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In light of calls to improve the capacity for social science research within UK higher education, this article explores the possibilities for an emerging pedagogy for research methods. A lack of pedagogical culture in this field has been identified by previous studies. In response, we examine pedagogical literature surrounding approaches for teaching and learning research methods that are evident in recent peer-reviewed literature. Deep reading of this literature (as opposed to systematic review) identifies different but generally complementary ways in which teachers of methods seek to elucidate aspects of the research process, provide hands-on experience and facilitate critical reflection. At a time when the advancement of research capacity is gaining prominence, both in the academy and in reference to the wider knowledge economy, this paper illustrates how teachers of methods are considering pedagogical questions and seeks to further stimulate debates in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper argues that the existence of a canon of established and privileged texts in the primary literacy curriculum in England can be traced historically and has informed current national policy and practice. This canonisation of a particular set of literature has served to marginalise popular cultural and media texts, often the preferred texts of children in contemporary society. The paper examines the historical development of an established, hegemonic body of texts and critically analyses current national curricula frameworks for primary literacy in order to determine the way in which reading material is framed. It is argued that current national policy enshrines particular textual traditions at the expense of more popular forms of material and that this has major implications for the relevance of the future primary literacy curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the end of the 1990s, creativity has become a growing area of interest once more within education and wider society. In England creativity is now named within the school curriculum and in the curriculum for children aged 3–5. There are numerous government and other initiatives to foster individual and collective creativity, some of this through partnership activity bringing together the arts, technology, science and the social sciences. As far as education is concerned, this growth in emphasis and value placed on encouraging creativity can be seen as being in stark contrast with the government policy prevalent from the late 1980s onward. One of the underpinning themes and justifications for this re-kindling of interest in fostering creativity is that the individual and collective empowerment which is fostered by the development of creative skill is seen to be a good thing at the social and economic level in particular (Craft, 2002). These justifications have been discussed elsewhere (Jeffrey and Craft, 2001). But an important question to ask is, how desirable are the cultural norms of continual change and innovation in Western society? This paper examines some possible social, environmental, cultural and ethical limits to creativity, in the context of educating for creativity (NACCCE, 1999). It argues that the notion of creativity may be value- and culture-specific and that this poses the so-called liberal educator with various dilemmas of principle and pedagogy, which are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addresses the issue of the need for the development of a post compulsory curriculum adequate to the demands of the 21st century in British education. Qualitative and quantitative issues involved in the development of a 21st century curriculum; Circumstances that can influence curriculum development efforts in the country.

Discusses the occupation of the curriculum high-ground in secondary schools by the Technical &Vocational Education Initiative (TVEI) in Great Britain. Impact of the occupation on initiatives in teaching and learning; Influence of many of the central organizing ideas and educational themes of TVEI of the working practices of curriculum areas; Result of the redefinition and reconstruction of the TVEI by its sponsors and by curriculum coordinators in schools and colleges.

Discusses the factors being considered in national curriculum-making in Australia. Trends in the Australian economy; Costs of education in relation to the outcomes of schooling; Integration of education and youth policies.

Examines the Irish language revival in Northern Ireland. Improvement in the status of the language in the education system; Reform of the school curriculum; Element in the educational change.

