Four members of staff from the University of Liverpool will answer questions related to decolonising the curriculum. What does ‘Decolonise the Curriculum’ mean to you? Decolonising the curriculum means creating spaces and resources for a dialogue among all members of the university on how to imagine and envision all cultures and knowledge systems in the curriculum, and with respect to what is being taught and how it frames the world. Decolonising the curriculum: Southern interrogations of time, place and knowledge . }9}���ƿ Eventbrite - The Centre for Innovation in Education presents Decolonising the Curriculum Staff Panel - Friday, 22 January 2021 - Find event and registration information. %��������� 4 0 obj Decolonizing the curriculum is both deconstructive and transformative. A cross-departmental meeting was held in November 2020 in where was decided that a series of open discussion events should be held in order to raise awareness amongst both staff and students. Decolonising the curriculum is a massive piece of work involving cultural and structural change which will not happen overnight. University of Cape Town provides funding as a partner of The Conversation AFRICA. These kinds of curriculum change are highly complex and contested but are being tackled in many disciplines. Why decolonising the curriculum is a job for teachers. Why is my curriculum white? We’ll be collaborating with teachers One of the most significant educational problems relating to gaps in the curriculum is the lack of representation of black and minority ethnic groups, and their histories and achievements within the UK. Neema Begum and Rima Saini. Decolonizing the Curriculum: The BLM Approach to History Somewhere in the fireworks and star-spangled attire of every Fourth of July lies an all-too-familiar historical script. On the other, it is transformative as it is about centering the voices, agency and power of Black learners, teachers, ways of knowing and cultures in learning and pedagogy. — This is understandable – statues fall, fees fall but curricula don’t “fall”. helping to start a conversation from different points of view. Professional areas of study like health sciences, engineering and law have grappled with their relevance to the “real world”. Decolonising the curriculum involves reflecting on our assumptions about how the world is, and the legacies of Western colonialism and empire on knowledge, education and … Decolonising the curriculum is not an end, but the beginning of a longer process of transformation.’ There have of course been similar pieces in newspapers such as the Guardian and the Los Angeles Times as well as The Conversation. One of the concerns of the decolonising movement is how curriculum content is dominated by – to name some – white, male, western, capitalist, … Decolonising the curriculum seeks to interrogate what groups of people are considered legitimate knowledge producers. — It is the way in which the curriculum at every point – from who gets admitted, who thrives, who survives, who fails – mirrors back the historical and current unequal distribution of educational resources in the broader society. African Studies expert Harry Garuba situates the current agitation for change in the long tradition of calls for curriculum change of the 1960s in post-colonial Africa and the moves of multiculturalism in the 1980s in the US. But I found that they recur again and again. The ‘decolonise the curriculum’ movement re-racialises knowledge It represents a backward view of knowledge, it entrenches racial thinking, … Decolonising the Science Curriculum We formed a departmental working group in 2019 to look at what decolonising the curriculum means for us, and how we can use this approach to improve our teaching and research. Students argued that they need to have a voice or a say in curriculum matters that affect them. Introduction . Students are not naive about their role in curriculum change. With a proper, focused strategy and resources, they can be tackled – and universities can ensure that these crucial debates result in real change. Now in its third year, over 40 schools have adopted the resource. Share this. Victoria, Justice & Love Firstly, there has been a massive expansion of higher education. Current reading lists (largely including my own) suggest this is predominantly restricted to white, Western men. Decolonising the curriculum. Perhaps it doesn’t matter: they are all important. I reread and listened to earlier contributions to tease out from the many entangled demands a list of challenges. An award that celebrates groups that have been actively promoting equality, diversity and inclusivity through their projects. Political Studies Review 2019 17: 2, 196-201 Download Citation. Gus and Gurminder explain that decolonising the curriculum is about rebalancing the eurocentric outlook of a university and this requires a deep interrogation of structures that produce inequalities. x��K�d�q��}�Z�K��z�:u�;K6pe�������RI������CB2�C��ά|DF�;"��p���N������ϗ��|�.���~�?