What is this blog?

Welcome to Curriculum Theory & Development.  This website invites you to reflect on key aspects of curriculum from historical, contemporary, & critical perspectives.  Twelve questions explored in this blog include:

1.     Where shall we point the arrow of time?

2.     What is curriculum … & is it locked into a time-loop?

3.     (How) is universalism bad?

4.     What’s the problem with objectives?

5.     How in/efficient & un/scientific is curriculum?

6.     What do standard units actually measure?

7.     Is curriculum a secret agent of social reproduction?

8.     What constricts the freedom of curriculum & how can curriculum enrich freedom?

9.     How important is reciprocity?

10.  How culturally responsive is curriculum?

11.  How does curriculum construct sex, gender, & sexual orientation?

12.  What can we see in the crystal ball of curriculum change?

To explore these twelve dimensions of curriculum, reflective passages are interspersed with sets of questions and lists of influential books & articles.  Peruse these sections to reflect on these aspects of curriculum & change. 

In creating this website I have drawn extensively from The Curriculum Studies Reader (3rd ed.), edited by David J. Flinders & Stephen J. Thornton.  Book excerpts/articles that can be found in this anthology are written in blue (along with their corresponding chapter numbers).  All required course readings are bolded & are written in uppercase letters. While book titles are italicized throughout this blog, article titles are not.  Happy reading.

Question #1 - Where shall we point the arrow of time?

To delve into curriculum theory & development we need to look to the past & consider the hidden curriculum.  In a general sense, we might ask: (1) What exactly is the hidden curriculum & why should we always keep it in mind?  More specifically, we might ask: (2) What two key premises does Giroux put forward & what do they mean for the practices of developing & delivering curriculum?  (3) How does Giroux feel about grading?  (4) Who does Giroux cite in this article & why is it important to note this? 

·       DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS: OVERCOMMING THE HIDDEN CURRICULUM (1978) – HENRY GIROUX

To further consider sociological dimensions associated with the hidden curriculum we need to reflect on the larger aim of curriculum.  In a general sense, we might ask: (1) What should a curriculum set out to achieve?  More specifically, we might ask: (2) How does Noddings feel about No Child Left Behind (NCLB)?  (3) How does Noddings make a connection between democracy & curriculum?  (4) What does Noddings say about safety & surveillance?  (5) What sort of alternatives (to surveillance) does she have to offer?

·       WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO EDUCATE THE WHOLE CHILD? (2005) – NEL NODDINGS

Portelli & Vibert present a vignette of Emily Carr Elementary School, a place where critical pedagogy is a part of everyday practice.  (1) What is Portelli & Vibert’s idea of a curriculum of life?  (2) How can critical pedagogy help to re/shape school communities & society?  (3) How are student experiences at Emily Carr rooted in context of community?  (4) How is a dynamic of reciprocity fostered at the school?

·       A CURRICULUM OF LIFE (2002) – JOHN PORTELLI & ANN VIBERT

Additional articles to explore include:

·       The Politics of Curriculum (2002) – JANE GASKELL

Question #2 - What is curriculum ... & is it locked into a time loop?

As we begin to reflect on curriculum theory & development, it is necessary to ask: What is curriculum & what can we learn from history?  This is an important question to consider because the way in which curriculum gets defined (and indeed has been defined in the past) shapes how learning outcomes are re/formed, how change is sought and/or opposed, & how schools function. 

There is also the matter of the what and the how.  While some believe that curriculum is purely a question of what is taught, others view curriculum as a matter of what is taught and how it is taught.  These two aspects of curriculum interlock because the way in which one perceives what is to be taught influences the way in which she/he believes how curriculum should be delivered.  (1) How does Egan perceive the how & the what of curriculum?  (2) Which key writers does Egan draw from in outlining his idea of curriculum?  (3) To what degree is curriculum theory a field without boundaries?

