Reformed Secondary Senior Schooling in Queensland
Background Introduction
This paper focuses on research aimed at establishing new senior assessment and tertiary entrance system that will enable the successful implementation of 21st-century skills. Also discussed is the proposed model that uses school-based and external assessment that strengthen quality. Also, a move away from the overall position (op) rank to Australian Admission Ranks (ATAR). Further, it comprehensively outlines Queensland education policy documents and relevant local and international education. About this change, historical contexts of Queens land senior schooling since 1972 is broadly discussed. The rationale for this initiative and associated debates is also established. A perceived effect the changes may bring on senior schooling in Queensland and associated debates is therefore regarded. Change and revision of curriculum and academic system to blend with time are vital in education.
- Historical context of Secondary Senior Schooling in Queensland
The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) that’s mandate are to provide assorted educational services to Queensland school communities, including syllabuses, tutorial and teaching assessment resources propose the change (Australia, 2009). With involvement with government and relevant authorities, including professional committees, conducted an online survey and multiple meetings with practicing teachers and revealed the desired way to improve education. Revision of senior syllabuses in Queensland that are normally done on a six-year basis have been improved, pending decisions concerning the implementation of the Australian Curriculum Courses, to the proposed draft comparable to fifteen syllabuses of Queensland since 1972. The publication dates range from 2000 to 2015. Ever the government announced on 25th August concerning about assessment and moderation system starting in the year 11 by 2018; that revision happened in 2016.
The revision focused on redevelopment of syllabuses to incorporate contents of the new assessment and moderation system and senior Australian Curriculum where necessary. Acquisition of a broad compilation of skills during senior schooling is vital to student’s progress in future education endeavor. The skills were keenly researched on and identified as well as refined to date in reflection of (Daniels, Lauder, & Porter, 2009). the changing world. The skills were categorically set in what is referred as general capabilities, cross-curricular skills or 21st century skills, lifelong skills that cut across educational boundaries together with academic research.(Middleton, 2011). The research opines that to cope with the demand of the new era, students require more than main subject knowledge. Federal government also recently decided that from 2016, teachers will have to pass the national literacy and numeracy tests prior to their graduation. They in addition need some different skills from those learned by their former counterparts in 20th century, and knowledge identified as of 21st century is the one needed in order for them to succeed in a sophisticated, complex, competitive, information-age, knowledge focused, technology driven economy and society.( Daniels, Lauder,Porter2009).
- Rationale for the Initiative
The Australian Council for Research (ACER) endorsed it to enable the successful implementation of 21st century skills. Therefore, it was necessary to identify a common set of skills and knowledge to equip tutors with professionalism to teach them ( Daniels, Lauder, Porter,2009). The survey comprised national and international research surrounding, classified and grouped skills, while identifying commonalities across academic areas and study. It listed compiled the qualities that aimed to assist learners to live and work well in the new era, and propose an underpinning set to use in development of future institution syllabus (Al-Bataineh & Nur-Awaleh,(2005). The importance of the new era skills was focused on developing a world-class curriculum, assessment system and learning for all institution’s students. Syllabus development should respond to the learning needs of all youths, and provide effective transitions to improve learning, training and work field. The skills generated from senior education and needed in the in the past. Communal shifts, including changes in labor and the manner information and skills is accessed, utilized, and created have influenced the changes in those skills. In some contexts, they are not new, but elevated importance of a given skill, or the need to compile skill sets in different manner. Academic areas and large multinational institutions all over Australia and the world have identified a new compilation of skills that should be improved through schooling i.e. Microsoft in their systems. (Middleton, 2011).
The idea was also supported by other education areas including foreign academicians, to equip and improve the student’s knowledge confidence and skills to participate efficiently in society and its economy that demands professionalism in this age For the living and lifelong learning were found to be among others, thinking, language, symbols and text use, ability in self-management and also participation and contribution. Habits expected at workplace proposed by the research to be installed to learners are, team building, reliability, work independence, organization, initiative, customer service, self-advocacy, and communication collaboration together with entrepreneurship (Berends, 2012). The students are supposed to be made habitual thinkers, inquirers, knowledgeable, principled, open-minded, risk takers, caring, reflective and balanced. Labor force and employment fields have changed widely and demand complex skills (Cranston & Ehrich,2009).