���~��ߟ���O���? Hanley developed six books form a new Curriculum Programme Resource for schools or teachers to form lessons and activities in primary, secondary or early childhood education. Suellen Shay does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Many professional curricula have shifted to problem-based or problem-centered. — The point is that they will require different strategies, different kinds of resources and expertise, different lines of responsibility and accountability. There is a risk that because of fatigue, frustration, and silencing this important moment will pass us by. For this reason, one could argue that this is the most important item on the agenda. Below we explain some of the key issues involved. ABSTRACT A renewed call to 'decolonise' the university curriculum has marked a shift in thinking about education and what should form the canon of curriculum content. Dean and Associate Professor, University of Cape Town. Bodunrin, Peter O. It will take years if not decades to gain momentum again. Some academics will be concerned or even opposed to this. Decolonising the Curriculum. This is commonly referred to as the colonisation of the curriculum. Decolonising the Curriculum. In April 2015 a statue of colonialist Cecil John Rhodes was removed from the University of Cape Town’s campus in South Africa. Decolonising the curriculum A group of sixth formers from London are campaigning to change the way British colonial history is taught on the National Curriculum . The inadequacy of existing policies and procedures for exposing and addressing the abuse of power has been brought under a very harsh spotlight at South African universities. Philosophy 56, no. To this end, I carefully read three pieces contributed by students Calum Mitchell, Brian Kamanzi and Njoki Wamai to the website University World News’ special edition on decolonisation. If students’ input is valued, the overall quality of the curriculum will be strengthened. A report, commissioned by the Office for Students, has recommended that universities should “decolonise” the curriculum to end the dominance of western values … They need not be. He utilises his personal experience of education in the UK as a pupil, teacher and secondary school senior leader. 14:50 – 15:30 Decolonising Research and Academic Skills – Sara Ewing (Goldsmiths, University of London) 15.30 – 15.40 Tea break 15.40 – 16.40 Lightning Talks 2 The extent to which academics are unaware of their “rank” and its potential harmful consequences on students will nullify everything else that’s done. $�q�?��W;�����;~�oA}\����>���~=��_�/�ӌ������r � ����o�B���vn����6��}�w} *���ҷ���P�a�����o��t�@���w�qs���›���5�~ ����u�������~�u�s��n�k��}t���e\N�E��u'�cߟ����a�mw5�������%�A����zv*�y�� �r��팂�[���u{�lM. One of the challenges raised is that South Africa’s undergraduate curriculum is simply no longer fit for its purpose. This means the content under-represents and undervalues the perspectives, experiences, epistemologies of those who do not fit into these mainstream categories. They know they are not the experts –- they have come to university to be taught by the experts. Decolonising the curriculum is about recognising and challenging the colonial roots and Western biases of what we teach, how we teach it, and what we value in our students’ work. If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> It's naïve to assume educators haven't thought about ethnocentricity and diversity in the curriculum, says David Russell. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click on download. stream 25th November, 2020. Scholars such as Connell (2007), Chen (2010) and Alatas (2006) have provided ample evidence of the ways in which epistemologies, knowledge … Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Regulatory frameworks - free webinar A focus on problems raises other issues: the balance and sequence of theory and practice, and the plurality of theories and methods required to solve the problems. This echoes a much bigger debate in other parts of the world and raises fundamental questions about the appropriateness or “fitness” of the existing undergraduate bachelors degree across disciplines. I believe that it’s important to be clearer about the range of issues that feature under the “decolonising” banner. David Russell 2nd January 2020 at 2:02pm. Or both? ‘decolonizing the curriculum means creating spaces and resources for a dialogue among all members of the university on how to imagine and envision all cultures and knowledge systems in the curriculum, and with respect to what is being taught and how it frames the world.’ 7 Secondly, is it fit for the rapidly changing world into which graduates of these degrees move into? Teacher Aisha Thomas, in her recent TED talk, spoke of how 'every day BAME children are educated without seeing themselves in the curriculum or their environment. Sydney, New South Wales, Copyright © 2010–2021, The Conversation Media Group Ltd, The Neuroscience of Creativity by Nerdy Novelist Sue Woolfe, Applying behavioural science to create change, Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Economics (Health and Wellbeing), Associate Lecturer or Lecturer, (ECDF) in Digital Health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander project based scholarships - An Intergenerational Oral History of the Koori Courts (Ngarnga Nanggit), Lecturer (Indigenous [Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander] Education). 