Changing Conceptualizations in the Primary School Curriculum in Ireland: Trajectories, Aspirations, and Tensions

• In Event: Interrogating Educational Possibilities Through Teacher Education and Development

Abstract

In an era of globalisation and prompted by post-Covid reflection, many education systems around the world are undertaking policy reviews and redevelopment work. In the Irish context, curriculum redevelopment processes are central features of all sectors of the education landscape at present. These processes are focused on revisiting and reviewing not only the content of curricula but also their underpinning values, philosophy and vision.
The focus of this presentation is an exploration and analysis of the changing conceptualisation of pupils, teachers and school leaders within the redeveloped primary school curriculum in Ireland, Primary Curriculum Framework for Primary and Special Schools (Department of Education [DE], 2023). This recent publication is the first move away from a traditional detailed curriculum for primary schooling and its replacement with a more skeletal curriculum framework. The curriculum framework’s central vision statement articulates the agentic nature of teachers and pupils; “the curriculum views children as unique, competent, and caring individuals, and it views teachers as committed, skilful, and agentic professionals” (DE, 2023:5).
This emphasises the centrality of the teacher as a ‘curriculum maker’, using situated and contextual knowledge in framing and enacting appropriate learning experiences and outcomes for pupils (Priestley, Biesta and Robinson, 2015). While such a move could be considered progressive and an acknowledgement of the trusted professional teacher, its implications for teacher identity and accountability have been a source of concern among some teachers and school leaders. Moreover, the focus on pupil agency has knock-on effects for teachers’ professional practice, pupil rights and pupil voice. A key objective of the presentation is to explore the intended and indeed unintended consequences of recent and proposed curriculum reforms at primary level related to teacher and child agency. The presentation will also review the ‘Supporting Systemwide Primary Curriculum Change’ (NCCA, 2022) in terms of the relationship between agency and structure.
The primary approach to inquiry is critical documentary analysis undertaken on both historical and contemporary curriculum documents and sources (Bowen, 2009). Alongside both deliberate and inadvertent policy document sources (Duffy, 2005), the presenter’s expertise in the history of curriculum in Ireland (Walsh, 2012) and his role as a member of the Advisory Panel for the redevelopment of the primary school curriculum will be drawn on in framing the presentation and discussion.
The presentation focus has cross-cutting implications for policy, practice and research at this critical juncture of curriculum redevelopment in Ireland and internationally. With increased focus on agency within the curriculum, teachers will need time, space and support both as individuals and as a collective to make sense of their evolving roles and responsibilities as professional educators. A focus on ‘learning by’ and ‘learning from’ all actors within the complex education ecosystem will be a central theme of the presentation (Hayward et al., 2022).
References
Bowen, G. (2009). Document Analysis as a Qualitative Research Method, Qualitative Research Journal, 9, 2, 27–40.
Department of Education (2023). Primary Curriculum Framework for Primary and Special Schools. Dublin: Department of Education.
Duffy, B. (2005). The Analysis of Documentary Evidence (in) Bell, J. (2005). Doing Your Research Project- A Guide for First-time Researchers in Education, Health and Social Science. England: Open University Press. Pp. 124-139.
Hayward, L., Spillane, J., Walsh, T. and Wyse, D. (2022). From Purpose to Practice – Primary Curriculum Developments in Ireland: Reflections from the Advisory Panel (Primary). Dublin: NCCA.
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (2022). Supporting Systemwide Primary Curriculum Change. Dublin: NCCA.
Priestley, M., Biesta, G. and Robinson, S. (2015). Teacher Agency: An Ecological Approach. London: Bloomsbury Academic.
Walsh, T. (2012). Primary Education in Ireland 1897-1990: Curriculum and Context. Bern: Peter Lang.

Author

• Thomas K Walsh, Maynooth University