A Qualitative Study Examining Ontario Science Curriculum Policy from 1985 to 2008: Global Influences, Local Political Arenas and Curriculum Reform
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DOCTORAL THESIS A qualitative study examining Ontario science curriculum policy from 1985 to 2008: Global influences, local political arenas and curriculum reform Bloch, Marietta Award date: 2014 General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 23. Sep. 2021 A qualitative study examining Ontario science curriculum policy from 1985 to 2008: Global influences, local political arenas and curriculum reform by Marietta Bloch BSc, BEd A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of PhD School of Education University of Roehampton University of Surrey 2014 2 Abstract This qualitative study examines science curriculum policy making in Ontario, Canada over four different governments between 1985 and 2008. Each government released new curricula for school science. The purpose of this study was to explore influences that shaped the origins, processes and content of these government- mandated curricula. Since 1985, Ontario’s education reforms encompassed neoliberal trends for standards and accountability measures thereby transforming its education system into an auditable commodity. A policy cycle approach, adapted from Bowe, Ball and Gold (1992), and Vidovich’s (2003, 2001) modifications for macro, meso and micro levels of analysis, provided an analytical framework for this study. A trajectory approach was used to analyse science curriculum policy-making both within a government and to identify patterns, trends and actors across all governments. Document analysis, interviews and focus groups were chosen methods to understand the meaning of events, situations and actions of key actors and texts and to understand the contexts within which science curriculum policy was initiated and developed. Findings indicate that an interplay of global trends and local political arenas have influenced Ontario’s science curricula. Governments responded to the decrease of public confidence in education and the increasing demand for standards and accountability measures by reforming education and its curricula. The science curriculum policy documents reflected these reforms as over time they became more specific and were written as standards; however, the content is reflective of Cuban’s (1992, p.223) notion of the ‘historical curriculum’ in that each curriculum continued to exert influence on successive curricula thereby highlighting a tendency to continue with the traditional. 3 4 Contents Abstract 3 Table of contents 5 List of Abbreviations 12 List of Figures 13 List of Tables 14 Acknowledgements 15 Chapter 1 Introduction 17 1.1 Overview 17 1.2 Global trends: Standards, accountability and an audit 18 culture in education 1.3 Purpose 21 1.4 Significance of the topic 22 1.5 Situating Ontario 23 1.5.1 Ontario’s education system 24 1.5.2 Ontario’s political culture 27 1.6 Situating myself in the study: The lens of the researcher 29 1.7 Thesis organisation 30 Chapter 2 Literature review: Science education reforms, curriculum 34 and testing 2.1 Introduction 34 2.2 Science education reforms and political, economic and 35 social contexts 2.2.1 Political 35 2.2.2 Economic 38 2.2.3 Social 39 5 2.3 Scientific literacy and school science 41 2.4 Canadian science education initiatives 45 2.4.1 Science Council of Canada 45 2.4.2 Pan-Canadian Protocol for Collaboration on 46 School Curriculum 2.5 International and national science testing programs 48 2.6 Chapter summary 53 Chapter 3 Literature review: Establishing a conceptual framework 55 for analysis of science curriculum policy 3.1 Introduction 55 3.2 Section One: Defining curriculum policy 57 3.2.1 Defining curriculum 58 3.2.2 Defining policy 62 3.2.3 Formulating a definition of curriculum policy 64 3.3 Section Two: Policy characteristics and the actors 64 involved 3.3.1 Curriculum policy characteristics 64 3.3.2 Actors and curriculum policy 72 3.4 Section Three: Formulating an analytical framework 78 3.4.1 Using a policy cycle approach as an analytical 84 framework 3.4.2 Criticisms of a policy cycle approach 88 3.5 Chapter summary 91 Chapter 4 Methodology 93 4.1 Introduction 93 4.2 The researcher’s self 93 4.3 Research design 96 6 4.4 Methods 99 4.4.1 Document analysis 99 4.4.2 Science curriculum document research instruments 105 4.4.3 Interviews 112 4.4.4 Focus group interviews 128 4.5 Data organisation 134 4.6 Data analysis 136 4.7 Validity and