Curriculum In England Research Articles

Objectives and contents of the 2014 revised ‘Design and Technology’ subject national curriculum in England

이 연구는 영국의 2014년 개정 ‘Design and Technology’ 국가 교육 과정의 교육 목표와 내용을 분석하여 주요 변화와 특징을 살펴보고, 우리나라 실과(기술・가정)과 교육에 주는 시사점을 도출하는데 그 목적이 있다. 연구에 활용된 ‘Design and Technology’ 교육과정은 2014년 12월에 고시된 영국의 국가 교육 과정이다. 영국의 ‘Design and Technology’은 우리나라의 ‘실과(기술・가정)’ 과목은 국가 교육 과정으로서 최근 개정되었고 ‘기술’과 ‘가정’이라는 2개의 분야가 하나의 과목에 포함되어 있으며, 초등과 중등교육에서 모두 이루어지고 있다는 공통점을 가지고 있다. 개정된 ‘Design and Technology’ 국가 교육과정은 초등과 중등 모두 ’Desing and Making’과 ‘Cooking and Nutrition 을 중심으로 학생들이 반드시 학습해야 하는 핵심 지식과 기능이 제시되어 있으며 단계가 올라갈수록 교과 내용의 수준이 높아짐으로써 국가 교육 과정이 학습의 계속성과 계열성을 보장하고 있다. 또한, 3D 프린팅, 로봇 등 혁신 및 디지털 산업과 관련된 Hi-tech를 ‘Design and Technology’에서 배울 수 있도록 함으로써 목공 중심의 ‘Design and Technology’에서 기술의 발전에 민감하게 반응하는 ‘Design and Technology’로서의 변화를 도모하였다.This paper is to examine the major changes and characteristics of the new national curriculum in England : ‘Design and Technology programmes of study’, and tried to introduce some of its implications for Practical Arts(Technology and Home Economics) education in Korea. The ‘Design and Technology’ education curriculum used in content analysis is the national curriculum announced in December 2014. Both the curriculum of the England’s Design and Technology and Korea’s Practical Arts(Technology and Home Economics) include two areas, which are Technology and Home Economics. They are conducted in primary schools and secondary schools, and they have a common feature that they were revised recently as national curriculums. The contents of ‘Home Economics’ in the 2015 revised curriculum in Korea are composed of one subject content based the ‘designing and making’, and the curriculum has been revised, centering on core knowledge and problem-solving processes. In addition, various changes in the revised curriculum adapted to the 4th industrial revolution for example, pupils will learn about hi-tech such as 3D printing and robot in new national curriculum because ‘Design and Technology’ is linked to innovation and digital industries, will give great implications for Practical arts(Technology and Home Economics) curriculum in Korea.

Exploring Approaches to Teaching Bilingual Education in Countries where English is a First Language: A study in East London

The aim of the study is to recognize literacy practices of the ethnic minorities and find suitable teaching approaches in a multilingual context in London. The main research question is: How do the ethnic minorities in London want their heritage languages to be recognized in their mainstream schools? Primary research has been carried out through questionnaires and structured interviews and secondary research has been carried out through analyzing published books and articles. In breaking the silence of the bilingual children, it has been suggested that a post communicative approach would be convenient to teach ethnic minority languages and activities like pair work, group work, role play, brainstorming, multiple choice and filling in the gaps would be suitable in bilingual learning. Results show that bilingual learning can be enhanced through parental support, social media, storytelling by grandparents and the inclusion of a bilingual syllabus in the National Curriculum in England.

