Introduction

Welcome to this unit of work for Australian students in the middle school years (Years 4 - 9).

Preamble & Acknowledgements

"On The Job" is an Online Curriculum Concept devised by:

Tim Grace, M.A.[Education] Canberra University, M.A.C.E., Curriculum Initiatives Officer [Online] Department of Education and Community Services, Australian Capital Territory.

Frances Moore, (B.A [Biological Sciences] Macq.Uni; Dip.Ed, UNE), Principal and Educational Consultant of World Wide Website Creation & Consulting (W3C2).

Tim and Frances were aided in this concept delivery by members of the W3C2 web team especially

• Glen Bunfield, (B. Graphic Design in progress, UC)
• Alaine Cohen, B.Visual Arts (Sydney College of the Arts), Grad.Dip Ed (SCAE); Grad.Dip.Computing (Deakin Uni).
• Tom Gibson (B.Ed, ACU), our talented cartoonist
• Luke (B.IT in progress, UC).
• Stephen Moore (B.IT, CSU)
• Adam Swift (B.A Media Communications & Professional Writing, SCU) (B.A. Hons Communications SAU).

The unit was conceived by Tim and put into practice with his 5th Year class in 1999. Working with Frances, Tim was encouraged to expand the unit and have it developed online.

ON THE JOB - "Meaningful, Engaging, and Connected"

As classroom teachers we know that our curriculum must be meaningful and engaging, structured and sequenced, On The Job is a unit of work that looks great in theory and even better in practice.

Exciting advances in technology have opened up new horizons for curriculum design and delivery. On The Job is an online curriculum concept that demonstrates the power of online learning to enrich student outcomes and enhance the quality of teaching practice.

On The Job was developed by curriculum experts to harness the potential of the global classroom. As teachers and students blend online and offline activities into an understanding of employment and the modern workplace they are also exposed to concepts essential in the formation of a technologically literate society: information access, key competencies, and Information and Communication Literacies.

Why the "Careers" Focus?

Students in the primary years of schooling have traditionally been introduced to the world of work through the classroom investigations of people in their community. Secondary students have traditionally learnt about work and careers through their own involvement in part-time work and work experience organised from Year 10 onwards. The middle years of schooling tend not to approach this topic.

This unit of work is designed to build upon those earlier primary experiences and expand middle schooling student's understandings of the workplace. The unit aims to allow middle schooling students obtain a better understanding of the effect of the choices they make early on in their high school years and expand their understanding of careers in an enjoyable and fun way. The unit is constructed around both online and offline activities to allow all students to participate.

We are fully aware of the magnitude of change that is occurring within the workplace. Many of the jobs that are predominant today will not be around when these students leave school. Others will replace them. Students will undoubtedly have many changes of career within their working life - lifelong learning is a paradigm change in our society.

Open-ended learning strategies, used throughout On The Job, help students in the middle years of schooling (Years 4-9) to understand how their own life-long learning journey relates to the world of work. The website frees the classroom from traditional constraints. Time and place are no longer learning boundaries; access to learning is flexible and collaborative.

Our aim in developing this unit for middle schooling students is in line with the National Goals for Schooling in the 21st Century. These National Goals place emphasis on the value of career education. Goal 1.5 states that:

When students leave shcool, they shcould have employment skills and an understanding of the work environment, careers options, and pathways as a foundation for, and positive attitudes towards, vocational education and training, further education, employment, and life-long learning.

On The Job uses local community relationships to build a dynamic virtual community focused around a common interest. It will become an online community that is rich with Australian content and character - an evolving cultural forum.

How to use this unit