Curricular-instructional gatekeeping in Singapore: How teachers enact social studies and give purpose to citizenship education

Abstract

This study focuses on how Singapore teachers enact the social studies curriculum and give purpose to citizenship education, using the concept of the teacher as a curricular-instructional gatekeeper. It provides detailed description on the conceptualizations of citizenship among social studies teachers, drawing from interviews and lesson observations. Unlike studies carried out in the United States that ignore the role of the institution, the negotiation of the institutional curriculum is foregrounded in this study. The qualitative multiple case study will be used to provide insights and depth of understanding and practice of social studies teachers and their conceptions of citizenship.