While the need of learners obtaining a range of compiled skills has been identified and established by academicians, some were found to be misleading, and inaccurate in content. Whether these skills were variation of knowledge required in the past or were unique to the new century focus, they were subject to academic for long time to advance skills. The skills in perspective needed to be described and highlighted in this research. (Al-Bataineh & Nur-Awaleh, (2005). They were triggered by the fact that globalization and heightened competition have intensified the need for workers to involve with the institution’s goals, share data, work in cooperation, make relevant decisions, and be fruitful, aimed at improving productivity and accountability (Australia, 2009). Also, the shift to advance knowledge and skills in economics has required improvements. The sophistication of economic, technical, and social matters is increasing the need for critical thinking and skills in solving problems. Additionally, the rate of change is heightening the need for greater personal learning ( Ng’ethe, Afeti,& Subotzky, 2008). Globalization and mobility are driving the need to grow appreciation and respect for cultural, religious, and social diversity. It seems that both Australia and abroad have common consensus on what knowledge and skills should be in pre-higher education, field labor, and the general life. Definition of the new era skills is in broad manner.
The skills were keenly researched on and identified as well as refined to date in reflection of the changing world. The skills were categorically set in what is referred as general capabilities, cross-curricular skills or 21st century skills, lifelong skills that cut across educational boundaries together with academic research. The research opines that to cope with the demand of the new era, students require more than main subject knowledge. Federal government also recently decided that from 2016, teachers will have to pass the national literacy and numeracy tests prior to their graduation ( Al-Bataineh & Nur-Awaleh,2005). They in addition need some different skills from those learned by their former counterparts in 20th century, and knowledge identified as of 21st century is the one needed in order for them to succeed in a sophisticated, complex, competitive, information-age, knowledge focused, technology driven economy and society.( Cranston& Ehrich,2009). The Australian Council for Research (ACER) endorsed it to enable the successful implementation of 21st century skills. Therefore, it was necessary to identify a common set of skills and knowledge to equip tutors with professionalism to teach them. However, all involves the high-priority skills and traits perceived to be most important in aiding students to live and work productively in the new era. They are resourceful as skills needed by everyone. While most of them is present throughout learning, it is often suggested that the emphasis on particular skills may change in the process (Cranston & Ehrich, 2009).
Habits expected at workplace proposed by the research to be instilled to learners are, team building, reliability, work independency, organization, initiative, customer service, self-advocacy, and communication collaboration together with entrepreneurship. The student are proposed to be made habitual thinkers, inquires, knowledgeable, principled, open-minded, risk takers, caring, reflective and balanced (Foskett, & Maringe, 2010). To facilitate the attaining of required potential, research encourages a student inhibit skills in reading text, use of computer, numeracy, oral communication, and thinking ability together with its skills. ICT is a vital component in 21st century skills in overall (Australia, 2009).
- Perceived Impacts the Changes may have on Senior Schools
Established research has shown that members of the general public expect students to demonstrate ability and competence in numeracy and literacy field. This research indicates particular beneficial potentiality to senior phase of learning. It is believed that to develop productive learners for the new era, the curriculum need to look into skills such as ICT, literacy, citizenship, numeracy, planning and organizing, problem solving, creativity, communication, critical thinking, capacity building, and teamwork orientation(Foskett, & Maringe,2010). In essence, the Melbourne Declaration monitored the curriculum development task of the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) in generating the general capabilities (Cranston & Ehrich, 2009).
