Decolonisation The Curriculum.

[Theland]

What are your thoughts on these latest moves to tamper with our educational culture?
I am particularly interested in the views of those of you who have attended universities as students or lecturers, and if you think your experiences of the curriculum, ever made you think it was in need of reform?

'‘decolonizing the curriculum means creating spaces and resources for a dialogue among all members of the university on how to imagine and envision all cultures and knowledge systems in the curriculum, and with respect to what is being taught and how it frames the world.’'

[bobbinwales]

Sounds reasonable altho "imagine and envision" is saying the same thing twice??

[bobbinwales]

Looking back some of the stuff taught was very one sided such as The Crusades but a can see it was are hisrory being taught and am sure Muslims countries for example imagine and envision it from their pespective

[Mamyalynne]

Nothing wrong with having a look at the curriculum, things move on and sometimes a fresh viewpoint is needed.

Some young people and their views here, not all I agree with but some I do.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z7g66v4

[Theland]

Thanks for the posts.
I haven't had time to thoroughly read through yours Mamya, I will later, but some things bother me about the rewriting of our history.
I never went to university, (I know, you can tell :-), but in our country, surely we should be teaching our history from our perspective, at least until students are about fourteen, after which, they can specialise and include the history of any country they like, and link it to ours.
The whole, ''black,'' narrative is it seems getting out of control, and woe betide anybody raising concerns, for fear of being labelled, ''racist.''
On the other hand, the self promotions of black and ethnic minorities needs to be tackled head on, before it gets totally out of hand.

[Mamyalynne]

I don't believe we should rewrite anything, teaching things in a different and possibly better way can't be bad though.

Often these things sound more radical than the tweaks they really are.

[Theland]

Then one tweak I would recommend is a greater emphasis on the British role in abolishing slavery, and then policing the oceans to ensure the trade died out.
Of course, the black African countries continued to trade slaves, with each other and to Arab countries.
The tribalism that is such a strong presence in Africa, and is underestimated by the West, has always been a driving force for slavery and corruption.

[Mamyalynne]

If there is a body you can put your points to then do so.

[pixie374]

Theland, //the rewriting of our history.//

Are you sure it is untrue? Or are we just adding more details to it?

(I hope you are better, BTW x)

[Theland]

Pix - Yes quite sure.

(Yes a but better thanks. Had the paramedics here this morning - I got rejected :-(

[woofgang]

I don't think anything should be emphasised. So far as is possible what should be taught should be factual and even handed.

[Theland]

Woolf - I agree, but only mathematics has certainty, everything e!we is open to interpretation, isn't it?

[Peter Pedant]

// Woolf - I agree, but only mathematics has certainty, everything e!we is open to interpretation, isn't it?//

no - - the only thing is theoretical physics and the rest is social work (Heisenberg)

our glorious imperial past has been Very Bad Indeed for at least 50 y at the universities - so no change there then

[Old_Geezer]

If other cultures need something special they could always opt to go to a university in their own country. Nothing wrong with seeing how things can be improved for all customers, as long as it doesn't go too far. Universities provide the service they wish to provide, those who go to learn made a deliberate choice to go there. A chat around the water cooler should be enough space and resource for dialogue.

[woofgang]

OG Universities provide the service that their customers want....no customers=no funding=no uni

[Old_Geezer]

UK university ? They ain't going to be short of custom.

[Theland]

Have you seen what happened to Evergreen Uni in the USA in 2017?
Check it out on YouTube when the rewriting starts and the SJW's get started.
It led to the forced leaving of Bret Weinstein (?) lecturer, now a popular talker on the circuits and founder of the intellectual dark web.
Long story.