·       WHAT IS CURRICULUM? (1978) – KIERAN EGAN

To understand the curriculum issues of today & tomorrow, we need to understand curriculum issues of the past.  (1) But what does history tell us about curriculum? (2) According to Kliebard, what sort of things can we learn from the Cardinal Principals, the scientific movement, & John Dewey? (3) How can history help us to reinterpret some of the core questions associated with curriculum theory? (4) In a more general sense, how can a critical examination of history help us respond to the issues of today & tomorrow?  Reflect on these questions as you read Kliebard’s paper.

·       WHY HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN TEACHER EDUCATION? (n.d.) – HERBERT KLIEBARD

Additional articles/books on the subject of defining curriculum  & exploring the history of curriculum include:

·       Retrospective on “What is Curriculum?” (2003) – KIERAN EGAN

·       Notes Toward a Theory of Curriculum (1992) – IVOR F. GOODSON

Question #3 - (How) is universalism bad?

Embedded in the classical education movement is a faith in universal knowledge.  This perspective of education views knowledge as an objective, static entity; one that exists outside of time, position, & perspective.  From this perspective, knowledge represents something learners acquire through a process that is passive rather than inter/active. 

The classical view of education ignites debates centering on the tension between objectivity & subjectivity.  To better understand the context & positions of this debate – & better grasp the classical movement itself – we need to consider a variety of questions, including: (1) What did schooling look like before the industrial revolution? (2) Who went to school & who didn't? (3) Why did people go to school? (4) What did people learn in school? (5) How were they expected to learn? (6) How were roles conceptualized? (7) What was the aim of curriculum in this era?

Adler’s article offers a classical view in terms of the recent past.  Considering classical education in relation to today’s world, additional questions arise, including: (1) What does/should the classical movement mean for us today? (2) How does a classical-oriented perspective of education exist in curriculum theory today? (3) What are the strengths/weaknesses of this perspective of curriculum? (4) What would a classical theorist have to say about the difference between equality & equity?

·       THE PAIDEIA PROPOSAL (1980) – MORTIMER J. ADLER – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #16)

A number of curriculum theorists disagree with Adler’s classical-oriented perspective.  As you read Nodding’s critique of Paideia, consider how she frames her arguments.  (1) With what does Noddings take issue?  (2) What is her rationale & what are her alternatives?  (3) Why does Noddings take issue with Adler’s interpretation of John Dewey?  (4) How does Noddings view Paideia as an agent of social reproduction?  (5) What does Noddings have to say about vocational education & how do you feel about this?

·       THE FALSE PROMISE OF PAIDEIA (1983) – NEL NODDINGS – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #17)

Is universalism the same as standardization?  In examining California’s social/educational climate in the 1990s & early 2000s, Skeeter & Stillman raise a variety of questions associated with standardization.  (1) To what degree does standardization enhance democracy?  (2) To what degree does it constrict democracy? (3) What does this mean for a culturally & linguistically diverse (CLD) society?  (4) What does Skeeter & Stillman’s close examination of curriculum language reveal? (5) How do Skeeter & Stillman see curriculum as being something stuck in a time loop? (6) Reflect on these questions as you read the article by Skeeter & Stillman.

·       STANDARDIZING KNOWLEDGE IN A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY (2005) – CHRISTINE SKEETER & JAMY STILLMAN (The Curriculum Studies Reader #25)

Additional books/articles to explore include:

·       The Lost Tools of Learning (1947) – DORTHY L. SAYERS

·       The Learning Society (1968) – ROBERT M. HUTCHINS 

Question #4 - What's the problem with objectives?

Creating learning outcomes & curriculum objectives is not a simple matter.  In considering how objectives relate to curriculum, a variety of questions arise, including: (1) What exactly are objectives?  (2) What should they be?  (3) How are objectives defined & what are the implications of these different definitions?  (4) What is the relationship between defining curricular objectives & the practice of teaching?

