NSW Stage 6 Mathematics

Overview
History of syllabus development
BOS Bulletin information / Rationale
General 1 and 2 comparison to the current General
Presentation of content
Support material
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre

History of syllabus development
2006-2008
BOS develops five new
Stage 6
Mathematics courses
2009
Board approves five new Stage 6
Mathematics courses
Later 2009
Implementation of new Stage 6
Mathematics courses deferred due to Australian
Curriculum development
12 March 2012
BOS announces current Stage 6
General will be replaced by
Mathematics General
1 and 2.
The Board will no longer consider
School Designed
Board Endorsed
Course applications for Stage 6
Mathematics,
Applied.
2013
Implementation of new Stage 6
General 1 and 2 courses
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre

BOS Bulletin information
• Board Bulletin notification of syllabus change - Monday, 12 March 2012
Official Notice: New Stage 6 Mathematics syllabus - Mathematics General 2
(Board Developed Course) and Mathematics General 1 (Content Endorsed
Course)
• Note: All General 1 and 2 candidates will complete the same preliminary course in 2013. It is not until the HSC year (2014) where the courses are differentiated into General 1 (Content Endorsed Course – no exam) and
General 2 (Board Developed Course with exam)
2014
HSC General 2
(exam)
2013
Preliminary
General 2014
HSC General 1
(no exam)
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre

Rationale
Effective participation in a changing society is enhanced by the development of mathematical competence in contextualised problem-solving.
Experience in such problem-solving is gained by students gathering, analysing and interpreting mathematical information, and applying mathematics to model situations.
Mathematics General Stage 6 Syllabus, BOS, 2012, page 5
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre

General 1 and 2 compared to the current General
Current General
1999
Not contextualised
Board Developed Course (BDC)
HSC exam
2 units of study counts toward calculation of an ATAR
New General 1 and 2
2012
Contextualised
Gen 2 – BDC, HSC exam
Gen 1 – CEC, HSC no exam
Only General 2 counts toward calculation of an ATAR
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre

Similarities of General 1 and 2 (2012) to the current General course (1999)
Five strands
Financial Mathematics
Data and Statistics
Measurement
Probability
Algebra and Modelling
No intention that equal time be allocated to each Strand
Many existing aspects of programs and resources for the General Mathematics course will also continue to be relevant for the new courses
Coding of topics (FM1, FM2, etc) in the new courses is the same as in the General
Mathematics course, although a particular code may not apply to the same aspects of content
The information provided in the syllabus in relation to the content and to the teaching and learning of the courses is similar in its level of detail and presentation
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre

Differences of General 1 and 2 to the current
General course
Focus studies
Integration of strand knowledge and skills into the focus studies
Broad range of up-to-date contextualised resources needed for meeting the requirements of the
Focus Studies
New Preliminary Mathematics
General contains two Focus Studies designed for approximately onethird of the course time:
• Mathematics and Communication
• Mathematics and Driving
HSC Mathematics General 2 course contains two Focus Studies designed for approximately onethird of the course time:
• Mathematics and Health
• Mathematics and Resources
HSC Mathematics General 1 course contains four Focus Studies designed for approximately twothirds of the course time:
• Mathematics and Design
• Mathematics and Household
Finance • Mathematics and the
Human Body • Mathematics and
Personal Resource Usage
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre

What other materials is the Board providing in relation to the new
Mathematics General Stage 6 Syllabus?
• A Guide to the New Mathematics General Stage 6 Syllabus
(available now)
• Assessment and Reporting in the HSC Mathematics General 2 Course
(available now)
• Course descriptions for subject selection
(available now)
• PowerPoint presentations for the introduction of the new syllabus
•
Advice on initial programming
• Support materials for the teaching of new syllabus content
• HSC specimen examination paper, sample marking guidelines and performance band descriptions for the HSC Mathematics General 2 course
•
Support for reporting achievement in the HSC Mathematics General 1 course.
Material available from the Board of Studies website at http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/mathematics-general.html
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre

Presentation of content
The Focus Studies are designed to be programmed over a continuous time period, as they provide students with the opportunity to apply, and develop further, the knowledge, skills and understanding initially developed in the Strands, as well as introducing some new mathematical content. It is intended that students develop, through the Focus Studies, the capacity to integrate their knowledge, skills and understanding across the Strands.
Mathematics General Stage 6 Syllabus, BOS, 2012, page 17
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre

Support material for General 1 and 2 http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/secondary/mathematics/years11_12/teaching/gen1_2/gen1_2.htm
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre

Support material for General 1 and 2
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre