Grant Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Grant Proposal - Essay Example Some children start using these drugs when they as young as thirteen years of age (Freeman, 2001). There has been extensive research on the substance abuse, such as alcohol and drugs, among the adolescent population segment. There are a number of generic factors that the substance abuse is blamed on. Also, there are numerous after effects and problems related to the substance abuse that adolescents have to combat in the aftermath of this abuse. Various reasons have been assumed to influence young people into misusing those substances. It is very important to understand the reasons why adolescents indulge in habit of abusing substances and the stage which they have attained so that we can be able to device means to assist them overcome their habits (Connors,et.al., 2001). Some of the causes may be more than mere curiosity hence may require emotional or material support so as to solve the real problem. Intervention is required both at local and state level to save young generation from deadly effects of abuse of substances. According to Deykin et al. (1987), most of the substances used for the abuse in question are depressants. Therefore, due to their continued abuse, they lead adolescent into a dark, depressive state from which it is very hard to emerge back into a happy healthy lifestyle. It has also been stated that adolescents and children who had been depressed to begin with, were far more likely to indulge in substance abuse as a result this depression. The linkage of depressive disorder and substance abuse in adolescent females was six times higher than it was in the male sample used for this study (Freeman, 2001). It was also found that the patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) were more likely to fall prey to alcohol abuse after the onset of the disorder. However, it may not always be the case with respect to the

Is Public Safety Assured or Threatened Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Is Public Safety Assured or Threatened - Essay Example In such instances, prison terms are far more costly and less effective than alternative programs. Effective alternative programs, regardless of intensity, are still the less costly option. There are other sanctions and programs available, such as probation, treatment programs, work-release programs and a host of combined services that, when combined and applied appropriately, may prevent crime without the expense of prison. Criminologist James Q. Wilson believes that prison has been overused as states have Expanded their incarceration programs. â€Å"They have dipped deeper into the bucket of persons eligible for prison, dredging up offenders with shorter and shorter criminal records.† Wilson argues that the costs to society may far outweigh the benefits. Increased incarceration does little to increase public safety. The cost of America’s correction system â€Å"now exceeds $60 billion per year† (Austin & Fabelo 7). Those who have violated their probation for con victions of alcohol and drug use, unemployment and failure to pay court fees has also increased, as a result. The increased cost ultimately is passed on to taxpayers, with little return for their investments. Crimes related to drugs, property and public disorder have little to no connection with pain and suffering to victims. Yet , â€Å"over 90% of crimes committed are of this nature† (Austin & Fabelo 9). Public safety is not even an issue. Effective alternative programs, which could include job training, education, rehabilitation and other services based on ability to pay would likely save taxpayers and communities money.

History of education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History of education - Essay Example Therefore, in consideration of various educational philosophies, their similarities and differences in approaches, which points to the possibility of integrating and merging the philosophies to generate a common deliverable, the curriculum and instructional foundation of the school would be based on a combination of perennialism, realism and experimentalism philosophies of education. Perennialism This is a philosophy of education that considers education as a constant for human life, upholding the fact that all humans are constant, except for their ability to reason (Power, 1990). Therefore, perennialism philosophy of education provides that education should be based on rationality; where students are taught the world’s constant and permanent phenomena, with a view to prepare the students for the life they are going to face. According to this educational philosophy, students learn reality and life truths through studying and also through divine acts, where the ability to reaso n and be rational gives rise to goodness itself (Bhattacharya, 2002). Therefore, perennialism as an educational philosophy emphasizes on a high level of discipline and behavioral control, which eventually translates to an all round personality, which is well adaptable to the realities of the world, that easily exudes goodness. The curriculum based on this philosophy would require the study of subjects and doctrines that teaches students the value of rationality, while enabling them to face life as it is. This creates a breed of students who are appreciative of life, and who applies reasoning in each aspect of their undertaking. This enables the students to internalize the life truths, while perceiving the external environmental changes as merely superficial (Pathak, 2007). This educational philosophy is relevant for adoption into the newly created curriculum and instructional foundation, since it would prepare students to face life with all its realities, while also making them more rational and disciplined, which are some of the most relevant virtues for human survival in the world. Realism This is yet another