EPB3063: CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGY IN EDUCATION/SEPTEMBERY2012

Topic 2:

THE FIELD OF CURRICULUM

Introduction: Curriculum is a field of study consisting of lists of subjects taught in schools or broadly as experiences that individuals require for full and authentic participation in society. In other words curriculum is a field of subject courses that affects us all both within the field of study, the educators and curricularists and those in the general society. Curriculum is a field of study to increase the understanding of the complexities, the paradigm shifts of this realm of intellectual and practical activities. A field of study that results from social activity. Curriculum is designed for both deliberate and emerging purposes. Curriculum field has elements of uncertainty and confusion which ultimately develop a form of process within an environment of uncertainty. Conclusion: curriculum involves analyzing broad concept, studying the curriculum itself in terms of approach, its domains and the roles of those who participate in the realm of curriculum. It is a field of study that has a dynamic system. Curriculum approaches. Introduction: A curriculum approach reflects a holistic position or a metaorientation, encompassing the foundations of curriculum itself. i.e. the persons philosophy, view of history, view of psychology and learning theory and a view of social issues, domains of curriculum (common and important knowledge within the field, and the theoretical and practical principles of curriculum. An approach expresses a viewpoint about the development and design of curriculum; the role of the learner, teacher, and curriculum specialist in planning curriculum; the goals and objectives of the curriculum; and the important issues that need to be examined. A curriculum approach reflects our view of schools and society; to some extent it may become an allencompassing outlook if we feel strongly about these views. By understanding ones curriculum approach, and the prevailing curriculum approach of the school, it is possible to conclude whether ones professional outlook conflicts with the formal organizational view. Two main Curriculum view approaches are: 1) Technical and nontechnical. 2) Scientific and nonscientific. Technical-scientific approaches coincide with traditional theories and models of education and reflect established and formal methods of schooling. While nontechnical and nonscientific approaches tend to challenge established and formalized practices of education. These approaches are more fluid and emergent.Nontechnncal approaches reflect the view of postpositivists or postmodernists.

EPB3063: CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGY IN EDUCATION/SEPTEMBERY2012

Types of curriculum approaches are: 1. Behavioral Approach. 2. Managerial approach. 3. The systems Approach 4. Academic Approach. 5. Humanistic Approach Behavioral Approach. This is an approach that relies on technical and scientific principles and includes paradigms, models and step-by-step strategies for formulating curriculum. It is usually based on a plan, and sometimes called a blueprint or document, goals and objectives are specific, content and activities are sequenced to coincide with the objectives, and learning outcomes are evaluated in relation to the goals and objectives. The behavioral approach started off with the idea of efficiency i.e. efficiency in schools meant eliminating small classes, increasing student-teacher ratios, hiring few administrators, cutting costs in teacher salaries, maintaining or reducing operational costs etc. The goals of behavioral approach or effects are to make schools in general and curriculum making more scientific, and to reduce reaching and learning to precise behaviors with corresponding activities that could be measured. (Raymond Callahan, 2004). Behaviorism formulate precise objectives and evaluating programs according to those objectives, arguing accountability plans, outcome-based education, and still others relying on direct instruction, practice and drill, monitoring students, ad prompt feedback. Thus most educators realize to obtain a more complete picture of how individuals learn the curriculum they, as researchers, must perceive individuals as cognitive functioning individuals within a social context. Students will experience and respond to the same curriculum in unique ways, depending on their cultural interpretations and prior life activities. Managerial Approach. The managerial approach considers the school as a social system reminiscent of organizational theory, whereby groups of people such as students, teachers, curriculum specialists, and administrators interact according to certain norms and behaviors. Educators who rely on this approach plan the curriculum in terms of programs, schedules, space, resources and equipment and personnel. This approach advocate, among other things, the need for selecting, organizing, communicating with, and supervising people involved in curriculum decisions. . This managerial approach also relies on a plan, rational principles and logical steps, but not necessarily behavioral approaches. The managerial aspect tends to focus on the supervisory and administrative aspects of curriculum, especially the organizational and implementation process. These approach advocators are interested in change and innovation and in how curriculum specialists, supervisors, and administrators can facilitate these processes. The curriculum specialist and supervisor are considered to be a practitioner, not a theoretician- a change agent, resource person and facilitator. He or she reports to an administrator and follow the mission and goals of the school. If the school does not appreciate change, then the change role of the job is minimized. If the school is innovative or reform minded, then changes are expected and school culture tends to create and sustain a culture for change. However, if the school is innovative or reform minded then changes are expected and the school culture 2

EPB3063: CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGY IN EDUCATION/SEPTEMBERY2012

