General Capabilities
The Australian Curriculum has incorporated the significant goals set out in the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA, 2008) which states that "all young people in Australia should be supported to become successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens."
The Australian Curriculum has encorperated these essential skills for 21st century learners and has created a learning continuum for the seven general capabilities; Literacy, Numeracy, ICT capability, Critical and Creative thinking, Personal and Social capability, Ethical understanding and Intercultural Understanding . "These general capabilities encompass the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that, together with curriculum content in each learning area and the cross-curriculum priorities, will assist students to live and work successfully in the 21st century."
The general capabilities have been included throughout the Australian curriculum to ensure that "students develop capability when they apply knowledge and skills confidently, effectively and appropriately in complex and changing circumstances, both in their learning at school and in their lives outside school.") The continually changing nature of technology and future events means that these general capabilities will be closely studied and updated regularly by teachers and the Australian curriculum assessment and reporting authority.
These aspects of the new Australian curriculum are an exciting element of 21st century learning. Educators are recognising the importance of equiping children with not only knowledge of content areas such as mathematics and english, but are also now incorporating teaching students essential life skills which will prepare students for their chosen future endeavours. These skills are explored in detail through the general capabilities and have been integrated throughout the entire curriculum.
The Australian Curriculum and
the General Capabilities
"students develop capability in critical and creative thinking as they learn to generate and evaluate knowledge, clarify concepts and ideas, seek possibilities, consider alternatives and solve problems. "
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