Book Description

A study of the implementation of national core curricula in Australia was undertaken by seeking the general views, through interview and questionnaire, of curriculum developers and Technical and Further Education (TAFE) teachers who develop and deliver the curricula. Views of representatives of industry and commerce who employ students who are trained using those curricula were also solicited. These general views were complemented by specific views obtained in three case studies. The role of the Curriculum Projects Steering Group (CPSG) in the implementation process was a matter of particular interest. Although the work of of the CPSG had the general support of both industry and bodies such as the Australian Council on Employment and Training, they also pressured it to make changes to its procedures. General conclusions reached were that the CPSG guided the development and implementation of national core curricula very well and, that in continuing its valuable work, its procedures should not be changed lightly. Nevertheless, several steps were recommended to improve the implementation of the national core curricula. (The three case studies that illustrate how the issues applied to a particular national core curriculum are described in detail, and appendixes include the study instruments, an outline giving minimum curriculum documentation requirements, and a table showing the nature and status of the national curriculum projects. A bibliography is included.)