General Capabilities
Twenty-first century learning does not fit neatly into a curriculum solely organised by learning areas or subjects that reflect the disciplines. Increasingly, in a world where knowledge itself is constantly growing and evolving, students need to develop a set of knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions, or general capabilities, that apply across the curriculum and that help them to become lifelong learners able to live and work successfully in the diverse world of the twenty-first century.
The general capabilities included in the Australian Curriculum are:
- Literacy
- Numeracy
- Information and communication technology capability
- Critical and creative thinking
- Personal and social capability
- Ethical behaviour
- Intercultural understanding.
In the Australian Curriculum, general capabilities are addressed through the learning areas and are identified wherever they are developed or applied in content descriptions. They are also identified where they offer opportunities to add depth and richness to student learning in content elaborations.
In addition, ACARA has published a set of general capability materials on the Australian Curriculum website. These materials are presented as a resource to help teachers:
- develop a shared understanding of the nature, scope and sequence of the general capabilities in the Australian Curriculum
- confirm their understanding of intended learning wherever general capabilities are identified in learning area content descriptions and elaborations
- plan for and guide students’ development of the general capabilities in school and classroom learning programs.
General capabilities materials were revised in 2011, following national consultation conducted between June and August 2011. ACARA received 367 responses nationally to the online questionnaire and 43 written submissions. The final report is now available.
To access general capabilities materials go to the Australian Curriculum website at www.australiancurriculum.edu.au and click on the General capabilities tab.
General capabilities learning continua 2012
ACARA welcomes expressions of interest from schools interested in participating in a project to collect data that will inform the further development of the general capabilities learning continua. The project will offer participating teachers opportunities for professional learning and networking with other schools across Australia via a dedicated SharePoint site and teleconferencing.
The project will be conducted in schools within the period 1 June – 27 July 2012.
Click here for more information about the project.
Click here to download the Expression of Interest form.
