The preceding s e c t i o n o f t h i s Report has attempted t o analyse the purposes o f secondary e d u c a t i o n . That the Committee f e l t the need t o make t h i s a n a l y s i s , and saw inadequacies i n the statements o f purpose i n the 1968 School in Society Report, i l l u s t r a t e s t h a t the fundamental goals o f t h e s c h o o l , as w e l l as the methods and tech- niques o f t e a c h i n g , are not immutable and u n i v e r s a l . Purposes are c o n s t a n t l y being m o d i f i e d , i n emphasis i f not i n essence. Moreover, t h e purposes i d e n t i f i e d above have i n them some elements.of c o n f l e c t and con- t r a d i c t i o n , and the r e l a t i v e importance o f each one i s open t o debate. I t t h e r e f o r e becomes apparent t h a t such statements need c o n t i n u a l review and i n t e r p r e - t a t i o n . Such c o n t i n u i t y i s e s s e n t i a l i f we are t o avoid the t e m p t a t i o n , i n the course o f an o c c a s i o n a l review, t o o v e r - r e a c t t o a contemporary p o l i t i c a l or economic s i t u a t i o n .
In a r r i v i n g a t i t s statement o f purposes, t h i s Committee o f p r o f e s s i o n a l teachers has t r i e d t o i n t e r p r e t the wishes of the general e l e c t o r a t e as expressed i n submissions t o the Committee, or as de- r i v e d from t h e experience of Committee members w i t h t h e i r communities. The Committee, conscious o f com- ments made about a " l o s s o f nerve" by Education De- partments i n A u s t r a l i a ( 4 5 ) , b e l i e v e s t h a t i t remains the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f t h e Education Department t o
" t h i n k o u t , analyse, assess and b r i n g up f o r debate a coherent overview o f the c u r r i c u l u m i n t h e State's schools."(46)
The Committee "considers not o n l y t h a t t h i s should be an ongoing process, but t h a t the Department, w h i l e t a k i n g the i n i t i a t i v e i n i t , should f u l l y i n v o l v e teachers and o t h e r community groups. T h e r e f o r e , the sections o f the Report d e a l i n g w i t h general consid- e r a t i o n s as t o t h e d i r e c t i o n i n which secondary edu- c a t i o n should go should be seen as an i n i t i a l v/orking
paper f o r a Standing Committee on Secondary Education, whose f u n c t i o n would be t o i d e n t i f y or t o generate an overview o f a set o f purposes, values and processes f o r schooling which would be d e s i r a b l e f o r s o c i e t y a t l a r g e i n the present and i n the f u t u r e . *
Such a Standing Committee would be r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of teachers and laymen, and would meet f a i r l y i n f r e - q u e n t l y . I t would make recommendations about a core c u r r i c u l u m , n o t n e c e s s a r i l y based on t r a d i t i o n a l sub- j e c t or d i s c i p l i n e areas, and c e r t a i n l y n o t intended t o occupy the whole o f the time a v a i l a b l e f o r s c h o o l i n g , which would p r e s c r i b e a framework w i t h i n which school i n i t i a t i v e s i n r e l a t i o n t o the core c u r r i c u l u m might be taken, and around which schools might take i n i t i a t i v e s i n c u r r i c u l u m areas o f t h e i r own choosing.
This stance by the Committee appears t o place sev- ere l i m i t a t i o n s on the concept o f d i v e r s i t y between schools, and t h e r e f o r e i t should be e x p l a i n e d . A l - though there seems t o be a popular t r e n d toxvards i n - creasing autonomy f o r l o c a l communities, schools, teachers and p u p i l s , t h e r e are strong arguments f o r r e t a i n i n g c e n t r a l c o n t r o l over c e r t a i n elements o f schooling and c u r r i c u l u m development. Among t h e areas to which these arguments are a p p l i e d a r e : f o r m u l a t i o n of general e d u c a t i o n a l p o l i c y ; ensuring an a p p r o p r i a t e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f resources; p r o v i d i n g r e s e a r c h and
support s e r v i c e s ; o r g a n i z i n g teacher education and development; m a i n t a i n i n g academic standards through- out the system;, and ensuring easy t r a n s f e r a b i l i t y o f students between schools. While a c e n t r a l a u t h o r i t y w i t h these r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s cannot avoid e x e r c i s i n g
c o n t r o l over u n l i m i t e d d i v e r s i t y , the Committee b e l i e v e s t h a t i t does not thereby predetermine t h e k i n d o f
m a t e r i a l s and the c o n d i t i o n s which might be found i n schools i n a way, or t o an e x t e n t , t h a t would be d e t r i - mental .
