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Abstract
This article is concerned with the meaning and legitimacy of the view that the secondary science curriculum can be given a vocational emphasis, and with a current attempt to create such a curriculum. Although this perspective on the science curriculum has a long history, in recent decades it has received little attention. This article examines recent research into the vocational and work‐related aspects of secondary school science, and the historical and policy background. Its empirical focus is a late secondary course with the title “Applied Science”, which was introduced into schools in England and Wales in 2002. It draws on the preliminary findings of a research study focusing on the origins and implementation of this course. Overall, the article provides an overview of the major issues and research agenda associated with the notion of a vocational or applied school science curriculum, focusing ultimately on the key issues of educational purpose, pedagogy, and status.
Notes
1. We will subsequently refer only to England.
2. GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education. These examinations are taken by almost all pupils at age 16. Most are in traditional academic subjects.
3. The others were applied art and design; applied business; applied Information and Communications Technology; engineering; manufacturing; health and social care; leisure and tourism.
4. We have, perhaps over‐optimistically, avoided extensive discussion about definitions here. By “vocational”, we mean teaching and learning with a significant connection to subsequent identified work. We take “vocationalism” to refer to the view that such teaching and learning has a significant place in the general school curriculum.
5. Some further details about this project are given later. We should stress that this article is not intended as a full report of this study, but aims instead to use the study as a vehicle to map the issues raised by vocationalism within the science curriculum.
6. The hybrid formulation pure/applied appears to have developed from the notions of “pure” and “mixed” mathematics, which was also replaced by pure/applied in the later nineteenth century (Brown, Citation1991).
7. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/821444.stm (accessed 31 January 2006).
8. In England the central regulatory body, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, defines criteria and these are then used as guidance for the creation of “specifications” (which must in turn be approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) by a small number of commercial examining bodies. Schools then choose the specification on which they will base their course. We are most grateful to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority for allowing us access to the papers of this committee.
9. It is difficult to know the percentage response rate from among schools offering the course, but it seems likely to be about 50%.
10. http://www.parentscentre.gov.uk/foragegroup/14to16years/gcses/ (accessed 31 January 2006).
11. http://www.qca.org.uk/9391.html (accessed 31 January 2006).
12. Leaflet at http://www.parentscentre.gov.uk/foragegroup/14to16years/gcses/ (accessed 31 January 2006).