Workshop5:CurriculumandtheRoleofSchooling

Lectures

Socialisationprocess,inform,learning,childcare,productivity,socialmobility.

IndoctrinationofAustraliancitizenshipandpoliticalvalues.

Hiddencurriculum:prescribedlanguage,diversityorlackthereofpresent,accesstoATARor

VocationalEducation.

Schoolsnotneutralenvironments,theyaremiddleclassinstitutions.

Socialmobility:canhelpusmoveuptheladderbutcanalsokeepusinourplace.

Curriculumreflectsasetofassumptionsaboutwhatisvaluableinhumanaffairsandeducation

generally.

AustraliancurriculuminfluencedbyUKandUScurriculums.

Readings

Theprolongingofchildhood.Subjugationofthelowerclasses.Thedullingofcognitive

learning.Custodialcare,socialroleselection,indoctrination,andeducation.Reimer

Staticnatureofschooling.Genderinequalities.Ashifttoalearnerperspective.Continued

prevalenceofCompetitiveAcademicCurriculum.GroundwaterSmith

Differentideologiesimpactknowledgeunderstandingsandlearningpathways.Curriculum

considerationspurposes,content,organisationandevaluation.Linearprogression.Ewing
Workshop

Considerhowyourviewsandbeliefsinformyourperspectivesontheroleofschooling.

Globalisationofeducation.CompetitionfromvastpopulationsofstudentsinIndiaandChina.

Ubiquityoftechnologyinthemodernworldandthepaceatwhichitdevelopsandtransforms.

Needcreativeandcriticalthinkers.

PolicygoalsoftheMelbourneDeclarationdonotmatchtherealityofcurriculum.

TEDKenRobinson
,educationcandislocatestudentsfromtheirnaturaltalents.Diversityof

talentsnotcateredfor.Standardised,industrial,lineareducationmodelshouldberevolutionisedto
customised,organic,individuallearning.

Reflections&StudyQuestions
Iagreewithvariouspointsmadeinthereadings,lectureandworkshopthattheroleofschoolingis:
oneofchildmindingfreeingtheirparentstocontributetotheeconomyitisalsotoindoctrinate
childrenintothedominateideology,politicsandvaluesofsocietyitistosocialisechildrenwith
membersoftheirsocialclassitisusedtorationaliseandnormaliseauthorityfiguresandfinallyof
course,itisusedtofacilitatelearningandfosteracademicsuccess.Theintentionisthatallofthese
elementscombinetofacilitateandproduceproductivemembersofsocietywhoallfindanappropriate
placeintheeconomyandsociety.Idoagreewithsomeofthecynicalandpessimisticoutlookof
Reimers(1971)elementsofschooling,anychangeoccurringismovingatabureaucraticallyslow
pace,socialclassesarerecognisedasbecomingmoreembeddedwithagreaterwealthgapbetween
theupperclassesandtherestcapitalismisviewedtohaveproducedanewhereditaryupperclass
aristocracy.Reimers(p24)extensionofchildhoodtheoryofeducationisinterestingthoughnot
entirelyconvincingwhenyouconsidertheimprovedoutcomesforindividualsthatlongereducation
provides,Iamnotsurecoddlinghasmuchrelevanceintertiaryeducation.Sincetheearly70swhen
thispiecewaswritten,cheaperorimprovedaccesstohighereducationinAustraliahasallowedfor
greatersocialmobility,buttheodds,resourcesandaccessarestillinfavourofthemiddletoupper
classes.Suchconstraintsonsocialmobilityreinforcetheinformationwehavelearntinthisunitabout
diversityandtheimportanceoftreatingstudentsequitablysotheyaregiventhesameopportunities.
TheGroundwaterSmithetal.(2009)readingalsorevealsachangeinschoolingfroma
teachercentredapproachtoalearnercentredapproachwherethestudentsactivitiesandneeds
arethefocus(p26).Thisapproachisadvocatingforstudentsandunderminingthetraditional
omnipotentauthorityoftheteacher.
Thecurriculumwelearntisalwayssubjecttochangesdependentattimesonthewhimofpoliticians
butalsoreflectschangedculturalattitudes,progressivevalues,obsoleteknowledgeandinclusionof
previouslyexcludedperspectives.Thepurposeofthecurriculumistoexplicitlyarticulatebroad
learningoutcomessothereisclarityonwhatexactlyisexpected,highexpectations,greater
opportunityforstudentsuccess(Ewing,2013,pp3132).Theintegrationofcurriculum,pedagogy
andassessmentlearningoutcomesoccurswhenthebroadcurriculumoutcomesarenarrowed
downtomorespecificonesinthelowerstepsoftransitionaloutcomes(Ibid).