イギリスのシックス・フォームにおける教科の成立過程に関する一考察:地理科と環境学習の葛藤を中心として

イギリスのシックス・フォームにおける教科の成立過程に関する一考察:地理科と環境学習の葛藤を中心として

英国における学校歴史とその授業の多様性 : 教科「シティズンシップ」の成立と教科「歴史」との連携に注目して

英国における学校歴史とその授業の多様性 : 教科「シティズンシップ」の成立と教科「歴史」との連携に注目して

社会変容に対応するシティズンシップ教育カリキュラム構成法の革新 : イングランド1999年版ナショナル・カリキュラムを手がかりに

社会変容に対応するシティズンシップ教育カリキュラム構成法の革新 : イングランド1999年版ナショナル・カリキュラムを手がかりに

Technical boys and creative girls: the career aspirations of digitally skilled youths

Digital technology is increasingly central to our lives, particularly among young people. However, there remains a concern from government and businesses of a digital skills gap because many youths, especially girls, tend to be consumers rather than creators of technology. Drawing on 32 semi-structured interviews with digitally skilled teenagers (aged 13–19), this article investigates their digital career aspirations and examines how identities and discourses of gender can interact with the type of digital careers that are of interest to these youths. While it was found that digitally skilled young people still articulate traditional gendered discourses of digital competence, especially around technical abilities, the growing importance of creativity as a career pathway into digital technology is highlighted. Implications of the findings are discussed in relation to the new computing curriculum in England, which prioritises technical computing skills, and the discontinuation of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), which facilitates a broader usage of software and digital productivity.

Learning to program with Game Maker

Game Maker is widely used in UK secondary schools, yet under-researched in that context. This paper presents the findings of a qualitative case study that explores how authoring computer games using Game Maker can support the learning of basic programming concepts in a mainstream UK secondary setting.  The research draws on the learning theory of constructionism, which asserts the importance of pupils using computers as ‘building material’ to create digital artefacts (Papert, 1980; Harel and Papert, 1991), and considers the extent to which a constructionist approach is suitable for introducing basic programming concepts within a contemporary, game authoring context.  The research was conducted in a high achieving comprehensive school in South East England. Twenty-two pupils (12 boys; 10 girls; 13-14 years old) completed a unit of work in computer game authoring over an eight-week (16 x 50 minute lessons) period. In planning and developing their games, they worked in self-selected pairs, apart from two pupils (one boy and one girl) who worked alone, by choice. Nine of the ten pairs were the same gender. Data were collected in planning documents, journals and the games pupils made, in recordings of their working conversations, and in pair, group and artefact-based interviews. Findings indicate that as well as learning some basic programming concepts, pupils enjoyed the constructionist-designed activity, demonstrated positive attitudes to their work, and felt a sense of achievement in creating a complex artefact that had personal and cultural significance for them. However, the findings also suggest that the constructionist approach adopted in the research did not effectively support the learning of programming concepts for all pupils. This research arises out of a perceived need to develop accessible, extended units of work to implement aspects of the Computing curriculum in England. It suggests that using Game Maker may offer a viable entry, and identifies the programming concepts and practices which pupils encountered, the difficulties they experienced, and the errors they made when authoring computer games. It also offers recommendations to increase the readiness with which students engage with key programming concepts and practices when using this visual programming software. In so doing it makes a practical contribution to the field of qualitative research in secondary computing education.Â

Telling stories: engaging critical literacy through urban legends in an English secondary school

PurposeNon-dominant voices have been further marginalised in the most recent national curriculum in England (DfE, 2014), and those working across the English teaching profession often find the subject framed according to narrow, assessment-driven models and prescribed skill sets. This paper aims to bring together two perspectives on the importance of literacy education that remains rooted in young people’s everyday experiences of place.Design/methodology/approachChapman is a newly qualified secondary English teacher. She will share examples taken from her own classroom practice of the ways in which she has responded to stories told by young people about the places in which they live.FindingsJones is a tutor of initial teacher education (ITE). She suggests that Chapman’s approach provides persuasive exemplification of how engagement with alternatives to a dominant view of literacy should remain a key objective for those working with beginning teachers of English.Originality/valueFor Chapman’s students, urban legends are powerful texts which offer the means to explore what we do when we tell stories, both inside and outside the English classroom. As will be shown, such stories are telling examples of the resources young people can bring to critical literacy learning in current classrooms. In the context of the dominance of a narrow, mandated experience of English as a subject, the imperative becomes even greater to recognise stories such as those shared by Chapman’s students as opportunities for authentic, creative and critical engagement with text.