educational philosophy that perceives the world as it is, thus defining the role of school and education as that of teaching students about the world. Realism as an educational philosophy emphasizes on the need to obey the laws of nature, while fitting into the prevailing conditions of the physical world, without any attempts to interfere or change what nature has dictated for the world (Power, 1990). Therefore, this philosophy requires that the school curriculum should be based on subjects and disciplines that correspond to natural observations, such as Mathematics and sciences. Thus, under this educational philosophy, the role of the teacher is to impart the relevant knowledge to the students, with a focus on feeding them the natural facts. The philosophy also requires that order and discipline forms the core aspect of students’ value system, s imilar to the Mother Nature, which is disciplined and orderly, observing natural and predictable trends, unless when it is interfered with, by humans (Bhattacharya, 2002). Thus, this philosophy is not resistant to changes that might occur to the school and in the curriculum applied in teaching the students, since change is

Pelagian Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pelagian Culture - Essay Example Original sin and overemphasized necessity in Divine aid were considered as the fetters for human. Therefore, the essence of traditional Pelagianism was in negation of original sin influence upon human nature and in neglecting of Divine aid role for human salvation. Promptly these ideas were transformed into several moral principles, namely that human will is capable of choosing good or evil without Divine aid, and that humanity has full control and responsibility for its own salvation in addition to full responsibility for every sin. These old ideas are in a heart of modern society. Indeed, most of us live inspired by ideas of independence, self-sufficiency, and also responsibility for our free choice. However, allegorically some of us build our houses upon the sand. "And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." (Matthew 7:26-27). Are we strong enough to make the right choice between good and evil without God's will inside of us Are we so wise to disclose consequences of our actions hidden in future Last Last questions are contra-Pelagian for the "no" answers. It is interesting that these questions will become pro-Pelagian rhetoric for the "yes" answers assumed. It seems that psychologically Pelagian culture is a culture of self-confident and active individuals. And vice versa, non-Pelagian culture is "suited" for submission and confidence in God's will. For instance, Pelagius places free will at the basis of all turning to God for grace; see St. Augustine's critique in (Book I, chapter24). Then, doctrine of Pelagius somewhat conflicts with the words of Christ: "Without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5); see details in St. Augustine (Book I, chapter 30). It seems that for modern human being non-Pelagian culture is too passive and internal oriented. However, I suppose that this is essential feature of true Christianity. Of course, both Pelagian and non-Pelagian cultures have positive and negative aspects. To disclose these ones, let us consider the case of real person which tried to balance between own freedom and responsibility. This is the case of Albert Speer, the first architect of the Third Reich. He was talented designer having numerous architectural ideas. And he wished to realize them all. This was the case when individual wants to be self-fulfilled, but self-fulfilled at any price. It is important that this is a typical case for Pelagian (sic!) culture. Moreover, Speer was capable to understand and then realize monstrous architectural visions of Hitler. Therefore, he had access for almost all intellectual, financial and human resources of Nazi Germany. In other words, his free will was supported by external forces. And Speer worked. He felt oneself as a creator of beautiful, perfect and immense constructions. But simultaneously he agreed with the forced evictions of Jews from their houses t o make room for his plans, and also agreed with usage of the slave labour to build his constructions. After years, Speer acknowledged his own guilt, but as guilt of blinded creator with "see no evil" attitude towards the

HEALTH CARE QUESTIONS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HEALTH CARE QUESTIONS - Essay Example Social marketing seeks to influence social behaviors not to benefit the marketer, but to benefit the target audience and the general society." (Kotler & Andreasen as quoted by Weinreich, 2006, par. 2). In every marketing campaign, the most important sources of data to examine are the elements of the marketing mix: product, price, promotion, and place. For social marketing campaigns, the following elements are added: public, partnership, policy and purse strings (Weinreich, 2006, pars. 4 – 11). Under health care, a social marketing campaign considers any of the wide range of products offered by health care institutions. Physical products come in the form of medicines, prosthetics, and other tangible health products. Health care also offers services ranging from diagnostic, laboratory, therapeutic examinations. Other products are likewise enumerated: â€Å"practices (e.g., breastfeeding, ORT or eating a heart-healthy diet) and finally, more intangible ideas (e.g., environmental protection)† (Weinreich, 2006, par. 4). The price is the cost for designing and implementing the social marketing campaigns. The place is the target market for the campaign. The promotion â€Å"consists of the integrated use of advertising, public relations, promotions, media advocacy, personal selling and entertainment vehicles. The focus is on creating and sustaining demand for the product† (Weinreich, 2006, par. 6). The other critical sources of data for the campaign are: publics (internal and external groups directly involved in the campaign); partnerships (affiliated organizations that team up to organize the campaign); policy (governing rules supporting the social marketing program); and purse strings (â€Å"funds provided by sources such as foundations, governmental grants or donations† (Weinreich, 2006, par. 11)). Coye, Foege, & Roper (1994) identified leadership traits required in public health to ensure the development of health objectives in one’s community, to wit: â€Å"the

