The Australian Curriculum: Mathematics—How Did it Come About? What Challenges Does it Present for Teachers and for the Teaching of Mathematics?

Abstract

The Australian Curriculum: Mathematics which incorporates the content descriptions and proficiencies from Foundation Year to Year 10 came into being in December 2010 when all Australian governments-the national government and the governments of the eight States and Territories-gave their approval to the draft which had been in circulation for nearly two years. Prior to that, each State and Territory had responsibility for developing and implementing its own curriculum. In 2008, an Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority (ACARA) was also established to coordinate and oversee the development of national curricula in all areas of compulsory schooling, and to move towards an agreed upon national curriculum for Years 11 and 12. The formation of ACARA and the adoption of an Australian Curriculum: Mathematics (2010) are interpreted as a result of major transformations of an Australian federalist model over the past twenty years, shaped in large degree by the demands of national assessment and school reporting. This chapter examines how this came about, what has been achieved within Australia's ongoing federalist framework, and also points to some future challenges for teachers in implementing the national curriculum in mathematics.