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DEST hosted a seminar in Canberra on 21 October 2005 to consider Australian (Victoria and South Australia) and New Zealand activities being conducted as part of the Schooling for Tomorrow project. A presentation on a previous, related OECD project ‘Teachers Matter’  , was also made at the seminar.
Participants at the seminar were mainly from government and non-government education authorities. See a short summary of the Schooling for Tomorrow component of the seminar and presentations. |
Schooling for Tomorrow is an OECD/ CERI project intended to develop methods and tools for analysing change and managing options for future schooling ‘futures thinking’. Australian activities for Schooling for Tomorrow are being undertaken by the Victorian Department of Education and Training (DE&T) and the South Australian Department of Education and Childrens’ Services (DECS). The Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) is providing a co-ordinating and facilitating role with some funding support.
Schooling for Tomorrow (SFT) focuses on analysing change and managing options for future schooling, or “futures thinking”. Phase 3 is intended to widen the number of participating nations, further develop the SFT knowledge base and disseminate results. Work on “Understanding demand for Schooling” will also continue.
Involvement in this Project can potentially inform Australian practice in the areas of teaching, school leadership and quality schooling. Australia’s interest in strengthening school and principal autonomy is also relevant.
Phase 1 of SFT developed a set of six future scenarios for schooling, along with work focussing on networks and innovation and ICT.
The United Kingdom (England), New Zealand and Canada (Ontario – both English and French activities), who are the “inner core” jurisdictions, participated in the development of the SFT knowledge base, which involved identifying possible approaches and considering evidence on effects and lessons learnt. It also included an analytical study on Demand for Schooling.
The Australian co-ordinator for the Project is Tony Mackay, Executive Director of the Incorporated Association of Registered Teachers of Victoria (IARTV) and Director of the Centre for Strategic Educational Thinking. He is a senior consultant to OECD/CERI for SFT and is working with the Australian, UK (England) and New Zealand initiatives.
The Victorian initiative Victoria- Focus on the Future, has been devised to develop a shared vision across the government-school system of what school education might look like in the future. The initiative is also developing a group of change leaders who are ‘futures literate’ and informing further development and implementation of Performance and Development practices and cultures. For more information see March In Focus: Victoria - Focus on the Future - Schooling for Tomorrow .
The South Australian initiative Focus on the Future, gathered community views on future education provision to meet emerging community expectations. The initiative then used futures thinking and scenario building to inform strategic policy development within DECS and more broadly across government and to support and contribute to capacity building across South Australian communities. For more information see the South Australian Schools website .
The New Zealand initiative Secondary Futures helps New Zealanders create a vision for change in secondary education.