This book focuses on the phenomenon of a '21st century
curriculum' and its role in preparing students for work and life in a
rapidly changing global knowledge society. Its context is the global and
diverse national influences on education policy agendas. The central
concepts in the academic literature that underpins the phenomenon are
globalisation, curriculum, and policy. The analysis spans global
influences on the development of '21st century curriculum'
policy, the construction of such policy at the national and State levels
in Australia, and the enactment of such policy in three select
case-study schools and in relation to which both similarities and
differences are identified. The global to local span and the
international relevance of the exposition are both revisited to
highlight major findings, to discuss them in relation to recent
literature and to offer propositions about '21st century
curriculum' development that are of wide interest and relevance.
Recommendations for policy and practice as well as possible future
directions for research in the field follow.