University Curriculum Transformations in Context: Global-Local Dynamics of Policy Processes
Education systems and universities around the world are currently seeking to strengthen their competitive positioning in today’s global knowledge era through curriculum policy transformations. These are taking place as a result of ideological shifts and policy flows, as well as networks between global and local levels, leading to radical university changes in curricula.
Chile is no exception to this general trend. Here, universities are particularly aiming to address the challenges presented by globalization, internationalization and the global knowledge society. A major associated strategy involves the production and enactment of what is termed a ‘21st century curriculum policy’, which refers to a curriculum that promotes the acquisition of such higher-order skills as creative and critical thinking, collaboration and problem-solving skills.
The book details associated international influences in this regard, and presents a detailed exposition of how some universities in Chile have been addressing the challenges they face. Adopting a policy trajectory framework focused on four main contexts of policy processes (namely, policy influences, policy text production, policy enactment and longer-term policy outcomes), it focuses on case studies of three universities.
The major informing concepts considered include neo-liberalism, nationalism, competing educational perspectives, powerful knowledge actors, high-stakes testing, equity, and social justice, among others. ‘Food for thought’ is provided for policy makers, curriculum developers and teachers not only in Chile, but also internationally.
Victoria Valdebenito MacFarlane, PhD, is a Professor in the School of Psychology of Adolofo Ibáñez University, Chile. Her work focuses on research and analysis in the fields of the sociology of education, policy, health, art and culture. She has experience in theatre and the formation of audiences, and also in complementary therapies through her work since 2008 as a clown doctor in Chile and Australia.
Tom O’Donoghue is Professor of Education in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Western Australia. He is also an elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He specialises in the history of education with particular reference to generating understanding of the historical antecedents to contemporary education developments. His work is informed by theoretical perspectives from the social sciences, especially those clustered under the label of ‘interpretivist sociology’. He is a former President of the Australian and New Zealand History of Education Society.
Lesley Vidovich is Professor of Education in the Graduate School of Education at the University of Western Australia. Her major field of interest is education policy and practices. Much of her research concerns education policy trends within the context of globalisation. She has investigated a wide range of policy domains in both the schooling and higher education sectors across Asia, Europe and Africa, as well as Australia.
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