Curriculum Philosophy and Design:
"Curriculum...decisions are shaped by...experiences...and social groups"
"Philosophy determines principles for guiding action" (Orenstein, 1991, p. 103)
"The function of philosophy can be conceived as...the base for the starting point in curriculum development" (Orenstein, 1991, p. 103)
"When we agree on what is education...we can then pursue philosophy, aims, and goals of curriculum" (Orenstein, 1991, p. 104)
Philosophical Lens #4 - Reconstructionism
"To improve and reconstruct society"
(Orenstein, 1991, p. 105)
Curriculum Source/Design Approaches
Source: Society
"[S]chool is an agent of society and should draw its curriculum ideas from analysis of the social situation" (Hunkins, Orenstein, 2013, p. 152)
Design: Radical
"[S]chools have organized themselves, their curriculum, and their students in stratifications that are not benign...the intent is to continue the dominant social segments of the nation...education's goal is the emancipation of the awarenesses, competencies, and attitudes that people need to take control of their own lives" (Hunkins, Orenstein, 2013, p. 167)
Design: Humanistic
"[A]n approach to currricular design and instructional delivery that would allow individuals to become fully functionnning persons...Classroom questions foster learning and deep thinking...Mistakes are accepted as part of the learning process" (Hunkins, Orenstein, 2013, p. 168)
Examples in Education
High/Scope
"The aim of H/S was to put an end to the vicious circle for poor children, fighting social injustice by encouraging equality and by giving them a better start to life" (Samuelsson, Sheridan, Williams, 2006, p. 25)
Te Whariki
"[D]evelop and implement a curriculum that assists all children to be cmpetent and confident learners...secure in their sense of belonging and secure in the knowledge that tey make a valued contribution to society" (Samuelsson, Sheridan, Williams, 2006, p. 16)
In My Professional Practice
The Peel District School Board's Empowering Modern Learners Document
http://www.peelschools.org/aboutus/21stcentury/Pages/default.aspx
This document frames the moral imperative of our school board as a collective commitment to help students become active and critically engaged citizens. By focusing teaching through this document's vision, the Board hopes to create a more equitable society.
Philosophical Lens #3 - Progressivism
" Knowledge leads to growth and development...active and interesting learning" (Orenstein, 1991, p. 105"
Curriculum Source/Design Approaches
Source: The Learner
"[T]he curriculum should derive from our knowledge of students: how they learn, form attitudes, generate interests, and develop values" (Hunkins, Orenstein, 2013, p. 154)
Design: Child-Centred
"Students must be active in their learning environments and that learning should not be seperated from students' lives" (Hunkins, Orenstein, 2013, p. 165)
Design: Experience-Centred
"[H]eavily emphasize the learners' interests, creativity, and self-direction. The teacher's task is to create a stimulating learning environment" (Hunkins, Orenstein, 2013, p. 165)
Examples in Education
Developmental Curriculum
"Developmental education is active learning and genuine, first-hand experiences are the bases of children's knowledge. Children learn through subjects rather than learn subjects themselves" (Sowell, 2005, p. 58)
Reggio Emilia
"[T]he child is seen as competent, active, and critival...the child makes up questions, theories, and meaning in interplay with the surrounding world in a continuous process" (Samuelsson, Sheridan, Williams, 2006, p. 15)
Experimental Education
"Goals are created in cooperation with the child, which means that the child is a co-constructor of his or her learning...The program is focusing on engaged teachers, who are getting each child interested in something" (Samuelsson, Sheridan, Williams, 2006, p. 15)
In My Professional Practice
The Ontario Kindergarten Curriculum
https://www.ontario.ca/document/kindergarten-program-2016/introduction
The vision for Ontario's full-day, two year Kindergarten program is based on these fundamental beliefs:
1) Play is recognized as a child's right, and it is essential to the child's optimal development
2) All children are viewed as competent, curious, capable of complex thinking, and rich in potential and experience.
3) A natural curiosity and a desire to explore, play, and inquire are the primary drivers of learning among young children.
4) The learning environment plays a key role in what and how a child learns.
5) In play-based learning programs, assessment supports the child's learning and autonomy as a learner.
(The Kindergarten Program. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.ontario.ca/document/kindergarten-program-2016
Philosophical lens #1 - Perrenialism
"[M]astery of the facts and timeless knowledge" (Orenstein, 1991, p. 105)
Curriculum Source/Design Approaches
Source:
Knowledge
"What knowledge is of the most worth?" (Hunkins, Orenstein, 2013, p. 154)
Source: Moral Doctrine
"[L]asting truths advanced by the great thinkers of the past"
(Hunkins, Orenstein, 2013, p. 153)
Design: Subject Centred
"[H]ow essential knowledge has develped in various subject areas" (Hunkins, Orenstein, 2013, p. 160)
Design: Discipline Centred
"[S]pecific knowedge [with]...essential characteristics"
(Hunkins, Orenstein, 2013, p. 161)
Examples in Education
Single Subject Design
"[S]tudents studying a single subject learn the content of that subject and the methodolgies that authorities in the subject use to organize knowledge"
(Sowell, 2005, p. 55)
Means-Ends Relationship
"[O]btaining and understanding subject matter [is the] ultimate outcome of schooling" (Sowell, 2005, p. 81)
In My Professional Practice
Focusing on the Fundamentals of Math
Assessment Approaches
Standardized
"Tests are isomorphic with learning (tests = learning)"
(Shepard, 2000, p. 5)
Summative
"[T]eachers...held beliefs more consistent with tradigional
principles of scientific measurement...assessment needed to be an official event, separate from instruction"
For Example
The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test
Philosophical Lens #2 -
Essentialism
"[M]astery of concepts and principles of subject matter" (Orenstein, 1991, p. 105)
Curriculum Source/Design Approaches
Source: Knowledge
"Teaching...valued knowledge stimulates and develops the minds of learners...to apprehend the world closer to the real reality" (Hunkins, Orenstein, 2013, p. 154)
Source: Science
"[O]bservable and quantifiable elements" (Hunkins, Orenstein, 2013, p. 152)
Design: Broad-Fields
"[R]elated conceptual clusters...connected by themes" (Hunkins, Orenstein, 2013, p. 163)
Design: Correlation
"[S]eperate subjects require linkage to avoid fragmentation of curricular content...the correlation design attempts to identify waysin in which subjects are related" (Hunkins, Orenstein, 2013, p. 163)
Examples in Education
Integration
"[B]rings into close relationship the concepts, skills, and values...so that these elements are mutualy reinforcing to learners" (Sowell, 2005, p. 54)
Interdisciplinary Integrated Studies
"[S]everal disciplines [are] studied through a common conceptual focus. For example...history, goegraphy, government, economics, and culture" (Sowell, 2005, p. 54)
In My Professional Practice
The Ontario Social Studies Curriculum
Assessment Approaches
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