Higher Education Perspectives, Vol 1, No 2 (2005)

A Post-Modern Exploration of Community College Formal Curriculum Reviews: Curriculum, Language, Power and Pythons.

Anita Arvast

Abstract


This paper focuses on the formal curricular review and renewal processes in one Ontario community college and the experiences of two faculty members within this process. The paper is the creative presentation of a qualitative research study conducted at Georgian College in February and March 2004. The study is composed of in-depth interviews with two faculty members at the college. The research is informed by Foulcauldian discourse analysis, Conrad and Pratts Framework for Curricular Decisions, and Gays Pragmatic Model of Curricular Development. In an effort to underscore the injustices, ironies, and absurdities of language, this paper is framed by the work of Monty Pythons Flying Circus. The paper expresses concern with major conceptual themes of economy and objectivity arising in language used by faculty members as they consider curriculum.

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