Interpretation of the science curriculum and the implementation of a school based programme

Abstract

This thesis examines the interpretation of the Science in the New Zealand Curriculum (MOEb 1993) by two secondary school science departments and the implementation of their school science programme. Three teachers from each science department and the school principal were interviewed over two terms of the school year. It was found that although the processes of interpretation and implementation are inter-related and non-linear different factors were involved. The curriculum is an intervention into a school's way of doing science and demands a response. Such an intervention provides the opportunity for individual teachers to reflect on their beliefs and knowledge of science education. The individual interpretations of the document are then not simply implemented instead there is reconciliation between the interpretations and the reality of the school context. The response to the National Curriculum Framework (MOEa 1993) and individual subject curriculum statements, such as science, reflects the way each school is responding to the overall educational changes, ie the vision it has for itself. The response to the curriculum statement therefore will be a unique science programme peculiar to each school. The main focus of this research is to discuss the factors identified from the teachers' voices as being part of the self reflection process - at an individual level, department level, and school wide. It is these factors which lead to strategic compromises being made at all three levels as the curriculum statement is re-created to reconcile with the visions.