Curriculum Remaking

Implementing a quality curriculum in Australian transnational vocational education relies on teachers adapting it to be relevant, learnable, and achievable within diverse cultural contexts. This chapter explores the experiences of 13 teachers who adapted a national curriculum across nine countries for which it was not initially designed. To increase the relevance, learnability, and attainability for transnational students, teachers adopted six curriculum-making strategies: (a) curriculum appraisal, (b) curriculum prioritisation, (c) curriculum change, (d) curriculum expansion, (e) curriculum design and experimentation, and (f) curriculum collaboration. Through these interpretative and adaptive actions, the intended curriculum was transformed. The essence of the experience of curriculum-making was, felt by many teachers, a pervasive tension between maintaining fidelity to the Australian curriculum intentions and meeting the diverse interests and needs of their overseas students. The varied experiences of teachers highlight their approaches to navigating local factors through curriculum-making, often veering from professed fidelity to the curriculum. Their stories highlight the pivotal role of teachers in curriculum remaking within Australian transnational vocational education. Consequently, transnational teachers must receive adequate preparation and support as active, well-informed curriculum-makers to fulfil the aspirations of students and their sponsors in transnational vocational education.