Presentation from Julia Atkin's recent breakfast seminar with CORE Education - Reflecting on your journey with the NZ Curriculum "Mapping future directions" Breakfast Seminar

1. Reflecting on your journey with the NZ Curriculum mapping future directions Dr Julia Atkin Education & Learning Consultant “Bumgum” Harden-Murrumburrah NSW 2587 Julia@learning-by-design.com http://www.learning-by-design.com

3. Education at the crossroads . . . education is at the cross roads. Choosing one direction will lead efforts to lift performance within traditional educational models. Choosing the other will see radical changes in education that will shift the way we think about learning… Steve Maharey

4. What metaphors underpin your school’s curriculum redevelopment process? How is your curriculum review process like or not like: a tripa journey • • • • • • • •

5. What metaphors underpin your school’s curriculum redevelopment process? How is the curriculum leader’s role like or not like: a project manager for a an architect construction firm • • • • • • • • • •

6. From rhetoric to reality Between the idea And the reality Between the motion And the act Falls the shadow T.S. EliotThe Hollow Men ‘Hollow’ or ‘whole’

9. For ourstudents, what is essential for them to learn? What is desirable?

10. How do we ensure powerful learning?

12. SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM EVOLUTION French Geography Arts Craft PE Commercial Studies Learning Areas The NZ Curriculum represents an ‘inversion’ of curriculum in which the ‘core’ task of education is the development of self and self for society. The key challenge is to design curriculum so that the ways of knowing of the Key Learning Areas, the Key Competencies and Values contribute to the development of the whole self. Core Latin Greek Mathematics 1870 Core English Maths Latin Science History 1962 Key Competencies Essential Skills/Learnings New Basics KLAs English Maths Science Social Studies PE/Health/PD Design & Tech Visual & Perf Arts 1990’s Values Essential Learning Development of self & self for society 2007+ Key Competencies © Julia Atkin, 2008

14. Perspective and Pedagogy the powerful agents What perspective do you bring to the NZ Curriculum? What lens are you looking through? What do you perceive to be the ‘essence’ of NZC? Before considering pedagogy, let’s first view curriculum for 21C in light of our past and get to the essence of NZC. © Julia Atkin, 2010

15. Reconceptualising ‘curriculum’ Are we still advocating curriculum as a ‘narrow track to be run as a competition’ pulled along by teachers? The origin of the term ‘curriculum Cur•ri•cle noun historical a light, open, two-wheeled carriage pulled by two horses side by side. ORIGIN mid 18th cent.: from Latin curriculum ‘course, racing chariot,’ from currere ‘to run.’

16. The ‘Essence’ of the NZ Curriculum KEY COMPETENCIES VALUES ‘confident, connected, actively involved and lifelong learners’ The Vision of the NZ unequivocally states your educative purpose. LEARNING AREAS © Julia Atkin, 2009

18. Educative Purpose for 21C 21st century education is increasingly driven by a desire to develop young people who are: adaptable, creative, collaborative, responsive, self directed and capable of being self managing in networks and less hierarchical settings and communities than experienced by their parents at the same age. How do the nature & challenges of 21C inform the design of learning experiences? © Julia Atkin, 2010

19. Learning and curriculum for 21C Reconceptualising 21C curriculum: From segregated subjects, ad hoc themes, and ‘covering content’ to holistic, integrated learning. © Julia Atkin, 2010

20. Perspective and Pedagogy the powerful agents WHAT is the ‘essence’ of powerful learning? What are the implications for pedagogy? What are the implications for curriculum design? © Julia Atkin, 2009

21. How do we reconceptualise ‘curriculum’ Cur•ri•cle noun historical a light, open, two-wheeled carriage pulled by two horses side by side. ORIGIN mid 18th cent.: from Latin curriculum ‘course, racing chariot,’ from currere ‘to run.’ Our challenge is to move from… a narrow path to be run as a race to…a rich field to explore with treasures to discover Educators of Primary age children have always leant towards a holistic, personalised pedagogy. Your challenge now is to uphold that approach and strengthen it – not to succumb to the potentially minimising effects of external pressures and past patterns. Educators of Secondary age children have generally leant towards a subject driven pedagogy. Your challenge now is to become a teacher of the person using your subject expertise to enrich the learning of colleagues and young learners. © Julia Atkin, 2010