The Making of a Curriculum: How history, politics and personal perspectives shape emerging policy and practice

Abstract

A new Norwegian curriculum is an integral part of the wider educational reforms of Laerplan 97 (L97). This study investigated curriculum genesis through the formulation of the subject syllabuses within broader related principles. Subject group leaders and some group members formulating documentation were interviewed. Representatives from the Norwegian Ministry of Education and the Minister for Education, in post when reforms were initiated, were also interviewed. Using the data, the study examines three interrelated in uences on curriculum policy making: political intervention, historical legacy and personal ideologies. The research sought personal perceptions of truth and knowledge about education, in particular curriculum formulation and content, so as to consider how the state and others together exercise and impose power on that search for truth and knowledge. (Donald, 1979). When documentation is complete, human involvement seems to be erased. Text seldom conveys the emotional, intellectual and ideological endeavours, the arguments, debates, experiences and decisions of participants involved in its creation. Beneath collective endeavours lie personal narratives. It is on these narratives that this paper focusses as it explores the interrelationships of political, historical and ideological in uences on individual perspectives, collective decision making and emergent policy. The paper identi es and explores tensions, con icts and achievements as curriculum policy is formulated and considers some related implications for Norwegian teachers as they seek to turn policy into practice within the parameters of their socio-historical legacies.

Curriculum Reform in Scottish Education: Discourse, Narrative and Enactment

“…CfE has shown that the making of policy needs to be viewed through a number of lenses -historical legacy, professional ideology, discursive shifts and teacher agency. This is consistent with Broadhead's account of the reform of the Norwegian curriculum, in which history, politics and personal narratives all contributed to the shaping of policy and practice (Broadhead, 2002).…”

All for one, and one for all: if texts hold power, to what extent does current Primary and Early Years documentation empower teachers?

“…In this respect, power is indeed a linear abstract: a top-down exercise with no opportunity on the part of the teacher for choice, preference or negotiation. Broadhead (2002) amplifies this observation. In a Norwegian study, a variety of stakeholders were interviewed and Broadhead noted an inverse correlation between teacher autonomy and curriculum inflexibility.…”

Curricular change in Turkey: Time, sequentiality, and differential power of actors in establishing a new knowledge path

“…Case studies empirically inquire into specific (national) processes of curriculum development (e.g., Carlgren 1995;Crawford 2000;Broadhead 2002). These inquiries are usually saturated with empirical data; and provide insight into various areas, dead ends, and problem-solving during such processes.…”

“…For an extensive discussion seeNohl and Somel (2016, pp. 59-76).6 For a similar research strategy, seeBroadhead 2002, and Crawford 2000. J Educ Change …”