216 (1981): 161-179. The campaign by left-wing student protestors and some faculty to force Western universities to “decolonize the curriculum” has been surprisingly successful. The six which I’ll explore in this article are by no means the only ones and are not discussed in order of priority. But is the curriculum actually relevant for these new students, many of whom don’t fit the profile of the typical “mainstream” middle class, white, “university-ready” 18-year-old school leaver? Decolonising the Curriculum University of Johannesburg: In 2016, colleagues at the University of Johannesburg invited me to join their discussion about decolonizing the curriculum. — Masterclass series, Victoria, The Neuroscience of Creativity by Nerdy Novelist Sue Woolfe AEDT, Victoria, Applying behavioural science to create change Decolonising the Curriculum was awarded for Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity in the Kent Student Awards 2019. It has opened up in the past two decades to South Africans across race and class lines. A space to share various types of articles and writings on and around the subject of decolonising the curriculum. The key ingredient in achieving this change is the student voice. Another challenge raised by students is that many curricula are taught in oppressive classrooms by academics who are demeaning, unprofessional and use their power in ways that discriminate unfairly against students. This action comes as a result of a recent increase in conversation, research and learning about decolonising the curriculum. It is highly plausible that such a connection exists, because among other things, decolonising the curriculum entails re-evaluating what counts as canonical knowledge and sound methodology, and simply also recognising all the other cultures, civilisations and knowledges that exist. %PDF-1.3 He makes a useful distinction between inserting these new inputs into an existing largely unchanged curriculum versus a more radical rethinking of how the subject is taught. On the one hand, it is about recognizing and dismantling how coloniality shapes knowledge and academia. ‘Decolonisation’ of curriculum is key in achieving this. Future public sector leaders' series We understand decolonising as an on-going process that involves unravelling our assumptions about curricula, critically examining its content and forms, and imagining new ways of learning together. — This notion of “relevance” is another challenge. But they do have a perspective that comes from their experiences both inside and outside the classroom. Every member of staff need to be involved in that process, and students should be engaged with it too. The curriculum – and particularly its assessment systems – serve to reproduce society’s broader inequalities. This challenge has received very little attention in the recent debates on “decolonising”. As a part of our ongoing reflexive process at People’s Knowledge and at CAWR (e.g . Americans never tire of tales in which their freedom-loving forefathers took a stand against British tyranny and asserted their right to independence. There is also pressure across the curriculum. ]N_�t����Ŕ��~��ϣ�o��h|����|�ߝ������c����|?�����8���_��~��Ǜ�~������ ����~�����=��v?�ݟ5��r�����o>f7���ז� +��c{��oO���?��>}���o~j���|�~��vy^��}̬o�����˿�����~O���ӯO��u9�l����q}A6��o? The Decolonising the Curriculum Toolkit is a collaborative project involving students and staff at the University of Westminster and beyond. Leading universities around the world and in some cases entire national systems are courageously revamping their undergraduate curricula to address these changes of demography and the future world of work. For example, in an African medical curriculum, should universities prepare students for the problems of first world specialists or those of doctors working in poor, rural areas? Wherever possible we have made these reading that can be accessed freely. This raises issues of meaningful representation of students on departmental and programme governance structures. Again, this kind of debate happens best in individual disciplines – though it can be precipitated by external events, as has been the case in Economics. While decolonising the curriculum can mean different things, it includes a fundamental reconsideration of who is teaching, what the subject matter is … Its fitness is questioned on two points. Thus, the framework through which knowledge is distributed must always be aligned with notions of accuracy and diversity, if we are to prevent the reproduction of privileged narratives in wider societal contexts. "The question of African philosophy." What is the impact of an ethnocentric curriculum? One of the concerns of the decolonising movement is how curriculum content is dominated by – to name some – white, male, western, capitalist, heterosexual, European worldviews. ��������O_~�O���/?�}m�n��~>�w-�����:�G^W�;]��׿߀u����n[��m��7A�����p��1���?~���3�?����[4F�������]O�����q��������o'����r{����~?�[�����"����"��o�6��-ҹ����:��xlǿ����"���r�����M��p���v�aΌ}�n���}�o��C��c�43���z:��O�?ޟ��qz�K��f���~X� In the 14 months since the statue was removed, there has been a great deal of debate about “decolonising the curriculum” but very little change. Very few of today’s “wicked” problems can be solved through one perspective or one method of investigation. Some of these challenges may fit more or less appropriately on the “decolonising the curriculum” agenda. The statue was the flash point around which students organised themselves under the banners of #RhodesMustFall, #FeesMustFall and drove a national – later international – debate about decolonisation and structural change in universities. 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