The purpose of this study was to examine and compare key elements of the actions that states and territories are taking to implement the Australian Curriculum, and what innovative processes and products they are using to facilitate implementation. A rubric adapted from a diagnostic tool, developed by Achieve and the U.S. Education Delivery…

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent, to which factors in the process of decision making involved in curriculum development in Australia, have determined the quality of curriculum documents. Searches on web sites of education organisations and electronic databases of educational literature were conducted to identify source documents…

The release of the Labor government's policy statement, "Learning Together," in December 2000 initiated a long-term systemic reform strategy, which included the first attempt in Tasmania to formulate a new curriculum, the "Essential Learnings Framework." The purpose of this paper is to trace the historical pattern of change in…

This evaluation project presents a plan for a program to establish a clearinghouse for exchanging qualitative and quantitative data on instructional materials used in Australian schools. A range of elements necessary to plan a program suited to Australian requirements and conditions was investigated. Focus was on: the program's mission,…

The purpose of this study was to review national and state level initiatives in curriculum reform to identify whether the move towards greater national consistency in curriculum outcomes confirms the dominance of outcomes-based education or reflects a shift from outcomes-based to standards-based education. Policy documents were examined, and the…

This project examines past and present activities in curriculum planning affecting the Australian educational system, and the relationship of curriculum change to prospects for improving the selection of curriculum materials used in Australian schools by investigating current developments in curriculum reform and methods for selecting materials.…

This project examines the impact of standards-based and curriculum reforms on the role of materials in educational systems in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Australia. The project focused on identifying activities undertaken by publishing companies and in educational systems to develop, select and use materials in the…

This paper summarizes the findings of a study examining the impact of standards-based and curriculum reforms on the role of curriculum materials in educational systems in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Australia. Concepts derived from a model of decision-oriented evaluation were applied to define a typology to classify…

This report elaborates on nonnumerical summaries of quantitative data on practices applied to instructional materials by the staff members of 17 service agencies of the Education Department of Tasmania, Australia. The descriptions presented are based on interviews and observations made during a survey conducted between October 1987 and February…

This paper examines the impact of international and national influences on curriculum reform. The reforms were first manifested in the proceedings of the Forum on National Statements and Profiles in Australian Schools and arose from the work undertaken in the states and territories to implement and review curricula based on the national statements…

An evaluation of the "Discovering Democracy" program, launched by the Commonwealth government in May 1997 to provide civics and citizenship education in schools across Australia, recommended developing a Web site to disseminate curriculum resources. This paper defines a prototype by examining the features of Web sites established by…

Between 1986 and 1993 Australia developed a national curriculum framework of statements and profiles in eight learning areas. These areas were (1) English, (2) mathematics, (3) science, (4) studies of society and the environment, (5) arts, (6) health and physical education, (7) technology, and (8) languages other than English. This development…

This report on a master's project begins with a review of the research literature on instructional materials in Australia which emphasizes Australian research and how it compares with a similar body of research published by American scholars. It is noted that the intent of this comparison is to identify where research in Australia can be applied…

This documents reviews books, general collected works, reports, and journal articles published since 1975 on research about selected aspects of instructional materials and their relationship to teaching and learning and educational decision-making in the context of curriculum reform in Australian education. The introductory review has two main…