Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 17:11:35 -0700
From: "steve.devos" <steve.devos-AT-dial.pipex.com>
Subject: Re: Introduction


Julian Thomas wrote on 11 Sept:
> 
> The National Curriculum in the UK places the emphasis in the arts firmly on
> art objects. Offsted criteria for a 'good' music lesson for example require
> each lesson to start with a piece of music from the repertoire followed by a
> practical session based on some aspect of this. The emphasis is on
> 'knowledge about' rather than 'knowledge of' (to quote Swanwick). You are
> right in implying that secondary programmes in the 70s-80s were aimed at the
> consumers producing meanings, but this is not the case now. The govt has
> decided on the kinds of knowledge it wishes to sponsor and the role of the
> school is to inculcate the individual into this dominant ideology. Steps are
> in place to not only proscribe the content of programmes of study but the
> actual methods used. there is little scope in this model to produce
> individual meanings.

I cannot comment directly on your conception of the National Curriculum
or your pedagogic analysis vis a vis the NC and music. My knowledge of
the NC from a teachers point of view is limited to the effects its had
on the english curriculum and on related areas such as drama and from a
users perspective. From both of these points of view the actual effect
in terms of teaching intent and practice has been minimal. (This is
condensed from discussions with teachers in these areas)

(Julian: Have you read Jacques Attalis book Noise ?)

On a more theoretical level.... The core of your argument seems to be
remarkably similar to the concept of educational institutions as parts
of Althussars conception of the Ideological State Apparatus  (ISA).
(Does anyone else remember where Baudrillards critique of this use
Ideology is - I can't remember, it may not be an accurate memory of
course....) This is plainly how the Tories have treated the various
segments of the British state over the past 16/17 years or so.
Consequently I think they would agree with you.... It is however
apparant that the more doctrinal aspects of their policy have failed.
They have made great attempts of going `back to basics' but during this
period whilst they have argued on the correctmness of such policies,
setting great store on returning to older standards of both measurement
and quality their has been a continuing shift towards  more contemporary
methods of measurement and analysis. The move from exam based O levels
to GCSE etc and the proliferation of new forms of qualifications - A
levels are very different examinations than there were in the 1960s and
70s.

The major reactionary shift has been  in the ongoing proletarinisation
of those working in the educational professions. A process which I think
is defined best of all by Andre Gorz and Tony Negri - comprising
increased diffusion of the workload onto teachers, general lowering of
the teachers standards of living, and increasing erosion of concepts of
tenure, lack of investment in the infrastructure etc....

The use of the concept of `dominant ideology' is problematic since the
opposing position contains a belief that it is in some sense or other
`the truth', which in Althussars case is conflated with science as being
equivilant to truth - Foucaults' work on this area is the clearest. More
useful may be Gramscis conception of Hegemony within which notions of
truth are unnecessary.

To use Baudrillards work in relation to this is more problematic, but
interesting I think, the later work suggests that the responses of
people to such things is more complex and interesting than conceptions
of ideology or hegemony allow for, I'll think about this and return to
the issue....

> Linda Hutcheon in The Politics of Postmodernism sites modernist art as being
> mimetic, formalist or expressive whilst postmodern art is using the signs
> and symbols of society to investigate the flux of social meaning. The best
> of current secondary ed programmes fall within the 'expressive' mode with
> emphasis on the individual. 

Don't like this definition of modernist against postmodern. Will think
about it.

> There is no allowance for the kinds of symbolic
> action used by individuals in everyday life to produce identities from the
> media etc. The expressive mode concentrates on finding an identity from
> within, whereas identity in a postmodern world is something adapted and
> tried on and is constantly in a state of flux. (from Zygmunt Bauman) 

This assumes Frued was a postmodernist since its thanks to his work that
the notion of identity as splintered, and in a state of flux exists.

> Recent
> research sponsored by the Gulbenkian Foundation backs up the idea that
> individuals use arts in everyday lives constantly to produce identity, but
> are totally uninvolved in school ed programmes.
> 

Yes - probably, but i recently saw one of zofias yearly GCSE productions
of some of Brechts learning plays and i'm not absolutely sure...

I'll think about the rest.....

any vagueness blam on the fact that i've written this in the afternoon
at work whilst people keep asking me for advice on data
denormalisation..... and 4th normal form.

steve.devos-AT-dial.pipex.com