A M Y S T R A N G ET E 8 1 8

C U R R I C U LU M S Y N T H E S I S P R O J E C TFA L L 2 0 1 0

What is Curriculum?

Curriculum Synthesis Project: Objectives

Exploration of the following:

Define curriculum Types of curricula Goals of curriculum Problems with the

curriculum The 7 dimensions of

curriculum Synthesis of curriculum

Prior view of curriculum New view of curriculum

Summary References

Curriculum Synthesis Project: Definition

What is curriculum?

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary (n.d.), curriculum is defined as the following: the courses offered by an educational institution a set of courses constituting an area of specialization

Curriculum Synthesis Project: Definition

Elliot Eisner defines three types of curricula that are found in school (1994).

These include the following:

1. Explicit Curriculum Material that is specifically

chosen to be taught in schools

2. Implicit Curriculum Material that is

unintentionally taught in schools

3. Null Curriculum Material that is not taught

in schools

Curriculum Synthesis Project: Definition

Democratic Equality

• The goal of education is to prepare students to become democratic citizens who contribute to the public good of society.

Social Efficiency

• The goal of education is to prepare students so that they can participate and be successful in the workforce.

Social Mobility

• The goal of education is to prepare students to compete for desirable social positions in society.

• David Labaree has identified the following competing goals of the curriculum (1997).

• Labaree concludes that these 3 competing goals cannot all be fulfilled at the same time. Therefore, a balancing act is required.

Curriculum Synthesis Project: Definition

According to John Dewey (1990), there are a few key problems with the educational curriculum.

Two of these problems include the following:

1. Students don’t have a connection to the curricular material

2. Students are not motivated by the curriculum

These problems stem from the lack of a connection between the student’s mind and the curriculum.

Curriculum Synthesis Project: Definition

In order to get a clear understanding of what curriculum entails, consideration of the seven dimensions of curriculum is necessary.

The 7 Key Dimensions of Curriculum

Dimensions of

Curriculum

1. Philosophical

2. Historical

3. Political

4. Ethical / Moral

5. Cultural

6. Global

7. Technological

1. Philosophical Dimension

Hochschild & Scovronick (2003) claim that one of the goals of the educational system is to create equal opportunities for the development of democratic citizens.

They argue, however, that not all students are afforded the same educational opportunities due to their race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Variance in these areas are embedded into the structure of the educational system which squelches any attempts to create equal opportunities for students.

Curriculum Synthesis Project: Definition

“The American dream that we were all raised

on is a simple, but powerful one—if you

work hard and play by the rules you should be given a chance to go as far as your God-given ability will take you.”

– Bill Clinton

1. Philosophical Dimension (Cont.)

A citizen’s financial and political background shapes their access to educational opportunities (Hochschild & Scovronick, 2003).

Therefore, the climate that a student is raised in shapes their success in school.

The climate that a student is raised in is also what dictates, shapes, and impacts the following:

state wide differences in educational opportunities district wide differences in educational opportunities school wide differences in educational opportunities class wide differences in educational opportunities

The result is a perpetual cycle of the old adage:

The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.

2. Historical Dimension

A few key views/events influenced the educational system and it’s curriculum during the 19th and 20th Centuries.

Horace Mann:

Education should be

available for all students

Herbert Kliebard: American

curriculum is a “potpourri”

of approaches

David Labaree: The

conflicting goals in

education need to be

addressed by reordering

their priority

Sputnik: Increase in

US curricular focus on math and science

A Nation at Risk: Led movement

toward standardizati

on, high stakes

testing, and common core curriculum

Curriculum Synthesis Project: Definition

(Mann, 1884; Kliebard, 1998; Lararee, 2010; & TE 818, 10/13)

2. Historical Dimension (Cont.)

“A Nation at Risk” results:

Increase graduation

requirements

Increase standards

and expectations

Increase the amount of time

dedicated to instruction

Increase the preparation

of the teachers

Increase leadership and fiscal support

“A Nation At Risk” (1983) examined and drew conclusions about the educational system and its curriculum.

The recommendations of this study are summarized below:

3. Political Dimension

Philips & Hawthorne (1978) and Apple (1991) argue that:

Curriculum design, development, and evaluation are all political behaviors.

The state holds responsibility for education through the following:

1. Legislature mandates the time spent in school

2. Textbook adoption3. State approval of charters /

curriculum4. State certification

Although the state is responsible for making educational decisions, individuals at the local level have a greater understanding of curricular issues.

Therefore, there are the following problems with this system:

1. Students, parents, teachers, and principals aren’t involved in the curricular / educational decision making process

2. Other administrators make the decisions 3. There is no involvement of the

community or social activists4. There needs to be understanding of the

system to change the system

Curriculum Synthesis Project: Definition

4. Ethical / Moral Dimension

David Hansen (1995) claims that all teaching and curriculum is a moral act.

In fact, he claims that there are moral messages in the classroom, that teachers are unaware of, which are as important as the formal curriculum.

Classroom rituals: Display what

values are

important to the

teacher

Teacher demeano

r: Gestures, facial

expressions, tone of voice

Teacher characte

r: Dispositi

on, attitudes, values

Curriculum Synthesis Project: Definition

5. Cultural Dimension

Lisa Delpit (1988) claims that there is a “culture of power” that encompasses the following:

Those in power are least aware of the existence of the culture of power

The rules of the culture of power are not explicitly taught to minority students

As a result, minority students fail

Cultural literacy is the possession of basic skills that all people have in order to succeed in modern world (Hirsch, 1988).