The p o i n t i s t h a t i f there i s agreement about the areas of a c t i v i t y and the kinds of experience t h a t
schools should make a v a i l a b l e to a l l s t u d e n t s , there i s also agreement t h a t there i s a v a r i e t y o f acceptable approaches t o these areas, and i t i s i n the development of approaches, emphases and s u p p o r t i n g m a t e r i a l s t h a t
school-based planning i s c a l l e d f o r .
* The Committee see great b e n e f i t i n t h e r e being a s i n g l e standing committee f o r the whole range from Kindergarten to Year 12 but recognizes t h a t i t i s not w i t h i n i t s terms of r e f e r e n c e t o make such a recommendation.
W i t h i n the core areas, teacher or school-based i n i t i a t i v e s l i e p r i m a r i l y i n teaching approaches, i n - c l u d i n g e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n w i t h methods o f assessment and e v a l u a t i o n , and i n adapting and t a i l o r i n g m a t e r i a l s to the i n d i v i d u a l needs o f s i n g l e students or groups o f
s t u d e n t s . Outside the s p e c i f i e d core areas, i n i t i a t i v e s are open t o teachers and schools i n a l l aspects o f
c u r r i c u l u m development - c r e a t i n g new courses, u n i t s and p r o j e c t s ; producing and t r i a l l i n g m a t e r i a l s ; and i f so i n c l i n e d , d i f f u s i n g ideas t o other schools i n the system.
O v e r a l l , the task o f the school i s t o i n t e r p r e t a general c u r r i c u l u m p o l i c y i n the l i g h t o f both i t s r e - sources - s t a f f , b u i l d i n g s , m a t e r i a l s and community f a c i l i t i e s - and the c h a r a c t e r o f i t s students - a b i l i - t i e s , i n t e r e s t s , l i f e - n e e d s and backgrounds. I t w i l l t h e r e f o r e be concerned w i t h developing i t s own views about teaching and l e a r n i n g , w i t h planning a balanced o r g a n i z a t i o n o f c u r r i c u l u m experiences f o r groups and
i n d i v i d u a l s , w i t h s e l e c t i n g or developing a p p r o p r i a t e r e s o u r c e - m a t e r i a l s , w i t h meeting p a r t i c u l a r l o c a l needs or c a p i t a l i z i n g on p a r t i c u l a r l o c a l resources, and w i t h f o r m u l a t i n g a s u i t a b l y c o - o r d i n a t e d school p o l i c y . As i t does t h i s , i t w i l l be r e a c t i n g to the c u r r i c u l u m overview discussed above and feeding back i n f o r m a t i o n to modify or a m p l i f y i t .
This p a t t e r n o f c u r r i c u l u m development helps to c l a r i f y t h i n k i n g about e v a l u a t i o n o f the c u r r i c u l u m
i t s e l f , as d i s t i n c t from the e v a l u a t i o n o f students:
There are two separate l e v e l s o f c u r r i c u l u m e v a l u a t i o n . One i s t o do w i t h the "Tightness" o f the general
c u r r i c u l u m g o a l s , and the other i s concerned w i t h the e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f a p a r t i c u l a r way o f meeting these goals.
The e v a l u a t i o n o f general goals i s a matter o f value judgments and consensus. I t depends on d i s - cussion and feedback which, as i n d i c a t e d Nabove,' should be a c o n t i n u i n g process, and f o r which a forum such as the proposed Standing Committee should be p r o v i d e d .
However, the p r o v i s i o n o f such a forum i s not s u f f i c i e n t i n i t s e l f ; i t i s also necessary t o develop feedback methods which would g i v e the Standing Committee m a t e r i a l w i t h which t o work, and a sense o f purpose i n t h i s work.
The e v a l u a t i o n . o f the e f f e c t i v e n e s s of p a r t i c u l a r c u r r i c u l u m approaches i s a much more o b j e c t i v e matter.
Much can be done by measurement o f achievement, or close o b s e r v a t i o n o f processes t o 'determine whether a p a r t i c u - l a r technique or o r g a n i z a t i o n does i n f a c t do what i t claims t o do, or whether one set o f m a t e r i a l s i s more e f f e c t i v e than another. E v a l u a t i o n i n areas o f t h i s k i n d must o f n e c e s s i t y be school-based, although t o be e f f e c t i v e i t w i l l need support from o u t s i d e the school.
