Macdonald, Barry

Walker, Rob

English

University of East Anglia digital repository

0".4.1INSTRUCTIONOtEDIENCE?w over r ce ackt to doers beFr steel wny m re?ICP - A QUIETli:DUCATIONALRE VOLUTi ar,1umbnail Social History of Humanities Curriculum Projecte team saw themselves as a 'research' group offering schools new knowledge and hypotheses)ut enquiry teaching, rather than prescribing a curriculum. "We have nothing to recommend",Stenhouse. But teacher 'neutrality' was a provocative concept, and they were soon caughtin an inflationary spiral of rhetorical debate, at its most public when their collection ofterials on Race was suppressed by Schools Council in a blaze of publicity. Condemned byIT and NAS spokesmen, cut adrift by Council (though not by Nuffield), and assailediously from the Left — "bourgeois indoctrination", from the Right — "dangero`us revolution",academics — "ethical relativism", and by activists — "substituting social action with a parlourne", the project was vigorously defended by an equally diverse range of allies, and acquirednothing of a 'cult reputation while continuing to competasuccessfully in the market place.-ecent survey of project adoption by the Chelsea Centre for Science Education has placed:A ahead of the field.:hough HCP was by no means an `auteur project' (the team was large and unusually powerful),:nhouse was a strong leader and remains an enigmatic figure. To admirers, the most imaginative•iculum developer of them all ("a chess player in a world of draughts",) to detractors an:r-intellectual entrepreneur. Welcomed with open jaws by the philosophers of education (he(aged in their discourse and invited curriculum analysis), disliked by the policy-makers (heuldn't simplify and cultivated paradox), he is, unlike most project directors, still active in the•iculum research field.• • ••• • ••■• ....am • mar-. s 	 a. ...Y.* • r.,•• 	 •A five-year research, development, evaluation and dissemination programme concerned with thediscussion by adolescent pupils of controversial social and moral issues.Time Scale1967-70 (the initial period of funding by Schools Council and Nuffield)1970.72 (the extension, by Schools Council, mainly for further evaluation and dissemination)The Location1967-70 Philippa Fawcett College, London1970-72 Centre for Applied Research in Education (CARE), University of East Anglia(initiative by Schools Council out of its growing concern for continuity and aftercare)Published Collections (by Heinemann Educational Books)Sales (to January 1975)The Family (1970) 1442War and Society (1970) 1238Education (1970) 976Relations Between the Sexes (1970) 898People and Work (1971) 894Poverty (1971) 606Law and Order (1972) 570Living in Cities (1973) 465Complete packs £36 + VATMain Project Team Came From Stayed Responsible For Went ToLawrence Stenhouse College of Ed. from 1967 Rel. bet. Sexes University (CARE)Gillian Box Careers Centre 67-70 Production Schools CouncilJohn Elliott School from 1967 War/People & Work University (CARE)Maurice Plaskow BBC 67-70 Family Schools CouncilJean Rudduck College of Ed. from 1967 Dissemination University (CARE)John Hipkin Research Unit 68-70 Education/Race Schools CouncilPat Haikin College of FE 68-70 Poverty College of FEJim Hillier College of FE 68.69 Film Research BFI(Also involved for shorter periods were: A. Cook, D. Vignali, A. McTaggart, R. Bland, A. Dale).Approximately £250000 (including evaluation)Development Trials1968-70 36 schools from 29 Local Educational Authorities in England and Wales. Urban andrural schools, secondary modern and comprehensives.Background to the Project1. Raising of the School Leaving Age (expected in 1970, implemented in 1972).2. Newsome Report (1963) HCP team did not like its acceptance of a special curriculum forthe non-academie and rarely quoted it.PovertyIndia's Breathing SpaceMICHAEL LIPTON03 Innis 530 million p3-63,3e, 11.:t 370;Cr- 03pens1 ars apsk.iumer7.•••• • •it it 	 313,3'330g 1ha1NU' 	 7.0es economy -•0,01 	 polait-al etenocelrycc" s 	 311,3, .3•3 1v43333urci....Id sown., -.e3r, 7P:133 	 nrwrrne by 0.3_ arrfre•.• 	 .. • 	 •awor no.Whei 	 itt'retnyrrr.e:!, the , grant : r- lettrdei,eOng: 1113 goon be neer,	 erkinv 	 Inett,' 	 go linrl -nhno the inntzldics	 out in ewich 	 311 bulk ilt,k dyk. Around II, ,133, Mc 103n corked at ein ennn0 until it p.tct.ictl 	 1,nt34 .1 11,411:,34 , 73.	 .3K1 3333 ,r3ta3. Working Paper No. 114. Working Paper No. 2Interpreting the Remit(Schools Council 1967). This was the Feasibility Study for HCP,but they did not like it either, and only used it to support theidea of 'areas of enquiry'.(Schools Council 1965). This paper, with its high aspirations for`everyman', its assertion that the limitations of the pupil had to biidentified and not assumed, and its emphasis on the pursuit ofunderstanding, came closest to the values of the team and wasliberally quoted by them.The team defined humanities as "the study of important human issues", the aim of the projectas "to develop an understanding of human acts, of social situations, and of the problems ofvalue which arise from them" and the curriculum problem as "how is a teacher in a democracyto handle controversial value issues?"PremisesThe work of the project was based upon five major premises:1. that controversial issues should be handled in the classroom with adolescents.2. that the teacher accepts the need to submit his teaching in controversial areas to the criteriorof neutrality at this stage of education i.e. that he regards it as part of his responsibility notto promote his own view.3. that the mode of enquiry in controversial areas should have discussion, rather than instructicas its core.4. that the discussion should protect divergence of view among participants, rather thanattempt to achieve consensus.5. that the teacher as chairman of the discussion should have responsibility for quality andstandards in learning.Hew the rich live	 gien`;,?.T.