Powers of Curriculum: Sociological Perspectives on Education 2nd Edition

Meeting the needs of today’s learners and society requires us to transform education. That is the purpose of Powers of Curriculum. Powers of Curriculum challenges pre-service educators in the early childhood, primary and secondary phases of education to transform educational thinking and practices. It equips you with leading-edge sociological research, concepts and perspectives to critically examine the historical, social, cultural and political forces that shape the curriculum, learner experiences, and education systems. This new edition includes updated coverage of the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration and responds to recent world events and educational developments with references to the climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic and the datafication of education. It aims to support you in rising to the challenge of educating young people in systems of education that need transformation. This resource explores a diverse range of topics related to curriculum, education, culture and society. The text is organised into three parts: Understanding Curriculum; Unpacking Curriculum Contexts; and Enacting Curriculum Experiences. The first part introduces you to the notion of curriculum and its relationship to education. The second part examines a range of social, cultural and political issues that influence the enactment and experiences of curriculum across diverse settings. The final part explores the practical dimension to your learning about curriculum. The authors encourage you to use the book’s concepts and ideas to open education to new thoughts and practices. The authors encourage readers to use the book’s concepts and ideas to create learning experiences that are rich, engaging, intellectually stimulating, respectful and meaningful from the point of view of learners. Key Features Explores complex sociological and philosophical concepts in ways that are accessible to pre-service teachers and will genuinely equip them to make a positive difference in the lives of children and young people. Ask yourself questions are intended to use readers’ personal thoughts, beliefs and experiences to reflect on what they are reading. Theory in action feature encourages readers to consider how the ideas they are reading about surface in people’s experiences, and can be applied to educational contexts. Questions, activities, suggested internet search terms and resources are provided at the end of each chapter for further exploring the topics and information covered.