This document discusses key concepts, philosophies, and designs related to curriculum development. It defines concepts as the materials used to achieve educational outcomes, philosophies as frameworks for organizing curriculum, and design as how curriculum components are arranged and interconnected. The document then examines different pairings of concepts, philosophical bases, and designs, such as academic rationalism with perennialism/realism and subject design, cognitive process with pragmatism and broad field/learner-centered design, and technological process with realism and subject design. Each combination is described in terms of its focus and approach to curriculum.
3. DEFINITIONS
Concepts
• The means and
materials with which
students will interact
for the purpose of
achieving identified
educational outcomes
Philosophies
• Provides a framework
and guidelines for
organizing curriculum
and program
development
Design
• The arrangement of
curriculum, connecting
all the parts and
showing how they
interrelate
4. PHILOSOPHY AS A BASIS FOR CURRICULUM
A curriculum generally steers the direction of an institution.
It is important to have a philosophy that drives the
development of the curriculum. Ornstein (1990/1991),
suggests that philosophy provides ‘educators, especially
curriculum specialists, with a framework for organizing
schools and classrooms.’
The idea is that it will provide answers to key questions such
as: ‘What are the school’s purpose, what subjects are of
value, how students learn, and what methods and materials
to use.’
6. ACADEMIC RATIONALISM
Perennialism/Realism
• Focus on classical disciplines/subjects
• Goal for intellectual excellence
Subject Design, Discipline Design
• Focus is on subject matter, the disciplines
• Stresses understanding conceptual processes of a discipline
8. COGNITIVE PROCESS
Pragmatism
• Role of educator is to facilitate learning progression
• Best actions/processes to develop cognition in educational and
social settings
Broad Field, Learner Centered Design
• Connections are made between concepts within different
disciplines
• Emphasis on the learners and how they learn
10. SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION
Pragmaticism
• Education to improve society
• Identify and solve societal problems
Problem Centered, Romantic Radical Design
• Focused on injustice within society
• Belief that change is required to better humanity
12. SELF ACTUALIZATION
Idealism, Pragmatism
• Emphasis on intellectual growth of learner
• Goal is to develop psychologically and sociologically
Process, Learner Centered Design:
• Aim to teach transferable cognitive skills
• Learning is outgrowth of individual experience
14. TECHNOLOGICAL PROCESS
Realism
• Concerned with tangible learning results
• Emphasis on the most efficient method to impart
knowledge
Subject Design
• Content is organized
• Focus predominantly on content over individual
15. REFERENCES
• Edward S., Ebert. C., Bentley M., Defining Curriculum (updated Jul 19, 2013),
Retrieved from https://www.education.com/reference/article/curriculum-definition/,
July 10, 2017
• Eisner, E.W. &Vallance, E. (1974). Conflicting Conceptions of Curriculum. Berkeley,
CA: McCutchan Publishing Corporation
• Ornstein, A. C. (1990/1991). Philosophy as a basis for curriculum decisions. The High
School Journal, 74, 102-109.
• Hill, A. M. (1994). Perspectives on philosophical shifts in vocational education: From
realism to pragmatism and reconstructionism. Journal of Vocational and Technical
Education, 10(2), 37-45.