Hirsch states the following:

These basic skills are referred to as a set of “background knowledge”

There has been a decline in the acquisition of background knowledge

This decline impacts the cultural literacy and success of our students in adulthood

Curriculum Synthesis Project: Definition

“We do not really see through our eyes and hear

through our ears, but through our

beliefs.”

- Lisa Delpit

6. Global Dimension

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was spawned due to the inability of the United States to keep up with the accomplishments of competitive nations.

Zhao (2007) claims, however, that NCLB will not help prepare students for a life in a globalized and technological world.

The attempted fixes as a result of NCLB were the wrong fixes; they killed creativity.

Creativity is what leads to scientific innovations

Creativity is needed in order to remain competitive in the world market

Focus on what is worth

teaching

Prepare global

citizens

Cultivate diverse talents

Decrease high stakes

testing

Increase tools for teachers

Increase subject choice

Curriculum Synthesis Project: Definition

• Therefore, there needs to be implementation of the following fixes:

7. Technological Dimension

Technology is referred to as the tools which people use for communication and information purposes (TE 818, Nov 17).

This includes technology used for educative purposes. Including the following:

Computers Laptops Computer software / programs

There is a debate about the use of technology in schools.

This debate includes the following viewpoints:

1. The high cost for technological tools2. The lack of evidence supporting the

claim that the utilization of technology improves academic performance

3. The increase in instructional options with using technology

This debate involves the following groups:

Techno-phobes: against technology Techno-utopians: for technology Techno-realists: middle ground

Curriculum Synthesis Project: Definition

Curriculum Synthesis Project: Synthesis

Prior to my increased understanding of the seven dimensions of curriculum, my knowledge about the complexity of curriculum was inadequate.

My prior view of curriculum encompassed: A lack of understanding of the degree to which philosophical, political, and

cultural variables impact students from different races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic classes.

An invalid assumption that teachers have a say in choosing the content of the curriculum that they teach.

A misguided understanding of why teachers focus on rote memorization of facts, and teaching to the test.

Misunderstanding about the role of Sputnik in shaping the change in focus of the United States curriculum.

Incorrect knowledge about the role of the United States educational system / curriculum in the context of a global economy.

Curriculum Synthesis Project: Synthesis

After learning about the seven dimensions of curriculum, I have amended some of my views about the curriculum in the United States educational system.

My altered view(s) about the curriculum include: Students from all races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic classes should be provided

equal opportunities to receive a high-quality education. This includes ensuring that they are provided the background knowledge necessary to be successful.

Concepts from the implicit & null curriculum should be included in the explicit curriculum.

Teachers should be aware of how their values & morals are modeled in the classroom. Curricular content should be driven by the knowledge of individuals at all educational

levels. This includes educational professionals, teachers, administrators, parents, and students.

Teaching methodologies should not focus on teaching to the test, and rote memorization. Rather, it should focus on fostering understanding and creativity.

The educational system should shift their focus to increasing their students’ understanding of multiculturalism so that they can become global citizens.

Although teaching methods should not be antiquated, there is not a necessity for teachers / schools to get expensive technological items.

Curriculum Synthesis Project:

Summary

I have reviewed the following in hopes of defining the question:

“What is curriculum?”

Define curriculum Types of curricula Goals of curriculum Problems with the curriculum The 7 dimensions of curriculum

Synthesis of curriculum Prior view of curriculum New view of curriculum

THE END

Curriculum Synthesis Project: References

Apple, M. (1991). Conservative agendas and progressive possibilities: Understanding the wider politics of the curriculum and teaching. Education and Urban Society, 23(3), 279-291.

“Curriculum” (n.d). Retrieved from: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curriculum.

Delpit, L. (1988). The silenced dialogue: Power and pedagogy in educating other people’s children. Harvard Educational Review, 58(3), 280-298.

Dewey, J. (1990). The child and the curriculum. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Eisner, E. (1994). The educational imagination: On the design and evaluation of school programs. (3rd Edition). New York: Macmillian College Publishing Company.

Hansen, D.T. (1995). Teaching and the moral life of classrooms. Journal for a Just and Caring Education, 2, 59-74.

Hirsch, E.D. (1988). Cultural literacy. (Preface and Chapter 1). New York: Vintage Books.

Hochschild, J., & Scovronick, N., (2003). The American dream and the public schools. Oxford: University Press.

Curriculum Synthesis Project: References

Kliebard, H. (1998). Effort to reconstruct the modern American curriculum. In Landon E. Beyer and Michael W. Apple (Eds.), The Curriculum: Problems, Politics, and Possibilities. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

Mann, H. (1848). 12th annual report on education in the State of Massachusetts. Massachusetts State Board of Education.

Labaree, D. (2010). Educational formalism and the language of goals in American education, educational reform, and educational history. Educational Research, 4, 41-60.

Labaree, D. (1997). Public goods, private goods: The American struggle over educational goals. American Educational Research Journal, 34(1), 39-81.

Phillips, J. A. & Hawthorne, R. (1978). Political dimensions of curriculum decision making. Educational Leadership, 2, 362-366.

TE 818 Lecture. November 17 Class Section: Lesson # 11 – Technological Dimensions of the Curriculum.

TE 818 Lecture. October 13 Class Session: Lesson # 6 - Historical Dimensions of the Curriculum, Part 2.

U.S. Department of Education. (1983). A Nation At Risk. A report by the National Commission on Excellence in Education.

Zhao, Y. (2007). Education in the flat world: Implications of globalization on education. Edge Magazine (Phi Delta Kappa International), 2(4). 1-19.