"Care and Compassion: caring for (ones) self and others", is the first in a list of national values identified by the National Framework for Values Education, the basis of the national strategy to introduce values education into all Australian schools. The animal protection messages promoted by Animal Club provide a perfect fit with this core value.

During a panel session of the National Values Education Forum 2005, hosted by Mr. Tony Mackay, the Director of the Centre for Strategic Educational Thinking, student views on values education were extracted as follows: "the values of ‘care and compassion’ and ‘respect’ were seen to be the most important by the students".1

The National Framework for Values Education makes reference to the goal that students, upon leaving school, will "have the capacity to exercise judgement and responsibility in matters of morality, ethics and social justice, and the capacity to make sense of their world, to think about how things got to be the way they are, to make rational and informed decisions about their own lives, and to accept responsibility for their own actions (Goal 1.3)".2  Again, the animal protection messages promoted by Animal Club provide a perfect fit with this goal.

NSW

The NSW state curriculum Science Syllabus document includes a teaching strand called "Living Things" which refers to the fact that "living things interact with each other and affect their environments in complex ways. Understanding of people, other animals and plants are fundamental to a wide range of human activity".

Amongst other things, the "living things" strand "investigates how living things communicate" using the following:

• "Identify some reasons why we need to communicate, eg danger, hunger, greetings, to find things out, happiness, sadness. Identify the senses that other animals use".
• "Research, eg by asking a vet, how animals’ senses differ from human senses, eg dogs have a stronger sense of smell."
• "Compare how animals use their senses. Are some senses more important to animals than others? Collect pictures and describe with the pictures how these living things communicate and why (group activity project)".

See: NSW state curriculum Science Syllabus and Support, p.71

VIC

In Victoria's Essential Learning Standards, the Science domain's Curriculum and Standards for P-10 document contains references to good citizenship and ethical principles, as follows:

"Science education provides opportunities for students to develop the skills and understanding appropriate to service and good citizenship. It also encourages students to articulate science values and accept the ethical principles embedded in science research".

"A set of values inform and govern how scientists operate including respect for the environment (living and non-living) and the opinions and ideas of others, honesty in collecting and presenting data and evidence, and acknowledgment of the work of others".

See: Victorian Essential Learning Standards, Discipline-based Learning strand , P-10 Curriculum and Standards - Science

In addition, again within the VIC Essential Learning Standards, "Physical, Personal and Social Learning" strand, "Civics and Citizenship" domain, the development of values systems and learning about social justice issues are referred to as follows:

"The Community engagement dimension focuses on the development of skills and behaviours students need to interact with the community and to engage with organisations and groups. Students participate in processes associated with citizenship such as decision making, voting and leadership, using their knowledge of rules and laws of governance, and concepts such as human rights and social justice. They think critically about their own values, rights and responsibilities and those of organisations and groups across a range of settings, and explore the diversity in society".

"Students explore and consider different perspectives and articulate and justify their own opinions on local, national and global issues. They refine their own opinions, values and allegiances. They apply their knowledge and skills in a range of community-based activities".

See: Victorian Essential Learning Standards, Physical, Personal and Social Learning strand, P-10 Curriculum and Standards - Civics and Citizenship

SA

The South Australian Standards and Accountability Framework document includes reference to students towards the end of Year 6, "Researching and sharing findings about issues related to why individuals and groups have different eating patterns. Examples of evidence include that the student explores different foods eaten by a variety of groups within society , including the practices and rationales of cultural groups, religious groups, vegans, vegetarians and animal rights groups ".

See: SA Curriculum, Standards and Accountability Framework, Primary Years Band, Years 3, 4 & 5, P.116

QLD

A Queensland School Curriculum Council document refers to core content for "Studies of Society and Environment". In the Years 1-10 Syllabus there is a teaching strand referred to as "Systems, Resources and Power - Level 4" which delivers the key concept of "Access to power". Students completing this strand are taught about "human and environmental rights campaigns and organisations (Amnesty International, World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace, Freedom from Hunger, Landcare, antinuclear, civil liberties, animal rights, national government organisations, local organisations).

See: Studies of Society and Environment  • Years 1–10 Syllabus, p. 41

WA

The Western Australia Curriculum Framework Curriculum Guide, refers to the science syllabus and the learning strand called "Acting Responsibly" for K-12 Early Childhood. "The focus for learning in this phase is on caring for organisms and the environment when investigating phenomena".

"Students should be taught about the impact and ethics of science, including (amongst others):

• The personal need to act responsibly and safely when working with people and other organisms, whether in the classroom or the outside environment
• Reasons for acting responsibly when working with others and other organisms (animal ethics)
• Pets (including class pets) must be cared for by considering their needs (eg food, water, warmth, security)"
  

See: Curriculum Framework Curriculum Guide, © Curriculum Council, Western Australia, 2005, p. 22

ACT

The ACT Curriculum Framework document for Studies of Society and Environment refers to a learning strand about "Culture" and offers examples of content which include: "Belief systems: comparison of points of view on issues such as human rights, animal rights, property rights, environmental issues"

See: Studies of Society and Environment - Curriculum Framework, Australian Capital Territory - Department of Education and Training, p. 50

TAS

The Tasmanian Curriculum includes "Values, Purposes and Goals" that state "The shared purposes are that all Tasmanian students are learning to: ... * relate, participate and care; * act ethically; ... and  * think, know and understand." 

NT

The Northern Territory Curriculum Framework: Studies of Society and Environment document refers, in discussion of the various learning areas, to indicators including: "Learners demonstrating evidence of Key Growth Point 2" for example, "Environmental Awareness and Care, - care for their own environment (by) caring for animals".

See: The Northern Territory Curriculum Framework, Studies of Society and Environment Learning Area, p. 387

References

1. National Values Education Forum Report 2005, p.16
2. National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools, p.2