A Bourdieusian View of a Linear Curriculum Through the Perceptions of Secondary Science Teachers

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 1
  In Poster Session: A Bourdieusian View of a Linear Curriculum Through the Perceptions of Secondary Science Teachers (San Diego)

Abstract

This paper outlines the results of a small-scale pilot study trialling a research tool, in preparation for a larger doctoral study. The objective of the research was to determine the perceptions of science teachers in an English secondary school that had implemented a linear curriculum model, following a change in government policy and school inspections. Data were collected using a questionnaire from three science teachers and analysed using descriptive statistics and small-scale thematic analysis. A Bourdieusian lens was applied during data analysis. Two themes emerged, linked tentatively to habitus (shared perception of science identity and cultural capital in students) and field. Characteristics of the linear curriculum in changing the “field” were identified and provide the basis for future research.

Author

• Claire Copeland, Staffordshire University