Curriculum theory, curriculum policy and the problem of ill-disciplined thinking

This paper examines the implications of policy fracture and arms length governance within the decision making processes currently shaping curriculum design within the English education system. In particular it argues that an unresolved ‘ideological fracture’ at government level has been passed down to school leaders whose response to the dilemma is distorted by the target-driven agenda of arms length agencies. Drawing upon the findings of a large scale on-line survey of history teaching in English secondary schools, this paper illustrates the problems that occur when policy making is divorced from curriculum theory, and in particular from any consideration of the nature of knowledge. Drawing on the social realist theory of knowledge elaborated by Young (2008), we argue that the rapid spread of alternative curricular arrangements, implemented in the absence of an understanding of curriculum theory, undermines the value of disciplined thinking to the detriment of many young people, particularly those in areas of social and economic deprivation.

Nationalist historiography, Nation-state making and Secondary School History: Curriculum Policy in Zimbabwe 1980-2010

This paper studies the curriculum policy trajectories that have characterized the teaching of secondary school History as a subject that is historically enmeshed in the politics of nation-state making in post-independence Zimbabwe. Through content analysis, the paper examines the ways in which the post-independence History syllabi, namely 2166 and 2167, have drawn from recent historiographies to frame both the aims and content of school History. The argument developed is that both syllabi have been deployed to serve the envisaged nation-state project; with Syllabus 2166 associated with the socialist nation-state project of the 1980s and 2167 with patriotic history since 2000. The paper concludes that such (mis)uses of school are not unique to Zimbabwe, but represent the political instrumentalization of school History that has become prevalent throughout the world.

A history of a policy-level curriculum change in California

With the publication of A Nation at Risk (1983) educational reform has had a prominent place on the agenda of virtually every one of the sovereign states. As in many other states California focused much of its reform effort on the teaching of reading. In a political battle over the reading curriculum, California went from the English/Language Arts Framework of 1987, widely viewed as giving the state's imprimatur to whole language (an approach rooted in the learner's experience), to the English/Language Arts Frameworks (a more traditional or basic approach) of 1998 that called for the inclusion of phonemic awareness as the building block of reading instruction in all elementary schools. This study examined the historical record to determine the major forces behind this curriculum change. The results of this study are helpful to those who wish to better understand the relationship between political forces and curriculum change in the current age of educational reform. ^ This study utilized qualitative research methods and is presented as humanistic historical research (Landes & Tilly, 1971). The organizational framework for the study is taken from the work of M. Frances Klein (1991) which identifies seven different levels of curriculum decision-making. In this analysis particular attention was paid to the interaction of academic, formal, and societal levels, as the problem under consideration casts curriculum decision-making in the political realm. Three sources of information were used to provide the historical record. They include articles from popular newspapers and magazines, government documents, and interviews with individuals directly involved in the political process. ^ The results of this study demonstrate the power of societal forces over formal authority in making curriculum policy decisions. ^

Nuances in the embedment of ESDCG in the Azorean curriculum

Este capítulo tem origem na conferência «A Child's World - Working Together for a Better Future», que decorreu em Aberystwyth (Wales) entre 27 e 29 de Junho de 2012.

Implementing the Physical Literacy Component of the 2015 Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum: Is the Stage Set?

Introduction: Current physical activity levels among children and youth are alarmingly low; a mere 7% of children and youth are meeting the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines (Colley et al., 2011), which means that the vast majority of this population is at risk of developing major health problems in adulthood (Janssen & Leblanc, 2010). These high inactivity rates may be related to suboptimal experiences in sport and physical activity stemming from a lack of competence and confidence (Lubans, Morgan, Cliff, Barnett, & Okely, 2010). Developing a foundation of physical literacy can encourage and maintain lifelong physical activity, yet this does not always occur naturally as a part of human growth (Hardman, 2011). An ideal setting to foster the growth and development of physical literacy is physical education class. Physical education class can offer all children and youth an equal opportunity to learn and practice the skills needed to be active for life (Hardman, 2011). Elementary school teachers are responsible for delivering the physical education curriculum, and it is important to understand their will and capacity as the implementing agents of physical literacy development curriculum (McLaughlin, 1987). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the physical literacy component of the 2015 Ontario Health and Physical Education curriculum policy through the eyes of key informants, and to explore the resources available for the implementation of this new policy. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with seven key informants of the curriculum policy development, including two teachers. In tandem with the interviews, a resource inventory and curriculum review were conducted to assess the content and availability of physical literacy resources. All data were analyzed through the lens of Hogwood and Gunn’s (1984) 10 preconditions for policy implementation. Results: Participants discussed how implementation is affected by: accountability, external capacity, internal capacity, awareness and understanding of physical literacy, implementation expertise, and policy climate. Discussion: Participants voiced similar opinions on most issues, and the overall lack of attention given to physical education programs in schools will continue to be a major dilemma when trying to combat such high physical inactivity levels.

