PGCE Secondary Education: Exploring Curriculum Aims and Teaching

This PGCE assignment explores how the main aims of the secondary curriculum can be achieved through effective teaching and learning strategies. The essay critically evaluates the perspectives of Michael Young, Haydon, and Heilbronn, examining their views on curriculum development and its i...Read More

Running head: PGCE SECONDARY EDUCATION
PGCE SECONDARY EDUCATION
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PGCE SECONDARY EDUCATION
There is a shift form of concern with the contents or knowledge that are taught in the
schools to a preoccupation with the learning outcomes, high-stakes testing and competencies.
According to Glatthorn et al. (2018), the knowledge questions are highly ignored in the
curriculum development process in the present context of the academic standards,
accountability and outcomes. This paper shall elaborate on presenting the view of Michael
Young, the other by Haydon and Heilbronn on how the main aims of the secondary
curriculum can be met through the teaching and learning in a particular subject.
Curriculum has always played a major role in the process of determining the actual
things and activities that goes on in a particular school (Apple 2017). It is a significant way
through which one tries to realise the aims of education. According to Driver (1989), the
main aims of curriculum should be enabling the young people to become successful learners
who enjoy learning, make significant development and progress and achieve. With the same,
it also aims towards enabling the young people to become confident individuals who are able
to live healthy, safely and fulfilling their lives and become responsible citizens of their
country and make positive contribution to their society. As per Michael Young, the field of
curriculum theory is at present in a state of crisis as of the neglecting of the knowledge by the
theorists of Anglophone during the post-war period.
According to the authors, curriculum of secondary level must support the aims of a
course in providing the children or students with a sound knowledge and grounding in the
basics of the subject, example, English. It must also support all the learning outcomes of the
entire course of the very subject for the students in order to achieve an in depth skills and
knowledge of a particular topic whenever appropriate. All the students must know what
exactly they require for achieving success in life and at the same time, both the students and
teachers both must possess higher expectations and must strive for excellence. It is to note
that teaching and learning occurs in a purposeful and safe environment. Students should also

PGCE SECONDARY EDUCATION
be encouraged for having enquiring minds and thoughts and they must seek for the
opportunities for becoming global citizens. The staffs should also support and challenge the
paths to success of students. It is also to mention that Haydon (1998) in this context have
claimed that secondary curriculum is objective towards flexible and creative approaches to
teaching and learning. They offer very innovative curriculum that is developed with the
interests and aspirations of the students at the centre. With the same, it is also to note that
curriculum make effective use of the new technologies and ICT for motivating and inspiring
students and at the same time, they nurture the close relationships or partnerships with the
international and local organisations and this give the students a huge range of opportunities
for experiencing the world of work. It provides opportunities for the students to extend their
learning outside the formal curriculum, comprising of the entitlement of four hours every
week of the enrichment activities from the age of 11.
Every subjects need to be enhanced through the inclusion of the enterprise education
that are designed for helping the pupils to acquire the skills that they require to achieve in
order to be successful in daily life like the leadership skills, verbal communication skills,
team working skills etc. With the same, students should also follow the reputed programmes
of the CEIAD (Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance) that include solid
updates information regarding the progression routes, the workshops on the CV writing and
the skills of interview along with access to people in the industry. All these will help the
children in building confidence and clarity among themselves when it comes to their future
plans. The aims of the curriculum must represent the teachers’ intensions and they must
“encapsulate the purpose of the course and what the institution is trying to achieve in
providing it” (Schraw, Crippen and Hartley 2006). Also, they should “indicate
the audience for whom the course is intended, or the kind of career or future study for which
it might be designed” and at the same time, they should state if the course is broad-based or

PGCE SECONDARY EDUCATION
not, or is it taught as a wide range of specialised options. It is also to mention that aims are set
at any degree, either for the whole Tripos or MPhil, the part of the Tripos or also the main
subdivision like module, paper or option. In the widely present programme specifications that
are present publicly, they are usually given at a high degree of award. Also, internally, the
institutions might think that it is useful for articulating the aims at the other levels and also,
the individuals might wish to set out all the aims for their own course. It is also to mention
that the aims within a particular areas of provision should remain consistent. The type of
knowledge and skills that the students are usually expected for acquiring need to reflect both
the internal and the external reference points which might be applicable.
Hence, it is to conclude the main aims of the secondary curriculum can be met
through addressing the learning outcomes of the very subject as they tell the learners and the
prospective ones about the different types of skills and knowledge, which they would be
given the opportunity for acquiring at the time of the course. Drawing up and articulating this
can help in promoting the development of a coherent learning programme and at the same
time, helps in guiding the students through the programme. Also, it enables the school or an
institution for demonstrating how a specific lecture course can aid to the aims of teaching and
learning.

PGCE SECONDARY EDUCATION
References:
Apple, M.W., 2017. Curricular form and the logic of technical control:: building the
possessive individual. In Cultural and economic reproduction in education (pp. 247-274).
Routledge.
Driver, R., 1989. Students’ conceptions and the learning of science. International journal of
science education, 11(5), pp.481-490.
Glatthorn, A.A., Boschee, F., Whitehead, B.M. and Boschee, B.F., 2018. Curriculum
leadership: Strategies for development and implementation. SAGE publications.
Haydon, G., 1998. Between the common and the differentiated: Reflections on the work of
the school curriculum and assessment authority on values education. Curriculum
journal, 9(1), pp.5-21.
Schraw, G., Crippen, K.J. and Hartley, K., 2006. Promoting self-regulation in science
education: Metacognition as part of a broader perspective on learning. Research in science
education, 36(1-2), pp.111-139.