ABSTRACT

The aim of this paper is to examine key change vectors shaping the undergraduate curriculum in the third decade of the twenty-first century. The paper begins by outlining selected definitions, foundational theories and conceptual frameworks underpinning this analysis of the undergraduate curriculum and its influences. Three key external forces shaping the undergraduate curriculum are examined: universalization; national policy and legislative frameworks; and the influence of technology as disruptor and enabler. While some of these socio-political, economic and geopolitical forces are longstanding and familiar, a number of influential factors that have gained prominence in the last 10 years, including the disruptive influence of technology, new approaches to curriculum design in the form of micro-credentialing, and changing expectations of the undergraduate curriculum. The paper calls for a conceptually robust, long-term approach to examining the various factors shaping the undergraduate curriculum, with a particular focus on macro-level factors external to an institution. The paper concludes by considering policy and practical implications of these forces for the future shape and purpose of undergraduate curricula.

摘要

本文的目的是研究塑造 21 世纪第三个十年本科课程的关键变化向量。本文首先概述了支持本科课程及其影响分析的选定定义、基础理论和概念框架。研究了塑造本科课程的三个关键外部力量：普遍化；国家政策和立法框架；以及技术作为破坏者和推动者的影响。虽然其中一些社会政治、经济和地缘政治力量是长期存在且为人所熟知的，但过去 10 年中一些影响因素日益突出，包括技术的颠覆性影响、以微观形式进行课程设计的新方法。资格认证，以及改变对本科课程的期望。该论文呼吁采用一种概念上稳健的长期方法来检查影响本科课程的各种因素，特别关注机构外部的宏观层面因素。本文最后考虑了这些力量对本科课程未来形式和目的的政策和实际影响。