-ItZ'a 01: 7.;:31,7ithL17,Z,%1„77:741"-Z4F7g v 	 "“7"'541”-l:',;!•11=1:1';'°149r 	 • r	Tires ......... 	net food 10 •mem,Approximately £250000 (including evaluation) 	 a) Materials: Nine themes were chosen as areas of enquiry for experimental development. Theteam produced multi-media collections of study materials and teacher guides in each themeDevelopment Trials 	 area and in cooperation with the British Film institute a film-hire service.1968-70 36 schools from 29 Local Educational Authorities in England and Wales. Urban and 	 b) Pedagogy: Basically enquiry through classroom discussion, with the teacher, in the role ofrural schools, secondary modern and comprehensives. 	 'neutral chairman', attempting to promote reflective interpretation of 'evidence' drawn fromthe theme collections.Background to the Project1, Raising of the School Leaving Age (expected in 1970, implemented in 1972). 	Dissemination2. Newsome Report (1963) HCP team did not like its acceptance of a special curriculum for 	 Aim. "to establish by 1972 sufficient people throughout the country with understanding andthe non-academic and rarely quoted it. 	 energy enough to ensure that the experiment could be sustained, that new people could be	• 	 ,tIndia's Breathing SpaceMtCHAEL UPTON',rt.., I, 	 Out Y x km 11,c 1,7,. 1r..r. work non	 I migrantmiD.c head !,4 o hetlure.. wing:fill was lx uses, end inkinx:ArA when thc piddles ranoul. the rye went our in the ra:n=nth Ihnsek end h.', link 441 gronn41	 rms., Thelnaling	weikedal the esina.s degi i it pcnenalecl	 nrestitsAna ihrn 	 .reshei c. and die .n.l.nr.,:inn.sinami Poverly3. Working Paper No. 11 	 (Schools Council 1967). This was the Feasibility Study for HCP,but they did not like it either, and only used it to support theidea of 'areas of enquiry'.4. Working Paper No. 2 	 (Schools Council 1965). This paper, with its high aspirations for'everyman', its assertion that the limitations of the pupil had to beidentified and not assumed, and its emphasis on the pursuit ofunderstanding, came closest to the values of the team and wasliberally quoted by them.'Interpreting the RemitThe team defined humanities as "the study of important human issues", the aim of the projectas "to develop an understanding of human acts, of social situations, and of the problems ofvalue which arise from them" and the curriculum problem as "how is a teacher in a democracyto handle controversial value issues?"PremisesThe work of the project was based upon five major premises:1. that controversial issues should be handled in the classroom with adolescents.2. that the teacher accepts the need to submit his teaching in controversial areas to the criterionof neutrality at this stage of education i.e. that he regards it as part of his responsibility notto promote his own view.3. that the mode of enquiry in controversial areas should have discussion, rather than instruction,as its core.4. that the discussion should protect divergence of view among participants, rather thanattempt to achieve consensus.5. that the teacher as chairman of the discussion should have responsibility for quality andstandards in learning.effectively brought in, that experience could be shared and learned from and that standardscould be effectively re-thought,"Main Strategy: Training through centrally-held courses, teams of people from LEAs who then(at least theoretically) take responsibility locally for teacher training and support. Such courses,initiated in 1970, are still going on under the aegis of CARE, which maintains contact with anetwork of local contacts throughout the country.The project's ideas and principles are difficult to grasp or have been poorly communicated, orboth. Exception — the central courses which seem very effective and produce understandingand enthusiasm.A Guide to the Observer of HCPAt the LEA level.HCP can be a risky enterprise for the teacher, both in career and political terms. Legitimationand informed external support are therefore important, especially when not provided by theschool. Some LEAs will back teachers who fear adverse community reaction, others firmlydecline.Training provision for new HCP teachers essential.Hire of films for use in HCP schools often depends on financial support from LEA.At the school level.Time allocation less important than viable group size, physical conditions (private and quiet)and access to materials (storage and retrieval are problems). Support of headmaster moreimportant than that of colleagues. Danger of project being perceived as "softsell" if confinedto low status pupils and teachers. In schools with exam emphasisjorne teachers say HCPmust be examined to gain commitment of staff and pupils. Others disagree, some hotly.Project Team stayed neutral on this issue.3. At the classroom level.Organisation: HCP discussion difficult to realise with groups of more than 15-mixed ability -best, but not 'ad hoc' mixtures. Circular seating but semi-formal (i.e. with desks) best bet.Single sex groups disadvantaged with most themes. Experienced teachers more likely tosucceed, even though more ingrained in previous practice.Teacher Role Characteristics: does not express views, listens, summarises, controls interrupt-ions, introduces new evidence, encourages pupils to concentrate