PHILOSOPHICAL CONSIDERATION OF CURRICULUM THEORIES AND APPROACHES *How does philosophy guide the organization of curriculum?

 Philosophy provides curriculum specialists with a framework for organizing schools and classrooms.  It provides an idea as to what a school s purpose is, what subjects are of value, what experiences and activities should the school stress on, what textbooks to use, and how to test and use the test results of the students.  A famous educational theorist John Goodlad points out that philosophy is the beginning point in curriculum decision making and is the basis of all subsequent decisions regarding curriculum it becomes the criterion for determining the aims, means and ends of a curriculum.  Philosophy greatly affects how a curriculum will turn out because curriculum -makers may turn to countless sources of knowledge but in the end, their decisions are shaped by all the experiences that have affected them.  Another way Philosophy can affect curriculum decisions is when curriculum-makers try to expand their base of knowledge by understanding other people s values and various perspectives and use this understanding to modify their own points of view.  John Dewey contends that Philosophy is the general theory of education. He believes that it provides the aims and methods of schools. He also believes that it is also crucial not only at the start of planning a curriculum but also for all curriculum activities saying Education is the laboratory in which philosophic distinctions become concrete and tested.

Idealism

o
Realism

Emphasizes moral and spiritual reality as the chief explanation of the world. Truth and values are seen as absolute, timeless, and universal. It would teach the liberal arts to everyone (philosophy, literature, history, mathematics, and foreign language).

y y

Stresses logic and lessons that exercise the mind and cultivate rational thoughts. It would teach the 3Rs, science, and the arts. Pragmatism o Emphasizes that knowledge is a process that is constantly changing. Knowing is considered a transaction between the learner and the environment. It would teach problem solving and critical thinking in an active learning environment. Existentialism o Emphasizes individualism and personal self-fulfillment. A person creates his/her own definition and in so doing makes his/her own meaning of life.

*Example of Philosophical Considerations

Consideration
Educational Philosophy Direction in time Values

Traditional Philosophhy
Perennialism (rooted in realism), Essentialism (rooted in idealism and realism) Superiority of past Fixed, absolute, universal, objective

Contemporary Philosophy
Progressivism (rooted in pragmatism), Reconstructionism (rooted in existentialism) Education is growth, concern for future and shaping it Changeable, relative, subjective

Educational process

Education is viewed as instruction; mind is disciplined and filled with knowledge To discipline the mind; emphasis on subject matter

Intellectual emphasis

Worth of subject matter

Subject matter for its own importance Composed of 3R s as well as liberal studies or essential academic subjects Emphasis on cognitive learning; learning is acquiring knowledge or competency in disciplines Homogeneous grouping and teaching of students by ability An authority in subject matter; Socratic method; teacher dominates discussions Emphasis on group values; acceptance of norms and roles in society Excellence in education; educations as far as human potential permits

Curriculum content

Learning

Grouping

Teacher

Society

Excellence vs. equality

Education is viewed as creative self-learning; active process in which learner reconstructs knowledge To engage in problem-solving activities and social activities; emphasis on student interest and needs Subject matter is for teaching skills, attitudes, and intellectual processes; all subjects have similar value for problem-solving Also composed of 3R s, but with skills and concepts in arts, sciences, and vocational studies Emphasis on whole child; learning is giving meaning to experiences and/or giving meaning to reform Heterogeneous grouping and integration of students by ability (as well as other factors like race, sex and class) Teacher is a guide for inquiry and change agent; students learn on their own; Emphasis on individual growth and development; importance of person Equality of education; education which permits more than one chance and more than an equal chance to disadvantaged groups

A good curriculum, however difficult it may seem, should strive for a balance in the different philosophies that governs curriculum-making. There should be no extreme emphasis on subject matter or student, cognitive development or socio-psychological development, excellence or equality. How much one philosophy is emphasized, for whatever reason, is critical for it tends to gear towards authoritarian schemes. CURRICULUM THEORIES y Theory refers to a set of related assumptions, statements referring to embracing concepts, structure and methodology and their interrelationships, which may be utilized as guides in curriculum development. y Curriculum theory should not be confused with curriculum per se. y These are generalizations congruous with existing knowledge and facts that can be employed to construct or evaluate many developments and practices in a curriculum.

*How are curriculum theories derived? y Curriculum theories draw heavily from our philosophical beliefs our understanding of knowledge and our understanding of the world. y Curriculum development work is greatly influenced by the values brought by curriculum makers in the curriculum development process. CURRICULUM APPROACHES y Basically, curriculum approach, as the word implies, is how a curriculum planner will plan, implement, and evaluate a certain curriculum. y Basically, there are 6 curriculum approaches: Subject-centered approach, The-pupil-andhis-culture approach, the problem approach, the process approach, the structure approach and the humanistic approach. SUBJECT-CENTERED APPROACH y The oldest, and what is sometimes considered as the traditional approach. y The basic learning activities are selected from the major subject areas and organized into courses of study. y Shaped by what is known as minimum essentials. y Content is prioritized over the learners (knowledge of the learner is not important, knowledge of the subject area is paramount). y Emphasis is on conformity. y Methods of instruction are fixed to a few tested means. THE PUPIL-AND-HIS-CULTURE APPROACH y Put forth by progressivists, it advocated placing emphasis on learners. y Content selection was based on learners needs and interests. y There is an element of laissez faire. y Minimum essentials are poorly defined and most of the times neglected. PROBLEM APPROACH y Formulated to harmonize the two previous approaches. y The goal is to achieve a process called coalescence, or the process of relating the essential content of a subject area with a pupil s needs, experiences and problems to create a meaningful experience. y This approach boasted of accomplishing three major purposes that cannot be easily achieved in the previous two: (1) motivation is secured both thru method and content, (2) there is coalescence, and (3) promotes relationship among different disciplines or fields of knowledge. PROCESS APPROACH y Combines the pupil-culture, subject matter, and problem approach. y Also referred to as the discovery or inquiry approach. y The goal is for the learners to acquire the manner of inquiry that known scholars used to acquire knowledge. Its goal is to equip the learners with the tools to acquire knowledge in their own way.

STRUCTURE APPROACH y This approach intends to make the learners see the basic structure and interrelationships of these structures in subject content. This approach believes that once the structure of a subject is learned, the learners can express the knowledge in his own vocabulary and use it to open new avenues of learning. y The main drawback of this approach is that it does not address the question Does a student need to learn the skill in the first place? HUMANISTIC APPROACH y This approach is a modification of the structures approach. y It added applying the knowledge and principles gained to areas of pupil interest thereby ensuring motivation as well as retention. This application comes after the structure is learned by the student. y The selection of content in this approach considers the needs, abilities, concerns and interests of the pupils.