Question 4

The Board of Studies provides materials to guide you in your teaching. Detail carefully what they have available for your teaching area, how you go about locating it, how it is used for programming and how you use these resources for preparing a series of lessons.

The Board of Studies has a large number of resources available on their web site which is located here: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/

Part of the responsibility of working within this current education system is that of ensuring that Board of Studies outcomes are met in the course of teaching. As a beginning teacher I have found the process of addressing the BOS outcomes a good one, as it gives a certain structure to lesson planning and helps ensure that key points are not forgotten.

As well as maintaining the relevant Syllabuses the BOS also has other documents that are useful and important:

• BOS notices - keep up with changes to syllabuses: http://news.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/official-notices.cfm
• BOS manuals and articles are here: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/manuals/
• HSC - test yourself - exam papers: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc_exams/
  
• Respect & Responsibilities: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/respect/
  
• Special education needs: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/special_ed/
  
• Aboriginal Education Contexts: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/weblinks/#abedcontexts
  
• Performance Descriptors
  

The key item however is the syllabuses themselves. These are available here: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/

I have used these recently to do some programming in these areas:

Mathematics
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/mathematics_710_syllabus.pdf
Guide: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/maths_710_guide.pdf
Advice on programming and assessment: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/maths_support_710.doc

Design and Technology
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/design_tech_710_syl.pdf
Guide: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/design_tech_710_guide.pdf
Advice on programming and assessment: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/design_tech_710_support.pdf

Science
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/science_710_syl.pdf
Guide: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/science_710_guide.pdf
Advice on programming and assessment: http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/science_710_support.pdf

Here is how I would use the BOS material to program and prepare a series of lessons:

Firstly a unit of work would be programmed. In this example I refer to a Design and Tech unit in General Metalwork.

The desired focus outcomes would be selected to suit the project. In this example they are:

5.1.1 Identifies, assesses and manages the risks and OHS issues associated with the use of a range of materials, hand tools, machine tools equipment and processes

5.4.1 Selects, applies and interprets a range of suitable communication techniques in the development, planning, production and presentation of ideas and projects

5.5.1 Applies and transfers acquired knowledge and skills to subsequent learning experiences in a variety of contexts and projects

5.6.1 Evaluates products in terms of functional, economic, aesthetic and environmental qualities and quality of construction

These focus outcomes are then addressed. For example with outcome 5.4.1which is about communication techniques the program is written to specify what is done in the class, and how we can get some evidence that learning took place.

Students Learn About: Workplace Communication Skills - Working drawings

Students Learn To: Interpret and produce engineering and pictorial drawings related to the development and production of practical projects

Teaching and Assessment Activities: ASSESSMENT 5.4.1 (DF #4.1) Students complete two different drawings of the project – orthogonal and cross section in their design folio.

The program for this unit also includes space for a register and evaluation so that as lessons are completed they are recorded, and there is space for reflection on how well they worked.

This program is then translated into specific lesson plans which capture the logical progression of learning as well as putting the flesh on the programming outcomes.

In the case above there would be a series of lessons about what an orthogonal and cross sectional view is, when and why you would use them and how to draw and dimension them. This would culminate in a lesson where the students create the drawings in their design folio as a prelude to actually constructing the project. This would create a strong link between designing on paper (or with CAD) and actually making things.

My observation is that there is a lot of latitude within the current BOS setup for lessons to be created with individual style and focus, while still meeting the broad outcomes specified by BOS.

To summarise: The BOS resources are available on the net. These include a wide range of documents, guides and advice, as well as the syllabuses. The outcomes prescribed need to be written into programs for units of work. These programs from the basis for the series of lesson plans that connect the outcomes to the logical progression of learning on a day to day basis.