Implementing the Physical Literacy Component of the 2015 Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum: Is the Stage Set?

Introduction: Current physical activity levels among children and youth are alarmingly low; a mere 7% of children and youth are meeting the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines (Colley et al., 2011), which means that the vast majority of this population is at risk of developing major health problems in adulthood (Janssen & Leblanc, 2010). These high inactivity rates may be related to suboptimal experiences in sport and physical activity stemming from a lack of competence and confidence (Lubans, Morgan, Cliff, Barnett, & Okely, 2010). Developing a foundation of physical literacy can encourage and maintain lifelong physical activity, yet this does not always occur naturally as a part of human growth (Hardman, 2011). An ideal setting to foster the growth and development of physical literacy is physical education class. Physical education class can offer all children and youth an equal opportunity to learn and practice the skills needed to be active for life (Hardman, 2011). Elementary school teachers are responsible for delivering the physical education curriculum, and it is important to understand their will and capacity as the implementing agents of physical literacy development curriculum (McLaughlin, 1987). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the physical literacy component of the 2015 Ontario Health and Physical Education curriculum policy through the eyes of key informants, and to explore the resources available for the implementation of this new policy. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with seven key informants of the curriculum policy development, including two teachers. In tandem with the interviews, a resource inventory and curriculum review were conducted to assess the content and availability of physical literacy resources. All data were analyzed through the lens of Hogwood and Gunn’s (1984) 10 preconditions for policy implementation. Results: Participants discussed how implementation is affected by: accountability, external capacity, internal capacity, awareness and understanding of physical literacy, implementation expertise, and policy climate. Discussion: Participants voiced similar opinions on most issues, and the overall lack of attention given to physical education programs in schools will continue to be a major dilemma when trying to combat such high physical inactivity levels.

A HARD PUSH FOR SOFT SKILLS: AN EXAMINATION OF POLICY AND RESEARCH ON NON-COGNITIVE SKILLS IN CANADIAN K-12 SCHOOLING

Non-cognitive skills have caught the attention of current education policy writers in Canada. Within the last 10 years, almost every province has produced a document including the importance of supporting non-cognitive skills in K-12 students in the classroom. Although often called different names (such as learning skills, cross curricular competencies, and 20th Century Skills) and occasionally viewed through different lenses (such as emotional intelligence skills, character skills, and work habits), what unifies non-cognitive skills within the policy documents is the claim that students that are strong in these skills are more successful in academic achievement and are more successful in post-secondary endeavors. Though the interest from policy-makers and educators is clear, there are still many questions about non-cognitive skills that have yet to be answered. These include: What skills are the most important for teacher’s to support in the classroom? What are these skills’ exact contributions to student success? How can teachers best support these skills? Are there currently reliable and valid measures of these skills? These are very important questions worth answering if Canadian teachers are expected to support non-cognitive skills in their classrooms with an already burdened workload. As well, it can begin to untangle the plethora of research that exists within the non-cognitive realm. Without a critical look at the current literature, it is impossible to ensure that these policies are effective in Canadian classrooms, and to see an alignment between research and policy. Upon analysis of Canadian curriculum, five non-cognitive skills were found to be the most prevalent among many of the provinces: Self-Regulation, Collaboration, Initiative, Responsibility and Creativity. The available research literature was then examined to determine the utility of teaching these skills in the classroom (can students improve on these skills, do these skills impact other aspects of students’ lives, and are there methods to validly and reliably assess these skills). It was found that Self-Regulation and Initiative had the strongest basis for being implemented in the classroom. On the other hand, Creativity still requires a lot more justification in terms of its impact on students’ lives and ability to assess in the classroom.

The mirage of curricular autonomy

ECER 2014 "The Past, the Present and Future of Educational Research in Europe" will take place at the University of Porto from 1 - 5 September 2014.

