ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to report on the action research conducted by the Identity and Curriculum in Catholic Education project team in collaboration with Brisbane Catholic school teachers during 2015 and 2016. The purpose of this research was to establish the effectiveness and feasibility of integrating Catholic social teaching (CST) across the formal curriculum outside of Religious Education. The action research is set against the background of our survey and interview data, the work of the Ontario Institute for Education and the Australian Curriculum.
Having outlined the reconnaissance, implementation and evaluation phases of the action research, the main findings are presented under the following headings: teachers’ reactions; perceived effectiveness and feasibility of various models of curriculum integration; curriculum planning, including assessment tasks; links with Religious Education; the Australian Curriculum context; teacher outcomes and student outcomes; teachers’ reflections; lessons learned; policy implications.
Important prerequisites for the successful integration of CST are identified. These include the enthusiasm and motivation of individual teachers; external support and facilitation using a partnership model; relevant professional development and support for school leaders and teachers including appropriate teaching resource materials and time for curriculum planning. At a macro level, the broader and more substantive issues arising include the fundamental importance of system and school-based leadership for sustainable curriculum change; the nature of the relationship between CST and education for human rights/social justice and the growing influence of market values and performativity on Australian education.
