Recontextualization of knowledge in the new Norwegian curriculum: Epistemic and non‐epistemic design in learning objectives for social studies

Abstract

The recent Norwegian curriculum reform for schools, called "The subject renewal", is part of an international trend regarding knowledge-based curricula. The Norwegian curriculum, which places decisive emphasis on subjects and subject concepts, aims to bring in-depth learning and knowledge back to schools. This paper is based on Rata's theory, referred to as the curriculum design coherence (CDC) model, and examines the curriculum for social studies. The analysis reveals significant differences in the curriculum's goal formulations, with designs that lack connections between subject concepts and content knowledge, which sheds light on how the transition to a knowledge-based curriculum is accompanied by several unresolved issues. The paper explains why curricula with coherent designs and epistemically structured knowledge are a prerequisite for in-depth learning and cumulative knowledge building in schools. K E Y W O R D Scoherent design, in-depth learning, knowledge building, knowledge-based curricula, social studies

Core socialist values and curriculum policy in China: A study of the curriculum standard for Chinese language

“…A body of literature shows that the CDC model, conventionally applied to scrutinize disciplinary knowledge across three distinct subject categories, including (i) subjects leaning towards the sciences that exhibit an increasingly hierarchical and vertical organization of epistemic knowledge concepts, exemplified by Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry (see Rata & Tamati, 2022), (ii) subjects situated within the domain of social science and humanities, such as Social Studies, English, Music and History (see Bratland & Ghami, 2023; McPhail et al., 2023; Rata, 2021) and (iii) subjects straddling the interface between sciences and social sciences, such as Physical Education and Geography (see Pountney & Swift, 2022; Rata & Tamati, 2022). The findings from these studies underscore that subjects falling within the second and third categories are frequently mischaracterized as context‐dependent.…”

The new Norwegian curriculum and integration of knowledge in textbooks in social studies: a comparative study

“…Such an analysis will be able to provide insight into the extent to which there is a connection between the curriculum and textbooks. The basis for the comparative analysis will be the results from our previous studies (Bratland & El Ghami, 2022a, 2022b. However, to make such a comparative study, it was necessary to develop a set of common design categories that make it possible to compare the curriculum and the textbooks.…”

“…The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the new Norwegian curriculum and integration of knowledge in textbooks in social studies. Recently, Bratland & El Ghami (2022a, 2022b investigated two studies of the new curriculum in social studies and selected textbooks in social studies. Both studies, of curriculum and textbooks, are founded on a social realist approach (Maton & Moore, 2010).…”

“…The latest Norwegian curriculum reform is part of this trend (Kunnskapsdepartementet, 2016;Kunnskapsdepartementet, 2019a;Ludvigsen, 2015), with a weight on subjects and subject concepts, elements that are meant to promote in-depth learning in schools (Botten, 2020). The transition from 21st century learning to a more knowledge-based curriculum includes several unresolved problems (Bratland & El Ghami, 2022a;Rata, 2021;Spielman, 2018;Young, 2020), related to the curricula's design and effects. Although the trend with new knowledge-based curricula places stronger emphasis on subjects and subject concepts, they have a design that leads to unintended consequences, where students do not have access to specialized knowledge in the subjects (Bratland & El Ghami, 2022a).…”

“…The transition from 21st century learning to a more knowledge-based curriculum includes several unresolved problems (Bratland & El Ghami, 2022a;Rata, 2021;Spielman, 2018;Young, 2020), related to the curricula's design and effects. Although the trend with new knowledge-based curricula places stronger emphasis on subjects and subject concepts, they have a design that leads to unintended consequences, where students do not have access to specialized knowledge in the subjects (Bratland & El Ghami, 2022a). Spielman distinguishes between "knowledge-led" and "knowledge-engaged" curricula (Spielman, 2018).…”