Tornado Alley (PROG)

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In Australia there are concerns, too ..

New National Curriculum wheres Evolution?

The Federal Government has recently developed a new draft National Curriculum. Via the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority a website has been set up for people and groups to comment on the draft. Wish I'd posted sooner the cut off for feedback up to year 10 is today, years 11-12 is July 30. If anyone's interested the website is at http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Home . Below is the feedback I provided, Im not a teacher (certainley not an English one) just a concerned parent/citizen and I must warn you it is quite long.

After signing up to review the National Draft Curriculum I was interested in looking into the Science curriculum and finding out where evolution fitted into this steam. I started by searching the primary school curriculum 1 - 6 and was interested to see that my search for ‘Evolution’ came back with no results. After searching the curriculum 7 - 10 I was perplexed that the topic of evolution is not planned to be covered until Year 10. A subject that investigates and explains all of the varieties of life on earth and explores our own origins and it isn’t covered until ‘children’ are around 15 years of age.

Information from the draft below show topics covered from Year 3 to 9 that are indelibly linked to the study of evolution. However, I cannot see anywhere in the draft documentation where it is mentioned or covered.

In Year 3 fossils and the structures of living things are studied.

Year 4 fossils and grouping of living organisms.

Year 6 relationship between organisms and habitat.

Year 7 reproduction and survival of species.

Year 8 grouping of species.

Year 9 ancient life.

So above we have 6 years of study of the natural world and life including fossils, taxonomy, habitats, body structure and reproduction without the subject that governs it all, Evolution.

In year 9 History Social Darwinism is explored as a part of ‘understanding the main themes and trends in the modern world’. Certain groups throughout relatively recent history have seized upon the work of Charles Darwin and the concepts of Evolution and Natural Selection for use within society and for social engineering. How can students fully explore and understand Social Darwinism if they haven’t yet studied the principles from where the idea was ‘taken’ from.

When evolution is introduced into the curriculum in year 10 it is with the following subjects - Evolution, DNA, Genetics, The Universe and Plate tectonics. The first time that evolution is introduced to students they also have to take in four other complex topics at the same time. Evolution could be introduced earlier prior to the topics covering DNA and Genetics. Whilst these subjects all go hand in hand, the basic concepts of evolution can be understood by children before the complexities of the other two are introduced. It should also be noted another subject that explain our origins in a larger sense The Universe (and the Big Bang) is also not covered until Year 10.

My 10 year old son understands the concept of evolution without understanding the complex details of DNA, genetics and sexual selection. My 4 year old daughter can even understand that birds came from dinosaurs and that we share ancestors with apes, “a long, long, long time ago”.

By searching the internet I could easily find evolution related education material aimed at primary school aged children.

There is a company operating out of the United States called ‘Charlie’s Playhouse’. There website is at http://charliesplayhouse.com/ . They produce evolution themed books and toys for children of primary school age.

‘Understanding Evolution for Teachers’ at http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/evohome.html is a resource website for educators with numerous lesson plans relating to evolution throughout the K - 12 curriculum.

In the United Kingdom evolution is to become a compulsory subject for study in primary schools from 2011. Evolution will be required to be taught in science classes ‘in the later stage of primary education’. The new Australian Curriculum is proposing teaching evolution in the later stage of secondary education’, this is a massive difference.

The above resources and information show that evolution can be taught to children long before they reach the latter years of secondary education. My own children and others that I have seen that have learnt about evolution early on absolutely ‘love it’. How cool, dinosaurs and other monster like creatures, fish walking onto land, names like Anomalocaris, whales with legs and even where there pet dog came from. Children can be amazed by the subject and what a way to learn about the world and develop an interest in science.

Further to the study of evolution is evolution as it relates to our species. Human evolution is not mentioned in the draft until Year 11 Biology. Biology at this level is an elective subject; therefore the vast majority of students may never study this subject during their formal education. How can a subject that explores our own beginnings and our relationships to all life not be presented to the majority of Australian students. Looking at the bigger picture, I think a positive effect could be had if all children could learn the above subject (not just the ones that choose the elective in Year 11). All people throughout the world, no matter the colour of someone’s skin, their race or nationality, cultural heritage, sexuality or beliefs, within our amazing differences we are all one and at the roots of our existence have the same incredible origins.