Marketing and Its Components Essay Example for Free

Marketing and Its Components Essay Environmental analysis of UK: In order to achieve success in implementing some marketing plan, PEST analysis plays a major role because it allows the organizations to do a complete analysis of political, economic, social and technological aspects of the organization and the evidence can be taken from the example of Tesco UK. The success factor of Tesco can be analyzed from the marketing strategy it has assumed in order to deal with the potential customers of United Kingdoms. However, this company has taken all the basic concepts of marketing under consideration while making its strategic plan. Here is the PEST analysis of Tesco UK. Political: The organizations which have political backup and keeps the political aspects under consideration while marketing its service get promulgation within no time. For instance, Tesco is an international supermarket; its policies are always compatible to the regions in which it provides its services. In UK, it has also kept this thing under consideration and that’s why, got exceptional response from the customers. In this regard, following steps have been taken: †¢It has fulfilled legislative requirements of United Kingdoms †¢There is no violation of Labor law, environmental law, trade law, health and tariff restrictions †¢Policies have been developed keeping the political scenarios under consideration †¢Tesco has also developed its own ethical and sustainability policy keeping the national ethical policy of UK in view Economic: Since UK market is one of the most sensitive markets of the world, economic sustainability is another factor that needs thorough analysis in order to deal with any marketing situation. Most of the consumer within UK requires a product that suits not only their lifestyle but also their budget. Though brand loyalty and trust is also a positive factor that can be regarded as a strong reason for the success of this organization, still some consumers find it difficult to buy costly products. Tesco UK has also kept this thing in view and provided different solutions in the form of competitive prices and sales. However, the economic analysis of Tesco indicates †¢Potential investment of company authorities within UK †¢Payment of taxes on each product †¢Adoption of sensitive price strategy †¢Paying interest rate †¢Extensive participation in regional economic growth Social: The analysis of social factors of Tesco UK is as followed: †¢Targeting young people for product marketing †¢Increasing demand of the international products due to increasing migrants †¢Multi-cultural customers †¢Bargaining power of customers †¢Safety issues like inability of customers to understand product precautions Technological: As far as technological factors are concerned, Tesco has also kept this aspect under consideration while marketing its services in United Kingdoms. †¢Automatic payment system †¢Auto-checking while entering and exiting from supermarket †¢Use of electronic system for cash and balance †¢Implementation of safety cameras in supermarkets †¢Wireless devices †¢RFID Control of Tesco over environmental factors: As far as the environmental factors that are beyond the control of Tesco UK are concerned, it is the competitive forces, suppliers, customers, inflation ratio and technological advancement which have affected sustainability of Tesco in one way or other. Competitors: Potential competitors of Tesco UK are as followed: †¢Wal-Mart †¢Costcutter †¢Carrefour As far as online competitors are concerned, they involve †¢Ebay UK †¢Amazon UK Customer: Another aspect that is beyond the control of Tesco UK is bargaining power of customers. The demands of customers vary with the passage of time and Tesco UK has to assume change management strategy keeping the changing demands of the customers. In this regard, the factors that can affect Tesco directly involve †¢Bargaining power of customers †¢Recession †¢Limited budget of customers †¢Changing requirements according to the trend Inflation ratio: Inflation ratio is another aspect which is beyond the control of Tesco UK since there are several factors which contribute in such cases and if this supermarket gives potential discounts on each product that threats the sustainability of their relation with suppliers. However, this thing is controlled to a small extent through providing different packages and sales in low seasons, Technological advancement: Since with the advancement in technology, consumers are also attracting towards online shopping, online platforms have taken the position of strong competitors. A consumer seeks ease through purchasing products from online portal that can deliver the objects at home. Though Tesco also has its own web portal yet the technological advancement makes it complex for this organization to adopt appropriate strategy in each country. However, through adopting timely change management strategy, this organization can deal with such situation. Section 2: Creating and sustaining competitive advantages: Tesco is the third largest grocery store of the worlds and there are ample potential competitors which can be regarded as the core competent of this organization. However, still this organization has been gaining competitive advantages through sustaining and assuming competitive advantage strategy. As far as the