Reinventing the Curriculum

As Priestley and Biesta note, there is currently something of a renaissance of interest in curriculum – and this volume makes a very fine contribution to that discussion. The book examines carefully but provocatively many of the features and tensions flagged in current curriculum reforms internationally – the concerns about more child-centred and active learning; the active role of the teacher; the aim to build particular types of individuals for the 21st century; the policy concerns with economics and measurement. This is an important, provocative and beautifully readable collection. * Lyn Yates, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Research, University of Melbourne, Australia *
This book marks a distinct turn in substantive books about curriculum – it moves us from a generation of books about competing models of curriculum design to a more intense, empirical and grounded account of Scotland’s ground breaking Curriculum for Excellence. In addition it provides both fascinating international comparisons and significant critique of some popular curriculum concepts – this book has a razor sharp edge and cannot be read without being forced to re-examine many comfortable assumptions about curricula around the world. * David Leat, Professor of Curriculum Innovation, University of Newcastle, UK *
Reinventing the Curriculum provides an up-to-date and valuable text for those interested in trends in curriculum policy and practice and the ever accompanying tensions and contradictions in curricular conversations. The book provides a much appreciated analysis of Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence and places the Scottish approach in a more international perspective. The authors successfully encourage the reader to become critically engaged with the direction of curriculum for the 21st century. * Nienke Nieveen, Senior Curriculum Researcher, SLO Netherlands Institute for Curriculum Development, The Netherlands *
Reinventing the Curriculum is an essential text for all curriculum scholars and teachers who wish to understand and explore 21st century curriculum making. Grounded in a case study of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence and against the backdrop of international trends, the authors present a critical analysis of the educational legitimacy, purpose and value of current initiatives. In doing so, they remoralize, repoliticize and revitalize conversations about curriculum development. * Anne Phelan, Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy, University of British Columbia, Canada *