Contemporary educational reform discourses in Taiwan call for the modernization of education to meet the needs of society of the 21st century. The principles and rules of 'reason' that historically order educational discourses can't be taken for granted. This article uses Popkewitz's notion of alchemy to think about the principles. The notions of…

In recent years, the curriculum programs have been changed dramatically in Turkey, as part of a comprehensive reform initiative. The history curriculum for secondary schools was subjected to this transformation as well. This study examines the curriculum reform in terms of teacher autonomy, a key-concept for the comprehension and improvement of…

Considers what happens to teachers and the curriculum when the philosophical and theoretical bases of subjects to which they are committed undergo significant change. Explores patterns of text choice for 9 teachers across 3 years. Finds all teachers were challenged into rethinking their views of literature. (SC)

Teachers' ability to act as full professionals is significantly limited by textbook programs in state and local curricula as well as the use of standardized achievement tests. Curriculum reform and upgrading of teacher professionalism go hand in hand. (SK)

Compares the production and selection of textbooks in the United Kingdom and North America with respect to such areas as derivation of textbook ideas, evaluation of the ideas, production, distribution, how and by whom the books are bought, and limitations on certain textbook topics. (GT)

The political implications of decisions on curriculum content are discussed. A review of the literature on school policies is analyzed with particular consideration of who determines what will be studied in the classroom and what bias may be reflected in textbook selection. It is argued that while it is generally assumed that boards of education…

Argues there is a problem with how California local school boards and district administration interpret curriculum and instruction in terms of their role in the evaluation of schools, teachers, and students. Notes that the California Teachers Association proposed legislation that would allow teachers to negotiate their role in decision-making…

The school curriculum has been under scrutiny in an attempt to improve the educational experiences of children, often in the form of federal and state control to make schools accountable for students' education. The goal of standardization is to increase minimum standards in all classrooms and to make sure that all students receive a foundation of…

The incorporation of multicultural content in to English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) instruction is discussed. First, the international role of English is examined, and the sociopolitical nature of language is reviewed. Cultural components of language learning are noted in the areas of discourse,…