Relevance as the essential criterion for quality of education, also in the 21st century

• In Event: Highlighted Session: Re-conceptualizing and repositioning curriculum in the 21st century

Abstract

Deliberate curriculum thinking helps to refocus debates and policies about the quality of education. After much emphasis in recent decades on improving the access and effectiveness of education, it seems valuable to take two steps back and look to the future with a fresh, critical but constructive look at what is seen as most relevant to learn (and teach) for youngsters in this century. The criterion of relevance ("What knowledge (and skills and attitudes) is/are most worth?") is very typical for curriculum thinking. However, it has been somewhat neglected in the "Global Education Reform Movement", with rather meaningless statements about 'quality', 'success' and 'effectiveness' of education. I would like to present a conceptual proposal how to address that essential theme of relevance, at both global and local levels.

Author

• Jan van den Akker, Netherlands Institute for Curriculum Development