Embedded Files
We strongly recommend you consider the following when planning, creating and reviewing learning resources:
Curriculum alignment: ensure planned content is accurate and consistent with the syllabus (and supporting documentation).
User considerations: review and modify planned content to ensure it supports learning for all users.
Department requirements: check that planned content meets departmental and legal requirements (e.g. copyright and accessibility).
Steps for addressing each area are explained below. You may also want to use a checklist (see example checklist) to assist with planning content that aligns with expectations for the SLL.
Curriculum alignment
Curriculum alignment
Ensuring accuracy and consistency
Ensuring accuracy and consistency
Each video, activity and resource published on the SLL represents the NSW Department of Education. The resource must complement existing department resources, documentation and guidelines.
The components of each resource must:
be accurate and align with the latest syllabus e.g. terminology and pedagogy used
align with other supporting curriculum documentation e.g. syllabus teacher guides
demonstrate best practice, as determined by the department e.g. as described in department guidelines and as demonstrated in example videos created by the department.
Ensuring curriculum alignment
Ensuring curriculum alignment
English
Years K-2 English syllabus
Examples of best practice
Mathematics
Years K-2 mathematics syllabus
Examples of best practice
Using the online syllabus
The online version of the syllabuses is wonderful for exploring teaching advice and examples specific to a particular content point.
Whilst you can download a document version of the syllabus (and supporting documentation), the online version will always be the most up-to-date.
Screenshot from the English Early Stage 1 online syllabus
Using the glossary
The glossary is for teachers. It uses language for education specialists. It is not 'student-friendly' language.
To see examples of language you would use with students to explain a concept, refer to the units and teaching advice documents.
User considerations
User considerations
Inclusive
Inclusive
As described on the resource design page, the content must be useful and inclusive for all students.
Read that page carefully when considering what content to include when planning and designing resources.
Use cases
Use cases
As described on the resource design page, the resources are used in many contexts. Consider:
Is this resource designed for students as the main user?
Could this resource be used in the identified 'common use cases'?
Resource design
Resource design
Resources must be designed to address certain criteria, as described on the resource design page. They must:
address a single learning intention
allow for approx 15-20 minutes of student engagement
incorporate feedback
be understood as a discrete, standalone resource.
Department requirements
Department requirements
Copyright
Copyright
Important notes about copyright:
All material used in a resource must be copyright compliant. This may be achieved by obtaining a licence for reproduction and/or requesting permission to use copyrighted material from an author.
Third-party material within a resource must be attributed, regardless whether it is free to use or not.
An accurate Creative Commons attribution is required when using copyright-free material.
Attributing or referencing copyrighted material is not the same as having permission or a licence to use it within a publicly-available resource.
For more information, view the copyright section of the style guidelines.
Use the Smartcopying website to view detailed copyright guidelines and reference guides for Australian education departments. Useful pages on the website include:
Accessibility
Accessibility
All content should adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. Content needs to be presented in a way that allows all students to complete activities and engage with the content.
Students should be able to complete activities and have access to suitable alternatives as needed (e.g. an option to read a transcript instead of listening to an audio clip). Select the arrow to view examples.
Videos have accurate closed captions.
Videos use dialogue to sufficiently describe actions and/or written content being demonstrated on screen (e.g. "I am drawing my triangle with 3 equal sides.")
Videos frequently use visuals to convey dialogue being spoken.
Audio-only content (such as podcasts) includes an accurate transcript.
Images and graphics in activities use meaningful alt text that allows a student to understand and complete the task. They do not give the answer to the question or are incorrectly marked as decorative.
Digital activities are screen-reader compatible.
Colour should not be the only visual means of conveying information. For example, highlighting verbs in red and adjectives in green (using colour alone to differentiate) would not be appropriate.
Colour contrast is appropriate. Use a colour contrast checker to confirm foreground and background colours are not too similar, making it difficult for users to interpret the image.
Font size, type and spacing is appropriate; text is not too small, cramped or challenging to read. Note: most student components of SLL resources require NSW Foundation Font for all text.
For more information, view WCAG 2.1 and the accessibility section of the style guidelines.
Hint: The Web Accessibility Initiative website also has lots of great tips for making audio and video media accessible. It covers planning (storyboarding), filming and post-production.
Accessibility assists all users, not just those with disability. By adding in closed captions, for example, users watching a video without headphones also benefit. By including supporting imagery, users with limited literacy (including students, parents and carers learning English) also benefit.
