Scripted Instruction Programs in Dutch Primary and Secondary Education: A Subscription to Scripted Learning?

Abstract

In the field of education, the Dutch labor market is currently facing an enormous shortage (CentERdata, 2017a). The Anglo-Saxon tradition of Scripted Instruction Programs was implemented in the U.S. as a means to solve the teacher shortage of the 1980s, to ensure equal chances in the education system regardless of a student’s socio-economic background, and to ensure a basic standard of quality of teachers (Venezky, 1990). This thesis aims to critically evaluate the concept of Scripted Instruction Programs, and to discover whether these initiatives would be in line with the Dutch educational goals. Therefore, the goals of education are addressed in the framework of philosophy of education, educational literature and policy manuals, followed by an assessment of empirical findings based on longitudinal studies. Lastly, a more philosophical approach is taken to argue for the autonomy and practical wisdom of teachers as an ineliminable aspect of teaching.