Some view objectives as a dangerous & ultimately damaging force.  If objectives help us to plan & organize how can they be damaging to education?  Elliot W. Eisner raises a variety of interesting questions about objectives.  As you read Eisner’s article, consider the following questions: (1) What is Eisner’s thesis?  (2) How does Eisner view Bobbitt’s idea of curriculum? (3) How does he feel about objectivity & reciprocity? 

·       EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: HELP OR HINDRANCE? (1967) – ELLIOT W. EISNER – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #10)

In critiquing the idea of norm referencing, Popham, along with others, argued in favour of criterion-based referencing.  He also wrote about behavioural objectives.  (1) But what is the behavioural view of objectives & how do you feel about this perspective?  (2) What does Popham say about precision & measurability?  (3) What is Popham’s idea of post-instruction behaviour & how do you feel about this?  (4) What is his idea of the taxonomies of educational objectives?  (5) How does Popham feel about Bloom? (6) If you were sitting in a café talking to Eisner & Popham about curriculum theory, what would they have to say to one another?

·       OBJECTIVES (1972) – W. JAMES POPHAM – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #9)

An additional article on the subject of objectives includes:

·       The Use of Objectives in Curriculum Planning by Objectives (1975) – ROBERT L. WISE

Question #5 - How in/efficient & un/scientific is curriculum?

This question moves us into the efficiency movement & before we explore the movement itself (along with its ideas) we need to set the context.  What’s the back-story of schooling & the efficiency movement?

Schooling expanded rapidly during the Industrial Age, and a variety of forces contributed to this complex process.  For an overview of this period, see Jim Carl's article, Industrialization & Public Education: Social Cohesion & Social Stratification (International Handbook of Comparative Education, 22, 4, 503-518).  Considering the following eight questions will help to contextualize the efficiency movement: (1) Where did most people live & work before the industrial revolution? (2) How did England’s enclosure movement (1760s-1830s) impact on its population? (3) How did the rise of factories impact on the population? (4) What happened when governments took a Laissez Faire approach to working conditions? (5) What problems did the Health & Morals of Apprentices Act (1802) aim to address? (6) Who were the Luddites & what did they want? (7) What was the Sadler Report (1833) about? (8) How did the ever-changing Factory Act (1833, 1844, 1847, 1850, 1853, 1864, 1878) change the workforce?

As schooling became a system, and responsibility, of the state, a drive known as the efficiency movement emerged as the dominant force in education.  To better understand the parameters of the efficiency movement, consider the following questions: (1) How did changes in the economy/workforce lead to changes in schooling during the Industrial Age? (2) Who went to school in this era? (3) Why did people go to school in this era & what did people learn in school? (4) How were roles conceptualized? (5) How was curriculum delivered? (6) What was the aim of curriculum during the Industrial Age & how did social forces influence this aim?

A precursor to the efficiency movement emerged in the 1830s/1840s (see The Six Main Principles (1837/1848) & Common School Journal (1837/1848), by Horace Mann, the first secretary of a board of education in America).

Proponents of the efficiency movement believed that curriculum contributes to a society’s wellbeing.  Interlocked with this idea were other ideas about what societal well being means.  As a consequence, they viewed the aim of curriculum in a particular way.  While reading the work of proponents of the efficiency movement (Bobbitt & Tyler), consider the following questions: (1) What exactly was the efficiency movement & why did it emerge in the late 1800s & take hold in the early 1900s? (2) Why did proponents of the efficiency movement & scientific curriculum-making take issue with the classical idea of education? (3) How was the classical movement inefficient & unscientific? (3) On what grounds did people (such as Dewey) oppose the core aims/ideas of the efficiency movement? (4) How should we look back at the efficiency movement from today's perspective?

