Internationally, issues of curriculum, reform, professional learning and the impact this has on teachers’ classroom practice is well-documented from the perspectives of different stakeholders.  The challenge is one of coherence between intention, interpretation and the enactment of curriculum.  In practice, this involves a complex, sophisticated and dynamic process of curriculum design and implementation within a system where purposes and priorities at the national, state, school and classroom levels may not always be aligned. This symposium begins by exploring the nature of classroom practice through the shared understanding of key terms used to describe classroom practice.  These are the words we use to explain what is visible to us in the classroom context that are inherently culturally embedded.  This is followed by a broader view of curriculum priorities for classroom practice as reported by a range of stakeholders and the opportunities for support afforded through evidence-based professional learning for teachers.  All presentations focus on developing the capacity for schools and teachers to identify the elements of classroom practice that are valued and the extent to which this could be aligned.

The first paper, presented by Carmel Mesiti, will report onthe the Lexicon Project.  This international project aims to describe classroom practice and provide operational definitions for technical vocabulary from different cultures.  The presentation will focus on the methodology employed to produce the operational definitions for terms that describe practices in Australian classrooms.  This project is currently being replicated internationally in 8 additional countries; Chile, China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Japan and the USA. The second paper, presented by Natasha Ziebell, examines recent curriculum reform in Victoria and the intentions, interpretations and expectations for classroom practice as articulated by the state curriculum authority, curriculum writers, school leaders, classroom teachers, textbook writers and editors.  A range of factors that impact on curricular decision-making and design will be explored. The third paper, presented by David King, reports on the enactment of a new curriculum in lower-secondary education in Ireland, The Junior Cycle. The importance of context in the enactment of the Junior Cycle is considered, with suggestions offered as to how understanding and managing contexts helps support a shared purpose of curriculum within and across levels of enactment.  The fourth paper, presented by Ryan Dunn, will report on a large-scale research project conducted in California focusing on professional learning for teachers, with insights into the translation of curriculum standards into practice. Latent Growth Curve modelling was used to empirically test the extent to which the professional learning impacted teachers planning and teaching practices.

The presentation will conclude with a discussion by Nienke Neveen.

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