Homework answers / question archive / Learning Guide Unit 2 Overview Unit 2: Curriculum Theory   Topics:   What is Curriculum Theory? Curriculum Theorists of the past and present Curriculum Ideologies existent in current classrooms Determining the curriculum theories in practice within one’s milieu Learning Objectives: By the end of this Unit, you will be able to: Examine the foundations of curriculum theory  and how they may or may not influence the students’ practice over time Derive which curriculum ideologies appear within current teaching milieu Generate a curriculum theory that accommodates students’ educational needs Tasks: Peer assess Unit 1 Written Assignment Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting to the Discussion Forum Respond to three of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum Complete and submit the Written Assignment    Introduction In this unit, you take a trip through history and dive into the readings and materials highlighting important individuals contributing to the evolution of curriculum theory

Learning Guide Unit 2 Overview Unit 2: Curriculum Theory   Topics:   What is Curriculum Theory? Curriculum Theorists of the past and present Curriculum Ideologies existent in current classrooms Determining the curriculum theories in practice within one’s milieu Learning Objectives: By the end of this Unit, you will be able to: Examine the foundations of curriculum theory  and how they may or may not influence the students’ practice over time Derive which curriculum ideologies appear within current teaching milieu Generate a curriculum theory that accommodates students’ educational needs Tasks: Peer assess Unit 1 Written Assignment Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting to the Discussion Forum Respond to three of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum Complete and submit the Written Assignment    Introduction In this unit, you take a trip through history and dive into the readings and materials highlighting important individuals contributing to the evolution of curriculum theory

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Learning Guide Unit 2

Overview

Unit 2: Curriculum Theory
 

Topics:
 

• What is Curriculum Theory?
• Curriculum Theorists of the past and present
• Curriculum Ideologies existent in current classrooms
• Determining the curriculum theories in practice within one’s milieu

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this Unit, you will be able to:

1. Examine the foundations of curriculum theory  and how they may or may not influence the students’ practice over time
2. Derive which curriculum ideologies appear within current teaching milieu
3. Generate a curriculum theory that accommodates students’ educational needs

Tasks:

• Peer assess Unit 1 Written Assignment
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Complete the Discussion Assignment by posting to the Discussion Forum
• Respond to three of your fellow classmates’ posts in the Discussion Forum
• Complete and submit the Written Assignment 

 

Introduction

In this unit, you take a trip through history and dive into the readings and materials highlighting important individuals contributing to the evolution of curriculum theory.

You will also engage in and discuss Schiro’s text explaining 4 curriculum ideologies existent in most, if not all, current day educative experiences.  The ideologies are named Scholar Academic, Social Efficiency, Learner-Centered and Social Reconstruction.  They are presented as individual theories but operate in combination of some sort in most public school settings.  In a private school, the curriculum policy may mandate and focus on practicing only one of these ideologies; for example, a Montessori school would follow the learner-centered approach.

Reading Assignment

1. Alvior, M.G. (2014). Six Famous Curriculum Theorists and their Contribution to Education. Retrieved from http://simplyeducate.me/2014/12/03/six-famous-curriculum-theorists-and-their-contributions-to-education/

• Scroll down the page and have a quick look at the 6 Curriculum Theorists featured in the list on this site.  It is a quick overview of said persons that you will encounter throughout the course.

2. History of Education: Selected Moments of the 20th Century. (n.d.). 1949: Ralph W. Tyler Publishes Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction. Retrieved from http://fcis.oise.utoronto.ca/~daniel_sc/assignment1/1949tyler.html

• Ralph Tyler is well-known for his 1949 book entitled Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction.  In fact, it was one of the first books I purchased when I started graduate school and it is still a part of my personal library.  You will be reading the introduction this week but here is a webpage with an overview of the history of the text.

3. Pinar, W. (1978). The Reconceptualization of Curriculum Studies. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 10:3, 205-21. Retrieved from: http://daneshnamehicsa.ir/userfiles/file/Resources/8-2%29%20Ideologies/ARTICLE_William%20Pinar.pdf

• Schiro (2013) alludes to “advanced-level theoretical concerns of curriculum theorists” (p.xv) in his book that you will read excerpts from this week and William Pinar may be one such theorist.  In this piece here, Pinar explains three particular approaches to curriculum and how negotiations of all three may best serve the current education system of his time.  This was written when postmodernism in education was taking root and I believe it parallels some of Schiro’s ideas within the Curriculum Ideologies.

