The AYCC has continued its Curriculum Campaign to get sustainability integrated into the new national curriculum. So far we’ve held meetings with Curriculum board members and developed a joint statement stating that sustainability should be included in the national geography and science education.
Yesterday the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority’s National Geography Curriculum consultation forum was held in Sydney. It was the first round of consultation for the geography curriculum and from a climate change and sustainability perspective was very encouraging. The draft Science, English and Maths curriculums have already been developed but we new that majority of sustainability concepts would be integrated into Geography as the concepts are very similar.
The forum was filled with all those old, bearded (not if they were a woman), hiking boot wearing, enthusiastic geography type teachers we have all had. I was surprised how much sustainability was recognised by the ACARA staff and Geography teachers as the big issue that needs to be communicated to the future generations. Although some geographers seemed a little defensive of their industry being invaded by hoards of eco freaks most understood completely the deep connections about understanding our ‘sense of place and space’ and sustainability.
Geography classes of the future will concentrate on lines of latitude and longitude, but will incorporate learning outcomes like ‘natural and induced environmental change, the causes of unsustainability and ecological economics’. With the developing geography and science curriculums as climate change’s closest friend within this new curriculum we should feel confident for that intergenerational cultural change towards ecological awareness will occur.
Ahri Tallon is the Member and Partner Liaison for the AYCC and a first year University, Macquarie in Sydney