core competitors of Tesco in this industry are concerned, Wal-Mart and Carrefour are two leading organizations that compete with Tesco on global level. The reason why it had remained on third position is that it had initiated its service after a long time. However, it is the competitive advantages which it has sustained in regional as well as global competitive market that it has been positioned on third rank among all supermarkets of the world. As far as the strategies in order to gain competitive advantage are concerned, there are several creative and sustainable competitive strategies which can be developed in order to gain competitive advantage in this industry. In this regard, Porter’s generic strategies can be utilized because all the successful organizations like Wal-Mart and Carrefour have gained such position only through assuming exceptional competitive strategy. The first strategy that can be promulgated in this regard is cost leadership strategy which would enable Tesco to offer its services and products to not only national but international consumers and markets in lowest cost. For this purpose, they would also have to control the overall cost of the operations so that they can easily maintain investment and this price control strategy never affects this organization in one way or other. Through assuming this strategy, Tesco would be able to generate not only potential profit but also competitive advantage as well. If Tesco would use differentiation strategy as indicated by Porter, it would enable this organization to offer its products and services to its customers promulgating unique features and value added services that would attract potential customers a lot. This would also give competitive advantage in the form of brand loyalty of customers and double profit. Differentiation can be generated through assuming novel technological feature, providing value added service, exceptional customer service etc. Another option to create and sustain competitive advantage in local as well as international markets is market penetration. For instance, for Tesco, it might be difficult to assume differentiation or cost leadership strategy since it requires price maintenance. It can also make its marketing sources exceptional. For this purpose, as indicated in Ansoff Matrix, market penetration strategy would prove ample lucrative. It means this organization can gain competitive advantages through penetrating in existing market, find potential sources for promulgating its products and services and then focusing on internal efficiencies in order to come up with the requirements of the consumers. Nevertheless, Tesco can gain competitive advantage through assuming cost leadership and differentiation strategy in global market since it would enable this organization to compete with global giants. However, market penetrations strategy would work if this organization wants to create and sustain exceptional position in local markets like that of United Kingdoms and China. However, it cannot be stated that Tesco used to utilize such strategies without doing market analysis. In this regard, Tesco does market analysis through assessing its market position and contemporary ratio of market growth which enables it to analyze which strategy would enable it to compete on global as well as local level and in this regard, the significance of BCG matrix cannot be neglected. Some organizations used to employ all these strategies collaboratively and consider that there will be competitive advantage that is a wrong notion. That’s why most of them stuck in the middle and ultimately find it difficult to sort out the best option. This is not the case with Tesco since it’s a global organization and its management has exceptional expertise in dealing with such kind of situation assuming the best strategy that can generate passive competitive advantages. Hence, these are some of the potential options which an organization can utilize for competing with the strongest competitor in its relevant industry but before assuming any particular strategy, the organization needs to have its portfolio analysis as well. the examples of Tesco, Wal-Mart and Carrefour can be taken as evidence in this regard since Tesco has assumed strategic option through analyzing its contemporary position in global market and hence, gained successful position as well, Section 3: Product life cycle: A product life cycle possesses different stages like introduction, growth, maturity and decline. However, the marketing strategies vary according to the changing stage of product life cycle and the organizations that use appropriate strategic options according to the requirements of the contemporary scenario, get success in product marketing. On first stage, organizations used to apply marketing Mix elements in which, it suggests specifications of products, appropriate price, promotion strategies and place where it can gain successful position. Different examples can be seen in the form of Toyota motors, McDonald fast food industry and Tesco service providers in this regard. For example, Toyota wants to launch one of its product, the initial strategy that it would adopt will be determining price specifying promotion strategy and place, promulgating product specifications. Product: design, specification, how it works, extra benefits of using it etc Price: initially the cost would be low since this new product would take time to make its position in the markets. Promotion: this section would indicate promotional strategies like launching product providing value added services Place: this section indicates the best market for promulgating new vehicle like United Kingdoms, Canada etc. The second stage is referred to as Growth stage. At this point, the strategic plan differentiated through assuming growth strategy like market development etc. For instance, when Tesco opened new store in China, it