Focus on Participation: What Can We Learn from Student Teachers Participation in Curriculum Design and Implementation? A Case Study

Abstract

While several studies focus on university students’ participation in their educational paths, fewer studies deal with students’ participation in the processes of curriculum design and implementation. This qualitative case study explores how more equal practices can be implemented at universities, using the Framework for Participation (Black-Hawkins, 2010) and the case of music studies in primary teacher education. Inclusion, participation and culturally relevant curricula are keys to promote sustainable social development. This is particularly important in the sparsely populated northern areas, and we need develop ways in which we can engage our student teachers in this exploration. The first part of the data was collected and analysed in the spring semester 2013 focusing on the ways in which the students were involved in the different phases of the curriculum: enacted and experienced curriculum. Based on the findings of the first part, during the curriculum renewal period, and after participating in developing a music course curriculum, the second data were collected in the autumn semester 2017. Our findings indicate that students’ experiences of participation vary, for example, according to their opportunities to use, challenge and develop their musical skills in action.

Keywords

• teacher education curriculum
• curriculum design
• inclusion in higher education
• participation
• case study