Geography
ACARA is currently conducting consultation of the draft curriculum for Foundation to Year 12 of the Australian Curriculum: Geography.
From Wednesday 19 October 2011 through to Wednesday 29 February 2012, ACARA is inviting members of the education profession and the general community to participate in this online consultation opportunity for the draft Geography curriculum.
The online consultation survey is available by going to the Australian Curriculum website and clicking the consultation link. Please ensure you complete and submit the survey for the draft Geography curriculum by 29 February 2012 for consideration in the revisions.
Additional comments or submissions may be emailed to geographyconsultation@acara.edu.au for consideration in the analysis stage of consultation.
ACARA would like to acknowledge the dedicated team of writers, advisory group members and ACARA staff who have worked long hours and engaged numerous stakeholders to produce the draft Australian Curriculum: Geography for consultation.
Draft timeline for the development of the Australian Curriculum: Geography
Stage | Activity | Timelines |
Curriculum Shaping | Literature review Position Paper Initial Advice Paper | July – August 2009 September – November 2009 January – April 2010 |
Consultation | National Forum Draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Geography finalised National consultation on draft Shape paper National panel meeting Final Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Geography | April 2010 May – August 2010 June – August 2010 October 2010 January 2011 |
Curriculum development | Broad outline; scope and sequence Content descriptions (and elaborations) and achievement standards | February – September 2011 |
Consultation | National consultation (draft curriculum) Curriculum revision National consultation and final revisions | October 2011 – February 2012 March – June 2012 July – September 2012 |
Publication | Digital publication | Proposed October 2012 |
Curriculum development process for the Australian Curriculum: Geography
Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Geography paper
Consultation on the draft Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Geography was held between June 2010 – August 2010. ACARA received over 600 responses nationally to the online questionnaire and over 30 written submissions. Feedback from the national panel meeting and state and territory consultation led to the revision of the draft Shape Paper to become the final Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Geography paper.
View the Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Geography
Curriculum Writers and Advisory Panel Members for the Australian Curriculum: Geography
The advisory panel offer advice to the curriculum writers about the development of the Australian Curriculum for geography. The advisory panel and curriculum writing team includes academics, school leaders, teachers, members of professional associations and curriculum experts from across Australia.
View the composition of the Geography advisory panel members
Geography initial advice paper
Following the position paper, ACARA appointed Associate Professor Alaric Maude, as the lead writer for the development of the Shape Paper for geography. With the assistance of an advisory group, Professor Maude has drafted the initial Advice Paper, which was examined at a national forum on 27 April 2010. The national forum included over 120 experts, and stakeholders across the education community.
View Associate Professor Maude's short biography.
View the composition of the geography advisory group.
Geography position paper
The development of the Australian Curriculum for geography began with a position paper in relation to key matters, including the definition of geography, the organisation of the curriculum, the structure of the curriculum for the senior courses and geography's relationship to other learning areas and subjects.
In developing the position paper for the geography curriculum, ACARA was assisted by a reference group composed of teachers, school leaders, academics and curriculum experts.
