The Report of the Working Committee on College Proposals for
the Australian Capital Territory (Campbell Report, 1972) led to
far-reaching changes in senior secondary education. Hawker College,
opened in 1976, is one of eight resulting government secondary
colleges. The writer, a member of the Committee, has been Assistant
Principal (Curriculum) at Hawker since its inception. This field
study examines the dynamics, nature and achievements of curriculum
change at Hawker, from the planning year in 1975, to 1980. Data
includes student surveys and interviews; discussions with teachers,
administrators and counsellors; college curriculum documents; and
the writer's own observations.
The Campbell Report's educational philosophy was eclectic, and
"progressive". Strengths and weaknesses of the Working Committee's
analyses and recommendations are assessed. Seven curriculum aims
"clusters" are synthesized: four concerned with individual development,
and three with the student as an effective, contributing member of
society.
ACT systemic strategies and structures fostered and sustained
purposeful curriculum innovation, despite some problems and shortcomings.
In the optimistic, idealistic climate of 1975, enthusiastic,
pre-identified teachers planned Hawker's curriculum, often co-operating
with staff of other colleges. Course writers' aims were highly
congruent with those of the Campbell Committee. Teachers of some
subjects used course models from overseas and interstate. Others
developed ideas quite innovative for Australia as a whole, and sometimes
without known precedent anywhere.
Almost all the curriculum aims espoused by the Campbell Report
are reflected in written or "unwritten" course aims. In content,
a core of basic subjects are very similar to those offered for the
NSW HSC. Others offer students either greater breadth or depth than
does the NSW curriculum, or attend to the affective and psychomotor
domains. Most teachers had modified their pedagogy, moving to a
more progressive style.
Hawker has had significant success in promoting students'
individual 'development. It has been markedly less successful in
preparing students to function within, and contribute to, society.
The opening of ACT secondary colleges coincided with widespread
social innovation and with changes in educational administration,
funding, staffing structures and teacher education. All these
created a favorable milieu for curriculum innovation. By the early
1980s, teacher weariness, some disillusionment, and social, political
and administrative changes were apparent. These have slowed the
rate of educational change and caused Hawker teachers to re-evaluate
their aims, course content, and methods.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/218830 |
| Date | January 1980 |
| Creators | Chapman, Lance Edward Harold, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Education |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Lance Edward Harold Chapman |
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