eE rl Foundations of Curriculum

Describe the foundations of curriculum development

Explain how each foundation influences the curriculum
development

Curriculum development is anchored on a very solid foundation.

Although considered to be a new discipline, its significance in the
light oi global developments has now been acknowledged. What
pliilosophical, historical, psychological and sociological influences
inform ihe current school curriculum? How do these foundations reflect
the development of curriculum in otr 21" century classrooms and
learning environment? Who are the identified curricularists with these
foundations? Let us find out!

@
Foundations of Curriculum

l. Philosophical Foundations

Educators, teachers, educational planners and policy makers

must have a philosophy or strong belief about education and
schooling and the kind of curriculum in the teachers' classrooms
or learning environment. Philosophy of the curriculum answers
questions like: What are schools for? What subjects are important?
How should students learn? What methods should be used? What
outcomes should be achieved? Why?

The various activities in school are influenced in one way

or another by a philosophy. John Dewey influenced the use of
,.leaming by doing", he being a pragmatist. Or to an essentialist, the
focus is on the fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic, the
essential subjects in the curriculum.
32 THE TEACHER AND THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM

There are many philosophies in education but'we will illustrate

those as presented by Ornstein and H-unkins ilr,2004'
. Aim: To educate the rational person; cultiv4e
*r
A. Perennialism .'.(
intellect
. Role: Teachers assist students to think with
rl

reason (critical. thinking: HOTS) ,

*(
. Focus: Classical subjects, literary analysis *'(
Curriculum is enduring v
. Trends: Use of great books (Bible, Kgran,
Plato, Aristotle or Classics) and Liberal Arts
Thomas Aquinas) Bobbit (1876-1956)
B. Essentialism . Aim: To promote intellectual growth of
trearners to become comPetent
. Role: Teachers are sole authorities in the
*I
2
subject area.
. FoCus: Essential skills of the 3Rs; essential t(
subjects r
. Trends: Back to basics, Excellence in
Wiliam Bagley education, cultural literacY'
1974-1946)
C. Progressivism . Aim: Prornote democratic social living
. Role: Teacher leads for growth and Charters (1875-1952)
'development of lifelong learners
-
. Focus: Interdisciplinary subjects. Learner-

.
centered. Outcomes-based
Trends: Equal oppornrnities for all,
n(
c
Contextualized cuniculum, Humanistic
education
nr
a
(18s9-19s2)
\
D. Reconstructionism . Aim: To improve and reconstruct society.
Education for change *(
. Role: Teacher acts as agent of change and (
t

reforms Kilpartick (1875-1952)

. Focus: Present and future educational landscape
. Trends: School and curricular reform, Global
education, Collaboration and Convergence,
'Theodore Standards and ComPetencies
Brameld

Historical Foundations
Where is curriculum development coming from? Th
historical foundations will show to us the chronological developme
along a time line.'Reading materials would tell1s_that.curriculu
deve'iopment started when Franklin Bobbit (1876-1956) yrote.
book .iThe Curriculum." Let us See how each one contributed
curriculum development dwing his own time. Here are eight among
Harold Rugg (1886-1960)
the many whom we consider to have great contributions'

--=---
 Module 2 - The Teacher as a Knower of Curriculum
Lesson 2.4 - Foundations of Curriculum

,, r11 illustrate onlY Persons Contributions I Theories and Principles

* He started the curriculum development movement'

* Curriculum as a science that emphasizes students'
needs.

* Cuniculum prepares learners for adult life'

*' Objectives and activities should group together
when tasks are clarified'

Franklin Bobbit (18i5-1 956)

* Like Bobbit, he posited that curriculum is science

and emPhasizes students' needs'

* Objectives and activities should match' Subject

matter or content relates to objectives'

\\'erret Charters (1875-1 952)