achieved growth status through developing market and for that purpose, it affiliated itself with one of the regional supermarkets that enabled this supermarket to have potential growth in new market. The third stage is referred to maturity stage. On this stage, the product or service got its mature status and for its sustainability, different strategies are adopted in order to maintain its position through assuming change management strategy if required. Market penetration strategy is considered the best option in such cases since through constant penetration in market, the contemporary position of the product and service is analyzed. For instance, in UK markets, environment changes are uncertain and this thing affects the requirements of consumers. So, Tesco UK constantly do market penetration in order to sustain its position and cope with competitors. Last stage is referred to the decline stage and it is considered the death of the product. However, some companies assume differentiation and diffusion of innovation strategy in order to sustain its product and regain its mature stage. The example can be taken from McDonalds India. Its product for non-vegetarian though gained ample success in the beginning but soon, customers fed up with it. McDonalds India assumed differentiation strategy and attracted customers through introducing vegetarian burgers and deals. Diffusion of innovation strategy: Diffusion of innovation is one of the effective strategies that can regenerate lost position of a product. Through promulgating product marketing its innovative features, organization can easily cope with decline stage of PLC. There are several examples which can be quoted for proving the authenticity of this strategy With the propagation of KFC and PizzaHut, customers transformed their concentration from McDonalds and this thing affected its profitability ratio badly. The management of McDonalds contemplated to regain its position and ultimately found diffusion of innovation as the best source to deal with this issue. Finally, they introduced McFlurry which attracted most of their customers back. Hence, this thing not only made it possible for the organization to get its customers back but the profitability ratio also increased simultaneously. Hence, marketing strategy plays a major role in developing and sustaining products or services in local as well as global markets but along with using innovative strategy, the organization should also have potential to assume change management strategy according to the contemporary requirements.

Structure and Development of Curriculum

Structure and Development of Curriculum Introduction The curriculum is not a simple word that can be defined; it is a discipline that consists of many factors that ultimately create the curriculum. Upon reading further into this subject, it has become obvious that the curriculum is a complex field and is more likely to reveal that many authors, scholars, academic writers each have a definition describing what the curriculum best means to them or its best definition in the context they discuss. This paper will focus on the Australian Curriculum and will attempt to address issues such as the various definitions of the curriculum, the purpose or goal of the curriculum, how the curriculum is developed, the structure of the curriculum, how the curriculum is influenced by different learning theories, the processes of teaching, learning and assessment and how the curriculum relates to 21st Century learners. Incorporating these factors and understanding this information will allow the reader to formulate his or her own educated definition of t he curriculum whilst recognising the primary features which influence learning within our schools. Definition of Curriculum and its Stakeholders Several definitions surround the meaning of curriculum; to get an overview of the definition we can throw relevant words together such as plan, objective, content, subject matter, opportunities, guidelines, framework, experiences or strategies, although in order to make sense of these words and their relationship to the curriculum we must connect these words in a logical pattern. Authors and academics Brady Kennedy (2010, p.5) simply state In seeking to understand better the role of the curriculum in the 21st century, the purpose should be to ensure that children and young people are well equipped to handle whatever it is that this century will call them to do and be, in other words, there must be a common interest and a common bond by all those involved, while Marsh and Willis (2007, as cited in Marsh, 2010, p.93) define curriculum as an interrelated set of plans and experiences which a student completes under the guidance of the school. Other definitions of the curriculum arise, d ependant on the stakeholders in question, these stakeholders are people who have an interest in the curriculum, its formation and its delivery. The business community feel that the curriculum must be able to support students in their future employment opportunities while preparing them for the economic needs of society (Brady Kennedy, 2010) and parent groups are concerned that the curriculum could be manipulated by government bodies for academic analysis instead of concentrating on equipping their children with the appropriate knowledge and experiences for a successful future (Brady Kennedy, 2010). ACARA (2010c) describes the new National curriculum as a broad scope and sequence of core learning. Critical decisions about the total educational program and how it will be implemented and adapted to meet the needs and interests of students will be the responsibility of education authorities, schools, teachers, parents and students Marsh (2010, p.24) provides a list of stakeholders with whom the National Curriculum Board (NCB), now known as the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) consults Government Federal/State