In this article, we present insights from an ethnographic research that investigated the concept of citizenship in primary schools in Greece. We explored children’s experiences of citizenship in school approaching citizenship as a set of habits that prescribe what is considered ‘legitimate’ in the public sphere. We focused on structures and agents inside and outside the school classroom and the way they may interfere with pedagogical practices and relationships. This work reveals a vicious circle of asymmetrical relationships and hierarchical structures between the society and the school that entrap teachers in assessment-oriented pedagogical practices. We argue that the emergent loyalty of the educational system to traditional pedagogical approaches premised on competition fosters pupils’ incomprehension of the importance of social solidarity. It also contributes to their withdrawal from the public sphere, undermining the transformative potential of education. With the use of a diverse sample, we highlight the shortcomings of the integrated curriculum introduced in 2001, in successfully promoting critical thinking and participatory learner-centred pedagogy, and we discuss the implications for the transformative potential of education arising from the adherence to the implementation of European education policy that is discerned in the text of the newly introduced Curriculum of the ‘New School’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike in England, since the late 1980s the rhetoric of curriculum reforms has been overwhelmingly decentralist in many countries. However, decentralisation has often involved the delegation of centrally appointed tasks, rather than a real shift in power. The Estonian case demonstrates how a decentralised curriculum policy with centralised control can have the same de-professionalising effect on teachers’ perceived professional autonomy as does a system where both input and output are centrally controlled. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The marketisation of education in England began in the 1980s. It was facilitated by national testing (which gave objective and comparable information to parents), and by the New Public Management (which introduced a posteriori funding and competition among providers). Now a new complementary phase of marketisation is being introduced: personalisation, whose intellectual provenance is in marketing theory. Conceptually, personalisation is imprecise; practically, at this stage, its intended effects within schools may amount to no more than a new legitimatory rhetoric which leaves pedagogy and the curriculum little changed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We suggest that there is a need for those who seek to explore issues associated with the implementation of citizenship education in England to clarify its specific nature. This can be done, at least in part, through a process of comparison. To that end we review some of the connections and disjunctions between ‘character education’ and ‘citizenship education’. We argue, drawing from US and UK literature but focusing our attention on contexts and issues in England, that there are indeed some broad areas of overlap between these two fields. Citizens should be of ‘good’ character and the educational initiatives that we consider both emerge from a concern about current trends in society. However, we suggest that the overlaps with citizenship education principally apply when character education is drawn very broadly. When we examine a particular approach to character education that is often US-based, and titled as ‘citizenship’, we note many contrasts with citizenship education as formulated in the National Curriculum for England. We suggest that citizenship educators in England need to interpret claims about the similarity between these two fields with caution, or meanings that apply to both character education and citizenship education will be distorted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addresses the debate surrounding the issue of post-compulsory education systems in Great Britain. Features of the proposed unified system of post-compulsory education and training; Influence of the Howie Committee report on the debate about systems; Comparison between multi-track and unified systems of education; Implications of the debate on the educational system of the country.

Studies the policies governing teachers' work in Great Britain. Elements of the national curriculum; Ways by which the changing power relations of the curriculum affect teachers' work in the country; Impact of the introduction of market forces on the redefinition of teachers' work; Relationship between the control exercised over teachers by parental choice and competition.

Focuses on several issues concerning the work of primary teachers in Great Britain. Implementation of a new national curriculum that changes the nature of teaching; Examination of the working hours of infant teachers in a week; Assessment of the working conditions of teachers; Increase in the tasks of primary teachers.

Focused on efforts aimed at harmonizing two national educational curriculums in Great Britain. Overview concerning Stalin's curriculum; Ten foundation subjects under Baker's curriculum; Role of political control in harmonizing both curricula.

Outlines the main details of the Associated Examining Board's philosophy syllabus and considers the problem of teaching philosophy in schools in Great Britain. Composition of two parts in the syllabus that concentrate on the history of philosophy and other various philosophical themes; Choice given to students to select two themes from possible areas like Our Perception of the External World and Faith and the Existence of God; Possibility that naive philosophical amateurs would be given a license to indulge in an undisciplined search for a philosophy of life.

The article presents an analysis of cultural autonomy and the education of ethnic minority groups in England. The policies for the education of ethnic minorities in England and Wales have undergone a tremendous change. The main aim in the 1960s was assimilation into mainstream society and culture. There was concern to recognize in the curriculum of schools the wide range of cultures, histories and lifestyles in the multi-racial society of England. Teachers were to regard cultural difference not as an obstacle to integration but as an acceptable and desirable social condition. Three major issues emerge from this change of policy. There is the question of how policies of cultural autonomy and integration are to be reconciled. There are problems of determining the character and boundaries of minority cultures. The obstacles in the educational system to the recognition of minority cultures have to be identified. It is suggested that local policymakers and teachers are ignorant of minority cultures and unsympathetic to minority group autonomy.

Focuses on the curriculum of culture and sports in education. Inclusion of sport in educational curriculum; Compulsion in education; Acceptance of culture as a curriculum component.

The article informs that there are two problems in educational theory. People, today, are most concerned about practical decision-making in curriculum; and whether it should be an area of expert decision-making, because only experts are steeped in the theories of learning and pedagogy, or open to parents or indeed even students. Some would argue against expert decision-making on grounds that we have no solid theories of human learning, etc., to back up the practice of education, unlike nuclear technology which rests on the firmer ground of nuclear physics. If social science theory is impossible in principle, it has not been demonstrated so far. Nevertheless, there are two lessons arising over and above the problem of the meaning of theory. First, even if educational theories are possible and one has access to them, they would not ensure absolute and unassailable certainty. Second, the reason that certainty is impossible and, perhaps also, the reason that people encounter such difficulty in generating educational theory.