The role of curriculum resources in three countries : the impact of national curriculum reforms in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Australia

Abstract

This project examines the impact of standards-based and curriculum reforms on the role of materials in educational systems in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Australia. The project focused on identifying activities undertaken by publishing companies and in educational systems to develop, select and use materials in the context of standards-based and curriculum reforms by investigating: (1) research literature about the publishing industry, the policies controlling the adoption of materials, and the patterns influencing the use of materials in schools in the United States; (2) the perceptions of educational publishers about the impact of these reforms on the new materials developed by their companies to meet the needs of schools in implementing these reforms; (3) the impact of national curriculum reforms in the United Kingdom on the materials' marketplace; (4) the impact of the national standards movement in the United States on the materials' marketplace; (5) the impact of state standards in the United States on various aspects relating to materials designed to support these reforms; (6) the impact of national curriculum collaboration in Australia on the materials' marketplace; and (7) the impact of state and territory curricula in Australia on various aspects relating to materials designed to support these reforms. The report concludes by applying categories defined in a typology to classify various activities relating to the development, selection and use of materials identified in educational publishing and educational systems in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. Samples and questionnaires relating to surveys and a bibliography are appended.

Date of Award	2004
Original language	English
Supervisor	Kerry J Kennedy (Supervisor), Tim Hardy (Supervisor) & Anna Johannes Campbell (Supervisor)