Minister for Education, Council of Australian Governments, Premiers, State/Territory ministers, Federal opposition, State/Territory opposition Education authorities Government and Non-Government Schools, Australasian Curriculum, Assessment and Certification Authorities (ACACA), Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). Professional associations Unions, Business, Employers School-based Principals, Administrators, Teachers, Students Community Parents, Parent groups, Parent Associations Tertiary Sector Universities, TAFE, Industry training sectors, Academics From this information it is evident that the curriculum is complex, detailed and is influenced by many groups. Fundamentally, it is a plan that consists of goals/aims, content and achievement standards for each subject to be taught within Australian schools, in other words, the curriculum is a planned description of the what, how and when of teaching, learning and assessment. Understanding the foundation of curriculum, we can now concentrate on the goal of the curriculum WHO is it for and WHAT do we expect from our education system and for young Australian citizens? The purpose or goal of the Curriculum and Education Curriculum must be of direct relevance to the childs social, cultural, environmental and economic context and to his or her present and future needs and take full account of the childs evolving capacities; teaching methods should be tailored to the different needs of different children (UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, General Comment 1 as cited in Sullivan Keeney, 2008, p.38). In order to understand the goal or purpose of education, we must understand who we are directing our learning to. Acknowledging the diversity of learners will assist in identifying the scope and range of the content to be covered by the curriculum. Brady and Kennedy (2010, p.38) state Teachers must examine the curriculum carefully to ensure it does not exclude the diverse experiences that students bring with them to the classroom. More positively, the curriculum should highlight those experiences and make them the basis for discovery and learning. The K-12 National Curriculum is directed towards students developing their knowledge and understanding of the major disciplines Mathematics, English, Science and History to enable students to further their knowledge and specialise in fields through further tertiary education. Further to this, the curriculum provides the foundation that allows young Australian citizens to deal confidently with issues that arise and enables them to make informed decisions regarding social and personal matters. (EQUITY) ACARA is responsible for the development of the Australian curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 12. ACARAs work with the Australian curriculum is directed by the 2008 Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. This declaration commits to supporting learners with quality education and providing them with the skills necessary for future endeavours (ACARA, 2009a). The Australian curriculum will outline the scope and sequence of key learning areas, in other words WHAT and WHEN it is to be taught at schools, although teachers will ultimately make the decision on HOW to organise, structure and deliver this information to benefit each and every students learning experience (ACARA, 2009b). The educational goals for young Australian citizens focus on creating successful learners such as developing their capacity to be creative, resourceful and motivated individuals, to be able to think, obtain and evaluate evidence, work independently and in teams, be able to communicat e ideas, utilise current technology and be able to make informed decisions and gain the necessary skills regarding their learning and employment directions. These goals also aim to create confident individuals by providing the tools that promote a sense of self-awareness to be able to manage all facets of their wellbeing, develop values such as honesty, empathy and respect for themselves and others, form personal, social and professional relationships and have the confidence to pursue further education and training. In addition, becoming active and informed citizens is addressed through the cross-curriculum dimensions, which aim to instil an understanding and appreciation for Australias indigenous history and diverse culture and sustaining and improving our natural and social surroundings (ACARA, 2009b). So far we have discussed what the curriculum is and how it can be defined, the major influences on the curriculums development, namely the stakeholders and the purpose or goals of the curriculum and education. Before we discuss the structure and development of the curriculum, it is important to be aware of where and how the curriculum originated and why the curriculum is structured the way it is. Structure and Development of the Curriculum The structure of the curriculum and how it is developed caters for the wide range of stakeholders involved while endeavouring to achieve the best learning outcomes for Australian students. The core-curriculum was developed through the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) by the former Director, Malcolm Skilbeck in 1980. The 24-page document attempted to reconceptualise the existing school subjects within a social-reconstructionist framework (Marsh, 2010, p.11). Even though parts of the core-curriculum were adopted in NSW, WA and NT, the development did not continue due to a lack of funding for the CDC. As the decades passed, many attempts at developing a national curriculum failed to make it successfully through its journey, finally in 2008, under the Rudd Government, a National Curriculum Board (NCB) was created to develop a National Curriculum for students Kindergarten to Year 12, consisting of four Key Learning Areas (KLAs) Mathematics, English, History and Science, with