Sinem Alkan - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
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Papers by Sinem Alkan
New forms of curriculum, which demand greater input from teachers, are emerging internationally (... more New forms of curriculum, which demand greater input from teachers, are emerging internationally (Priestley & Biesta, 2013). Teachers are seen as agents of change in many contexts and are expected to engage with curriculum making more actively than previously to shape their practices. Scotland and Wales are good examples of this new approach. Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence gives an explicitly strong emphasis on the teacher’s role as an active curriculum maker, by stating that the intention is to create teacher-led system (Scottish Government, 2017) where teachers and schools are empowered to make their own school-based curriculum. In Wales, where the current curriculum development process is still ongoing, direct engagement of teachers to generate ideas for the new curriculum is one of the main aspirations (Welsh Government, 2017).
Journal of Curriculum Studies, 2019
Teacher mediation of curriculum making: the role of reflexivity This research explores curriculum... more Teacher mediation of curriculum making: the role of reflexivity This research explores curriculum making by teachers and offers a nuanced way of understanding these practices through the concept of reflexivity. The study draws from a collective case study of teachers in an online focus group, in order to identify and analyse diverse thinking on the curriculum by teachers from Scotland and Wales. A WordPress® page was set up to generate both synchronous and asynchronous discussions over a period of five weeks to discuss curricular issues. Six teachers from Scotland and three teachers from Wales participated in the discussions. Data collection tools comprised iteratively designed interview questions and an Internal Conversation Indicator (ICONI), for indicating participants' dominant mode of reflexivity. Data were analysed thematically, drawing from Margaret Archer's theoretical constructs relating to reflexivity and internal conversation. Data analysis suggests that reflexivity provides a useful lens for understanding teachers' particular approaches to curriculum making. The research suggests that curriculum making practices can be understood, at least partially, in relation to different modes of reflexivity. Further research is needed to substantiate these arguments and provide richer picture of curriculum making.
New forms of curriculum, which demand greater input from teachers, are emerging internationally (... more New forms of curriculum, which demand greater input from teachers, are emerging internationally (Priestley & Biesta, 2013). Teachers are seen as agents of change in many contexts and are expected to engage with curriculum making more actively than previously to shape their practices. Scotland and Wales are good examples of this new approach. Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence gives an explicitly strong emphasis on the teacher’s role as an active curriculum maker, by stating that the intention is to create teacher-led system (Scottish Government, 2017) where teachers and schools are empowered to make their own school-based curriculum. In Wales, where the current curriculum development process is still ongoing, direct engagement of teachers to generate ideas for the new curriculum is one of the main aspirations (Welsh Government, 2017).
Journal of Curriculum Studies, 2019
Teacher mediation of curriculum making: the role of reflexivity This research explores curriculum... more Teacher mediation of curriculum making: the role of reflexivity This research explores curriculum making by teachers and offers a nuanced way of understanding these practices through the concept of reflexivity. The study draws from a collective case study of teachers in an online focus group, in order to identify and analyse diverse thinking on the curriculum by teachers from Scotland and Wales. A WordPress® page was set up to generate both synchronous and asynchronous discussions over a period of five weeks to discuss curricular issues. Six teachers from Scotland and three teachers from Wales participated in the discussions. Data collection tools comprised iteratively designed interview questions and an Internal Conversation Indicator (ICONI), for indicating participants' dominant mode of reflexivity. Data were analysed thematically, drawing from Margaret Archer's theoretical constructs relating to reflexivity and internal conversation. Data analysis suggests that reflexivity provides a useful lens for understanding teachers' particular approaches to curriculum making. The research suggests that curriculum making practices can be understood, at least partially, in relation to different modes of reflexivity. Further research is needed to substantiate these arguments and provide richer picture of curriculum making.