The capabilities involve the knowledge, behavior, skills, and abilities that together with curriculum material in every learning jurisdiction and the cross-curriculum priorities will assist students to be productive in the employment field ( Zbar, Marshall, & Power, 2007) The sophistication of economic, technical, and social matters is increasing the need for critical thinking and skills in solving problems. Additionally, the rate of change is heightening the need for greater personal learning ( Ng’ethe, Afeti,& Subotzky, 2008). Globalization and mobility are driving the need to grow appreciation and respect for cultural, religious, and social diversity. It seems that both Australia and abroad have common consensus on what knowledge and skills should be in pre-higher education, field labor, and the general life. Definition of the new era skills is in broad manner. Also needed along is the individual character the system is still focused on, that includes curiosity, resilience, courage, ethics, leadership and mindfulness (Amos, 2010). Also needed is met cognition, learning how to learn, and self-reflection. The research was oriented among others the flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-direction, social and cross –cultural skills, productivity and accountability, leadership and responsibility.(Al-Bataineh & Nur-Awaleh 2005).
It additionally identified resources and support for teaching fraternity to develop core requirements needed to offer skills conforming to 21st century. Also adapted are agility and adaptability, initiative and entrepreneurship efficiency in oral and written communication, accessing and analyzing data, and broad imagination and creativity (Zbar, Marshall, & Power, 2007). If an individual learner is equipped with these, the person will be able to manage career and work life, work with roles, rights, and needed protocols, communicate for work, connect and work with others, recognize and utilize diverse perspectives, plan organize and execute task, develop decision, identify and solve problems expeditiously, create and innovate solutions. Perform in a digital world; inhibit broad knowledge embedded within the global aims and values. (Middleton, 2011) To achieve that an individual need to be planning, investigating, communicating, and creating solutions to challenges, teamwork, and individual based. Armed with that, one can get positive values and make informed critical issues, obtain ethical behavior, develop characters as curiosity, flexibility, honesty, willingness to make judgment, and tolerance together with acceptance (Foskett, & Maringe,2010). The skills this research found and aimed to instill on learners among them are, thinking, communication, social self-management, and research skills (Smith, 2009).
The generic one is collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, information and technology based, numeracy oriented, and problem solving ability. The 21st century competencies aims are values, emotional and social competencies. The emerged international competencies the study aimed at helping students to attain are civic literacy, global awareness, together with cross-cultural skills. For the living and lifelong learning were found to be among others, thinking, language, symbols and text use, ability in self-management and also participation and contribution (Foskett, & Maringe,2010). Habits expected at workplace proposed by the research to be installed to learners are, team building, reliability, work independence, organization, initiative, customer service, self-advocacy, and communication collaboration together with entrepreneurship. The students are proposed to be made habitual thinkers, inquirers, knowledgeable, principled, open-minded, risk takers, caring, reflective and balanced (Middleton, 2011).
To facilitate the attaining of required potential, research encourages a student inhibit skills in reading text, use of computer, numeracy, oral communication, and thinking ability together with its skills. ICT is a vital component in 21st century skills in overall. Established research has shown that members of the general public expect students to demonstrate ability and competence in numeracy and literacy field (Cranston & Ehrich, 2009). The study also proposes numeracy and literacy become among the two of underpinning traits for SAS and Authority disciplines (Amos, 2010). Distinctive form of SAS delivers a wide range in skill complement through applied learning, social connection and work’s core skills. In the past few decades, academic systems globally have generated way in with a heightened emphasis on the skills important for success in the new era. The research proposed established important skills and identified them accordingly in a set to successfully exercise 21st century requirements (Australia, 2009).
Conclusion
Education in Queensland like any other place globally must be reviewed from time to time to go hand in hand with time at this day and age. There has been commendable development in global competition over the past decades brought by information and communication technology. The 21st century competencies aims are values, emotional and social competencies. The emerged international competencies the study aimed at helping students to attain are civic literacy, global awareness, together with cross-cultural skills (Zbar, Marshall,& Power,2007). The world is changing and so is skills needed to tackle new challenges that develop on the daily basis.
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