City Research Online

Abstract

This study examines the experiences of teachers in the Republic of Ireland, as agents of the pedagogic device, in enacting curriculum policy at the micro level of the classroom. It explores their enactment of policy at a time of significant curriculum reform of junior secondary school education. Drawing upon the findings of in-depth interviews with teachers, this study integrates Bernstein’s Theory of ‘Pedagogic Device’ with Ball’s concept of ‘policy enactment’ and ‘policy actor’ and provides valuable insights into the development of curriculum policy at the macro level and how this is translated and enacted at the micro classroom level. It explores teachers’ experiences in translating the subject knowledge and pedagogical practices in the classroom and how these align to the official curriculum policy. Moreover, the study provides an insight into the correlation between the classification and framing of a subject and its perceived status among teachers and students. Particularly, the balance between the common and esoteric discourses and how this has a strong influence on the positioning of subjects in a school is explored.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice on 22 Dec 2020, available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2020.1863210
Publisher Keywords:	Policy enactment, teacher as policy actor, curriculum policy, Bernstein pedagogic device, home economics education
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB1603 Secondary Education. High schools
Departments:	School of Health & Psychological Sciences > Healthcare Services Research & Management
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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