My concern is that the teaching of evolution to younger children may have been put in the too hard basket by Australia’s Education Authorities. Are external pressures from religious groups and or concerns from some parents wanting to keep this information from their children or feeling uncomfortable about it holding back scientific education in this country? Parents have the right to raise their children and answer the ‘big’ questions as they choose. This may include a religious upbringing and explaining the origins of life in this manner with evolution included or excluded from such answers. This right would not be threatened by the inclusion of evolution earlier on within the curriculum. Our education system should however be able to present all facts to all Australian students. By the time a child reaches Year 10, they will already have sought answers to many of the big questions. Evolution provides many answers within this realm and without this education they may not be able to collate the entire picture regarding these questions. They may be hostile to the subject of Evolution due to not being able to analyse and critically assess the subject matter earlier. Science should always be under the microscope and be able to be critically examined. But our children should not have to wait until then end of secondary school to be taught the fact of evolution and experience this inspiring and intriguing subject.

I can’t think of a sound reason why children in later primary school are not to be taught about evolution and why the subject will not be covered until Year 10. I write the above in the hope that you consider broadening the scope of the amazing and important subject of Evolution education when the National Curriculum is finalised.

I submit this feedback to the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority.

Thank you.

Well thats was my thoughts, good old K Rudd keeping our children in the Dark Ages.

(PS: I was also 'interested' to see that the Evolution vs ID debate is to be taught in the curriculum and have just read a related article from Queensland on that very topic.)
__________________
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. - Carl Sagan.

http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au/forums/showthread.php?t=5875

I think the idea of a federal curriculum is a good idea, though,
yup, i know, others would condemn it as a loss of their freedom.

OUCH! .. look at this! .. in the Aussi state of religious fundamentalist thought ..

Intelligent design to be taught in Queensland schools under national curriculum

by: Carly Hennessy .. From: The Sunday Mail (Qld) .. May 30, 2010 12:00AM

CREATIONISM and intelligent design will be taught in Queensland state schools for the first time as part of the new national curriculum.

Creationists dismiss the science of evolution, instead believing that living things are best explained by an intelligent being or God, rather than an undirected process such as natural selection.

The issue of creationism being taught in schools has caused huge controversy in the US, where some fundamentalist religious schools teach it as a science subject instead of Darwin's theory of evolution.

In Queensland schools, creationism will be offered for discussion in the subject of ancient history, under the topic of "controversies".

Don't miss The Courier-Mail on Tuesday for the 2010 High School Report, an eight-page liftout containing Year 12 results, including OPs, from every school across the state

Teachers are still formulating a response to the draft national curriculum, scheduled to be introduced next year.

Queensland History Teachers' Association head Kay Bishop said the curriculum asked students to develop their historical skills in an "investigation of a controversial issue" such as "human origins (eg, Darwin's theory of evolution and its critics").

"It's opening up opportunities for debate and discussion, not to push a particular view," Ms Bishop said. Classroom debate about issues encouraged critical thinking – an important tool, she said.

Associated Christian Schools executive officer Lynne Doneley welcomed the draft curriculum, saying it cemented the position of a faith-based approach to teaching.

"We talk to students from a faith science basis, but we're not biased in the delivery of curriculum," Mrs Doneley said. "We say, 'This is where we're coming from' but allow students to make up their own minds."

But Griffith University humanities lecturer Paul Williams said it was important to be cautious about such content.

"It's important that education authorities are vigilant that this is not a blank cheque to push theological barrows," Mr Williams said.

"I would be loath to see it taught as theory.

"It's up there with the world being occupied by aliens since Roswell."

Ms Bishop said there were bigger problems with the national curriculum.

History teachers are planning to object to repetitive subject matter, such as World War I being a major part of the Year 10 course and repeated in Year 11.

Should intelligent design have any place in Queensland classrooms? Tell us below ...

606 comments on this story .. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/intelligent-design-to-be-taught-in-queensland-schools-under-national-curriculum/story-e6freoof-1225872896736

.. there are a couple of links inside the one just above ..