Abstract:
Should social education, an interdisciplinary subject, be compulsorily introduced into Queensland secondary schools? Strong philosophical arguments based on the advantages of an integrated P-10 curriculum, but with little research evidence, are proffered by curriculum developers to support the introduction of a broadly based social science subject for the first two years of secondary schooling. Teachers who oppose the introduction of such interdisciplinary courses are labelled "resistors" and therefore, become the barriers to educational innovation and change. Is such a label fairly reflecting the views and educational practices of those teachers? This paper reviews the most recent literature relating to innovators and resistors and explores the premise, that teachers who oppose educational change are not in fact resistors, but status quo innovators and therefore have a positive, not a negative contribution to make to educational innovation.