Style guide
Style guide
It is important that all resources published by the NSW Department of Education have a consistent look and feel. The student resource style guidelines have been designed to ensure consistency, accessibility and readability across all student resources.
The guidelines include requirements for:
documents (Word documents, PDF files)
typography (font size, line spacing)
punctuation (including apostrophes and capitalisation)
writing lists, numerals and equations
using bold, underlines and italics.
Planning resource content
Planning resource content
Planning
Planning
In order to create resources that meet the project and department requirements, we strongly recommend you factor in the following when planning for and designing a Student Learning Library (SLL) resource.
Key considerations are unpacked in the steps below. You may also want to use a checklist (see example checklist) to assist with planning content that aligns with expectations for the SLL.
Submission for approval
Submission for approval
When and how a supplier submits unit plans, video scripts and activity plans will be negotiated between the supplier and their DoE support team.
The timing and level of detail required (before script writing can commence) may vary depending on the focus of the resource. Specific expectations be communicated throughout the project.
Example resource planning checklist
Resource planning checklist (Word doc, 23KB)
Prepare – curriculum alignment
Prepare – curriculum alignment
Read the relevant syllabus (including footnotes and glossaries) for the topic and identified content point.
Read the associated teacher advice guide for that learning area (e.g. handwriting, measurement) to see important pedagogical notes describing best practice and preferred terminology.
Read any additional information we have provided you for that specific topic (e.g. terminology guide for 2D shapes).
Explore the units to see recommended teaching and learning activities that use preferred pedagogy and terminology in context.
Watch any videos linked to in the units, as these model best practice.
Note: If there are differences in information (between advice, terminology and examples) in the unit and the syllabus, the syllabus should be preferenced. Where uncertain, please do not make assumptions but seek advice from NSW SLL team.
Plan – resource design
Plan – resource design
Determine the specific learning intention for the resource.
View examples of each asset (videos, digital activities and offline activities) where available, for guidance and ideas.
Create an overview describing the resource.
Write the video script. Think about and plan the digital and offline activities.
Note: We will review your proposed scripts first. The video script forms the basis of your resource, so it's important this is correct before anything is created.
Modify – user considerations
Modify – user considerations
Use a checklist and/or personas to determine whether your intended resource will be inclusive and suitable for our diverse range of users.
Consider the resource through the lens of at least 3 common use cases.
Confirm the intended resource meets the resource design criteria.
Modify the resource plan as required, to address any concerns identified from the above.
Check – department requirements
Check – department requirements
Check that all content (e.g. texts, images, video and audio) meet copyright guidelines and are attributed correctly.
Identify and mitigate any accessibility concerns.
Confirm the intended resource meets the style guide requirements.
Create, review and remediate content
Create, review and remediate content
Before submitting content for approval, we strongly recommend you review each asset (videos and activities) against the review and remediation criteria. This criteria encompasses the above (curriculum alignment, user considerations, department requirements), so by factoring these into your planning from the start, your planned content will be more likely to meet the criteria.
Remember: Everything that is published on the SLL represents the NSW Department of Education. It needs to be correct, aligned to the syllabus, inclusive and of high quality. For quality control, we must have rigorous review and remediation processes in place.
Part 1 – Draft review and remediation
Part 1 – Draft review and remediation
Supplier submits a resource plan and/or video script for review.
Department reviews content and requests adjustments if needed.
Suppliers submit draft digital and offline activities.
Department reviews activities and requests adjustments if needed.
Note: If a change request is not identified as optional (or marked as a suggestion), it must be actioned for the plan or draft resource to be approved.
Part 2 – Create content
Part 2 – Create content
Create video/s. Refer to guidance on the video page.
Create digital activity/ies. Refer to guidance on the digital activity page.
Create offline activity/ies. Refer to guidance on the offline activity page.
Note: check image use across assets aligns with the guidance on the images page.
Review all of the resource components against the rubric, using internal quality assurance process. Keep detailed documentation of this as the Department may request a record of internal quality assurance.
Part 3 – Asset review and remediation, acceptance testing
Part 3 – Asset review and remediation, acceptance testing
Supplier submits completed video, digital and offline activities for review.
Department reviews assets and requests adjustments if needed.
Suppliers remediates assets, if required. Supplier submits updated assets for review.
Department completes final reviews and acceptance testing.
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