This study examines the establishment of the national curriculum centre and the historical, political, social and educational
factors which contributed to the decision of the Minister for
Education on the recommendation of the Australian Education Council,
to establish such a centre.
This study looks at the historical background which resulted in
States' responsibility for education, at the Australian Constitution
which avoids any mention of education but which allows Commonwealth
support for education through grants to the States. It briefly traces
the development of an increasing Commonwealth involvement in education,
notes the very significant inquiries at national level into areas of
need resulting in reports such as the Murray Martin, Karmel and Kangan
recommending Commonwealth funding for specific areas of education.
Other significant institutions and influences are identified. These
include bodies such as the Australian Council for Education Research,
the Conference of Directors' General and the Australian Education Council.
The Commonwealth Department of Education is seen to play a major part in
the decision to establish a national curriculum centre supported as it
has been in this policy, by all major political parties and by successive
governments in office.
Much of this concern for curriculum reflects an environment of change
typical of the 60's both educationally and politically. It was a period
when philosophies of education and attitudes to the whole process of
schooling were being questioned.
Some influence emerges from contact by Australian teachers and academics
with major overseas curriculum centres, notably the Schools Council and
from large scale curriculum projects both in the U.S. and the U.K., notably
in the area of science.
A variety of factors contributed to the Australian Science Education
Project as a major national curriculum program which gave support to the
view that all States and systems could and would co-operate, with some
Commonwealth support, in the provision of curriculum materials and the
development of curricula with relevance for all Australian students.
UNESCO conferences such as that at Burwood in 1967 on the "Teaching
of the Social Sciences at the Secondary Level" and the Sydney one
concerned with the Teaching of English, among others, brought together
a range of concerned teachers who were involved in the subsequent
establishment of the National Committee on Social Science Teaching and
the National Committee for Teaching English. A third Committee, the
Asian Studies Co-ordinating Committee arose from a Commonwealth inquiry
into the teaching of Asian language and culture. These three committees
undertook programs in curriculum development which responded to the need
for work in these areas, and for the need for such programs to involve all
States and systems and to rationalise expenditure and utilise available
expertise in the curriculum area.
This study supports the view that the Curriculum Development Centre,
established under a 1975 Act of Parliament by that name, is a unique step
in the development of a national view of education and an example of a
co-operative model of development of curriculum at a national level. It
is not solely a funding body nor does it direct funds to State Departments.
Its small budget maintains a secretariat and a curriculum staff with
involvement and concern for national issues and the avoidance of overlaps
and duplication, and for the rationalization of resources. Its decision
making process requires involvement by all State departments, by Contact
Officers from State, Catholic and Independent schools and an input from
specialists in the field, from parents, academics, and the community. In
this regard it represents a marked change from the strictly State based
curriculum pattern in Australia.
The role of the Australian Education Council, the Commonwealth Department
of Education, the Australian Council for Education Research and two major
UNESCO conferences are examined as significant influences.
This study identifies other influences, political, social, educational and
financial which were significant in the decision by the Government of the
day to establish a national curriculum centre, and the persons and institutions
which influenced that decision, and worked to achieve its establishment,
The process of change is examined and the rational, re-educative and power
co-ercive strategies used by those seeking to effect a change in school
curriculum in Australia and to establish a national centre for curriculum
development,are identified.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/219222 |
| Date | January 1980 |
| Creators | Moran, Beth, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Education |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Beth Moran |
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