As you read Bobbitt’s passage, consider the following questions: (1) How does Bobbitt view curriculum? (2) Why does he view curriculum in this way?  (3) What sort of strengths/weaknesses do you see in Bobbitt’s ideas? (4) How does he set out to bring efficiency & science into curriculum? (5) What does Bobbitt have to say about vocational curriculum & how do you feel about this? (6) Why does Bobbitt write about employers?

·       SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN CURRICULUM-MAKING (from The Curriculum) (1918) – FRANKLIN BOBBITT – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #1)

As you read Tyler’s passage, consider the following questions: (1) How does Tyler view curriculum? (2) Why does he view curriculum in this way? (3) What sort of strengths/weaknesses do you see in Tyler’s ideas? (4) How does he set out to bring efficiency & science into curriculum? (5) What is Tyler’s idea of practical application of school subjects?

·       FOUR PRINCIPLES OF CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION (1949) – RALPH W. TYLER – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #7)

A variety of writers have debated the value & implications of the efficiency movement. (1) What is Kliebard’s view of the efficiency movement & how do you feel about this? (2) How would Bobbitt or Tyler counter Kliebard’s appraisal of the efficiency movement? (3) Does Kliebard feel that schools are being asked to do too much? (4) How do you feel about this?

·       THE RISE OF SCIENTIFIC CURRICULUM-MAKING & ITS AFTERMATH (1975) – HERBWET M. KLIEBARD – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #6)

Additional books/articles on the subject of the efficiency movement & scientific curriculum-making include:

·       Sociological Determination of Objectives in Education (1921) – DAVID SNEDDEN

·       Seven Rules that Govern Curriculum Construction from Curriculum Construction (1923) – W.W. CHARTERS

·       Education & the Cult of Efficiency (1962) – RAYMOND CALLAHAN

·       How Dewey Lost: The Victory of David Snedden and Social Efficiency in the Reform of American Education (2008/2010) – DAVID F. LABAREE

·       Generational Ideas in Curriculum: A Historical Triangulation (2005) – PETER S. HLEBOWITSH – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #23)

Question #6 - What do standard units actually measure?

Read two of the three articles listed below.  There area a great many questions that arise when we consider the interlocking matters of measurement, evaluation, & assessment.  Some of these questions include: (1) What is evaluation? (2) How has evaluation been defined over the years? (3) What has this meant for schooling? (4) How should we evaluate the effectiveness of how curriculum is delivered in school settings? (5) What sort of issues are linked to evaluation today? (6) To what degree does rationalization constrict freedom?  Reflect on these questions as you read two of the three articles by Eisner, Sisken, & Au.

·       WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SAY A SCHOOL IS DOING WELL? (2001) – ELLIOT W. EISNER – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #27)

·       OUTSIDE THE CORE: ACCOUNTABILITY IN TESTED & UNTESTED SUBJECTS (2003) – LESLIE SISKIN – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #26)

·       HIGH-STAKES TESTING & CURRICULUM CONTROL: A QUALITATIVE METASYNTHESIS (2007) – WAYNE AU – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #24)

Additional articles/books on evaluation & assessment to explore include:

·       The Measurement of Intelligence (1916) – LEWIS TERMAN

·       Measuring Individual Accomplishment (1933) – RALPH W. TYLER

·       The Nongraded Elementary School (1959) – JOHN GOODLAD

·       Institutional Technology & the Measurement of Learning Outcomes (1963) – ROBERT GLASER

·       Criterion-Referenced Measurement (1978) – W. JAMES POPHAM

·       The Mismeasure of Man (1981/1996) – STEPHEN JAY GOULD

·       The Bell Curve (1994) – HERNSTEIN & MURRAY

·       Standards, Equity, & the Curriculum of Life (2001) – JOHN PORTELLI & ANN VIBERT

·       Six Curriculum Mistakes (2009) – W. JAMES POPHAM

Question #7 - Is curriculum a secret agent of social reproduction?

