Abstract:
This paper draws on a project which investigates the problem of curriculum change through the history of school subjects. The particular focus is on physical education and its ascendancy, in the curriculum of Queensland state secondary schools. Insight into how and why change occurs is sought through testing Goodson's (1983) hypotheses concerning the potential of human agency as a transformative force in the evolution of school subjects° The central theme of this paper focuses on the notions of conflict, struggle and the pursuit of material interests of professional groups and sub-groups and other interested and legitimating publics.