Exploring teacher mediation in curriculum making: Scotland and Wales

Abstract

This paper explores teacher mediation in curriculum making practices, drawing upon empirical research conducted in 2018. We first provide insights from two different country contexts (Scotland and Wales), before offering a brief discussion on current literature and the research methods. We then present the key themes emerging from the research, focusing on three aspects. The first aspect is the ways in which teachers conceptualise curriculum and curriculum making. This is followed by an analysis of the factors which shape curriculum making practices. The final aspect, which is the key issue for this research, is to better understand how reflexivity mediates the ways in which teachers view curriculum and shape their curriculum making practices. Reflexivity is an important factor, helping us to understand what individuals concern and value most, and how they interpret their current conditions to project their actions. The paper concludes with discussion and inferences about the role of reflexivity in curriculum making.