The constraints of relevance on prevocational curriculum


Autoria(s): Doherty, Catherine
Data(s)

01/09/2015

Resumo

This paper reflects on how relevance has been invoked as a curricular principle, both by students and teachers, in curriculum documents and in curriculum theory, to explore its variously conceived parameters and conditions. By posing the questions ‘relevant to whom?’, ‘relevant to what?’, ‘relevant how?’ and ‘relevant when?’ this paper exposes relevance as both a curricular virtue and a curricular constraint. It draws on an empirical project undertaken in the prevocational curriculum offered in Australia’s recently extended compulsory schooling for students in non-academic pathways. Data vignettes offer windows into two settings to exemplify the different ways relevance can be interpreted, stretched or contested. Using Bernstein’s distinction between vertical and horizontal discourses and knowledge structures, the analysis identifies what is gained and what is lost when relevance, variously defined, serves as a principle for curricular selection.

Formato

application/pdf

Identificador

http://eprints.qut.edu.au/87219/

Publicador

Taylor & Francis (Routledge)

Relação

http://eprints.qut.edu.au/87219/3/87219.pdf

DOI:10.1080/00220272.2015.1069400

Doherty, Catherine (2015) The constraints of relevance on prevocational curriculum. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 47(5), pp. 705-722.

http://purl.org/au-research/grants/ARC/DE120100569

Direitos

Copyright 2015 Taylor & Francis (Routledge)

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Curriculum Studies on 01/09/2015, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00220272.2015.1069400

Fonte

Children & Youth Research Centre; School of Cultural & Professional Learning; Faculty of Education

Palavras-Chave #prevocational curriculum #relevance #compulsory schooling #vertical discourse
Tipo

Journal Article