reliability 139 4.8 Ethical sensitivity 142 4.9 Reflexivity 144 4.10 Chapter summary 146 Chapter 5 Peterson Liberal governments 1985-1990 148 5.1 Introduction 148 5.2 Overview: Peterson Liberal science curriculum policy 150 5.3 Political orientation 152 5.4 Section One: Political arena 154 5.4.1 Education and curriculum reforms 155 5.4.2 Economy and the global marketplace 160 5.4.3 Standards 161 5.4.4 Accountability measures 163 5.5 Section Two: Science curriculum origins, development 168 processes, and content 5.5.1 Origins 168 5.5.2 Development processes 171 5.5.3 SiHH and OS:IS Science content 178 7 5.5.3.1 Economy and the global marketplace 178 5.5.3.2 Specificity and standards 182 5.5.3.3 Accountability in the curriculum 185 5.6 Chapter summary 186 Chapter 6 New Democratic Party government 1990-1995 188 6.1 Introduction 188 6.2 Overview: NDP science curriculum policy 190 6.3 Political orientation 191 6.4 Section One: Political arena 193 6.4.1 Education and curriculum reforms 194 6.4.2 Economy and the global marketplace 206 6.4.3 Standards 210 6.4.4 Accountability measures 213 6.5 Section Two: Science curriculum origins, development 219 processes, and content 6.5.1 Origins 219 6.5.2 Development processes 219 6.5.3 The Common Curriculum/ Mathematics, science 223 and technology program area content 6.5.3.1 Economy and the global marketplace 223 6.5.3.2 Specificity and standards 225 6.5.3.3 Accountability in the curriculum 227 6.6 Chapter summary 228 Chapter 7 Progressive Conservative government 1995-2003 232 7.1 Introduction 232 7.2 Overview: Progressive Conservative science curriculum 235 policy 8 7.3 Political orientation 237 7.4 Section One: Political arena 238 7.4.1 Education and curriculum reforms 239 7.4.2 Economy and the global marketplace 246 7.4.3 Standards 249 7.4.4 Accountability measures 252 7.5 Section Two: Science curriculum origins, development 255 processes, and content 7.5.1 Origins 255 7.5.2 Development processes 256 7.5.3 The Ontario Curriculum content 270 7.5.3.1 Economy and the global marketplace 270 7.5.3.2 Specificity and standards 271 7.5.3.3 Accountability in the curriculum 274 7.6 Chapter summary 275 Chapter 8 McGuinty Liberal government 2003-2008 277 8.1 Introduction 277 8.2 Overview: McGuinty Liberal science curriculum policy 280 8.3 Political orientation 281 8.4 Section One: Political arena 282 8.4.1 Education and curriculum reforms 282 8.4.2 Economy and the global marketplace 289 8.4.3 Standards 292 8.4.4 Accountability measures 293 8.5 Section Two: Science curriculum origins, development 296 processes, and content 9 8.5.1 Origins 296 8.5.2 Development processes 297 8.5.3 The Ontario Curriculum, Revised content 306 8.5.3.1 Economy and the global marketplace 306 8.5.3.2 Specificity and standards 306 8.5.3.3 Accountability in the curriculum 309 8 .6 Chapter summary 310 Chapter 9 Conclusions 312 9.1 Introduction 312 9.2 Summary of major findings 313 9.2.1 Arena for education reform: ideological, economic 314 and political conditions 9.2.2 Science curriculum policy development processes 319 9.2.3 Science curriculum content 325 9.3 Revisiting curriculum policy characteristics 327 9.4 Future research possibilities 332 9.5 Limitations 334 9.6 My journey as a novice researcher 336 9.7 Concluding comments 338 Appendix A Research design summary chart 339 Appendix B Primary source document selections 341 Appendix C Science curriculum document components and guiding 346 questions Appendix D Science is Happening Here (Ontario. Ministry of Education, 347 1988i) curriculum components matrix Appendix E Scientific literacy Vision I and Vision II data chart summary 353 10 Appendix F Science content analytical tool 354 Appendix G Record of interview and focus group dates 360 Appendix H Research Overview 361 Appendix I Participant interview consent form 362 Appendix J Semi-structured interview guide 363 Appendix K Example of transcribed transcript 364 Appendix L Participant information form 383 Appendix M Focus group participant consent form 384 Appendix N Focus group interview guide 385 Appendix O Example of policy cycle matrix for Peterson-Accord 386 government Appendix P Ten essential outcomes of TCC Working Document and TCC 389 Final Version References 390 11 Abbreviations AAAS American Association for the Advancement of Science ASAP Assessment of Science and Technology Achievement Project BERA British Educational Research Association BSCS Biological Sciences Curriculum Study CHEM study Chemical Education Materials Study CMEC Council of Ministers of Education, Canada D.C.