: --: iicts. Lear-ner-

{.Curriculaarepurposefulactivitieswhicharechild-
:: centered.
;:
1ot all,
-'. Hr,rmanistic * The purpose of the curriculum is child development
and growth' He introduced this project method
where teacher and student plan the activities'
smali
Gnr,tr.t societY' * Cuniculum develops social relationships and
grouP instruction.
of change and
,'.-ient
\\'illiam Kilpartick (1875-1952)
-
- .'JLrcational landscaPe
-l .,.,iut relbrm" Global
,.rL and Convergence' * Curriculum should develop the whole child'
It is
child-centered.
.:. With the statement of objectives and reiated
produce
learning activities, curriculum should
* :'-'iii coming from? The outcomes.
,-.a ::.iotlologrca
, :.- .-lonoloeical develoPment * He emphasized social studies and suggested
that
' .i te1l .it
: ..i-i.fr tt curticuium
us tl'ut the teacher plans curriculum in advance'
-: ,: the
- [z o- r 9 56) wrote
,'r
to
. - - '', each one corrtributed
.-- - r+ore
- -lll3. ,re eisht
orr eight
flgrs are
tlere among
. "' Harold Rugg (1886-1960)
::r. colltributions'
 THE TEACHER AND THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM

tal Foundation
* Curriculum is organized around social function:
Psychology provid
of themes, organized knowledge and learner-: earning process. It ur
interest.
rons which can be ar
*' Curriculum, instruction and learning ari errircation are: How shor
interrelated. Ejng? What is the opti
* Curriculum is a set of experiences. Subject matter lng the various conte
is developed around social functions and leamers- consider three gro
'nall
interests. rcociation theories; cognit
Hollis Caswell (1901-1989)
k',anistic theories (Ornste
Let us review som
cfusters of leaming theories

* Curriculum is a science and an extension of

school's philosophy. It is based on students, needs 3.1 Associqtion c
and interest.
* Curriculum is always related to instruction.
Subject matter is organized in terms of
knowledge, skills and values.
* The process emphasizes problem solving.
Curriculum aims to educate generalists and not
specialists.
Ralph Tyler (1902-199 4)

.i. She contributed to the theoretical

1nd pedagogical
foundations of concepts development and critical
thinking in social studies curriculum.
* She hetped lay the foundation han Pavlov (1849-1936)
for diverse
student population.

Hilda Taba (1902-1967)

* He described curriculum change as a cooperative

endeavor.
* Teachers and curriculum specialist constitute the
professional core of planners.
{. Significant improvement is achieved through
Edward Thorndikp (181 4-1949\
group activity.
Peter Oliva (1992-2012)

*--
 Curriculum
Module 2 - The Teacher as a Knower of
of Curriculum
Lesson 2 4 - Foundations

Psychological Foundation of
Curriculum

Psychology provides a basis

to understand the teaching
.: ::'.ial functions elements of the learning process'
:-: lnd learner's and learning procesJ'rt "nin"r
Questions which t;; ;; 'Jattt"o
bv psvcho'"-ql::].,Yndations
H;;";;;ld curricuium te organiz"d' t9 :11T::
of education are: ln
,-: iearning are la.1ef of students' participation
learning? What ir^t"fr. "piir""L this module'
learning the various'.oft.nt,
of the curriculum? 1n
we shall consider ;;;;;;pt of learnins theories: behaviorism or
:::s Subject matter
ltr t;t1'.1"t*;;i; processi
ng theori es and
:,:: ,-':ts and leamers' assoc iation tt,.o'it'' tos'"
theories (oristein & Hunkins '
2a0q'
il;;;t; ;;;t theories in learning related to these
Let us
'"ti;;
clusters of learning theories'

extension of 3.1 Associqtion ond Behoviorism

srudents'needs

instruction'
in terms of

solving '
and not

for diverse

::-:f ge aS a c0operatlve

.:e. trlist constirute the

-a -:
achieved ttrough
36 THE TEACHER AND THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM

He proposed the hierarchical learning theory.

Learning follows a hierarchy.

Behavior is based on prerequisite conditions.

He introduced tasking in the formulation of

objectives.

Robert Gagne (l9l[-2002)

3.2 Cognitive lnformolion processing Theory

Persons Contributions/Theories and principles

Theories ofJean Piaget

Cognitive development has stages from birth
to maturity. Ihniel Goleman
o Sensorimotor stage (0-2), preoperational stage
(2-7), concrete operations stage (7-ll) and
formal operations (11 * onwards).
3.3 Humor
Keys to learning
o Assimilation (incorporation of new
experience)
o Accommodation (learning modification and
adaptation) Ge
Jean Piaget (1896-19S0) o Equilibration (balance between previous and
a
later learning)

