The analysis of curriculum structure and its application to curriculum planning and improvement in secondary schools

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to develop a model for the analysis of curriculum structure and organization in Australian secondary schools and to apply a computer formulation of the model to two case studies. The model proposes the construction of indicators of curriculum provision and teacher workload using the raw data provided by school timetables and class lists. This in turn leads to the idea of standardising curriculum structure in a way that will enable comparisons to be made between different schools, the same school with different timetables or between school substructures such as year groups. Limitations and advantages of this approach are explored through an analysis of the concepts of modelling, informat1on and organization. It is proposed that this view of curriculum implies an evaluation perspective that focusses on school improvement as a process of informed criticism and collective decision-making. Several applications of curriculum analysis are suggested including the setting of specific goals for school improvement programmes, industrial applications in the area of workloads and a scheme for the classification and standardised description of curriculum plans.

Date of Award	1986
Original language	English