The aim of an International Curriculum is to ensure that the stipulated pedagogical objectives, content of instruction, teaching-learning strategies and materials will lead to educational achievement. Thus, its role is to outline the social impact on educational systems and highlight the political role that education can play, as it will provide a basis of action for the future, with the aim of improving the curriculum and, by extension, helping people to accept change and diversity within a multiracial and multicultural society. Chapter I explores how inequality is rooted in and reproduced by economic, political and ideological forms and how the educational system contributes to hegemony. The object in Chapter II in studying French English Educational Systems has been, on the one hand, to use a comparative analysis to find out what social factors generally are at the root of the development of these distinctive forms of schooling, and on the other hand, to explore specific national differences in the chronology and forms of the development of state schooling. Chapter III highlights colonialism as a vitally important part of the heritage of most Third World countries and, in many instances - e.g. politics and education - influences relations between Madagascar and these countries - Britain and France. Chapter IV points out that underachievement is not a fate and highlights the phenomenon of underachievement as the effect of diverse factors such as social environment, socio-economic, socio-discrimination and institutional aspects.

This research contributes to a body of well established, albeit typically anecdotal, understanding across the UK further education sector that suggests there are significant limitations regarding the effectiveness of curriculum middle managers’ leadership practice. If further education provision is to keep up with or exceed expectations from industry, government inspections and other stakeholders, then a deeper more evidence-based understanding of this pivotal role is needed. This includes an assessment of motivating factors that drive-up effectiveness in the role, as well as an exploration of the barriers faced in practice. Ultimately, the work presents initiatives, which aim to best release the full potential of those in this role. It can be argued that finding ways to unlock this potential is of national importance. The impact of government intervention and financial constraints has created further impetus for FE colleges to increase efficiency and to reduce costs. Curriculum middle managers are both policy implementers and change makers and it is argued in this study that curriculum middle managers have the most difficult and challenging job within a further education college. The success of the role of the curriculum middle manager and their leadership practice is therefore critical in a college’s ability to realise its two most important strategic outcomes. Firstly, that a college operates with financial efficacy, and secondly that ongoing quality improvement in teaching, learning and assessment results in high student success rates, which are recognised by external stakeholders such as Ofsted. This research follows a constructivist research methodology framed within an interpretive hermeneutic. Focusing upon a detailed case study of a medium-size further education college, it utilises empirical data primarily derived from semi- structured interviews, documentary material and field observation of 14 curriculum middle managers. Particular attention is paid in the study to the key role of the curriculum middle manager in raising standards of teaching, learning and assessment to improve student success rates, whilst having to operate within an environment of increasing challenge and austerity. The findings derived from the experiences of curriculum middle managers suggest that, i) curriculum middle managers are having to operate at a relentless pace to meet unrealistic expectations, ii) senior managers are operating a top- down communication strategy with very little consideration of the feedback from curriculum middle managers, iii) curriculum middle managers experience a lack of meaningful staff development training when appointed and no training needs analysis is undertaken to support newly appointed curriculum middle managers and, most importantly, iv) the wealth of teaching and learning knowledge, expertise and experience is very often not embraced by the senior managers when new strategies are devised to improve the student experience. The findings suggest that senior managers have a significant role to play in supporting curriculum middle managers and ensuring that these individuals are fully valued and that their expertise is embedded within a culture of true consultation in order to energise and release the inherent potential within the role. Conclusions identify a range of practical considerations and examples for senior managers and further education leadership to consider in order to help address this phenomenon. The findings explore future implications for policy and practice within the further education sector, and for the related theoretical literature, along with suggestions for further research.

This thesis examines the relationship between headteachers and chairs of school governing bodies in Wales, exploring lay involvement in the governance of education. One main rationale for the thesis was the recognition that school governors constitute the biggest group of volunteers in the UK (400,000), 26,000 in Wales and are, theoretically, at least, a potentially powerful group. There have however been few studies on school governors. A multi-methodological approach was taken. Schools were initially selected in nine Welsh LEAs with three schools in three LEAs forming the case studies. Data revealed the key relationship between headteachers and governor chairs, the most notable tension between the ‘insider’ identity of the headteacher, and the ‘outsider’ identity of the chair. Governors, and chairs in particular however, tended to be professionals themselves, their ‘habitus’ inclining them to act in accordance with the values of headteachers, the two speaking the same ‘language’. Tensions between the chair’s community leadership role and the head’s professional position were also identifiable, although these were often offset by the chair’s relative insider identity, potentially muting the challenge to school practice. The study is located within a history of governors and schooling as governance. Michel Foucault, Basil Bernstein and Pierre Bourdieu provide a theoretical framework, giving rise to the following questions: What discourses are valued in school governing bodies and head/chair relationship? What are the effects of the coding of knowledge and discourse in the professional / lay interface? How are social dispositions of governors’ influential in how they conduct their role – and what are the political implications of this. Ultimately, the research addresses the question concerning the extent that governors can be agents for democratic participation in the context of local politics and national systems.

