This paper reflects on how relevance has been invoked as a curricular principle, both by students and teachers, in curriculum documents and in curriculum theory, to explore its variously conceived parameters and conditions. By posing the questions "relevant to whom?", "relevant to what?", "relevant how?" and…

This paper explores how the discourse of history "works" in the context of Malaysian junior-secondary education. Using the tools of systemic functional linguistics, a representative selection of school texts is deconstructed. By focusing on the intimate relationship between ideology, context, and text, characteristic purposes and their…

This study uses the tools of functional linguistics to illuminate the writing requirements of the history curriculum in the context of Australian secondary schools. It shows how the resulting linguistic description was integrated into a sequence of teaching and learning activities through collaboration between linguists and content/pedagogic…

Discusses teenage girls' life experiences as a way to identify sources of conflict emerging from their cultural perspectives. Considers some theoretical issues relevant to the development of a critical pedagogy and the empowerment of teenage girls. Offers a starting point for thinking about appropriate ways for feminist educators to work with…

Examines the recent influences on and development of upper-secondary Australian education. These influences include youth unemployment, rapid technological and social change, immigration, increasing federal role, and limited entry to tertiary education. Changes include broader curriculum planning to include all students, and improvement of the…

Discusses a study designed to evaluate the relationship between curriculum innovation and the classroom instructional methods of teachers and their students. Concludes that although significant changes in classroom practices accompany the introduction of a new curriculum package, the changes were antithetical to the intentions of the package…

Maintains that Australian curriculum governance takes place at different levels and all are targets of competing debates. Reviews recurring social influences and themes between 1981 and 1991. Asserts that the trend toward the devolution of management and curriculum control to local schools is the key to restructuring efforts. (CFR)