This paper explores the challenges for teachers in positioning them as independent curriculum makers. History teachers in New Zealand have recently entered uncharted territory with the abandonment of prescribed topics for history and a new-found authority to determine the selection of historical knowledge taught to their senior secondary students.…

A recent national curriculum guide for upper secondary schools in my home country, Iceland, requires secondary schools to work towards equality and five other overarching aims. This requirement raises questions about to what extent secondary schools have to change their curricula in order to approach these aims or work towards them in an adequate…

This article describes and reflects our experiences as researchers in a design-based research project on a curriculum innovation focused on meaningful, co-operative learning in vocational education in the Netherlands. The project was successful in gaining insights in possible practices for workplace learning but did only partly realize the…

One of the missions of a university is the creation and dissemination of knowledge. Because this work is traditionally divided among scores or even hundreds of academic and research units for the convenience of the producing scholars and the orderly retrieval of this knowledge, the problem of introducing university students to the world of…

This paper evaluates the extent to which the implementation and assessment of the new citizenship curriculum in England treats learners as citizens or subjects by evaluating whether the interests of state or citizen predominate. Philosophical, contextual, and practical perspectives on citizenship education are drawn upon to evaluate mechanisms…

Describes and analyzes the Nigerian Secondary Schools Science Project which was adapted for use in the school system by the University of Lagos, Nigeria. Found that imprecision and lack of coherence in stating performance objectives led to confusion in interpretation by teachers. (KO)

Discusses theories of curriculum objectives ranging from mainstream social science to the view of education as an autobiographical experience. Includes initial responses to "currere" and existential and phenomenological foundations of its intellectual framework. Suggests that reconceptualism represents one of the best hopes for keeping…

Focuses on differentiation in the British upper-secondary curriculum as a means of determining "who gets what, where, and under whose control." Argues that selection by differentiation is becoming more entrenched in upper and lower-secondary education and that it has met little effective opposition. (GEA)

Studies the curriculum changes in Finnish compulsory education between 1881-1985, specifically examining the distribution of subjects throughout the curriculum. Argues that state intentions establish an ideal, but have failed to change school practices and the hidden curriculum. (GEA)

Reviews recent literature concerning subject choice and curriculum planning. Charts a centrist course between classical humanist ideology and radical reform that would place all power in the hands of students. Maintains that young people need a balanced mix of guidance and freedom. (MJP)

Utilizes New York state's development and attempted implementation of multicultural education as a case study providing a concise yet thorough examination of the principles, objectives, and controversies surrounding this issue. Delineates the people and organizations involved in grass roots organizing and media representation on both sides of the…

Asserts that a trend toward vocationalism in Australian schools has been underway since the 1970s. Examines educational restructuring efforts in Australia and describes their relationship to Australian political developments. Argues for a reconstruction of democratic social democracy within the framework of vocationalism. (CFR)