The research undertaken was an ethnographic study of a single junior school was founded on the premise that children have considerably more knowledge about ‘citizenship’ and democratic processes than their teachers appreciate or are willing to acknowledge. It was my contention that in developing a citizenship programme and scheme of work in school this should be taken account of to inform, not only the curriculum, but also teaching and learning. My concern was that without doing so, paradoxically, citizenship might have more to do with social control than the intended outcome of empowerment. A key finding of the study was that teachers taught social and moral responsibility rather than rights and that responsibility was inextricably linked to pupils’ behaviour. It also found that much of the information, knowledge and understanding, about democratic processes held by children appeared to be caught rather than taught. The study also showed that teachers taught about ‘safe issues’ whilst avoiding any teaching relating to local, national or world political events that might be contentious or controversial. From the findings a theoretical model for citizenship was developed that shows the relationship between citizenship knowledge, social control, empowerment, and teaching and learning. This study has contributed to the developing understanding of citizenship as it has been implemented in primary schools in England. The evidence suggests that unless teachers take account of pupils’ prior knowledge of citizenship they will by default indeed be teaching for social control rather than empowerment.

This study examines stakeholders’ experiences of the English primary curriculum reform of grades 3 and 4 in Omani state schools. At the macro level, it examines the impetus for reform and its aims. At the micro level, it examines the challenges and opportunities teachers experienced, the quality of support and training they received from supervisors and trainers, and the views of both students and their parents. A mixed methods design was adopted, using questionnaires, focus group interviews and one-to-one interviews. Phase 1 involved a scoping exercise in the Muscat (capital city) region through the collection of data vis-à-vis a questionnaire from primary school children (n=151) in years 3 and 4 and their parents (n=126). English teachers (n=5) were also interviewed in five schools. In Phase 2, emerging themes from Phase 1 were explored in greater depth through a questionnaire completed by primary school children (n=210) and their parents (n=191) from the AL Dahira region. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with students (n=13) from the Muscat and AL Dahira regions. Three focus group interviews were conducted with English teachers (n=15) in three regions (Muscat, AL Sharqia South and AL Dahira regions) supplemented with semi-structured interviews with policymakers (n=2), supervisors (n=3) and trainers (n=3) from the three regions. Although the findings indicated that progress had been achieved in introducing shared writing, reading time, vocabulary and grammar rules in grades 3 and 4 (reform), the findings also suggested that a number of challenges were identified. Teachers’ views about much of the contents of the compulsory school textbook in relation to choice of topics, the development of the productive skills, lack of resources, and problems with assessment were overwhelmingly negative. The gap between policymakers and teaching communities was also observed, where the latter emphasised the fact that they were not part of curriculum development process. Furthermore, it seems that curriculum reform was neither adequately underpinned by theoretical principles, nor supported with appropriate teacher development. Nonetheless, the study found a high level of enthusiasm for English learning amongst students and their parents. In essence, the study established tensions between the intended, written, supported and taught curricula, which have significant implications for future curriculum development.

There is concern around children’s lack of knowledge and understanding of food sources and production, and more broadly around their apparent disconnection from nature. Spending time in the outdoors has been shown to yield a range of benefits, although the mechanisms underpinning these are not well understood. Studies have suggested, however, that there has been a decline in time spent outdoors by children. The introduction of the ‘Curriculum for Excellence’ guidelines in Scotland was heralded as an opportunity to address this decline. Although the guidelines advocate the use of outdoor environments, little research has been conducted, and little guidance is available, on how teachers can and do use outdoor learning in relation to the guidelines, particularly beyond ‘adventure’ activities. Farms are utilised as an educational resource around the world. This research explored the use of educational farm visits, as an example of outdoor learning, in the context of Curriculum for Excellence. A qualitatively driven, mixed methods study, comprising survey and case study methodologies, was undertaken. A questionnaire for teachers informed subsequent interviews with teachers and farmers, and ‘group discussions’ with primary school pupils. The study found that teachers can link farm visits and associated topics with the Curriculum for Excellence guidelines in a range of ways, covering all curriculum areas. There was a tendency however for farm visits to be associated with food and farming topics at Primary 2-3 (age 6-7), rather than used more widely. Issues to consider in the planning and conduct of farm visits were identified, and barriers and motivations for teachers, and for farmers volunteering to host visits, were explored. As well as practical examples of the use of farm visiting, this research offers a perspective on some of the theoretical literature which seeks to explain the benefits of spending time outdoors. Furthermore, five main recommendations for farm visiting in the context of Curriculum for Excellence are given. These relate to the type of visit appropriate to different age groups, opportunities for teachers to become more familiar with what farms visits can offer, and raising awareness of the organisations and networks which can support volunteer farmers to host visits.