Walking the talk? Teachers’ and early years’ practitioners’ perceptions and confidence in delivering the UK Physical Activity Guidelines within the curriculum for young children

ABSTRACTThis study explored early years’ practitioners’ and teachers’ attitudes and confidence in delivering the UK Physical Activity guidelines [National Health Service (NHS). (2013). Physical activity guidelines for children and young people. Retrieved July 15, 2015, from www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/physical-activity-guidelines-for-young-peopole.aspx] within the curriculum for young children [Department for Education (DfE). (2013). The national curriculum in England. Key stages 1 and 2 framework document. London: Department for Education, Crown; Department for Education (DfE). (2014). Statutory framework for the early years’ foundation stage. Setting the standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five. London: Department for Education, Crown]. Using an online questionnaire, data were analysed using thematic framework and statistically. Fifty-nine respondents came from early years’ settings, including nurseries, pre-schools and primary schools. The findings suggest that there is a lack of confidence in knowing what to do to support and sustain physical activity. Further research is needed to identify if this is a national trend; this is the next steps of our research, as is the development of resources to help support confidence and the delivery of physical activity for young children.

Book review - 40 lessons to get children thinking: Philosophical thought adventures across the curriculum

Peter Worley’s latest book provides a wealth of interesting and engaging lessons based around the pedagogy of philosophical discussions in the classroom. The book’s subtitle references the curriculum, and indeed the book contains ‘thought adventures’ to deepen and enliven learning in many of the subjects taught in schools. While the curriculum in question is pretty clearly the National Curriculum in England, none of the lessons are so closely tied to the details of that curriculum that they could not be used in other countries.

Prospects for integrating an environmental sustainability perspective within the university law curriculum in England

This paper postulates an integrative method for acquiring a foundational environmental law knowledge base, composed of the relevant environmental principles and techniques, within the “core”/compulsory modules of the standard university law curriculum in England. The proposal is to introduce an environmental sustainability agenda within the teaching of the university law degree. This would entail the incorporation of no more than two or three lecture contact hours within each of the “core”/compulsory subjects to induce an appreciation of the ways in which environmental protection issues are being integrated into every major field/area of law. It involves the introduction of selected environmental law case studies within the standard lecturing/teaching schedule for each of the “core” modules within the university law school curriculum, following a foundational introduction to the main principles and techniques of environmental law. These case studies are expressly chosen to align with significant elements of the teaching of individual “core” law subjects. In this way, the entire cohort of undergraduate LLB students will be appraised of environmental law developments within the specific contexts of the “core” subjects of the law curriculum, rather than environmental law being taught to a much smaller group of students who choose it as a “stand alone”, specialised, niche, but thereby arguably also marginalised, optional module within the undergraduate law curriculum. It is hoped that this approach will transcend the specialist but arguably marginal way in which environmental law is currently being taught within English universities generally.

Preparing for citizenship: Bring back John Dewey

The paper traces the development of citizenship in the curriculum in England since the 1960s, emerging particularly from the Crick report. It argues for lessons to be learnt from John Dewey’s ‘Democracy and education’, the centenary of which is being celebrated this year.

Opportunities for Environmental Education across the National Curriculum for England—Early Years Foundation Stage & Primary

Opportunities for Environmental Education across the National Curriculum for England—Early Years Foundation Stage & Primary

Educational Objectives in Computing Education: A Comparative Analysis

This study examined three elementary school computing curriculum - the CSTA K-12 computer science standards, the computing programme of the national curriculum in England, and the 2015 national curriculum in Korea - focusing on the educational objectives with the perspective of the revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. The CSTA K-12 computer science standards mainly addressed applying procedural knowledge and using digital technology is the main theme. The computing programme in England concentrated on understanding factual and conceptual knowledge of computer science, such as algorithms. The 2015 national curriculum also addressed applying procedural knowledge, but the main focus is making softwares and robots. The findings of this comparative analysis suggest that it is needed to set up concrete educational objectives for lower grade and make them related to the secondary education to make more coherent elementary-level learning objectives. And elementary-level computing learning objectives are needed to be organized with the perspective of knowledge and cognitive process level.

