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Historical perspective of the British Columbia business education curriculum, 1875-1990

University of British Columbia

This study describes the evolution of the British Columbia business education curriculum from 1875 to 1990. Since the 'official' curriculum document at any particular time represents the central focus of formal educational endeavours, it and related ensuing specific business subject curricula were the central objects of analysis for this study. The primary or "parent" document of the general curriculum for each important revision period was examined first for such clues as its language, purposes, aims, emphases and concerns gave to its philosophy and general orientation. Next, each of the commercial/business programmes that issued from that major revision was examined in order to determine its relationship to the "parent" document. Individual courses within the programmes were then analyzed. Finally, each curriculum was examined to ascertain its relationship with its social, economic, political and historical contexts. Some important themes have emerged: a shift in the clientele for business education, a series of changes in the focus of the programme, and some related changes in the status of the field. The evolution of commercial education from a course of study for 'gentlemen' into one for an almost exclusively female clientele by mid-century, into one for both genders by 1990 greatly affected the contents and emphases of prescribed programmes. The contents and emphases of those prescribed programmes were also determined by the broader social, political and economic contexts in which they operated. During certain periods, the programme presented an image of business as "offic work", and thus utilitarian, functional, nonacademic, and of primary interest to female students. Emphasis on "entry-level" skills for office employment characterized the programme. At those times its prestige within the school subject hierarchy tended to be low. At other times business education was a more general course, theoretical, and fairly academic in nature, presenting a broad conception of the business world. In those periods business education included theories and practices related to owning, directing and conducting business as well as office skills and routines. During these times, business education enjoyed high status within the school subject hierarchy, and appealed to both male and female students. In addition, the status of business education depended on the attention it received from such influential entities as strong business interest groups, and the federal and provincial governments. While more tentative than some of the other considerations the thesis does examine the interrelationships amongst such elements as curriculum, academic and nonacademic streaming, gender roles, employment training, and political and economic agendas of government. Although the exact impact that each had in determining business education curricula is not yet entirely clear, their central role in the process is made amply clear in this descriptive study.

Text

2011-02-12

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/31249

Curriculum Studies

University of British Columbia

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