I t appears t o the Committee t h a t c l a r i f i c a t i o n o f the school's purposes, and t h e assessment o f the e f f e c t - iveness o f the t o t a l school c u r r i c u l u m i n meeting these, i s the s t a r t i n g p o i n t f o r any program o f school-based c u r r i c u l u m development. The c o - o r d i n a t i o n o f t h i s c l a r i f i c a t i o n and e v a l u a t i o n , and t h e i n s t i t u t i o n o f a r e g u l a r process o f e v a l u a t i o n , should be the r e s p o n s i - b i l i t y o f a senior member o f s t a f f . I t i s now a f i r m l y e s t a b l i s h e d p r i n c i p l e t h a t each school should be able to account f o r t h e q u a l i t y of i t s own work. This does not mean t h a t judgments by o u t s i d e r s - e i t h e r p r o f e s - s i o n a l s or the "school's l a y community - are unnecessary or .inadmissible. I t i s not who makes t h e judgments, but who makes use o f them, t h a t i s i m p o r t a n t . The view of the Committee i s t h a t each school should make use o f as many opinions as i t can o b t a i n so t h a t i t can evalu- ate i t s e l f and i t s program and determine where improve- ments can be made.
I t should n o t be imagined t h a t t h e l e v e l s o f a c t i v i t y i n c u r r i c u l u m development w i l l be as c l e a r l y d e f i n e d i n p r a c t i c e as they are i n t h e p r i n c i p l e s out- l i n e d here. Some o f the requirements f o r t h e success- f u l o p e r a t i o n o f t h i s process are discussed l a t e r i n the r e p o r t . ( 4 7 ) I t i s hoped, however, t h a t t h e present d i s c u s s i o n may c l e a r up some o f the c o n f u s i o n t h a t a t present surrounds the n o t i o n o f school-based c u r r i c u l u m development.
CHAPTER 1 REFERENCES
1 T o r s t e n Husen, The Learning Society (London: Methuen, 1 9 7 4 ) , p . 2 3 1 .
2 Reference i s made t o t h e v i e w o f Husen t h a t "Edu- c a t i o n cannot serve as a s u b s t i t u t e f o r economic and s o c i a l r e f o r m s " (The Learning S o c i e t y , p . 140) 3 See A . C . T . I n t e r i m E d u c a t i o n A u t h o r i t y , secondary
Education f o r Canberra. Chairman: R . J . C a m p b e l l , ( C a n b e r r a : A u s t r a l i a n Government P u b l i s h i n g Ser- v i c e , 1 9 7 3 ) , p p . 2 3 - 2 4 .
4 R. W i l s o n , " D r o p p i n g o u t f r o m Doomsday", B r i t i s h Journal o f Educational Studies 23 ( 1 9 7 5 ) : 1 1 5 .
5 Tasmania. E d u c a t i o n Department, The school i n society:
the r e p o r t o f the committee set up to i n v e s t i g a t e the r o l e of the school i n society. Chairman: P.W. Hughes.
( H o b a r t : E d u c a t i o n Department, 1 9 6 8 ) , p p . 1 1 - 1 2 . 6 See H u s e n , The Learning Society , p . 2 3 2 .
7 J . Lowe, " L e a r n i n g O p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r A d u l t s " , The O.E.C.D. Observer 77 ( 1 9 7 5 ) : 6 .
8 School i n Society Report, p . 1 2 .
9 See M i c h a e l C r o z i e r , The Bureaucratic Phenomenon (Chicago: U n i v e r s i t y o f C h i c a g o , 1 9 6 4 ) , p . 198.
10 See F r a n k M u s g r o v e , Patterns o f Power and A u t h o r i t y i n English Education ( L o n d o n : M e t h u e n , 1 9 7 1 ) , p p . 1 3 9 - 14 0 and Secondary Education f o r Canberra, p . 2 4 . 11 R e f e r p a r t i c u l a r l y t o s e c t i o n s 4.8 and 4 . 9 .
12 E . F . S c h u m a c h e r , Small i s B e a u t i f u l : a study o f economics as i f people mattered (New Y o r k : H a r p e r ' R o w , 1 9 7 5 ) , p . 1 7 0 .
13 Peter S c o t t , "The h i e r a r c h y o f c e n t r a l p l a c e s i n T a s m a n i a " , A u s t r a l i a n Geographer 9 ( 1 9 6 7 ) : 1 3 4 . 14 School i n Society Report, p p . 1 4 - 1 5 .
15 I b i d . , p . 1 2 .
16 Evidence t o the Committee from the Environmental Teachers A s s o c i a t i o n o f Tasmania.
17 S c h u m a c h e r , Small i s B e a u t i f u l , p . 1 2 2 .
18. See Wilson, "Dropping out from Doomsday", pp.
256-257.
