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Bureaucracy, professionalization and school centred innovation strategies

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Abstract

This paper examines an attempt to promote a school centred innovation strategy within a highly centralized educational system.

The School Based Curriculum Project Scheme, which was introduced into Hong Kong in 1988, is analysed in terms of a professional-bureaucratic dichotomy. It is argued that the operational details of the scheme are designed to satisfy a range of bureaucratic concerns and these are not conducive to promoting the professional work ethic which is required for school centred innovation. Finally the paper identifies the implications which arise for policies designed to promote curriculum innovation.

Zusammenfassung

In diesem Artikel wird ein Versuch geprüft, der eine schulzentrierte Innovationsstrategie innerhalb eines hochzentralisierten Erziehungssystems fördern soll.

Das ‘School Based Curriculum Project Scheme’, das 1988 in Hong Kong eingeführt wurde, wird in Form einer professionellen-bürokratischen Dichotomie analysiert. Es wird dargelegt, daß Arbeitsdetails der Konzeption dazu dienen, Bereiche bürokratischer Belange zufrieden zu stellen; diese sind einer professionellen Arbeitsethik, die für eine schulzentierte Innovation nötig sind, nicht förderlich. Schließlich werden in diesem Artikel Folgerungen gezogen, die sich aus der Förderung der Curriculumsinnovation ergeben.

Résumé

Cet article examine une tentative faite pour promouvoir une stratégie d'innovation de centres scolaires au sein d'un système éducatif hautement centralisé.

Le Projet de curriculum fondé sur l'école, qui a été introduit à Hong Kong en 1988, est analysé sur la base d'une dichotomie professionnelle-bureaucratique. On affirme que les détails opérationnels de ce projet sont conçus pour satisfaire certains intérêts bureaucratiques et que ces derniers ne mènent pas à la promotion d'une éthique de travail professionel qui est indispensable pour l'innovation d'un centre scolaire. Enfin, cet article définit les conséquences qui s'ensuivent pour les politiques conçues pour promouvoir une innovation du curriculum.

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Morris, P. Bureaucracy, professionalization and school centred innovation strategies. Int Rev Educ 36, 21–41 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01874975

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