Curriculum does not exist in a vacuum.  It is both constructed by larger social forces &, to varying degrees, it then re/constructs & re/produces those social conditions.  As we consider this dimension of social reproduction, a number of sociological questions arise, including: (1) What sort of social inequities have existed in society? (2) How have social inequities changed (and not changed) over time? (3) What forces have contributed to these changes (or lack of changes)? (4) How have schools reproduced social inequities & how do they do so today?

The matter of social reproduction is not a new one. (1) What does Counts say about social reproduction & social regeneration? (2) How does Counts offer hope? (3) What is Counts’ idea of robust democracy? (4) How are his ideas still relevant today?

·       DARE THE SCHOOL BUILD A NEW SOCIAL ORDER? (1932) – GEORGE S. COUNTS – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #5)

Paulo has much to offer us in his interlocking ideas of dialogue & critical pedagogy. (1) How can schools counter oppressions that exist both in the educational sphere & in society at large? (2) What is Freire’s idea of dialogue? (3) How can robust forms of dialogue be fostered? (4) What happens when dialogue is (and isn't) fostered? (5) What is Freire’s idea of mutism & why is this an important thing to think about?

·       PEDAGOGY OF THE OPPRESSED (1968) – PAULO FREIRE – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #13)

In Thinking About Women: A Quarter Century’s Views, Margaret L. Anderson (2005) writes a concise description of a matrix of domination, where social forces construct overlapping forms of oppression in relation to such aspects of identity as sex, gender, sexual orientation, race, and class.  Anderson argues that these forms of oppression must be considered simultaneously because they are entangled.  Reflect on this as well as the following questions as you read the AAUW report: (1) What overlapping forms of domination are described in the AAUW report? (2) To what degree do you feel the issues brought up in the report are still crucial in relation to curriculum today? (3) How does the AAUW report raise the question of schools being stuck in a time loop? (4) What does the report have to say about school materials and to what degree is this still an issue nearly two decades later? (5) What does the AAUW have to say about James A. Banks’ equity continuum & Peggy McIntosh’s phase theory & how can schools benefit from these lenses? (6) What is said about cooperative learning & how do you feel about this? (7) What does the report say about heteronormativity?

·       HOW SCHOOLS SHORTCHANGE GIRLS: THREE PERSPECTIVES ON CURRICULUM (1993) – AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY OF WOMEN (AAUW) (The Curriculum Studies Reader #20)

Additional books/articles on the subject of social reproduction include:

·       The Child & The State (1911) – MARGARET MCMILLAN

·       An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem & Modern Democracy (1944) – GUNNAR MYRDAL

·       The Nature of Prejudice (1954) – GORDON ALLPORT

·       Pygmalion in the Classroom: Teacher Expectation & Pupils' Intellectual Development (1968) – ROBERT ROSENTHAL & LEONORE JACOBSON

·       Schooling in Capitalist America: Educational Reform & the Contradictions of Economic Life (1976) – SAMUEL BOWLES & HERBERT GINTIS

·       Learning to Labor: How Working Class Kids Get Working Class Jobs (1977) – PAUL WILLIS

·       Schooling & Work in the Democratic State (1985) – MARTIN CARNOY & HENRY LEVIN

·       Savage Inequalities (1991) – JONATHAN KOZOL

Question #8 - How does curriculum enrich/constrain freedom?

We cannot consider curriculum without reflecting on freedom. But freedom can be (& indeed is) defined & interpreted in a great many ways.  It is even sometimes parceled into different components, such as freedom with license and freedom without license. 

To reflect on curriculum-oriented dimensions of freedom, we need to consider some questions tied to the enrichment/constraint of freedom: (1) What enriches/constrains the freedom of students? (2) What enriches/constrains the freedom of parents/guardians? (3) What enriches/constrains the freedom of teachers? (4) What enriches/constrains the freedom of administrators? (5) What enriches/constrains the freedom of schools? (6) How (& why) do systemic forces enrich/constrain freedom?

