Technologies Curriculum for Australian Schools Endorsed by Education Ministers

The "Foundation to Year 10 Australian Curriculum: Technologies" was endorsed on Friday 18 September 2015 by all Australian State and Territory Ministers for Education for use in schools. The ministers met as the "Education Council" and appropriately the meeting was held by video conference. Unfortunately the Federal Government is providing a minimal $3.5M over four years to support teaching coding in schools. It also appears that state governments are unlikely to make the coordinated investment needed to introduce the new curriculum (training teachers, providing on-line materials and support). As a result schools will have to rely on voluntary work by groups such as Information Technology Educators ACT who recently held an excellent workshop in Canberra. Despite this volunteer work, it is likely Australia will slip further behind in its supply of STEM qualified workforce. This will result in a drop in exports in five to ten years time, when the qualified people needed to create new hi-tech companies and products will not be available. In addition Australia will have to pay to import technology curriculum materials.