Introduction:
The education system in Ireland has always been a considerable point of discord. It has been the focus of numerous debates and reforms. Many of these initiatives have been heralded as exemplary feats of innovation and reform in there early days and then rapidly seem to deteriorate over time. Even our success stories appear as isolated pockets of excellence are as likely to atrophy as to prosper (Fullan, 2001). The power to select and shape curriculum in Ireland has predominately rested in the hands of the privileged few. As a consequence of this the values and rationale underlining Irish curriculum have persistently lacked consultation, partnership and connectivity with the true drivers and targets of the initiatives. This has led to the repeated introduction of new reforms and the repeated failures of these reforms in the most vicious of cyclical processes. As we stand on the cusp a truly radical educational reform, this paper will outline how the NCCA are transcending past failures and resistance to change by sectoral interests to create an educational reform that will if politically and locally supported alter the fabric of the educational system and Irish society. This will be done by critically evaluating the importance of consultation/ partnership in successful reforms, the approach that the NCCA are taking and finally the values in these proposed changes and how they compare to the current school culture and curriculum. According to Fullan, “the failure to institutionalize an innovation underlies the disappearance of many reforms”. (Fullan, 2001, p748) As with any real reform of a system it requires partnership and consultation with all invested bodies. It can be said of past reforms that this never occurred. ...
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Connected to this theme is the development of a shared, lived experience, where students and teacher are involved in an ongoing negotiation of curriculum. In the first 13 chapters, Paley’s central focus is to develop a learning community within the safety of the classroom. In the second half of her book, Paley illustrates how the combination of these two themes in turn offers an opportunity for what we call an opening up of the definition of curriculum. This review is an analysis of these three themes within the organizational framework of Paley’s book. The theme of children and teachers as co-creators of curriculum is established in the first chapter when Paley says, “Each year I wait to be reawakened by a Reeny … something to ponder deeply and expand upon extravagantly” (p.10). Reeny responds to this call by asserting herself early on as a curriculum leader in Paley’s classroom. Because children themselves are curriculum makers and leaders, curriculum cannot be imposed upon the learner. Ultimately, this opening up of the discussion of what curriculum means is established by Reeny in the last lines of the book when she announces: “But I’m thinking, why don’t you stay and we’ll talk about it. Don’t fly away. See we can keep talking about it, okay?” (p. 99). It is in Reeny’s utterance that we understand—the curriculum conversation must necessarily begin with students’
The essay will commence by focusing on the1944 Education Act, as it was "the most important piece of educational legislation since 1902" (Gosden, 1983:3). There was a great need for this Act, because the Second World War caused considerable disruption to the educational system. As Dunford and Sharp point out, "evacuation, staff shortages and suspension of building programmes all created their own problems. War also brought important changes in social attitudes, and [...] there was a determination for a better future" (Dunford and Sharp, 1990:17). Therefore there was a need to remodel the current education system "in order to ensure that every child would go to a secondary school" (Gosden, 1983:1). Planning for reconstruction of education culminated in the Education Act of 1944, which is also known as the Butler Act.
Gutek, Richard L. Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Education: A Biographical Introduction. Prentice Hall, Columbus OH. p. 196-217.
In modern democratic society school curriculum has become a prioritised concern for many citizens. It is a key factor in the shaping of future generations and the development of society. Decades have lapsed and numerous attempts have been made to produce a national curriculum for Australia. In 2008 it was announced that the Rudd government in collaboration with State and Territories would produce a plan to move towards a national curriculum (Brady & Kennedy, 2010). To date this has been realised in the deliverance of the Australian Curriculum v1.2 which will be examined in this paper.
Definitions for curriculum are many and varied. Broad sweeping statements claim that curriculum is what is taught in various subjects and the amount of time given to each. While a more specific view is that curriculum are performance objectives for students that focus on specific skills or knowledge (Marsh, 2010). Marsh (2010, p. 93) defines curriculum as “an interrelated set of plans and experiences” that are completed at school. The curriculum used in education can have various interpretations, it may refer to the curriculum as a plan that encompasses all the learning that is planned and directed by the school. Cu...