4. Schiro, M. S. (2013). Curriculum theory: Conflicting visions and enduring concerns (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc. Retrieved from: https://talkcurriculum.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/schiro-m-2013-introduction-to-the-curriculum-ideologies.pdf

• Here is Chapter 1 from Schiro’s text that will give you more details regarding the 4 Curriculum Ideologies.

5. Slattery, P. (1995). Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era.  New York & London: Garland Publishing, Inc. Retrieved from https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=mBb9CAm3BP0C or use this link: https://www.book2look.com/embed/9781136494185

 

• Patrick Slattery is a researcher and scholar navigating through facets of curriculum theory in the postmodern era.  Though his book was written in the 1990s, he puts together a pseudo-collage of curriculum theory and offers its implications for educative practices.  I believe this is the sort of thought process that will take place in your own studies throughout the course and, so I felt we should take a look at what other researchers attempt in terms of curriculum theory exploration and how they share their personal stories.
• Please read the section at the start of the text entitled Personal Philosophical Roots and Aims of This Book (to page 67.)  You will need to use Microsoft Edge to access the text – Google chrome may not give you the preview up to page 67.  Also, as for page numbering, the second page needs to be subtracted by 1 so for example, when it says 15-17 at the bottom, it's actually pgs.15-16.

6. Tyler, R. (1949). In Flinders, D. J., &   Thornton, S. J. (Eds.), The Curriculum Studies Reader, Fourth Edition (pp.11-18).  New York, NY: Routledge. Retrieved from: https://talkcurriculum.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/tyler-r-2013-basic-principles-of-curriculum-and-instruction.pdf

• As mentioned, here is the introduction to Ralph Tyler’s (1949) text.  Do take note of the four main questions within Tyler’s rationale.

 Optional Videos

1. Boushon, A. (2017, April 10). Curriculum Ideologies [Video File]. Retrieved from

• In this short student video, Schiro’s 4 curriculum ideologies (Scholar Academic, Social Efficiency, Learner-Centered, and Social Reconstruction).  You will be reading about how these curriculum positions have found their way into your classroom and also, negotiate their implementation as collective and often overlapping curricular ideals.

2. Biliteracy Now. (2013, April 28). Curriculum Theory Documentary [Video File]. Retrieved from 

• This video is from an American graduate student discussing the purpose of learning and the positioning of students within a system of education.  This video project draws upon the ideologies of Brazilian educator Paulo Freire.  Because Schiro’s 4 ideologies are based on mostly U.S. practices, I think it best to have a few examples of policies and issues that are presently occurring. Though the details differ from classroom to classroom worldwide, certain issues as in standardized practices or student empowerment remain of constant concern for all educators.

Discussion Assignment

In the discussion forum, you are expected to participate often and engage in deep levels of discourse.  Please post your initial response as early in the unit as possible and continue to participate throughout the unit. You are required to post an initial response to the question/issue presented in the Forum and then respond to at least 3 of your classmates’ initial posts.  You should also respond to anyone who has responded to you. 

• Identify 3 top purposes for education in your milieu. Using these purposes, evaluate Schiro’s 4 Curriculum Ideologies and suggest which one best meets the needs of learners in your context. Consider if that is indeed the model that is being applied currently. What further modifications would you propose in order to best meet the needs in your milieu? 

Discussion Forums will be assessed using this rubric.

 

Written Assignment

In the introductory paragraph and last sentence of Pinar’s (1978) piece, he writes "If this process of transformation continues at its present rate, the field of curriculum studies will be profoundly different in 20 years time than it has been during the first 50 years of its existence" (p.205). 

It is now 40 years after he wrote this article and so, how far has curriculum studies come?   Or has the progress slowed, stopped or regressed?  Are we just talking in circles about curriculum theory and development or is there nothing left to talk about? 

As a future "curriculum theorist", what do you think?  For those in the know, share your reasonings.  For those new to curriculum discussions, offer your best-educated understandings.  Refer to the readings, course materials or professional experiences so far to inform and support your thoughts.   You may seek out additional resources for support but nothing extensive as this is a short paper. 

Submit a paper which is 2-3 pages in length (no more than 3-pages), exclusive of the reference page. The paper must be double-spaced and cite at least 1 additional source in APA format.  The paper must be well-written using Times New Roman, 12 point font. Check all content for grammar, spelling and to be sure that you have properly cited all resources (in APA format) used. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a free website that provides excellent information and resources for understanding and using the APA format and style. The OWL website can be accessed here: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

Proofread your work to make sure your responses are clear and coherent.  Please be mindful of the quality of work you compose and submit at the graduate level.   Contact your instructor if you have any questions or concerns.  

This paper will be peer-assessed using this rubric.