A recipe for success? Localized implementation of a (flexible) National Curriculum

Abstract

National Curriculum frameworks are now in place in both England and Wales and Australia. Those in England and Wales are seen as prescriptive and rigid, whereas those in Australia are more flexible. Based on case study research as part of the OECD's Innovations in Science, Maths and Technology Education Project, the authors found that the Australian model of national frameworks with localized interpretation and implementation has worked well. Even though Ministers of Education might equate curriculum with content, the authors found that teachers had a much broader view of curriculum and saw it not only as content, but also as including professional development, pedagogy and student-teacher relationships. Consequently, as a result of adapting the National Curriculum to suit the local context of the school, teachers were changing their pedagogical practices. The data indicate that overprescription with national curricula at the system level should not be attempted and, instead, a more flexible implementation at the local level will result in continuity in curriculum across states, systems, schools and grades, but with a contextualized focus.

Teacher learning communities and educational change in Scotland: the Highland experience

“…Distributed leadership has been suggested to be powerful lever in developing innovation. Blase (1998) highlights the importance of teachers' political participation in the decision‐making process, a conclusion supported by Smyth et al (1998) and Cowley and Williamson (1998). Priestley and Sime (2005), in their evaluation of a primary school's AifL project, found that the roles of two teachers who led the assessment working party had given considerable impetus to the project and helped the staff to own the initiative.…”

Information technology skills development and the new problematik

“…First, the public compulsory education sectors are experiencing new forms of governance and accountability. For example, the curriculum for schools in OECD countries is increasingly being set through a national process (Cowley & Williamson, 1998), while accountability for decision-making is increasingly located at the level of the individual school.…”

Ruffling the calm of the ocean floor: merging practice, policy and research in assessment in Scotland

“…Many writers (e.g. Cowley & Williamson, 1998;Spillane, 1999) have pointed to the increased likelihood of teachers internalising reforms if they prove to be popular with pupils; this certainly seemed to be the case with the teachers reporting most success. Examples abound; for instance one secondary teacher reported that she had rediscovered the joy of teaching due to the impact of strategies adopted.…”

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