Theoretical Perspectives on Curriculum

The term curriculum means different things to different people, and curriculum take many different forms.

What is a curriculum?

What is curriculum? Educators have sought for many years to determine a proper definition of the word curriculum. The end results of their endeavors always seem to be the addition of another new improved def., more debate over the issue, and further criticism of other inadequate definitions. (Michael Schiro, 1978)

What is a curriculum?
No curriculum can be neutral (Ira Shor, Empowering Education, 1992).

Ryan & Cooper (1988) defined curr. as all the organized and intended experiences of the student for whic the school accepts responsibility.

What is a curriculum?
Posner (1995): Scope and sequence of intended learning outcomes Syllabus Content Outline Textbooks Course of Study currere the running journey with intended outcome. Planned experiences

What is a curriculum?
Process vs. Product Content vs. instruction

Curriculum Model Tyler Model: What edu. purposes should the

school seek to attain? What edu. exp. Can be provided that are likely to attain these purposes? How can these exp. Be effectively organized? How can we determine whether the purposes are being attained?

Behaviorist Perspective:

At the completion of the instruction what should the learners be able to do?

Proponents: Aristotle, Hume, Locke, Thorndike, Tyler, Bloom Mager,Skinner

Basic idea: Decide what the learners should be able to do in very specific measurable terms; analyze those behaviors to identify their prerequisite skills, provide opportunity for students to practice each skill with feedback to point of mastery, and then evaluate the students performance.

Teaching Methods: Instructors need to take into account how students acquire those behavior, ie, the conditions of learningas they plan the instruction.
Learners - passive recipient (tabula rasa)

Cognitive:

How can people learn to make sense of the world and to think more productively and creatively? (Exp. is structured by the mind) Proponents: Plato, Kant, Piaget, Chomsky,Ausubel.

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Basic idea: Instruction should allow students to construct their own knowledge in purposeful and meaningful activities requiring decision-making, prob-solving, and judgements. Teaching Methods: activities that enhance students cognitive and thinking skills

Experential: What exp will lead to the healthy growth of the individual? (Learning arises directly from exp)

Proponents: Lock, Descartes, Rousseau, Dewey. Basic idea: Schooling is too detached from the interests and prob of the students, ie, their ordinary life exp.

Experential: Method: Based on std needs and interests. Learners: active participation.

Structure of Discipline: What is the structure of the disciplines of knowledge Basic Idea: Too large gap between school subject & schoarly discipline. Method: scientific inquiry. Learners: are neophyte scientists

Constructivist - extension of cognitive belief - It consider the the engagement of students in meaningful experiences as the essence of learning.