on interpreting the materials,forestalls premature or social consensus on issues, tolerates silence, invites comment on hisrole performance.Pupil Role Characteristics: addresses group rather than teacher, listens to views of others,refrains from personalised criticism, calls for new evidence, takes responsibility for maintainingthe enquiry and for new initiatives.Additional Note.Adversaries of HCP are critical of the difficulty level of the materials: advocates respond thatthe HCP discussion process enables pupils to tackle successfully as a group materials they couldnot cope with as individuals. Adversaries claim that pupils must be able to understand thematerial before they can discuss it: advocates claim that understanding is the product not theprerequisite of discussion — "You discuss because you do not understand".The process of conventional discussion The HCP process1. READ 	 (pupils read the material) 1. READ2. UNDERSTAND (teacher tests individualcomprehension) 2. DISCUSS3. DISCUSS 	 (pupils exchange opinions)3. UNDERSTAND(pupils read thematerials)(pupils help eachother interpretthe materials)(pupils exploretheir differinginterpretationsand reactions tothe materials)HCP EVALUATIONTime Scale: 	 1968-701970.73Personnel:	1968-731970-72Philippa Fawcett College, London.CARE, University of East AngliaBarry MacDonald (now SAFARI director)G K Verma, S Humble, H SimonsDesign 	 Combination of clinical, psychometric and sociometric studies.Phase	(1968.70) Formative evaluation for central team, narrative chronicle of ProjectOne	history, case studies of trial schools.Phase	(1970-73) Measurement of pupil change, case studies of schools and LEAs, surveysTwo 	 of adoption, studies of dissemination. Extensive publication, mainly to participants,during this period.ResultsCaseStudyMeasure-mentHCP difficult to assimilate — schools much more authoritarian than they realise —HCP creates dissonance at all levels of impact: persistence needed to achievesatisfaction and stability of process. Institutional context important but unpredict-able. Individual pupil, teacher and school reactions range from dismal failure tospectacular success.Test programme over-ambitious and seriously flawed in execution — neverthelesssuggests that in the hands of trained teachers pupils gain in language skills andself-esteem.Survey 	 Adoption comparatively widespread — mainly by English and History teachers inmid-career -- FAMILY and WAR the favourite topics.OVERVIEW OF PROJECT IMPACTConsiderable impact on professional debate about the role of the teacher and the responsibilityof schools for moral education — some impact on curriculum and innovation theory — nationalimpact on school practice largely unknown although commercially successful. The persistence ,of interest in HCP may be a testimony to the importance of the problem or the remedy — orboth.The HCP 'Race' ExperimentA cautious approach confined to six schools, designed primarily to test Miller's conclusion thatteaching about race per se increases prejudice. Heavily evaluated, results did not confirm Miller.Schools and team wanted to go on, but were blocked by the Schools Council after consultationswith the Race Relations Board, who were hostile to the project. Eventually, the SSRCsponsored further work in Race by the HCP team. This work will continue to 1977.HCP in Approved SchoolsAlthough a 'progressive elite' of four schools successfully took part in the trial phase,(negotiated by the Home Office soon after the Court Lees scandal), subsequent disseminationefforts were ineptly coordinated and abortive.The Catholic Schools Sub-ProjectSet up by the Catholic Education Board after Stenhouse "converted" Derek Morel] (SchoolsCouncil; joint author of Working Paper 2) it was run from Strawberry Hill College by TonyHiggins (see 'Towards Judgement' for details). Some Catholic schools saw no need for aseparate project. The Sub-Project 'reinterpreted 'neutrality' theory theologically in terms of"primacy of conscience" and tried to produce materials which strengthened Catholic sourcesacross the range of themes. Materials not approved by the Board for publication.The Project AbroadHCP has attracted its share of interest, particularly in USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand,Scandinavia, West Germany, Ireland - and Scotland. Reactions worth noting:USA — apparent conflict with educational drive for social consensus through values curriculum.West Germany — big impact on national debate about 'open curricula'. Criticised by radicalreformists as 'bourgeois',N. Ireland — toyed with as a possible instrument of reconciliation, but too 'risky'.Eire —Materials and method embodied in Dublin Vocational Schools Humanities Project.Implementation in other countries inhibited by the need to regenerate the materials, which arenot only language-bound but culture-bound too.SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMATIONCentre for Applied Research in Education, University of East Anglia. Available books, "Towards .:Judgement" and "People in Classrooms". Further volumes anticipated.SAFARI is a follow-up study of four completed curriculum projects. Information about SAFARI,and profiles of Project Technology, Geography for the Young School Leaver, and NuffieldSecondary Science, are obtainable from the Centre for Applied Research in Education, Universityof East Anglia, NR2 7JT. SAFARI staff: B. MacDonald, R. Walker.

Safari Profiles, Thumbnail Social History of Humanities Curriculum Project

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

University of East Anglia digital repository