Common Futures, Different Pasts- Global solutions to curriculum challenge

Curriculum is changing everywhere. Everyone is working on developing curriculum, but no one is getting it completely correct.

Curriculum for Excellence - a good approach, but is it enough?

Common futures, different pasts.

Countries come from different places, with different political, ideological pasts.

We are all part of a global economy - and global security is important anywhere.

More students are studing to a higher level, and from the same schools.

Knowledge society
The globalised curriculum - we have misused some global education projects for own interests. PISA has meant people chasing the carrot rather than effecting change.

“Knowledge Society” an important phrase. This means the system must be flexible at a global level or a school level. Do we have this at a school level? Is our curriculum prescribing what is done?

Flexibility is a precondition for creativity. Is a school a creative place to work and learn?

Classroom has to have space for taking risks. Ingenuity must be a part of the process. Ideas must be used to solve practical/technical/social problems.

Education Policies

Currently:

Achievement targets are important. Test scores are important too.

This leads to curricular uniformity.

What is happening?

GERM - promotion by international institutions and bilateral donors - Global Education Reform Movement.

- an orthodoxy of curriculum round the world.

Higher standards have led to a centralised curriculum. A need for emphasising literacy but geared towards passing tests.

ICT in schools has been a huge investment but some countries fall behind.

Consequential accountability is still v. important.

Trust is disappearing - teachers don’t trust the system because it does not trust them.

In England, of those who enter Oxbridge, half come from 200 schools. Two tier education system (business class and economy class).

The high quality public education is essential in creating the things that we need in a knowledge economy.

The Craziness.

Curriculum as product - programmes, studies and courses.

Or, Curriculum as process - content less imporant, more how things are done.

Or Curriculum a Framework - state framework.

Or Curriculum as Outcomes

Or Curriculum as standard - documented standards.

Testing and curriculum

Interesting cases for this from USA -

Content - less or more for testing

Control?

Effects of high-stakes testing on curriculum. (Wayne Au, 2007)

Qualatitive research studies - 69% courses contracted, 29% expanded subject matter.

Knowledge form - 49% fractured, 29% integrated.

Pedagogy- 66% teacher centred, 12% student centred.

Assessment and accountability affected heavily by tests.

“We are all pressured by SATs and I guess that group work does not fit into preparing the children well for tests”

Curriculum and change

Is aCfE bringing anything new or just an improvement?

Will more of the same make a difference?

“If the horse you are riding dies, get off”

battery going so this is all for now!