Read one of the following two articles.  In the arena of curriculum, various issues of freedom have arisen over the years.  (1) What sort of constraints do Apple & Giroux describe?  (2) To what degree do the concerns expressed by Apple & Giroux connect to today’s world? (3) How does Apple explore history to enhance his observations about the socio-political & economic context within which he was writing? (4) What does Apple have to say about teacher-proof materials & how do you feel about this? (5) What is Apple’s idea of intensification & why is this an important matter to consider? (6) Why is Giroux concerned about cynicism & how does this connect with Friere’s concern with banking?

·       CONTROLLING THE WORK OF TEACHERS (1986) – MICHAEL APPLE – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #19)

·       PEDAGOGY OF THE DEPRESSED: BEYOND THE NEW POLITICS OF CYNICISM (2001) – HENRY A. GIROUX

While there certainly are significant constraints to freedom, curriculum also represents a path to freedom.  As you read the article by Allen, consider the following questions: (1) How can curriculum enrich freedom? (2) How is freedom an issue in curriculum today? (3) What sort of curriculum-related issues connected to freedom might arise in the near future? (4) How can educators work to enhance freedom in their everyday practice & how does this connect to Portelli & Vibert’s curriculum of life? (5) How does Allen’s practice exhibit Giroux’ idea of politicized curriculum & what are the associated benefits?

·       CREATING SPACE FOR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE & EQUITY IN AN ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM (1997) – ANDREW ALLEN

Additional books/articles on the subject of freedom include:

·       Behavioural Study of Obedience (1963) – STANLEY MILGRAM

·       The Forms of Capital – (1986 / translation) – PIERRE BOURDEAU

·       Teaching to Transgress (1994) – BELL HOOKS

·       ‘How Does Knowin’ My Buisness Make You Any Safer?’: Critical Pedagogy in Dangerous Times – KATHLEEN GALLAGHER & PHILIP LORTIE (2005)

Question #9 - To what degree does curriculum foster reciprocity?

While the efficiency movement viewed curriculum aims in a certain way, the movement was not without its detractors. (1) What sort of alternatives contrasted with the efficiency movement? (2) How do these alternatives view the aim of curriculum? (3) What do these alternatives mean for education today? (4) How did Dewey perceive objectivity & reciprocity? (5) How does Dewey view education as an active rather than a passive process & how do you feel about the application of this idea?

·       MY PEDAGOGIC CREED (1897) – JOHN DEWEY (The Curriculum Studies Reader #3)

Read one of the two below-articles by Pinar & Doll.  Pinar & Doll offer alternatives to the efficiency scientific curriculum-making views of education.  As you read the article of your choice articles (& reflect on Dewey), consider the following questions: (1) What is the social dimension of education/learning? (2) If schools are social institutions, what is their role? (3) How can schools contribute to the greater good? (4) If education is not about the acquisition of predetermined skills, what is it about? (5) Why should educators foster connections between prior experiences & new knowledge? (6) For this to happen, what do educators need to do? (7) To what degree should educators individualize & are there any problems with this? (8) What exactly is the role of an educator/teacher?

·       THE RECONCEPTUALIZATION OF CURRICULUM (1977) – WILLIAM F. PINAR (The Curriculum Studies Reader #15)

·       THE FOUR R’S – AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE TYLER RATIONAL (1993) – WILLIAM E. DOLL JR. – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #22)

Additional books/articles on the subject of reciprocity include:

·       The School & Society (1900) – JOHN DEWEY

·       The Child & the Curriculum (1902) – JOHN DEWEY

·       Democracy & Education (1916) – JOHN DEWEY

·       Experience & Education (1938) – JOHN DEWEY

·       Curriculum & Consciousness (1971) – MAXINE GREENE – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #14)

·       Frames of Mind (1983) – HOWARD GARDNER

·       Transforming the Mainstream Curriculum (1994) – JAMES A. BANKS

·       Pedagogy of Hope (1994) – PAULO FRIEIRE

·       Pedagogy of Freedom (1998) – PAULO FREIRE

Question #10 - How culturally responsive is curriculum?

