Curriculum

Shuff Updated 7/11/6 Some of the material in this presentation is used

What is curriculum? 1. Take a few minutes and think about it 2. Write a short answer (I won’t grade your answer) 3. We’ll read the answers and discuss them 4. I’ll lecture 5. We’ll talk

Curriculum - Defined • 'All the learning which is planned and guided by the school, whether it is carried on in groups or individually, inside or outside the school. (quoted in Kelly 1983: 10; see also, Kelly 1999).

http://www.canyonisd.net/curriculum/curriculum.jpg

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Types of curriculum • • • •

Formal Informal Null Hidden

Curriculum • • • •

Transmitting Product Process Practice

Aristotle • Syllabus = theory • Process = Practical • Product =

Picture form http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-arist.htm downloaded 6/28/2004

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Curriculum Syllabus

content

• “ or the body of knowledge that they wish to transmit” (Smith 2000) • Many teachers don’t see the relevance

Curriculum as Product 1. What purposes should be sought? 2. What experiences can be provided to attain these purposes? 3. How can these experiences be organized? 4. How do we know these purposes are attained?

Objectives and outcomes Franklin Bobbitt (1918; 1928) and Ralph W. Tyler (1949)

Hilda Taba (product) • • • • • • •

Step 1: Diagnosis of need Step 2: Formulation of objectives Step 3: Selection of content Step 4: Organization of content Step 5: Selection of learning experiences Step 6: Organization of learning experiences Step 7: Determination of what to evaluate and of the ways and means of doing it. (Taba 1962)

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• Some curriculum programs have tried to make the student experience “teacher proof” • Can you name some?

ct re i D

n io ct rt u s In

Critique 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Curriculum is imposed from without Smaller and smaller parts Difficult to convert objectives to action Unintended consequences Overlooks incidental learning Ignores the teachable moment

Curriculum as Process • Teachers and students interact with knowledge • Think about teaching Joh – Before, During & After nD ew • Experiment ey • Faith in teacher n • Students aren’t objects to ctio u r t be acted on ns Co

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Critique • Outside stake holders lack control • Who are the outside stake holders?

Curriculum as Praxis • Interaction between teachers and students • “Emancipation of the human spirit “

Another View • Mental Disciplinarians – Content disciplines

• Developmentalist – Child development

• Social Efficiency – Curriculum as product

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Approaches

• Student centered • Subject centered

Change over time • Progressive movement • John Dewey • 1919 Chi at tion th ans ic v n o c e racy m democ rticipation pa active

ld ce nter e

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Curricular Excellence • 1957 Sputnik • The Russians are ahead of us

• The sky is falling http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=382

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Technology

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– We don’t know what will happen

Pa pe

• Chalkboard 1800s • TV-the 1950s • Computers 1980s –

ISTE

NAEYC • Curriculum decisions not only involve questions about how children learn, but also what learning is appropriate and when it is best learned. In addition, the way learning is assessed directly influences what is taught and when it is expected to be learned. Therefore, these guidelines address both curriculum and assessment. The early childhood profession believes that curriculum and assessment should be planned based on the best knowledge of theory and research about how children develop and learn, with attention given to individual children's needs and interests in relation to program goals.

This type of model is typical of the way administrators view curriculum. It depicts the pressure form outside on schools.

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Spiral Curriculum

http://www.marinhorizon.org/academics/spiral.htm

Sources • Ifed, (2000). Curriculum theory and practice. retrieved Jun 28, 2004, from http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-curric.htm. • Evans, Ellen. "Curriculum Theory Heuristics:Kleibard." Boston College. 28 Jun 2004 . • "NAEYC." November 1990. Guidlines for Appropriate Curriculum Content and Assessment. 28 Jun 2004 . • Bloom, J. (n.d.). Curriculum theory. retrieved Jun 28, 2004, from http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jwb2/research/CurriculumTheory/Curriculum Theory.html. • Wilson, B. (n.d.). sowellesson1.pdf. retrieved Jun 28, 2004, from http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agexed/aee529/sowelllesson1.pdf.

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