So, the next version of the Australian Curriculum is currently out for public review. I will be contributing to a variety of submissions in a number of guises, but I also wanted to document my thoughts here, specifically as they related to Civics and Citizenship. I’ll start by beating my usual drum about the place of civics and citizenship in the Australian Curriculum. The development of active and informed members of the community is one of the most important goals of Australian Schooling – see the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Declaration – yet civics and citizenship has a limited, and often overlooked place in the broader Australian Curriculum documents – not even really a subject until secondary schooling, for the most part, and often only included as an afterthought within other aspects in the K-6 HASS curriculum. The new version of the Australian Curriculum does little, if anything, to remedy this situation.
Speaking more specifically, I’ve been disappointed that activity citizenship isn’t really explicitly stated until Year 4, and even at that point it’s a pretty lukewarm version of CCE. There’s too much focus, as is common, on young people’s responsibilities, and on understanding the functions of government and the mechanics of various institutions, and not enough on their involvement in these communities. Even where there is that discussion, there’s not enough attention paid to the role of activity groups within these communities, and the ways they try to influence policy makers and legislators. Parts of this do arise in Year 5, but that is much too late at that stage. Even at this point, citizenship as it is presented is far too passive – the best suggestions are about proposing actions, not taking action.
This content is very much like a recitation of Australia’s democratic history (which is fascinating nonetheless) but I’m not convinced it’s the best way to deliver CCE to Australia’s youth. I would like to see more emphasis placed on how young people might contribute within their communities, belong to social groups, campaign and organise for causes they believe in. There is also not enough discussion about what global citizens mean.