- Australia has a population of over 22 million people spread across its 7.6 million square kilometer land area. In 2008, there were over 3.4 million students enrolled in its 9,562 schools. - The Australian education system has a national curriculum, transparent student reporting, a focus on teaching quality and leadership, and investments in digital education and online assessment. - Key organizations coordinate the national education initiatives, including ACARA, AITSL, and Education Services Australia which provides digital learning resources and services to support students, teachers, and schools across Australia.

1. Education Services Australia

2. Australia at a Glance
• Size 7,617,930 sq Km
• Population, 2008 22,431,178
• School enrolment, 2008 3,444,474
• Number of schools, 2008 9,562
(6,488 primary, 3074 secondary)
Source: 2008 Australian National Report on Schooling

3. Australia at a Glance

4. State/Territory Total No. of Percentage
Population schools
(approx)
New South 7 million 3 109 32.5%
Wales
Victoria 5.4 million 2 288 23.9%
Queensland 4.4 million 1 713 17.9%
South Australia 1.6 million 795 8.3%
Western 2.2 million 1 065 11.2%
Australia
Tasmania 500 000 277 2.9%
Northern 220 000 187 2.0%
Territory
Australian 350 000 128 1.3%
Capital Territory
Australia 21.67 million 9 562 100%

5. Schools by Sector, 2008
Number Percentage
Government Schools 6,833 71.5%
Non-Government Schools
• Catholic 1,705 17.8%
• Independent 1,024 10.7%
Total Australian Schools 9,562 100%
Source: 2008 Australian National Report on Schooling

6. Key National Initiatives
• Australian Curriculum
• Transparent reporting
• Quality teaching and learning and
school leadership
• Digital education
• Online assessment

7. Australian Curriculum
–Phase 1 - English, mathematics, history and science
(K-10)
–Phase 2 - Geography, languages and the arts (K-10)
–Phase 3 - ICT and design & technology, health and
physical education, economics, business and civics
and citizenship (K-10)
–Senior secondary curriculum being negotiated

8. Australian Curriculum
• General capabilities: literacy, numeracy, ICT, thinking
skills, ethical behavior, creativity, self-management,
teamwork, intercultural understanding and social
competence.
• Cross-curriculum dimensions: Indigenous history
and culture, Asia and Australia’s engagement with
Asia and sustainability.

9. Transparent Reporting

11. Digital Education
$2.4 billion national investment over 4 years for:
– hardware for secondary schools and for
students in Years 9 to 12, a 1:1 ratio
– fast broadband services
– ICT proficiency of teachers and school
leaders
– online curriculum tools and resources to
support the Australian Curriculum
– online diagnostic tools & online assessment

12. Online Assessment

13. National Architecture for Schooling
AITSL
ACARA Quality Teaching
Curriculum Leadership
Assessment Professional
Reporting Learning
Standards
ESA
Digital Learning Resources
Information Technology,
Curriculum, Assessment,
and Professional Learning
Services

14. Education Services Australia
• not-for-profit company providing services to
the education Ministers:
– to advance key nationally-agreed education
initiatives, programs and projects
– to create, publish, disseminate and market
curriculum and assessment materials, ICT
based solutions, products and services to
support learning, teaching, leadership and
administration

15. Education Services Australia
120 projects and services covering:
• Education technology systems
• Curriculum
• Online print and electronic library cataloguing
• National online careers advice
• Online assessment
• Digital content

16. National Digital Learning Resource Network
– Over15000 digital curriculum resources
– National sharing by teachers and states and
territories
– Access to resources from cultural agencies
and public and private providers
– Digital rights
– Accessed by teachers through Scootle
where State or Territory does not have
portal

19. The video on Scootle can be
viewed at
http://esa.edu.au/scootle