PhD defense by Sofie Tidemand
Navigating Curricular Crossroads
Exploring Science Teachers’ Enactment of Competence-Oriented Curriculum
Reforms
Doctoral candidate
Abstract
This PhD thesis explores how lower secondary science teachers in Denmark enact and navigate a competence-oriented curriculum reform and the factors influencing their ability to align with the intended curriculum goals. Through four empirical studies, the thesis examines teachers’ constructions of agency, the impact of systemic and organizational factors, and the tensions between policy intentions and classroom realities. The findings indicate a misalignment between curricular intentions and teacher enactment. Teachers adapt and reinterpret reforms based on their professional horizons and contextual realities, often in ways that diverge from policymakers’ original intentions. The findings suggest that effective curriculum enactment necessitates both individual and systemic support. This includes recognizing the realities of teachers’ curriculum enactment and addressing contextual factors that influence such practices. Such support is critical for empowering teachers to navigate the tensions between existing practices and new requirements.
Download the thesis: Navigating Curricular Crossroads: Exploring Science Teachers’ Enactment of Competence-Oriented Curriculum Reforms
Assessment committee
Professor Morten Misfeldt (chair), Department of Science Education, University of Copenhagen
Professor Berit Bungum, Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences
Birgitte Lund Nielsen, VIA University College
Chair of defense
Associate Professor Britta Eyrich Jessen, Department of Science Education, University of Copenhagen
Supervisors
Head of Department Jan Alexis Nielsen, Department of Science Education, University of Copenhagen
Assistant Professor - Tenure Track Andreas Lindenskov Tamborg, Department of Science Education, University of Copenhagen