a
Theories of Lev Vygotsky
o Cultural transmission and development stage. Kr
Children could, as a result of their interaction
a
. with society, actually perform certain cognitive
a
actions prior to arriving at developmental
stage.
o Learning precedes developrnent.
o Socioculturaldevelopmenttheory.
Keys to Learning
Lev Vygotsky (1s96-1934) o Pedagogy creates learning processes that lead
Gestalt
to development.
o The child is an active agent in his or her I

educational process. I
 The Teacher as a Knower of Curriculum 37
Module 2 -
Lesson 2.4 - Foundations of Curriculum

o Gardner's rnultiple intelligences

theory.
o Huuans have several diff'erent ways of
processing information and these ways are
ielatively independent of one another'
o There are eight intelligences: linguistic'
logico-mathematical, musical' spatial'
bodi ly/kinesthetic, interpersonal'
intraPersonal, and naturalistic

Honard Gardner

o Emotion contains the power to affect action'

. He called this Emotional Quotient'
:p1es

ftom birth Daniel Goleman

ational stage
: l7-11) and
3.3 Humonislic PsYchologY

Persons/Syrnbols ClontributionsiTheories and Principles

and o Gestalt Theory

r Learning is exPlained in terms of "wholeness"
of
previous and
the Problem.
o Human beings do not respond to isolated stimuli
but to an organization or pattern of stimuli.

o Keys to learning
.rpment smge.
',eir interaction
o Learning is complex and abstract'
o Learners analyze the problem, discriminate
:rtain cognitive
between essential and nonessential data' and
develoPmental
perceive relationshiPs'
to
o Learners will perceive something in relation
to
the whole' What/how they perceive is related
their Prcr ious exPeriences'

Gestalt
cesses that lead

or her
38 THE TEACHER AND THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM

o He advanced the Self-Actualization Theory.

o Classic theory of human needs
o A child whose basic needs are not met,will
not be interested in acquiring knowledge
of
, the world.
o He put importance to human emotions,
based on love and trust.
Key to learning Emile Durkheim
(18s8-1917)
r Produce a healthy and happy learner
who
Abraham Maslow (1903-1970) can accomplish, grow and actualize
his or
her human self.

Nondirective and therapeutic leaming

o He established counselling piocedures and
methods for facilitating tearning.
o Children's perceptions, which are highly
jJvinToffler
indiv-idualistic, influence their learning
and
behaviour in class.

Key to learning r Theorists

o Curriculum is concerned with process, not
Carl Rogers (1902-19S7) product; personal needs, not subjeCt matter,
psychological meaning, not cognitive scores.

4.0 Sociol Foundofions of Curriculum

Persons/Symbols Contributions/Theories and principles Paolo Freire

1921-1997

F Knowledge as an agent of change

Schools and Society

John Goodlad
1920-2014
 Module 2 - The Teacher as a Knower of Curriculum 39
Lesson 2.4 - Foundations of Curriculum

ri -Jre Self-Actualization Theory. education

*1 trf human needs :itiii:+
se basic needs are not met'will
r::::::.lil:,S
!ii:,li:liritii develop their behavior.
*-ted in acquiring knowledge of )' Considered two fundamental elements which are
schools and civil societY
poflance to human emotions,
rre and tmst.
fmile Durkheim
(18s8-r917)
health-v and happy learner who
ryLish- grow and actualize his or
n setrt-. for the future

the resources to teach prescribed curriculum from

lderapeutic leaming home as a result of technology, not in spite of it'
Se,J counselling procedures and (Home Schooling)
r :-acilitating learning.
pf,raeptions, which ate highlY Alvin Toffler collaboratively, and independent of their age
seic. influence their learning and
m class.
fter Theorists
Ils concerned with Process, not
monal needs, not subjecl matter, and society through critical reflections and
cal meaning, not cognitive scores. "conscientization"

approaph to raise students' consciousness

E ol Cuniculum
) E:tthnn u\ t\\tt\$t\5\t t5$$rts\ t$\E
critical thinking
qa$S

Paolo Freire
nTheories and Principles I
t92t-1997
I

and the students

i ii*J;i of change

rc
I

; €tr= ot'change I

F' Emphasis on active learning and critical thinking

F =. 1:.reent of change I

I
content and instructional activities

I
John Goodlad
1920-2014 Are Schools For? l9B9
I
 cuRRlcuLuM
rHE scHooL
flr**rR AND