Englicious: Teaching English Grammar in Schools

Englicious is a new online library of resources for English language teachers that has been designed by the Survey of English Usage at UCL. It offers not only lesson plans and activities for use in the classroom, but a collection of Continuing Professional Development resources for teachers, all aimed at supporting the teaching of the new National Curriculum in England. There is a particular focus on spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG), and especially on preparing pupils for the Year 3 and Year 6 SPaG tests, but users will also find materials covering many other aspects of English Language at both a primary and a secondary level.

Things Intended and Realized in the 2013 Revision of the National Curriculum in England: Significance and Limitation

Things Intended and Realized in the 2013 Revision of the National Curriculum in England: Significance and Limitation

Political computational thinking: policy networks, digital governance and ‘learning to code’

Reflecting political shifts toward both ‘network governance’ and ‘digital governance’, the idea of ‘learning to code’ has become part of a major reform agenda in education policy in England. This article provides a ‘policy network analysis’ tracing the governmental, business and civil society actors now operating in policy networks to project learning to code into the reformed programs of study for computing in the National Curriculum in England. The insertion of learning to code into the curriculum provides evidence of how the education policy process is being displaced to cross-sector ‘boundary organizations’ such as ‘policy labs’ that act as connecting nodes to broker networks across public and private sector borderlines. It also examines how the pedagogies of learning to code are intended to inculcate young people into the material practices and systems of thought associated with computer coding, and to contribute to new forms of ‘digital governance’. These developments are evidence of a ‘reluctant state’ deconcentrating its responsibilities, and also of a computational style of political thinking that assumes policy problems can be addressed using the right code. Learning to code is seen as a way of shaping governable citizens that can participate in the dynamics of digital governance.

Food technology on the school curriculum in England: Is it a curriculum for the twenty-first century?

In England, food technology is part of the curriculum for design and technology but the purpose of food technology education is not clear. Over the years, food on the school curriculum has generally been seen as a practical, learning to cook, activity initially for girls to prepare them for domestic employment or housewifery. As society has developed many aspects of design and technology teaching have also developed, to include teaching about new materials, new equipment and new processes but we argue that food technology has developed less slowly than other areas of design and technology. We question whether the current food technology curriculum provides an appropriate education for pupils in the twenty-first century. The research involved interviews with stakeholders to develop a conceptual framework for a modern food curriculum. School schemes of work and examination specifications were then analysed against this conceptual framework, and teachers and pupils were surveyed about their experiences of teaching and learning in food technology. The findings indicate that the main purpose of food technology on the school curriculum is still linked to developing pupils’ practical food-making skills as a ‘life skill’, although one which is now available to boys and girls. We suggest that food technology education should serve a different and more sophisticated purpose in the twenty-first century; it could help pupils to develop their understanding of the underlying scientific principles, broaden their general knowledge of food-related issues and better prepare them for citizenship and employment.

Physics in the National Curriculum in England

Physics in the National Curriculum in England

Educating for Democratic Citizenship in a Globalizing World: Some Recent Developments in England and China

This paper compares the development of education for democratic citizenship in two apparently diverse nations - China and England - at different moments in their social and economic histories, but both in the process of ‘re-identifying’ themselves globally. It is suggested that, for all their differences, there is sufficient in common between the two nations in terms of how democratic citizenship is perceived and of what might constitute an appropriate education for democratic citizenship for useful inter-national dialogues and exchanges to be initiated between scholars and practitioners in the two countries. The longer experience of a formal citizenship education curriculum in England, including its strengths and weaknesses, are likely to be of help to Chinese scholars, teachers and policymakers in this area, especially given the current piecemeal nature of the design and implementation of citizenship programmes in China; while the ‘fresher’ approach to developing citizenship education programmes by enthusiastic scholars, teachers and policymakers in China is likely to throw fresh light on how citizenship is understood and ‘taught’ in England.