Curriculum documents and practice in the NZ polytechnic sector: consensus and dissensus

Abstract

In New Zealand the polytechnic sector embraces a range of post‐compulsory education fields. Fields as diverse as nursing, business, social work and English as a Second Language (ESL) may co‐exist on polytechnic campuses and are subject to similar curriculum documentation processes. The common competency‐based framework and discourse of such documents make them boundary objects for these diverse communities of practice, which translate them into practice. While national and institutional curriculum bodies claim that curriculum documents provide a neutral and flexible representation of curriculum practice, practitioners find them to be more ideologically invested and influential on practice. This in‐depth qualitative study examines common readings of curriculum from 10 practitioners in a Social Services and ESL unit in a department of community and continuing education. Analyses of the findings identify common concerns about the effect of competency‐based curriculum on practice and challenge the assumption of the benign effect of documents. While acknowledging field‐specific concerns, inductive analysis of in‐depth interview data identify common themes that map the complex relationships between individuals, institution, and practices embodied in curriculum and exemplify an approach to curriculum research in post‐compulsory education that should be further addressed.

Keywords:

• community of practice
• competency
• social services
• English as second language
• curriculum document

Notes

1. For a full current list see http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/natcertdip.html

2. At the time of this study this was the case in Waikato Institute of Technology; Manakau Institute of Technology