back to article Google to deliver MOOC for Australian teachers

Google has revealed just what it plans to to do help drive uptake of Australia's imminent digital technologies curriculum: an online course for teachers. Announced in the inevitable blog post the course will “provide resources and example learning activities for the Digital Technologies section of the new national curriculum, …

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  1. Big-nosed Pengie

    Anything that broadens the scope from a purely Microsoft focus can only be a Good Thing!

  2. Gray Ham Bronze badge

    The training material sounds like a good idea. I look forward to seeing El Reg's analysis of the course content.

    Only ... (donning grouchy-old-grammar-nazi hat for a moment) shouldn't they provide "examples of learning activities"? Alternatively, there are plenty of perfectly reasonable adjectives available!

  3. Diogenes

    Jumping the gun more than just a little bit.

    Assuming the FINAL draft is released on time (sometime next month), in some states it will require the local curriculum body to adjust and reword to meet the requirements of the local Education Act - in NSW that is the Board of Studies, and the act is the Education Act 1908 !

    Once that is done the state body will begin a round of consultation with its stakeholders (government, schools, principals association, teachers federation, P&C association, and teachers) and release at least 1 draft before the final syllabus is released. This process will take at least a year. Then in 2015 schools may have the option teaching the new or old syllabus for a year before full implementation the following year so 2016 AT THE EARLIEST for implementation.

    Now in another document I have referenced in another post (google NSW curriculum support, click on TAS link & you can't miss it) the Technology Rep in the NSW DEC has stated that the Board of Studies will only look at the new curriculum as part of "its normal review cycle" which appears to be something like 10 years (thats how long the IST & SDD syllabuses for year 11 & 12 went between revisions). As IST, Tech Mandatory, and Industrial Technology were last reviewed in 2003 they are due.

    I cannot see IPT & SDD being redone in the same time period to take account of the knowledge already learnt (ie a lot of the year 11 stuff looks like it has come down to year 9/10 syllabus), as they were only reviewed 3 & 2 years ago respectively.

    I have two nieces that teach primary, and they are terrified of the impending changes, I pointed them CS unplugged and they are using those materials to teach some of the technology stuff that is in their existing syllabus

    1. RealFred

      Re: Jumping the gun more than just a little bit.

      And now we understand why education is failing abysmally in Australia

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