Curriculum Innovations In Changing Societies

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Originally published in 1979. This book is a study of the problems of functional and ideological adaptation of the curriculum in response to social change, based on a close investigation of a particular significant curriculum innovation, set up in 1962: the Nuffield Foundation Science Teaching Project. The book focuses particularly on the development of the O-level chemistry curriculum, which was one of the three founding projects. If sensible decisions are to be made about curriculum development, now and in the future, it is vitally important that we take account of the history of influential curriculum projects. This book deals thoroughly with the various political, social and educational factors influencing the setting up of the Nuffield Foundation Science Teaching Project, the details of its execution (methods, the influence of pressure groups, and of particular individuals) and its outcomes. The content of the secondary curriculum is a perennial topic of interest and this book is a stimulating aid to clear thinking not only as history.

Technology has become an integral part of our everyday lives. This trend in ubiquitous technology has also found its way into the learning process at every level of education. The Handbook of Research on Education and Technology in a Changing Society offers an in-depth description of concepts related to different areas, issues, and trends within education and technological integration in modern society. This handbook includes definitions and terms, as well as explanations of concepts and processes regarding the integration of technology into education. Addressing all pertinent issues and concerns in education and technology in our changing society with a wide breadth of discussion, this handbook is an essential collection for educators, academicians, students, researchers, and librarians.

Curriculum Change and Innovation is an introductory textbook on Hong Kong’s school curriculum. Written in an approachable style using illustrative case studies, the textbook provides an introduction to the basic concepts and theories of "curriculum" as a field of study. It also discusses how sociopolitical and economic changes as well as technology advancements help transform teachers' roles and reshape curriculum policies. The chapters cover a wide range of topics, including curriculum design, planning, implementation and evaluation. These discussions are included to help readers critically reflect on their roles as change agents in curriculum development. Shirley S. Y. Yeung is an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. John T. S. Lam is an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. Anthony W. L. Leung is an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. Yiu Chun Lo is an associate professor of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the Hong Kong Institute of Education.

The Yuanpei program is an institution wide curriculum innovation, modeling on the core curriculum in Harvard which is committed to carrying out general education. This research investigated the major conflicts that arose in the process of initiation and implementation of the Yuanpei program, how these conflicts evolved during the process, and what were the sources of these conflicts. The conflict model, primarily derived from conflict theory, was adopted to interpret and analyze the process of curriculum innovation in this context. The study employed a qualitative case study approach. Data were collected primarily through interviews, observations and document analysis. The administrators, teachers and students were interviewed to gain insight into major conflicts arose, their processes and sources in process of the curriculum innovation. The researcher primarily observed program practices and operations, including program setting, the human, social environment (how participants interact and communicate), and program activities and participant behaviors. The researcher distinguished between conceptual conflicts and practical conflict in light of the different stages in which conflicts emerged. The researcher mainly identified three conceptual conflicts that represent the focus of debates: first, the two opposing opinions on how to balance between general education and specialized education; second, potential incongruence in the idea of the Yuanpei program; third, conflict between the changing need of society and traditional system of training. The researcher summarized four categories of practical conflicts in light of various issues: free-course selection, free-major selection, faculty advisor as well as general education elective courses, in each of which sub-themes were identified and analyzed. The researcher described how both conceptual and practical conflicts evolved. Each major conceptual conflict seems to go through similar stages based on the data, involving issue, confrontation and integration of claims of both sides. For practical conflicts, factors contributing to the escalation and de-escalation, moderation of conflicts were found by the researcher. The research identified different roles, incompatible values, contested resources and structural constraints as the main sources of conflict. Any conflict may involve more than one category or may be mainly due to one category. As such, the study is exploratory and contributes to the scholarship on educational change through its analysis of the curriculum innovation for general education in Peking University.