tends to create and sustain a culture for change. However, if the school emphasizes the three Rs, then the curriculum specialist introduces plans accordingly. Most of the cues related to change or stability are communicated to subordinates (teachers) from managers through formal and informal (body language, conversation, and the like) communication networks. The managerial approach is rooted in the organizational and administrative school models of the early 1960s. Many current plans related to school-based management and empowerment are based on the older career ladder and differential staffing models. Much of the improved curriculum and instruction is based on the changing role of the superintendant and principal, as curriculum and instructional leaders, which blossomed during the 1950s and 1960S and is now shaping the profession again. The Systems Approach. The system approach focuses on organizing people and policies, to organizing curriculum into a system. The systems aspect tends to view various units and subunits of the organization in relation to the whole and organizational diagrams, flow charts, and committee structures are often diagrammed as the curriculum plan is introduced and monitored. This is also termed as curriculum engineering, the approach includes the processes necessary to plan the curriculum by such engineers as superintendents, directors, coordinators, and principals: the stages (development, design, implementation and evaluation and structures (subjects, courses, unit plans, and lesson plans). The systems approach to curriculum was influenced by systems theory, systems analysis, and system engineering. In the systems approach to curriculum the parts of the total school district or school are closely examined in terms of their interrelatedness and influence on each other. Components like department, personnel, equipment and schedules are planned to create changes in peoples behavior and expectations. Information is usually communicated to administrators who consider alternatives and choices. The organizational chart of a school district represents a systems approach, showing line-staff relationships of personnel and how decisions involving special areas, such as curriculum, instruction, testing and evaluation, personnel, budgeting and so on, are made. One particular application of the systems approach was developed by Rand Corporation and has rapidly spread from government to business agencies. It is called Planning, Programming, Budgeting Systems (PPBS), and it brings together the components of planning, programming and budgeting with the systems structure, functions, and capabilities. In this case the system is curriculum. Currently many schools employ a systems approach known as total quality management (TQM) based on Ed Demings 14 points for improving the system in which people work. This approach also paradigms shift emphasizing extensive collection and analysis of data, self monitoring and inspection, collaboration, communication, cooperation and team responsibility. When applying total quality management to curriculum development and implementation, portions depends on the acqisition and application of what is called profound knowledge. Such knowledge is based on four components; systematic thinking, theory of variation, theory of knowledge and knowledge of psychology. Systematic thinking enables the players to realize that their activities interact with the actions of others and that the total possessing many sub processes. The theory of variation recognizes that in curriculum activity there are and special causes and impacts. The create curricula is a community where people exhibit individual differences. They must learn to communicate and cooperate, respect the opinion of others, and come to a consensus. At the school level, the role of the principal is crucial; at the departmental level, the leadership of the supervisor is important. 3

EPB3063: CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGY IN EDUCATION/SEPTEMBERY2012

The theory of knowledge focuses the individuals attention on the fact that knowledge within the system and possessed by the players is essential to the success of the curricular game. . Education within total quality management is concerned with prediction. On a short-term basis, it is important to align the curriculum to high-stakes test and state standards, with emphasis on specific content. With a long-term perspective, schools are more likely to focus on other domains of learning than simply the cognitive domain. George Beauchamp, (2004) divided theories of education into five major theories of equal importance: firstly, administration, secondly, counseling, thirdly, fourthly, curriculum instruction and fifth, evaluation. Many professors of education outside of curriculum do not accept this notion of equal theories. E.g. administrators view their leadership role chiefly in terms of management. Curriculum specialists view curriculum as the major system and related fields such as teaching, instruction, and supervision that help implement the curriculum. Curriculum specialist value the systems approach take a macro or broad view of curriculum and are concerned with curriculum issues and questions that relate to the entire school or school system- not simply in terms of particular subjects or grades. They are concerned with how the curriculum is related across different programs and content areas, to what extent the curriculum reflects the hierarchical organizational arrangements of the school, the needs and training of the participants, and various methods for monitoring and evaluating results. Long-term planning is fused with short-range or incidental planning. Academic Approach. It is also referred to as the traditional, encyclopedic, synoptic, intellectual, or knowledge-oriented approach, the academic approach att4empts to analyze and synthesize major positions, trends and concepts of curriculum. The approach tends to be historical or philosophical, and social in nature. The academic approach to curriculum broadens beyond subject matter and pedagogy. Currently some academics state that the field of curriculum and influenced by the entire world. Therefore the field must address life in its totality, from birth to death. Humanistic approach. Some curriculum leaders reflect on the field and contend that the preceding approaches are too technocratic and right. They contend that in attempting to be scientific and rational, curriculuarists miss the personal and social aspects of curriculum and instruction; ignore the artistic, physical, and cultural aspects of subject matter; rarely consider the need for self-reflectiveness and self-actualization among learners; and finally overlook the sociophysiological dynamics of classrooms and schools. Leaders of this approach are John Dewey, Kilpatrick etc. This approach gained impetus in the 1940s and 1950s with the growth of child psychology and humanistic psychology, ego identity, psychological health, freedom to learn and personal fulfillment. From this approach numerous curriculum activiti4s have emerged, mainly at the elementary school level, including lessons based on life experiences, group games, group projects, artistic endeavors, dramatizations, field trips, social enterprises, learning and interest stations. These activities include creative problem solving and active student participation; emphasize socialization and life adjustment for students as well as stronger family and school-community ties. Various developmental theories (Erikson, Havighurst and Maslow) and child-centered methods (Froebel, Pestalozzi and Neil) for curriculum are derived from the humanistic approach. The formal or planned curriculum is not only curriculum to consider the informal and hidden curricula are also worthwhile. .

EPB3063: CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGY IN EDUCATION/SEPTEMBERY2012

Humanistic theories of learning than behavioral and cognitive theories. Music, art, literature, health education and the humanities are just as important as science and math. Curriculum specialists who believe in this approach tend to put faith in cooperative learning, independent learning, small-group learning and social activities as opposed to co9mpetitive, teacherdominated, large-group learning and only cognitive instruction. Today demands for educational excellence and academic productivity have resulted in emphasis on cognition and not humanism, and on subjects such as science and math, and not art or music. The humanistic approach has usually represented a minority view among curriculum leaders in schools. Many seem to believe that the future will demand thinkers and not feelers. Education must focus on both the personal and the interpersonal. This is because the students self-concept, self esteem, and personal identity are essential factors in learning, and in the end along with social, moral, and spiritual domains determine the whole person.