Browsing by Author "Araneda, Daniel"

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    The national curriculum vs. the ideal curriculum: acknowledging student learning interests
    (2019) Araneda, Daniel; Angelica Guzman, Maria; Nussbaum, Miguel
    For many students, school is a place that makes no sense; a place where students' interests are not reflected in the curriculum. Using mixed methods research, we developed an instrument that identifies student interests. This instrument was applied in a pilot study that considered 10th-grade students from three schools in Santiago, Chile. We compared student interest and national curriculum for different factors and established how well aligned these are. The results reveal that private school students prefer subjects that require greater cognitive development, related to Young's powerful knowledge. Students from voucher schools, on the other hand, prefer to develop their knowledge of the arts and physical education, both of which are subjects they tend to enjoy. These findings are coherent with Bernstein's theories. This pattern is also repeated when comparing high-performing students with their low-performing counterparts, regardless of school type. The findings of this study not only help identify which subjects the students want to study, but also to understand the reasons behind their preferences. Understanding these reasons is key for developing a more contextualised curriculum that makes more sense to the students.
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    What to learn? Curricular interest among socially vulnerable students
    (2022) Araneda, Daniel; Bekerman, Zvi; Rojas, Maria; Nussbaum, Miguel
    This article focuses on Chilean students from vulnerable school contexts facing a standard national curriculum. It offers insights into students' voices, while uncovering what they want to learn and the drivers behind this decision. Semi-structured interviews revealed the power of the school socialisation process; for the majority of students, core curriculum subjects are fundamental. The factors that drive their decisions are life in, outside and beyond school, where the family context and socioeconomic inequality are ever-present. This study reinforces our understanding of the importance of listening to student voices when developing school curricula. It also furthers our understanding of what students want to learn in terms of school subjects. These choices have significant implications for relationships of power when defining the curriculum, as well as being framed by a set of rules and an education system that are well-known to the students.
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    What to Learn? Socialization of the Subject Hierarchy in Schools
    (2021) Araneda, Daniel; Galarce, Jeremy; Alvares, Danilo; Nussbaum, Miguel
    The role of the school curriculum is in tension with two points: socializing the essential knowledge needed for life and reflecting the inequalities of society. The present study looks at the effectiveness of this socialization by comparing learner interests with the national curriculum. 442 10th grade students in Chile were divided into 4 groups based on their socioeconomic status and academic achievement. The students were asked to design two ideal school timetables: one reflecting their interests, and one showing what they feel is relevant for their future. The results reveal that student interests differ considerably from the national curriculum. However, when students design a timetable based on their future it tends to resemble the curriculum much more closely. Socioeconomic status proved not to be particularly relevant. On the other hand, gender appears to be the most significant variable when explaining these differences.