19 See H u s e n , The Learning Society , p . 2 2 3 .
20 L.J. Stone and J . Church, Childhood and Adolescence:
a psychology o f the growing person. 3 r d ed . (New Y o r k : Random H o u s e , 1 9 7 3 ) , p . 4 1 8 . .
21 See C. D u k e , " A u s t r a l i a n P e r s p e c t i v e s on L i f e l o n g E d u c a t i o n " , A u s t r a l i a n Education Review 6 ( 1 9 7 6 ) : 9 2 . 22 School i n Society Report, p . 1 2 .
23 I b i d . , p . 1 3 .
24 N o t e t h e d i s c u s s i o n i n s e c t i o n 3 . 3 o f t h i s R e p o r t o f "The r e c o n c i l i a t i o n o f g e n e r a l and p r e - v o c a t i o n - a l e d u c a t i o n . "
25 N o t e s e c t i o n 2 . 4 o f t h i s R e p o r t , "The t r a n s i t i o n f r o m s c h o o l i n g t o w o r k " .
26 S t a n l e y P a r k e r , The Future o f Work and Leisure ( L o n d o n : P a l a d i n , 1 9 7 1 ) , p . 1 4 2 .
27 M i c h a e l P u s e y , Dynamics o f Bureaucracy: a case a n a l y s i s i n education ( S y d n e y : J o h n W i l e y , 1 9 7 6 ) , p . 1 1 5 . 28 P a r k e r , Future o f Work and Leisure, p p , 14 2 - 1 4 3 .
2 9 N e v i l l e B e h r e n s , Schooling and Work: a study o f twenty- three year olds i n Tasmanian urban and r u r a l communities ( H o b a r t : E d u c a t i o n D e p a r t m e n t o f T a s m a n i a , 197 5) p . 6.
30 H u s e n , The Learning S o c i e t y , p . 238 .
31 Lowe, " L e a r n i n g O p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r A d u l t s " , p . 1 6 . 32 See p a r t i c u l a r l y s e c t i o n s 4 . 3 and 4 . 4 .
33 P u s e y , Dynamics o f Bureaucracy, p . 9 4 .
34 Stone and Church, Childhood and Adolescence.
35 T i m M c M u l l e n , "The ' L o w e r ' S e c o n d a r y S t a g e : p r o b - lems and p o s s i b i l i t i e s " . D r a f t r e p o r t f o r i n t e r - n a t i o n a l s e m i n a r on Compulsory Secondary Education:
problems and p o s s i b i l i t i e s ( P a r i s : O . E . C . D . , 197 6 ) , p . 33 .
36 I b i d . , p . 3 6 .
37 H a r r y L . Dodson and Fran M. Broadby, student Decision- making i n Tasmanian Secondary Schools (Hobart : E d u c a t i o n Department o f Tasmania, Research B r a n c h , 1 9 7 6 ) .
38 Pusey, Dynamics of Bureaucracy, p p . 9 5-96. A w o r k i n g s-- p a r t y f o r the Committee reached a s i m i l a r c o n c l u s i o n r k : t h a t many s t u d e n t s " w h i l e o u t w a r d l y c o n f o r m i n g t o
r e g u l a t i o n s , o p t o u t s p i r i t u a l l y " (Ron F . F i t z g e r a l d e t . a l . "Secondary S t u d e n t s a t R i s k i n Tasmania".
3ng Consultant's Report to the Committee ( H o b a r t , 1976, 92. m i m i o g r a p h e d ) , p . 9.
39 Stone and C h u r c h , Childhood and Adolescence , p . 483.
4 0 M c M u l l e n , The Lower Secondary Stage, p . 34.
r t 41 I b i d . , p . 32.
i o n -
42 Husen, The Learning Society , p . 15.
|n 4 3 School i n Society Report, p . 18.
44 M c M u l l e n , The Lower Secondary Stage, p . 4 .
45 B r i a n V. H i l l , " E d u c a t i o n f o r t h e Year 2000".
C a t a l y s t 7 (November 1 9 7 6 ) : 8; C u r r i c u l u m D e v e l - opment C e n t r e , Submission to the Education Department of Victoria Curriculum Services Enquiry ( C a n b e r r a : C . D . C . , 1 9 7 6 ) , p . 17, 1 9 - 2 0 ; Ron T . F i t z g e r a l d , Evidence t o t h e Committee (Minute 65)
46 C u r r i c u l u m Development C e n t r e , Victorian submission, p . 2 1 .
47 Note s e c t i o n 5.5 o f t h i s R e p o r t , "Resources f o r c u r r i c u l u m d e v e l o p m e n t . "
h
y -