The name is absent

contains a large element of strategic compliance." Whilst student
strategies have not been a focus of the research into the Alter-

native Course nevertheless both research and experience suggest that

whilst

strategic

compliance

may exist there

are other possibilities.

Once again to quote from a student comment

The debate about the relation between theory and
practice on the course raged heavily from the begin-
ning and I would argue strongly against those who
suggested that our theoretical discussions were not

practical at the start. It seems strange

but may
"I think

I quote myself, Research Group, 26 October
this conflict between theory and practice or the

real world and the ideal world, I think it’s quite
important. You see, at the Institute you look at
reality and the real world as something you can mani-
pulate. I mean you talk about theories and .....

well you can put them in a real context but what
teachers at school are concerned with is how their

school is, you know, what their rooms are like in
school, what sort of conditions they actually have
to work under, now they don’t see that as changeable.

I found that I constantly needed to be able to defend
any theoretical standpoint with actual experience
- gradually throughout the year, the enormous struc-
tural barriers that we faced in trying to forge a
sound educational approach became increasingly ap-
parent. (Jones 1981 P33)

From the outset the practice of the course had challenged the isolated

patterns of school experiences that appear to lead to privatised

strategies. The perspectives of school staff as well as students

were available for comment and development throughout the year.

In the place of privatised strategies there was an attempt to develop

collaborative modes

of working and to move theory

and theorising

close to the experience of school and classroom. The following

statement

summarises staff opinion on the outcomes of

the Alternative