Innovating the SACE | Subject renewal | Subject Renewal roadmap | FAQs | GO LIVE TUES AM
FAQs
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- How did you come up with this roadmap?
- Why are you renewing subjects?
- What will be changing?
- Will my subject still have an exam?
- How are you renewing subjects?
- How did you decide which subjects get to test first?
- When will the renewed subjects be implemented across the system?
- Will you still run curriculum forums or have ways for people not on SRGs to connect/learn?
- Can I join a Subject Renewal Group? How do I express interest?
- I expressed interest to be on a Subject Renewal Group but didn’t get an offer, can I be considered?
How did you come up with this roadmap?
Using feedback from 2024 Curriculum Forums involving over 2,000 SA and NT teachers we considered the complexity of change, the subject communities appetite and ambition and amount of change, to group subjects and develop a projected renewal roadmap.
The roadmap illustrates that some subjects will move more quickly through the renewal phases. The first group of subjects are scheduled for implementation in 2027. This is a projected timeframe. We developed our roadmap to be flexible and responsive to the needs of specific subjects, to ensure that the Subject Renewal key drivers [PPTX 2MB] are realised.
Why are you renewing subjects?
Young people are learning throughout their lives. Transferring what they know and can do across subjects, beyond school and in different environments means they are preparing for a future they will define and lead.
To be equipped to tackle the challenge of a changing world, every young person will need to build life-long skills, capabilities, knowledge and understanding. Connecting learning pathways to work, networks and friendships. Driving their future, with a sense of self and wellbeing.
School is their stepping stone for continuous growth and subject learning an important enabler for young people. Subject Renewal is one key initiative of Passport to Thrive – the SACE Board’s Strategic Plan for 2024-2027 that sets out to promote deeper, real-world learning, disciplinary knowledge, and embedded capabilities.
The Subject Renewal program will focus on five areas that have emerged in recent years as the most important:
- Agency – the renewed subjects will have space for student agency
- Deep authentic learning – students can engage in real-life learning
- Natural evidence of learning – students will require a broader range of evidence of learning
- Metacognition – students will be required to evaluate their thinking to regulate the way they learn
- Capabilities – the renewed subjects will intentionally support the development of student capabilities.
What will be changing?
Depending on the subject it is possible for changes to:
- Learning requirements
- Assessment types, school and external
- Subject specifications
- Performance standards
- Learning design
How this is realised in each subject and the level of change in each of these areas will differ.
Will my subject still have an exam?
As part of the renewal process, there will be consideration of all assessment types, including their mode and focus.
How are you renewing subjects?
Subject Renewal Groups (SRGs), each focusing on a specific subject area, have been formed to carry out a comprehensive program to renew SACE subjects through co-design.
SRGs will see students and teachers working together to pilot and test proposed changes. Consistent with the SACE Board’s belief in the power of partnerships and its commitment to co-design, Subject Renewal will be enriched by the learnings and experience of students, and the expertise of teachers and leaders.
Every Subject Renewal Group will move through the same four key phases towards implementation but will progress at different paces:
Engage & discover | Develop | Test, learn & adapt | Transfer & adapt
How this is realised in each subject and the level of change in each of these areas will differ. We will have processes, consultation and evaluation measures to ensure the renewal will be successful.
How did you decide which subjects get to test first?
Every Subject Renewal Group will move work through the same four key phases towards implementation but will progress at different paces. To determine these groupings, we considered a variety of factors, including complexity, appetite, how much change the community want (volume, pace & scale), and the impact on the system and the SACE Board to manage the change.
Community feedback suggested that some groups of subjects could progress more quickly through the initial renewal phases, while others may benefit from more time to progress through the renewal process. All subjects will commence in the Engage and discover phase in term 1 2025, however any testing in 2025 will be contained to Stage 1 subjects in the Test, learn and adapt group.
The first group of subjects are scheduled for implementation in 2027. This timeframe is projected. We will remain flexible and responsive to the needs of specific subjects, to ensure that the Subject Renewal key drivers are realised.
When will the renewed subjects be implemented across the system?
Subjects have been divided into groupings based on a variety of factors, including complexity, appetite, how much change the community want (volume, pace & scale), and the impact on the system and the SACE Board to manage the change.
The first group of subjects are scheduled for implementation in 2027. This timeframe is a projection. We will remain flexible and responsive to the needs of specific subjects, to ensure that the Subject Renewal key drivers are realised.
When subjects are ready for implementation, the SACE Board will offer professional learning, including the subject outlines and resources on the website and PLATO Calibrate, and offer online and face-to-face workshops.
Will you still run curriculum forums or have ways for people not on SRGs to connect/learn?
To ensure that the broader subject community are kept informed of Subject Renewal progress and the activities of SRGs, the SACE Board will provide opportunities for active engagement and regular communication including:
- sector-wide conferences
- scheduled opportunities to connect and work with subject renewal groups
- regular communications and progress updates.
Can I join a Subject Renewal Group? How do I express interest?
There may be opportunities to join a Subject Renewal Group. If we are recruiting, we will announce when expressions of interest will be open.
I expressed interest to be on a Subject Renewal Group but didn’t get an offer, can I be considered?
We have all expressions of interest from our initial recruitment. Should we need more members, those who have already expressed interest will be considered.