Managing the collaborative curriculum

Abstract

Leo van Lier (1996) has defined "curriculum" as the meeting place of theory, research and practice. If this definition is accepted, then bringing the three together requires attention to management. From this point of view, management becomes the manifestation of a theory of curriculum, rather than a purely bureaucratic function. Yet this begs the question: How can such a complex system be facilitated in a real institution? This paper reports on the development of a management system at Kanda University of International Studies, where collaborative curriculum development and research is a workplace expectation in the same way regular teaching is. The paper demonstrates how management practices have evolved out of both a commitment to pedagogical principles and a response to the realities of experience in a tertiary institution.