School curriculum, globalisation and the constitution of policy problems and solutions

Abstract

To varying degrees, education policy reforms around the world are driven by educational discourses relating to globalisation. At the same time, national and local histories, cultures and politics mediate the effects of globalisation discourses. This paper employs methods of analysis that draw on the concepts of ‘vernacular globalization’ and ‘policy archaeology’ in order to examine the ways in which the effects of globalisation on National Curriculum policy reform are mediated by conditions and priorities that are specific to national contexts. The enquiry focuses on three curriculum policy problems that are associated with the English school curriculum and have recently been identified as requiring reform: inappropriate curriculum knowledge, the skills deficit and the one-size-fits-all curriculum. The paper concludes by summarising the results of the analysis, identifying some curriculum issues arising from it and offering reflections on the methodological approach it has employed.

Keywords:

• critical analysis
• politics

Notes

1. ‘Humanities’ subjects in the National Curriculum for 11–14 year olds in England are commonly understood to comprise of history, geography and religious education.

2. KS3 refers to the curriculum usually earmarked for students aged 11–14 years in English state or government schools.

3. In spite of the labelling of Arenas as I–IV, enquiry is not required to proceed in this order. In my study enquiry begins in Arena II where policy problems achieve visibility. The analysis could begin in Arena I where the process of naming the policy problems begins with the constitutive grid of conditions which make the emergence of a policy problem possible (Scheurich 1994, 300).

4. Reflexive modernization is a complex concept which has provoked and continues to provoke widespread debates between researchers (for a selection of these, see Beck 2002a, 2002b; Beck, Bonss and Lau 2003; Lash 2003; Latour 2003; Beck and Lau 2005; Beck and Grande 2010).

5. The separate subject framework of the original National Curriculum policy for KS3 comprised three core subjects (English, mathematics and science) and seven foundation subjects.

6. Qualifications and Curriculum Authority/Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency was established in October, 1997 to advance education and training in England with regard to the school curriculum, examinations and assessment and external qualifications.

7. NESTA is the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts. It describes itself as ‘an independent body with a mission to make the UK more innovative. We invest in early-stage companies, inform policy, and deliver practical programmes that inspire others to solve the big challenges of the future’. NESTA builds partnerships with innovators, policy-makers, community organisations, educators and other investors. http://www.nesta.org.uk/about_us

8. The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) adopts a ‘multi-disciplinary, politically independent’ approach combining ‘cutting edge research and policy development with practical action to develop and promote new ways of thinking about human fulfilment and social progress’ education. http://www.thersa.org/about-us/purpose,-vision--and--strategy

9. ‘NFER is the UK’s largest independent provider of research, assessment and information services for education, training and children’s services’. http://www.nfer.ac.uk/about-nfer/ambition/ambition_home.cfm