Shift to Man Power Model

The provinces of Canada are the who set up curriculum. Basically education is decentralized. However, the education systems are not so different across the country probably because there is an international standard that is expected to be met.

The Man Power Model is a shift away from student centered education to national standards. Which is said to shift throughout the industrial world. While the content decisions are made by the province, the federal influence is significant. Originally curriculum was set by a group of teachers. It has since transgressed into the hands or rather influenced by "members of community" aka MP's and their friends.

The functionalist view on this is that of orderly progression and management of conflict.

The conflict theorist view on it is that those who want their influence in curriculum must be powerful enough politically to have what they wish in the curriculum. For example, an MP may wish to have more emphasis on the importance of vocational education put into curriculum and would likely get what he/she wanted. Whereas an artist or a professor may wish to see more emphasis put on the arts or foreign language classes and would not see it done.

The model is a practice of teaching what they need in this precise moment, for example, pipe welders. It is cheaper for the employer to have under-skilled workers doing a single job rather than the highly educated and experienced workers.

Conflict theorists call it "de-skill" and see it as a threat to education.

Functionalists say it makes sense because employers need someone doing a specific job at a specific time in order to keep the flow of production going.

How does it make better workers? Teachers?

Well, it doesn't. If there is not a demand for more artists, then grants and funding in that area goes down. If the research shows a need for a specific skill at a specific time in order for money to be made, then the budget is likely to be approved.

A new concept is "Teacher proofing". Sort of sounds like child proofing a medicine bottle, also called dummy proof. Not an overly flattering term is it? It allows for tests to be narrowed in content, lays out the content of the questions for the teachers. Originally it was thought that a lot of complaints would come of it, but there were none. It simplifies the teacher's job. It also centralizes the content and what is tested. The idea of it is that teachers can't screw up because of the restriction given. Teachers are no longer independent professionals.