1. Introduction to Basil Bernstein
Ian Robertson
August 2008

3. Who is Basil Bernstein? British sociologist University of London
1924 – 2000
1971
New sociology of education

4. At the Beginning … Concern Sociolinguistic research (1950s/1960s)
‘educational failure’ amongst working class
Sociolinguistic research (1950s/1960s)
Public and formal language
Elaborated and restricted speech codes

5. Development of a Theory
Pedagogic codes (1970s)
Classification and framing
Pedagogic identity (1970s)
Retrospective identity, prospective identity
Decentered market, decentered therapeutic
Pedagogic device (1980s)
Horizontal and vertical discourse (1990s)
Totally pedagogised society (1990s)

6. Applications Policy, policy reform and education
Pedagogy and social diversity
Curriculum reform in specific subject areas
Pedagogic practice in specific contexts
Technology and education

7. Classification & Framing
Power relations
Relates to strength of
Borders
Insulation
Control
Relates to
Locus of control
Selection
Sequence
Pacing
Evaluation (assessment)

8. ESSA: Framing of Evaluation
DESCRIPTOR
Strong framing (F++)
The teacher systematically points out what is correct/incorrect in a clear and detailed way.
Moderately strong framing (F+)
The teacher points out, in general, what is correct/incorrect in a generic way.
Moderately weak framing (F-)
The teacher points out what is incorrect but does not correct the error.
Weak framing
(F--)
The teacher accepts the learner’s production, questions are only intended to clarify the meaning of those productions

9. Strong framing (F++)
Teacher control without consultation with the learners. The teacher determines how learning will occur in terms of the selection of content, communication mode, site, pacing, sequencing and evaluation criteria. The nature of the relationships between teacher-learner, learner-learner and the rules for engagement are explicit and determined by the teacher.
Moderately strong framing (F+)
Teacher control following consultation with the learners. The teacher ultimately determines how learning will occur and the nature of the relationships. The rules for engagement are known to all.
Moderately weak framing (F-)
Learner control within defined boundaries following consultation with the teacher. The learner is able to select how learning will occur and the nature of the relationships. The rules for engagement within boundaries that are defined by the teacher are known to all.
Weak framing
(F--)
Learner control without consultation with the teacher. The learner is able to select how learning will occur, and, the nature of the relationships. The rules for engagement are implicit there is no requirement to accept guidance from the teacher.

10. Recognition & Realisation Rules
Able to understand meaning in an appropriate way
Passive Realisation
Able to answer questions in an appropriate way
Active Realisation
Able to make knowledge public in an appropriate way

11. Figure 1: Source Morais and Neves (2001, p.198)

12. Pedagogic Device Distribution Rules Recontextualisation Rules
Official recontextualising field
Pedagogic recontextualising field
Evaluation Rules

13. Pedagogic Device Enables legitimate pedagogic discourse Three rules
Distribution rule
Recontextualisation rule
Evaluation rule
Recontextualising fields
Official recontextualising filed (ORF)
Pedagogic recontextualising field (PRF)

14. Examples Power relations Schooling in South Africa
Tensions
Change
Schooling in South Africa
School policy in the USA
Teacher training
E-learning

15. Official Influences Teacher Influences Organisational Regional/Local
Policy & Support
Regional/Local
Policies & Issues
Teacher Influences D i s p o t n
National/State
Policy
Pedagogic
Pool
External
Agencies
Preferred
Teaching
Principles
Variable
Use
Application
Integration
Specific
Instructional
Practice
Feedback
Vocational
Discipline
Norms
Curriculum
Endorsed
Software

16. Conclusion
Establishes a dynamic between theory, empirical research and practice, and fosters an openness and transparency in presentation of the analysis of data that facilitates both induction into the practices of analysis and critical engagement with processes and products of research. It also accommodates a wide range of forms of research and allows for the integration of diverse methods, forms of data and modes of analysis, including the integration of qualitative and quantitative research. (Brown, 2006, p.144)

17. References
Bernstein, B. (2000). Pedagogy, symbolic control and identity: Theory, research, critique (Rev. ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield.
Brown, A. (2006). Languages of description and the education of researchers. In R. Moore, M. Arnot, J. Beck & H. Daniels (Eds.), Knowledge, power and educational reform. Applying the sociology of Basil Bernstein (pp ). London: Routledge.
Ensor, P. (2004, July). Legitimating school knowledge: The pedagogic device and the remaking of the South African school-leaving certificate Paper presented at the Third International Basil Bernstein Symposium, Cambridge.
Morais, A., & Neves, I. (2001). Pedagogic social contexts: Studies for a sociology of learning. In A. Morais, I. Neves, B. Davies & H. Daniels (Eds.), Towards a sociology of pedagogy. The contribution of Basil Bernstein to research (pp ). New York: Peter Lang.
Robertson, I. (2006). Teachers integrating online technology in TAFE. Unpublished Doctor of Education, Monash University, Melbourne.
Sadovnic, A. R. (2004, July). Towards a sociology of educational change: An application of Bernstein to the U.S. No Child Left Behind. Paper presented at the Third International Basil Bernstein Symposium, Cambridge.