S T E M
I N S I G H T S
F R O M
E V I D E N C E
EQUITABLE ACCESS TO DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGIES IN AUSTRALIA - ARE WE THERE YET? MONIQUE DALLI
The ACARA Curriculum technologies update
of schools, teacher training and plays a role in
has the potential to make access to the Design
making
and Technologies curriculum equitable across
students across NSW regardless of where they
Australia
attend school they are learning the full curriculum
The current implementation of the curriculum in the
vast
differences
in
their
education
our
students
experiences
equitable
for
in Design and Technologies. Western
Australia lies with states' curriculum authorities, however
learning
Australia’s
implementation
was
designed to suit the rural and small school
soon
settings that are in WA. The School Curriculum
changed if states accept the latest update. The
and Standards Authority, Government of Western
revised ACARA Design and Technologies curriculum
Australia
stipulates “By the end of Year 8 students will have
opportunity
had the opportunity to create designed solutions at
Technologies context area. This requirement can
least once in each of the four technologies contexts”
benefit rural schools as it allows them to work
being
with the resources and teachers that they have.
experience
Systems
Engineering,
could
Food
be
and
Fibre,
Materials Technologies and Food Specialisations.
in
at
the
least
one
materials focused curriculum and are early days in
students in each state aren’t participating in the
Technologies curriculum and new senior subjects.
same
Some QLD schools are still using material focused
in
means
participate
have
implementing the current ACARA Design and
experiences
this
students
that
learning
requirements,
to
that
In QLD, QCAA are moving from a trade and
At present each of our states have differing implementation
suggests
Design
and
Technologies. The NSW Education Standards Authority stipulates minimum
number
hours
for
Design
and
Technologies, in Years 7 and 8 it is 200 hours. This means that each school in NSW has to deliver the entire curriculum, each of the specialisation areas to a minimum requirement of indicative hours. Schools can choose to combine and repeat technologies, this allows for flexibility and for schools to plan to their resource availability. Because NSW requires all specialisations to be taught, this drives the staffing
STEM|ED MAGAZINE
subject naming conventions like woodwork and metalwork. These terms are not present in the Australian Curriculum, the new update might be what
QLD
needs
to
move
forward
with
Technologies implementation. In Victoria, schools use school discretion to optout and compact content in Year 7 and 8 Design and Technologies. VCAA doesn't have a minimum requirement for hours, and schools use their discretion
to
not
teach
the
Technologies
curriculum entirely. School discretion can be
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