Hunger is a film written by Edna Walk and Steve McQueen and also directed by Steve McQueen. McQueen, an Englishman, is known in the art industry for having a very creative and detailed eye for identifying, capturing, and magnifying the slightest detail and assigning it a multitudinous of different contextual meanings. Hunger, McQueen’s first feature film, does not disappoint or deviate from his artistic fashion and as a result, Hunger brings to life the political, social, and disturbingly graphic conflicts that occurred in the Maze prison complex during the hunger strike of 1981. The historical context of Hunger, being released into the current media market, acts as an emotional thermometer for gauging how modern-day society remembers, learns from, and reflects on this modern-day historical event that is personal, yet, controversial to many people in the UK and around the world.
Bartlett, S and Burton, B (2007) Introduction to education studies. 2nd ed. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
I agree with Diamond’s idea that economic advantage, social value and prestige and vested interests could prevent a new innovation from being accepted. However, a new innovation can still ...
The authors assert that three issues are paramount to any assessment of a curriculum in higher education. The first deals with the “reason for existence” issue raised by Whitehead (i.e. Are we doing the right thing?). The second issue has to do with examination of whether we are accomplishing our goals (i.e. Are we doing the right thing right?). The final issue involves how we can assess whether we are doing the "right thing right."
While curriculum documents make many demands, they are inherently flexible documents that do not crowd the school year anymore than a teacher chooses. It is both logical and specified by policy () for curriculums to be integrated, which enables more time to cater individual student needs and develop interdisciplinary skills and knowledge. In the quest for efficient and effective models, inquiry has come to the fore. Therefore, facts, content and processes in contemporary Australian curriculums are best taught by integrating different learning areas through inquiry. This is consistent with the author’s personal philosophy of teaching and learning(Hamilton, 2016), and can be demonstrated through policy documents; the curriculum; and inquiry models.
For this program outcome I chose my curriculum analysis paper from CUR 512, Curriculum Analysis and Planning. In this course we defined curriculum, the aspects that are considered when writing curriculum, the theoretical perspectives found within curriculum, and the goals of the curriculum. By writing this paper, I was able to focus in on a unit that I teach in third grade social studies to get a full picture of the curriculum. I was also able to see the complex issues surrounding the curriculum that I never previously noticed.
Behrens, Laurence and Rosen, Leonard J. Writings and Readings Across the Curriculum. New York: Longman, 2000. Pgs. 351,355, 343, 341, 352
Curriculum is important being it’s the underlying factor that plays a role in determining ones growth, achievement and success. The majority of curriculum con...
Since then, Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction has been a standard reference for anyone working with curriculum development. Although not a strict how-to guide, the book shows how educators can critically approach curriculum planning, studying progress and retooling when needed. Its four sections focus on setting objectives, selecting learning experiences, organizing instruction, and evaluating progress. Readers will come away with a firm understanding of how to formulate educational objectives and how to analyze and adjust their plans so that students meet the objectives. Tyler also explains that curriculum planning is a continuous, cyclical process, an instrument of education that needs to be fine-tuned.
Educational system can be said to be effective, from my point of view: it can be very effective to be in place. The structure, quality, subject taught, funding and etc. are all part of the system to bringing an individual closer to perfection. It is proven to be effective as the system of education are been reviewed from time to time by the governing body. “Is what we do as individual to ourselves and what others do for us that bring us closer to perfection for our nature” (Durkheim, 1956) . The state and local government are responsible for education in the States, as for the UK, the Department of Education is responsible. This essay will focus on the similarities and differences of the primary educational system of the United Kingdom and the States, in terms of structure, funding, and subject taught, concluding that the Educational system of the UK is more effective than that of the States.