum is out of balance, with geometry ''almost completely missing''.

He also says students will struggle to find engagement. ''There's not enough focus on interesting maths, things that grab students' attention and motivate them,'' he said.

Cutting out middle man doesn't add up but divides maths community

http://www.smh.com.au/national/educ...s-community-20120606-1zwqn.html#ixzz1x4RUgGl6

 

[tywebb]

This SMH article suggests ACARA's new senior syllabus is still inferior.

On September 27, 2010, at the ACACA conference the President of the NSW Board of Studies, Tom Alegounarias, was asked that if ACARA cannot maintain the standards that we currently have in NSW, would the NSW Board of Studies still accept the national curriculum. He said that they will not accept it.

 

[naedkcin]

When is this looking to be implemented?

 

[tywebb]

When is this looking to be implemented?

If the NSW Board of Studies does not accept it, it won't be implemented in NSW.

Mike Hirschhorn today wrote a letter to the SMH complaining that the traditional mathematics curriculum in NSW established by Horatio Carslaw and Thomas Room many decades ago - which has its origins in the ancient world - would be swept out of our talented pupils' experience by the national curriculum. What a travesty. What a disaster for the ''clever country''.

 

[tywebb]

On the other hand, if they do accept it then the Board will incorporate it into courses offered in NSW.
So they are now calling for submissions and/or completion of surveys. These are due to the Board by July 27.

http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/australian-curriculum/11-12-eng-maths-sci-hist.html

 

[tywebb]

But as is apparent from last tuesday's board of studies meeting where it was declared inferior, it is unlikely the board will accept it in its current form.

acara still have time to fix it

but if they don't then don't hold your breath for when it will be implemented in nsw

 

[asianese]

It seems that most people are firm about sticking to the current NSW syllabi and forgetting about this Victorian model completely... I don't see any changes to the proposed model that ACARA could make to please everyone (students, teachers, professionals).

 

[someth1ng]

There are way too many things that must be changed and teachers need to re-learn pretty much everything. This will probably make it a very slow process. I don't think the national curriculum will be implemented until the 2015 HSC cohorts.

 

[tywebb]

i think in NSW we have to start getting used to the idea that the national curriculum will be a K-10 thing and we will never have the senior national curriculum

at least not for maths.