Curriculum Studies in Context

In today’s multicultural and inclusive classrooms, educators are faced with more challenges than ever before. Besides being interpreters and implementers of the curriculum, teachers need to understand curriculum design, curriculum approaches and models, legislation and prescribed policies. Curriculum studies in context offers sound, detailed and practical direction with reference to the CAPS, to help teachers to enhance teaching, learning and assessment.

Curriculum studies in context narrows the gap between the curriculum plan, instructional design and teaching practice. The views of Tyler, Stenhouse, Freire and various ubuntu theorists serve as a theoretical grounding for a deeper understanding of the teacher’s role as interpreter of the curriculum. Reference is made to the influence of contextual aspects, decolonisation, Africanisation and curriculum innovation.

Contents include the following:

• The theoretical framing of curriculum design
• Understanding the curriculum in context
• The role of ubuntu principles in curriculum design and innovation
• Considering policy documents during curriculum interpretation and implementation
• Practical guidance for curriculum innovation towards effective teaching, learning and assessment

Curriculum studies in context is aimed at teachers in the General Education and Training (GET) and Further Education and Training (FET) phases.

Dr Celia Booyse holds a DEd in Didactics with further specialisation in instructional science and assessment practices. She is currently the senior manager for Statistical Information and Research at Umalusi, the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education. Her expertise lies in research methodology, developing research tools, data analysis, curriculum and instructional studies, the application of typologies and effective teaching, learning and assessment practices. She has worked for 25 years with a range of stakeholders in teacher development programmes, which included the development of course material.

Prof. Elize du Plessis holds a DEd degree and has 30 years’ experience in distance teaching. She is currently a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies at Unisa and is also involved in curriculum development in Unisa’s School of Teacher Education. She has made contributions to several books and a variety of journals and has presented papers at both national and international conferences.

Prof. Mncedisi Maphalala is a professor and the dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Zululand. He previously worked at the University of the Witwatersrand and Unisa. He has edited two books and two journal special issues and has published a number of book chapters and research articles in accredited journals. He has presented research papers at various local and international conferences.