additiona l components of general capabilities and cross-curriculum dimensions working alongside these KLAs (Marsh, 2010). ACARA (2009c) was created to oversee the successful development of the Kindergarten to Year 12 Curriculum, plus the Senior Secondary Curriculum and the Early Years Curriculum Framework. Below outlines the four stages involved in the development of the Australian Curriculum Kindergarten to Year 12. Curriculum shaping stage- This involves the development of the draft shape paper, where expert advice is requested and endorsed by ACARAs board for public feedback. This creates the final shape paper, consisting of an outline of the Australian curriculum including design advice for learning areas. Curriculum writing stage A team consisting of writers, curriculum experts, and ACARA curriculum staff developing the Australian curriculum. The information includes content description and achievement standards; to achieve this, the team refers to national and international research on curriculum, while also referring to current state and territory curriculums. After public feedback and necessary modifications, the Australian curriculum for the particular learning area is ready for publication. Implementation stage Implementation plans are developed by ACARA and state/territory curriculum and school authorities (ACARA, 2010b) Evaluation and review stage Implementation feedback is reviewed carefully via processes that monitor this information. Below is a visual snapshot of the components included in the National Curriculum to be implemented in the year 2011. Australian curriculum graph.png Source: (ACARA, 2009a) Each KLA contains a statement of rationale, aims, content structure and descriptions, and achievement standards. Statement of rationale Overview of the particular subject Aims What students will achieve from this subject Content structure/organisation How the subject is arranged/designed and the information involved Content description specifies what teachers are expected to teach for each learning area at each year level, also provides the scope and sequence of teaching Achievement standards describes the quality of learning e.g. the understanding, knowledge and skill students are required to achieve at each year level. While the National curriculum will keep the original structure of scope and sequence for the KLAs, it is evident the new curriculum has become more detailed and involved, by introducing general capabilities and cross-curriculum dimensions in addition to the KLAs, teachers may find it difficult to be able to get through all the required content in the time allocated, while some may require further intensive training to increase their knowledge in certain areas such as History. Few primary teachers have a sufficient background in History and that they will require concentrated training to develop academic and pedagogical knowledge in History (Harris-Hart, 2009 as cited in Marsh, 2010, p.26), although ACARA (2010c) states the key focus during curriculum development is on depth of learning and not breadth of learning, so as not to overcrowd the curriculum. Since the Australian Curriculum has been collated from different components of the eight state/territory curriculums currently in ope ration, they have maintained the KLAs, added general capabilities and cross-curriculum dimensions while keeping the existing structure for sequencing within the learning areas. (REFERENCE) For example, the NSW curriculum comprises of six KLAs for primary school and eight KLAs for secondary school. Below is a visual snapshot of the NSW Primary syllabus. http://k6.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/images/time_on_each_subject.jpg Source: (NSW-BOS, 2008) Schools in New South Wales use the Kindergarten to Year 10 Curriculum Framework as the foundation of what, how and when the content is to be taught, although the NSW Board of Studies acknowledges that schools and teachers take responsibility for the way in which the content is organised and delivered (NSW-BOS, 2002a). NSW primary teachers use the NSW Primary Curriculum Foundation Statements to find out what needs to be taught in each subject. The six subjects within the NSW curriculum are English, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE), Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) and Creative arts (NSW-BOS, 2002b), while the Australian Curriculum takes into consideration two new components that will enhance the learning process by working alongside the four KLAs, these components are ten (10) general capabilities and three (3) cross-curriculum dimensions. The ten (10) general capabilities are: literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology, thinking skills, ethical behaviour, creativity, self-management, teamwork, intercultural understanding and social competence. The three (3) cross-curriculum dimensions are: Indigenous history and culture, Asia and Australias engagement with Asia and Sustainability (ACARA, 2010a). Conclusion The Curriculum is a planned description of the what, how and when of teaching, learning and assessment, it is the foundation for learners, students and teachers while being influenced by the many stakeholders that want a share/input in the direction of the Curriculum. The structure and development of the Australian Curriculum includes many components such as teaching, learning and assessment which have focused on the depth of learning not the breadth. Throughout this paper it is also evident that the Australian Curriculum has been influenced by the theories of teaching and learning from several theorists such as Piaget, Bloom, Krathwohl, Vygotsky, Bruner and Maslows taxonomy. In addition, we must keep in mind that by understanding our students changing nature and their diversities, the Australian Curriculum has the opportunity to be in the forefront of teaching and learning in the 21st Century.