Knowleges and Values in Science Syllabuses: A Sociological Study of Educational Reforms

The study analyzes the Natural Science syllabuses of the 5th/6th & 7th years of schooling (ages 10- to 13+) to investigate the extent to which the present Portuguese reform (1991) for the elementary school introduces fundamental changes in the discourses & competences it values. The analysis...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of sociology of education 2001-12, Vol.22 (4), p.531-556
Main Authors: Neves, Isabel P, Morais, Ana M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Curriculum
Educational Reform
Elementary Schools
Natural Sciences
Portugal
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Summary:The study analyzes the Natural Science syllabuses of the 5th/6th & 7th years of schooling (ages 10- to 13+) to investigate the extent to which the present Portuguese reform (1991) for the elementary school introduces fundamental changes in the discourses & competences it values. The analysis used the conceptual framework of Bernstein's model of pedagogic discourse. The results show changes in the present reform that suggest, in general, an increasing valuing of the regulative dimension of learning, The results also show a greater diversity & specification of the complex cognitive & socio-affective competences. The study also points out to a recontextualizing within the syllabuses, when passing from the curricular level to the disciplinary level, in the direction of blurring the changes observed. These findings are discussed in terms of national & international educational changes & in terms of the sociopolitical contexts in which present & past reforms took place. 4 Tables, 3 Figures, 17 References. Adapted from the source document.
ISSN:0142-5692
DOI:10.1080/01425690120094476