Kuwait, post-oil (1932), invested heavily in educational development at all levels. A curriculum was developed which included music, both Eastern and Western. Initially the piano was adopted, but the curriculum was broadened to include other Western instruments, more recently the clarinet. A need for a programme of training to produce versatile clarinet teachers in Kuwait was therefore identified. In order to ensure that the curriculum to be designed met the specific needs of Kuwaiti clarinet students, an analysis was made of the social, historical and geographical situation of the country, Kuwaiti Folk Music, Music in Islam, and curriculum and instrumental music teaching in Kuwaiti schools. From these initial findings the specific needs of Kuwaiti clarinet students were identified. These include adult beginners, no aural model of the clarinet, little familiarity with the clarinet repertoire, and no transferable instrumental technical skills. In order to support these students in their learning, theories of motivation were analysed, and situation-specific teaching strategies have been identified and developed. Simultaneously an analysis was made of clarinet teaching, past and present in Kuwait. From these recommendations best practice was identified. These informed curriculum development. As a consequence the Ahmad Alderaiwaish Clarinet Curriculum (AACC) for the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, Kuwait, was developed. Peer review and critical response followed. The AACC, which is in the form of five parts, delivers the clarinet teacher education element of the Bachelor of Arts programme. These parts are designed primarily for the student and include scales,arpeggios, exercises, pieces and recommended sources, both Eastern folk and classical, and Western music. The former have the additional benefit of preserving and promoting Kuwait’s cultural heritage. Complementary teaching equipment has been invented to introduce students to specific playing techniques with which they were not familiar, for example, breath control.

Education is seen to have a central role in the transition towards a sustainable future. Education for sustainable development (ESD) has been heralded by the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development as a tool for achieving global sustainability. The Scottish Government also advocates ESD as the means to providing society with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to live more sustainable lives. Whilst considerable progress has been made in Scotland’s schools, particularly primary schools, and to a lesser degree in university education, there has been limited evidence of the same success in Scotland’s colleges. There has been limited widespread investigation or published work on the advances of ESD in the Scottish college curriculum. This research aimed to explore if an ESD Practitioner could enhance the ESD landscape in Scotland’s colleges by producing learning and teaching materials for curriculum development that could be used by both staff and students. The research also planned to investigate the ESD backdrop in Scotland’s colleges, against which the intervention of curriculum development was set. To explore this, a survey was issued to all Scottish College Principals to determine their opinions of ESD at a senior management level. The survey also asked about the use of the learning and teaching materials within their college. Three colleges were then utilised as case studies to evaluate the use of the learning and teaching materials, within the curriculum, with staff and students. During the research period, the Scottish college sector underwent a major restructuring of college mergers, making this the most volatile period in Scottish college history. These changes impacted upon the research, frequently restricting the research process. Nonetheless, the research established that ESD development in Scotland’s colleges still requires significant work. Moreover, whilst the learning and teaching materials were found to have a modest impact upon the sustainability ethos of those who engaged with them, (particularly upon the students), it was established that effective ESD requires a multi-faceted approach to be successful. Curriculum development on its own will not achieve the step-change that is required for a future thinking society faced with the environmental challenges that are the result of a growing consumerist population, anthropogenic climate change and increasing social injustice. To meet these challenges in Scotland’s colleges, curriculum development must be linked to effective policy, management and drive, as well as campus management, and the recognition of all interested parties and stakeholders as co-constructors of ESD development. Not only is senior management support vital, there also needs to be a recognised sustainability staff member or group, or an ESD Practitioner, helping to drive the ESD agenda forward. Only then will Scotland’s colleges be effective in producing the sustainability focused society that is required.

No description available.

This thesis seeks to explore history teacher engagement in debates surrounding the 2013 draft National Curriculum for History and locates these in the wider context of English history teacher identity. The 2013 draft curriculum, which was announced in February, was withdrawn in August 2013 following complaints of political bias (see Smith, 2014). This “curriculum war” might be interpreted – as others have been (e.g. Crawford, 1998; Taylor & Guyver, 2011) - as an attempt by both the left and right to frame a curriculum which furthered their political metanarrative, but this research shows that such views are oversimplifications. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight history teachers in the north-west of England who actively opposed the draft curriculum and their responses were analysed using van Dijk’s (2009) sociocognitive approach to critical discourse analysis. These responses uncover a complex nexus of motivations in which political opposition is only a small strand. Instead, the strongest motivation was a deep loyalty to the epistemological and methodological underpinnings of their subject (Bernstein, 1999). In opposition to the narrow nationalist conception of school history, the interviews indicated strongly the existence of a social realist (Young, 2008) counter-hegemonic discourse which informs and underpins a vibrant history teaching community. This shared discourse argues that historical knowledge is constructed and contested, and that it should be taught as such (Lee, 1991). In this paradigm, the draft curriculum was opposed not because it advanced a rightist narrative, but because the concept of a single narrative was itself considered inherently unhistorical. The epistemological unity of the history teaching community contributes to a project-identity of resistance (Castells, 1997) which is further bolstered by the research activities of the Schools History Project and the Historical Association. A Gramscian (1971) analysis is used throughout, but history teachers are not found to be, in the main, Marxists. Gramsci’s work instead provides the framework for understanding the nature of the history-teaching community and the mechanics of its resistance.