Twenty-first Century Curriculum Policy: Insights from Australia and Implications Globally

This book focuses on the phenomenon of a ‘21st century curriculum’ and its role in preparing students for work and life in a rapidly changing global knowledge society. Its context is the global and diverse national influences on education policy agendas. The central concepts in the academic literature that underpins the phenomenon are globalisation, curriculum, and policy. The analysis spans global influences on the development of ‘21st century curriculum’ policy, the construction of such policy at the national and State levels in Australia, and the enactment of such policy in three select case-study schools and in relation to which both similarities and differences are identified. The global to local span and the international relevance of the exposition are both revisited to highlight major findings, to discuss them in relation to recent literature and to offer propositions about ‘21st century curriculum’ development that are of wide interest and relevance. Recommendations for policy and practice as well as possible future directions for research in the field follow.