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Civics and Citizenship: Rationale

The Civics and Citizenship curriculum aims to develop students' understanding of Australia's democratic system of government and their role as active and informed citizens. It focuses on key institutions like federalism and the Westminster system, as well as liberal democratic values. Students investigate political and legal systems while exploring citizenship, diversity, and identity. The curriculum also promotes inclusion, respect, and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Australia's multicultural society. Its goals are for students to engage civically both in Australia and globally.

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91 views

Civics and Citizenship: Rationale

The Civics and Citizenship curriculum aims to develop students' understanding of Australia's democratic system of government and their role as active and informed citizens. It focuses on key institutions like federalism and the Westminster system, as well as liberal democratic values. Students investigate political and legal systems while exploring citizenship, diversity, and identity. The curriculum also promotes inclusion, respect, and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Australia's multicultural society. Its goals are for students to engage civically both in Australia and globally.

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Civics and Citizenship

Overview
Rationale
Civics and Citizenship is essential in enabling students to become active and informed citizens who participate in and
sustain Australias democracy. Through the study of Civics and Citizenship, students investigate political and legal
systems, and explore the nature of citizenship, diversity and identity in contemporary society.
The Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship provides opportunities to develop students knowledge and
understanding of Australia's representative democracy and the key institutions, processes, and roles people play in
Australias political and legal systems. Emphasis is placed on Australia's federal system of government, derived from
the Westminster system, and the liberal democratic values that underpin it such as freedom, equality and the rule of
law. The curriculum explores how the people, as citizens, choose their governments; how the system safeguards
democracy by vesting people with civic rights and responsibilities; how laws and the legal system protect peoples
rights; and how individuals and groups can influence civic life.
The curriculum recognises that Australia is a secular nation with a multicultural and multi-faith society, and promotes
the development of inclusivity by developing students understanding of broader values such as respect, civility,
equity, justice and responsibility. It acknowledges the experiences and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Peoples and their identities within contemporary Australia. While the curriculum strongly focuses on the
Australian context, students also reflect on Australias position, obligations and the role of the citizen today within an
interconnected world.
Through the study of civics and citizenship, students can develop skills of inquiry, values and dispositions that enable
them to be active and informed citizens; to question, understand and contribute to the world in which they live. The
curriculum also offers opportunities for students to develop a wide range of general skills and capabilities, including an
appreciation of diverse perspectives, empathy, collaboration, negotiation, self-awareness and intercultural
understanding.
The Civics and Citizenship curriculum aims to reinforce students appreciation and understanding of what it means to
be a citizen. It explores ways in which students can actively shape their lives, value their belonging in a diverse and
dynamic society, and positively contribute locally, nationally, regionally and globally. As reflective, active and informed
decision- makers, students will be well placed to contribute to an evolving and healthy democracy that fosters the
wellbeing of Australia as a democratic nation.

Aims
The Australian Curriculum: Civics and Citizenship aims to ensure students develop:

a lifelong sense of belonging to and engagement with civic life as an active and informed citizen in the context
of Australia as a secular democratic nation with a dynamic, multicultural and multi-faith society
knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the values, principles, institutions and practices of Australias
system of democratic government and law, and the role of the citizen in Australian government and society
skills including questioning and research; analysis, synthesis and interpretation; problem solving and
decision making; communication and reflection to investigate contemporary civics and citizenship, and foster
responsible participation in Australias democracy
the capacities and dispositions to participate in the civic life of their nation at a local, regional and global level.

The above information was sourced directly from the Australian curriculum website. ACARA (2015) http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au

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