CURRICULUM and its democratic purpose: Possibilities for change and renewal
Keynote 1 | Emeritus Professor Alan Reid AM | Thursday 1 August, 9:25am | Grand Ballroom
Abstract
Over the past thirty years, the transformative potential of education has been weakened by a standardising policy direction which has narrowed the curriculum. A significant casualty of this process has been one of the key purposes of curriculum: to nurture capacities for active citizenship. This has come at the same time as democracy itself is under threat around the world.
In this presentation, Alan Reid will argue that hope for democratic renewal lies with rethinking curriculum and curriculum practice. He will suggest some possibilities for a curriculum about, for and through democracy which has the potential to help transform our democratic life.
Emeritus Professor Alan Reid AM
Emeritus Professor of Education, University of South Australia
Bio
Alan Reid is Professor Emeritus of Education at the University of South Australia. He has been a leading figure in some significant educational policy developments at the state and national levels; and his research and writing in education focuses on curriculum, education policy, and education and democracy. His most recent book Changing Australian Education: How policy is taking us backwards and what can be done about it was published by Allen and Unwin and argues for new directions in Australian education. In the past two years he has been working on a project which traces the development of democracy in South Australia. Alan is currently a Board member of the History Trust of South Australia, and a member of the Education Innovation Council of the South Australian Department for Education.
