e-journal

The educational consequences of Bateson’s economy of flexibility

---

Purpose – The education system worldwide is regulated through the dominant paradigm of
planning and enactment, but the representations of curricula and lesson plans underpinning the
paradigm are poorly correlated to classroom practice. This paper aims to understand how despite this
the paradigm remains dominant and explores the implications of its continued success for the current
educational practice.
Design/methodology/approach – Bateson’s concept of the economy of flexibility is applied to the
education. Genetic control is mapped onto the formal specification of learning activities, while somatic
control is mapped onto teachers’ improvisatory practice. The conflicting regulatory messages
generated within the dominant paradigm are discussed in terms of Bateson’s double bind theory.
Findings – The success of the dominant paradigm is comprehensible when conceived of as an
economy of flexibility. However, the analysis indicates that this success is dependent on two conditions:
that sufficient flexibility is maintained in classroom practice, and that there should be a weak but
reliable channel whereby innovations in classroom can filter through to the level of planning. Current
developments in educational technology and management practice threaten both these conditions, by
increasing the ability of managers to monitor educational activities, and by providing technocratic
solutions to pedagogic questions. Flexibility is squeezed out of the system, and the contradictions of the
dominant paradigm are increasingly enforced to place teachers in a double bind.
Originality/value – The analysis provides a model for relating the problems experienced by
teachers in their practice to changes in technology, policy and institutional organisation.

Keywords Curriculum, Technology, Bateson, Double bind, Economy of flexibility, Lesson plan

---

Ketersediaan

Tidak ada salinan data

Informasi Detail

Judul Seri

Kybernetes

No. Panggil

-

Penerbit

: Emerald Group., 2013

Deskripsi Fisik

Kybernetes Vol. 42 No. 9/10, 2013 pp. 1387-1395

Bahasa

English

ISBN/ISSN

-

Klasifikasi

-

Tipe Isi

-

Tipe Media

-

Tipe Pembawa

-

Edisi

-

Subjek

PENDIDIKAN

Info Detail Spesifik

-

Pernyataan Tanggungjawab

Asmawati/Syahrial

Versi lain/terkait

Lampiran Berkas

Komentar

---

Anda harus masuk sebelum memberikan komentar