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It is impossible to overestimate the importance of chemistry and physics to society, but in Malawi, secondary schools do not adequately teach these subjects. The purpose of this study is to investigate the obstacles to the efficient teaching of physics and chemistry and to suggest ways to improve their application. Using Cornbleth's framework for curricular implementation as a guide, the study looks into the challenges instructors in these areas confront. The qualitative case study, which took place in two secondary schools in Malawi's Blantyre District, involved 28 participants which were two head teachers, three chemistry teachers, three physics teachers, and twenty students. Data was collected through classroom observations in addition to interviews. The results show that there are a number of issues, such as a lack of certified teachers, inadequate resources and labs, a dearth of textbooks, inadequate teacher orientation, poor teaching and evaluation techniques, and a lack of supervision. To improve Chemistry and Physics education in secondary schools, recommendations include hiring more trained instructors, constructing well-equipped laboratories, and enhancing teacher preparation and oversight.

Background: Malawi recognises the importance of citizenship education (CE) as evidenced by its stated goals of education. In secondary schools, CE is offered explicitly in an elective subject called Social Studies. Consequently, some students do not study it. Mathematics is a compulsory subject; therefore, integrating CE would benefit all learners. Aim: Investigating the extent to which the Malawi secondary school mathematics curriculum promotes CE. Setting: Urban classroom with two experienced mathematics teachers. Methods: The first phase involved document analysis of the intended curriculum’s ability to promote CE. The second phase focussed on analysing mathematics lessons and how they extent they promoted CE. Results: The findings show that the curriculum promotes CE to a large extent, but this varies in the specific curriculum materials and the mathematics topics. The teaching also varies; learner-centred lessons offered more opportunities for CE than teacher-centred lessons. Conclusion: We argue that providing for CE in mathematics should go beyond listing in the school curriculum. There should be more clear guidance on how to integrate it into mathematics teaching. Contribution: Our study contributes in at least two ways: (1) Adds to literature on mathematics and CE drawn from Malawi context, which differs from contexts in most literature. (2) Adds to methodology by introducing a rating for CE in curriculum materials and analysis of lessons for CE through the lens of learner-centred continuum.

COVID-19 has brought to light the systemic racism faced by ethnic minorities in the UK. During the pandemic, we saw an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes and a lack of support from the government given to both patients and healthcare workers from minority backgrounds on the front lines. This lack of support potentially contributed to the increased susceptibility of ethnic minorities to COVID-19 and also their hesitancy toward the vaccine, particularly the south Asian communities. In this paper we discuss potential reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among south Asian groups. Additionally, we propose that introducing a decolonised curriculum in secondary school may enhance cultural awareness with historical context among the white British populations, allowing for more inclusion for south Asian communities. By exploring ways to decolonise specific subjects in the secondary curriculum, this paper aims to set out a guideline for teachers and education professionals on expanding secondary school pupils’ knowledge of racial issues and equality, to start the process of educating a new generation appropriately. We propose that decolonising the secondary school curriculum is a potential long-term solution to eradicating racism and discrimination.

A multidisciplinary team collaborated on the development of a learning experience involving 10th grade students using a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) approach. The experience was based on the development (conception, implementation, and evaluation) of a science cartoon that aimed to highlight different scientific and technological dimensions related to the diversity of marine worms (Phylo Annelida, class Polychaeta) present in the continental shelf off the coast of Aveiro, Portugal (NE Atlantic coast). The study was implemented in a Portuguese high school in the Aveiro region, involving 24 10th grade students, emphasizing a social context close to the students’ lives. All pedagogical interventions occurred in face-to-face sessions during the 2020/21 school year and were oriented by the following research question: What is the role of science cartoons in establishing STEAM connections for solving real-world problems presented to 10th grade students? Following a qualitative and interpretative research methodology, with a design-based research focus, data were collected through a questionnaire, observations, and students’ written records. The content analysis shows that most students learned new concepts related to STEAM areas. Evaluating the impact of the science cartoon reveals that it can be considered an innovative science communication resource due to its educational potential in stimulating a STEAM approach within the students’ learning process.

Because aesthetic philosophies, which have long dominated music education, privilege music as an aesthetic object, they minimize aspects of musicology concerned with music as a cultural practice and provide too narrow a view of music itself. This has also minimized the role of musicology in the school music curriculum. First, I argue that musicological praxis is congruent with praxial philosophies of music education and that it is appropriate for inclusion in the secondary music curriculum. Second, I offer a set of criteria and recommendations for applying this philosophy and integrating musicological praxis into that curriculum. Finally, I use two brief examples by way of illustration. I hope this paper outlines at least one path for making musicology a more integral part of curriculum and instruction and that it will provide a broadly applicable philosophical framework.

The Spanish Transition is one of the leading and most controversial events in contemporary Spain. The interpretation and significance of the transition to democracy have changed as time went by and this issue is particularly relevant in education. The study of case here presented revealed that the transition is, by its chronology, relegated to the last place on the syllabus. The speed in their treatment, due to the pressing ending of the year, has an effect on the limited criticism about a content focused on the most pertinent milestones subsuming the issue of the transition process. As a result, the students’ social imaginary about the Transition is barely modified and it can be safely said that the treatment of the subject does not encourage to question the Transition and consolidates an idealized and closed construction.

There is renewed interest in the role of arts education in the curriculum of U.S. public schools not only because of the intrinsic value of the arts and its believed impact on achievement, but because cultivating creativity is thought to promote innovation and fuel economic growth. Still, we know little about basic access to arts education. Using individual-level administrative data from The University of Texas at Dallas Education Research Center (UTD-ERC), we develop several distinct indices of access to identify high schools rich in the arts. We find that high schools offering an extensive number of courses in the arts do not necessarily enjoy high rates of student participation. Policymakers who examine access based only on course counts in the arts will identify predominately large, non-rural high schools as having arts-rich environments. Evaluating arts programs along a single dimension, as is common in federal reports and other studies, fails to provide an accurate representation of access to arts education. Any examination of access to arts education should jointly consider course availability and student engagement in the arts. Policymakers can follow our approach and develop similar indices to assess the current state of arts education in their states.

The fragmented approach to teaching geography, history and modern studies currently employed in Scottish secondary schools prevents links being made between these disciplines and limits quality learning time. Through exploration of the concept of curriculum integration and examination of its history in secondary school education in the United Kingdom, this article argues that there are no compelling reasons for subject separation. Indeed, the vitality of constituent subjects of social studies both in secondary school and higher education can be regarded as indicative of the success of an integrated approach. The article concludes with suggestions for progress in this area.