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Abstract
There are ongoing initiatives in curriculum development and implementation in Ireland and internationally in order to enhance the educational experiences and outcomes of learners. This article is the first historical longitudinal analysis of primary school curriculum development and implementation in Ireland from the 1890s to the 1990s. The purpose of the paper is to distil key lessons from the history of curriculum development and implementation to inform contemporary policy and practice. The paper begins by situating current curriculum discourse and developments in both a national and international context. It then delineates the three main curriculum reforms undertaken in Ireland in the period under review. The section relating to each period includes an overview of the societal context in which the curriculum was developed, the process of development, the content of each curriculum and its implementation. Three key themes emerge from the analysis – the impact of wider societal factors on curriculum, the impact of the radical nature of curriculum change attempted and a lack of focus on planning for implementation.
Notes on contributor
Thomas Walsh is a lecturer in the Maynooth University Department of Education. His main teaching and research interests include history of education, early childhood education, school-university partnership, school inspection and evaluation and curriculum development and implementation. Prior to joining Maynooth University, he worked as a primary school teacher, as a researcher in the field of early childhood education and as an inspector with the Department of Education and Skills.