Currículo e ensino de geografia: análise da implementação do programa São Paulo faz escola

Pós-graduação em Educação - FFC

A atuação do professor coordenador frente ao currículo oficial do estado de São Paulo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Ciclo de política curricular do estado do Pará (2008-2012): a enunciação discursiva sobre relações “raciais”

O presente estudo analisa os enunciados discursivos do ciclo de Política curricular do Estado do Pará sobre as relações “raciais” no período de 2008 a 2012, a partir da abordagem do ciclo de políticas, proposto por Stephen Ball. Nesta análise, é focalizada a produção das políticas no contexto de influência, contexto de produção de textos políticos e contexto da prática. O referencial teórico-metodológico que subsidia a análise parte da Teoria sócio-histórica e dialógica da linguagem com base em Bakhtin (2010, 2011), abordagem do ciclo de políticas abalizado pelas teorizações de Ball et al (1992), para os estudos acerca Relações “Raciais” partimos dos conceitos de Guimarães (1999, 2002, 2008) e Coelho (2009) sobre raça. E, sobre as relações sociais estabelecidas no campo educacional, utilizamos as noções conceituais de campo e de habitus em Bourdieu (2008, 2009, 2010). O estudo é de abordagem qualitativa (FLICK, 2004). Utilizamos como fontes de coleta de dados documentos orais e escritos, dentre os quais destacamos: Artigos, Teses e Dissertações sobre Relações “Raciais” e Política Curricular realizado em duas bases de dados nacionais e uma internacional: a) ANPED (GT-21); b) site da CAPES/PPGE; c) Fundação Ford. Publicações: a) Política de Educação Básica do Estado do Pará, especialmente o eixo da Política Curricular; b) I Conferência Estadual de Educação: Diagnósticos, diretrizes, objetivos e metas aprovadas; c) Educação Básica no Pará: elementos para uma política educacional democrática e de qualidade Pará todos (vol I e II) e entrevista semiestruturada com quatorze agentes sociais que atuavam na SEDUC, USE e escolas da Rede Pública Estadual, os quais participaram da Política Curricular do Estado do Pará. Os dados foram analisados por meio da análise do processo enunciativo-discursivo com base em Bakhtin (2010, 2011). A partir da análise da enunciação discursiva do ciclo de política curricular do Estado do Pará sobre as relações “raciais” e da interpenetração dos discursos entre os contextos de influência, contexto de definição de textos políticos e contexto da prática os resultados do estudo revelam que os diferentes enunciados produzidos nos variados contextos são marcados pela hibridização de discursos, resultado de processos de recontextualização. Infere-se que a política curricular do Estado do Pará se apresenta em inter-relações entre múltiplos contextos no ciclo de políticas (BALL, et al, 1992). A despeito do caráter contínuo e não hierarquizado das políticas, da articulação macro e micropolíticas avançarem em relação às abordagens estadocêntricas e do processo de recontextualização política que ocorre no contexto da prática, o estudo conclui que a política curricular do Estado do Pará existe como uma política de Estado, existe como uma política educacional. No entanto, na exequibilidade dessa política de Estado e educacional na escola no tocante as relações “raciais”, ela não ocorre por conta da fragilização da competência cultural e teórica desse agente social que deve executá-la. A fragilização está na concretização dessa política no contexto da prática. Há um problema entre o que se projeta e o que se prática, o que ajuda a atribuir a realidade social a disseminação e ratificação do racismo e discriminação nos diferentes contextos que compõe a política de currículo.

Avaliação da política curricular paulista: perspectiva docente sobre os cadernos do professor e do aluno

The current curriculum policy of the Secretary of Education in the State of Sao Paulo introduced into the education environment the Registrar of Teacher and Student - support material to ease the teacher's work and the student's learning, in order to address all the curriculum components created as strategy of learning. The resulting guidelines that aim to transform the everyday policies of educational institutions and the individuals who compose them, are incorporated into the school experience. These decisions, however, do not transfer into life outside the learning environment nor are they translated into the work of the teachers exactly as their creators intended. Thus, in order to better understand the curriculum policies introduced by the Registrar in schools, it is essential to comprehend the viewpoint of the teachers who themselves are both the targets and agents of curriculum policy, and later the Registrar. For that was made reflexive interviews with eigth teachers that teach in São Paulo metropolitan region, than we could see that they adapt their external determinations in their own reality

Uma viagem pela educação nas cercanias da década de 1980: a implantação da proposta curricular de matemática no estado de São Paulo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Educação sexual nos anos iniciais do ensino fundamental: currículo e práticas de uma escola pública da cidade de Marília-SP

Pós-graduação em Educação - FFC

O desafio da qualificação para o trabalho na perspectiva do Proeja no IFMT: política, fato e possibilidades

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)