Reflection on Week 7

Topic 7: Curriculum Theory

Curriculum...

• "Curure" (Latin words) means to run.

• Kelly (1983) - "All the learning which is planned by the school, whether it is carried on in groups or individually, inside and outside the school."

Curriculum theory and practice

1. Curriculum as a body of knowledge to be transmitted.
2. Curriculum as an attempt to achieve certain ends in students - product.
3. Curriculum as process.
4. Curriculum as praxis.

(a) Curriculum as a body of knowledge to be transmitted.

• Basically means a short and clear statement or list of topics for discourse (to communicate in writing and speech), the contents of a treatise (a piece  of writing to examine a particular subject), the subject of a series of teaching.

(b) Curriculum as product

• Purpose: To bring about significant changes in the students' pattern of behavior.

• It is important to recognize that any statements of objectives of the school should be a statement of changes to take place in the students. (Tyler 1949:44)

• Steps in getting the 'product'

• 1: Diagnosis of need

• 2: Formulation of objectives

• 3: Selection of content

• 4: Organization of content (educators to prepare the content)

• 5: Selection of learning experiences

• 6: Organization of learning experiences

• 7: Determine of what to evaluate and of the ways and means of doing it. (Taba 1962)

• Advantage: 

• systematic 

• has considerable 'organizing power'

• central to the approach is the formulation of behavioral objectives - clear notion of outcome so that content and method may be organized and the results evaluated.

• Disadvantage:

• takes much away from students - learning experiences

• students can end up with little or no voice

• judged on pre-specified changes occur in the behavior and person of the learner (the meeting of behavioral objectives.

(c) Curriculum as process

• curriculum is the interaction of teachers, students and knowledge.

• is what actually happens in the classroom and what people do to prepare and evaluate.

• Stenhouse on Curriculum

• Curriculum should provide a basis for planning a course

• In planning 

• selection of content - what is to be learned and taught.

• Development in teaching strategy - how

• Making decision about sequence

• Diagnose the strengths and weaknesses of individual students.

• Disadvantage:

• places thinking at its core and treats

• high concern on exam or subject success that affect students' learning.

• rests upon the quality of teachers - curriculum materials, wisdom in decision-making.

(d) Curriculum as praxis

• Curriculum goes beyond the learning experiences of the learner:

• dialogue and negotiation

• allows students and teachers together to confront the real problems of their relationships.

• Curriculum develops through the dynamic interaction of action and reflection.