Curriculum Support Resource Launches

New curriculum support resources for teachers are now available on a professional learning hub launched by the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).

The new online portal hosts professional learning content modules that support teachers in understanding and teaching the new Australian Curriculum Version 9.0.

The first two modules focus on the key changes across the Version 9.0 curriculum. Module 1 helps teachers and educators to familiarise themselves with the new curriculum and its website, and provides essential background information needed for professional learning. The Module 2 courses allow participants to understand the more detailed changes in the learning areas, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities.

Future modules will offer detailed explanations of the relationships between strands and sub-strands within the learning areas and the connections across the curriculum. They will supply ideas to support the planning of teaching and learning activities and related assessments to progress learning. Module 3 is scheduled to be launched by the end of June and more modules will be released in stages during the second half of 2023.

“This is an important new professional learning resource for teachers, educators and schools,” ACARA CEO, David de Carvalho said.

The new Professional learning hub is the first of many resources ACARA’s curriculum team will be producing and releasing to assist teachers and educators develop a deeper understanding of the new national curriculum.

“It is vital that teachers are aware of the new, refined and deleted content, and the changes in the achievement standards, so they can deliver high-quality teaching and learning programs to improve student outcomes,” de Carvalho said.

ACARA Executive Director, Curriculum, Sharon Foster, said the new resource was designed for teachers to undertake ongoing professional development at their own pace as they prepare to implement the new curriculum.

“The changes between the Version 8.4 and Version 9.0 curricula vary between learning areas so it makes sense to develop support resources for teachers that can be used flexibly to best meet their needs. It was important for us not to take a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. “Instead, teachers can choose their own tailored professional development pathway through the professional learning hub, focusing on what they want and need to know, and at a time that suits them. Teachers could also use the content in the modules as stimulus for collaboration curriculum planning with other teachers at their school or in networks,” she said.

ACARA will continue to maintain the Australian Curriculum, Version 8.4 website and all support resources alongside the Version 9.0 website. Both websites will remain live until all states and territories have transitioned fully to the Australian Curriculum, Version 9.0.

Teachers and educators can sign up to the ACARA Professional learning hub at https://learning.acara.edu.au/