Science in the Australian 'National Curriculum'

Australia has been trying hard to establish a National Curriculum over the last five years but up to now a final consensus has still not been reached. What issues and problems were encountered? Why are there such issues and problems? What measures have been taken to tackle these? What further developments are likely? In the seminar, I will address these questions making use of my experience as a science educator working in Australia and I will also make comparisons, where necessary, with the science curricula of other countries. The case of the United Kingdom is interesting as it was able to introduce a National Curriculum comparatively early, but it has proved to be contentious with frequent revisions. It may be of interest to add a postscript as of 2011, as the issue of a National Curriculum has been revisited with a greater degree of agreement than in the first attempt, but the introduction of a National Curriculum still has its detractors. [This article was published in: "The Journal of the Science Teacher Association of the Northern Territory," Volume 14, pp.95-101, 1995.]