Overlapping with the themes of freedom and reciprocity is the question: How culturally responsive is curriculum?  To delve into this question we need to ask: What is diversity & how has diversity changed over time?  Let’s follow Kliebard’s (n.d.) advice and consider the past to better understand the present & the future.  (1) What was the social context in Canada & the U.S. in the early 1900s & what did this mean for education?  As you read Addams’ brief paper, consider her key points.  (2) What were Addams’ main concerns? (3) To what degree are her concerns still relevant today?

·       THE PUBLIC SCHOOL & THE IMMIGRANT CHILD (1908) – JANE ADDAMS – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #4)

In considering the theme of cultural responsiveness a variety of questions arise: (1) What is culture? (2) What are some key aspects to cultural responsiveness? (3) What is (& isn’t) culturally responsive in terms of curriculum content & delivery?  (4) How can cultural responsiveness be enriched in relation to curriculum content & delivery? 

·       MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION: DEVELOPMENT, DIMENSIONS, & CHALLENGES (1993) – JAMES A. BANKS

Chan’s article delves into the practice of cultural responsiveness.  As you read Chan’s reflection, consider the following questions: (1) What sort of challenges & complications arise in the realm of cultural responsiveness? (2) What impedes cultural responsiveness?  (3) How can curriculum developers work to foster robust cultural responsiveness? (4) How about teachers as they interpret & deliver curriculum?

·       TEACHER EXPERIENCES OF CULTURE IN THE CURRICULUM (2006) – ELAINE CHAN – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #29)

Additional books/articles on the subject of cultural responsiveness include:

·       The Forms of Capital (1986/translation) – PIERRE BORDIEU

·       The Afrocentric Idea in Education (1991) – MOLEFI ASANTE

·       The Disuniting of America: Reflections on a Multicultural Society (1991) – ARTHUR M. SCHLESINGER JR.

·       Anti-Racism Education: Theory and Practice (1996) – GEORGE J. DEI

·       Subtractive Schooling, Caring Relations, & Social Capital in the Schooling of US-Mexican Youth (1999) – ANGELA VALENZUELA – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #28)

Question #11 - How does curriculum construct/constrict sex, gender, & sexual orientation?

Rather than focusing on feminism as one dimension of curriculum, I will consider the interlocking dimensions of sex, gender, and sexual orientation at once.  I should, however, point out that sex, gender, & sexual orientation exist in a larger matrix of domination, which includes additional layers of oppression, such as race & class (as I mention in another blog entry, Margaret L. Anderson provides an excellent overview of the matrix of domination in her 2005 article, Thinking About Women: A Quarter Century’s Views).

Historically, as well as presently, the way in which people are identified & positioned in terms of sex, gender, and sexual orientation influences their social and cultural capital.  In the past, as today, this raises issues of inclusion/exclusion and privilege/disadvantage. 

When considering sex, gender, & sexual orientation, a variety of questions arise, including: (1) What sort of social roles are associated with sex, gender, & sexual orientation? (2) How does society re/de/construct these roles? (3) How have these roles changed over the years? (4) What sort of social forces have contributed to these changes? (5) How do these roles enrich/constrict the freedom of individuals?

Curriculum reflects the values of society and in this way, curriculum contributes to the process of social construction.  As we consider the relationship between sex, gender, & sexual orientation & curriculum, we might ask the following questions: (1) How does sex, gender, and sexual orientation take form in curriculum? (2) What sort of curriculum issues tied to sex, gender, & sexual orientation do we face today? (3) How does curriculum reproduce inequities in relation to sex, gender, & sexual orientation? (4) What sort of questions does Thornton raise when he talks about “the hidden curriculum everybody sees”? (5) What sort of things raise concerns for McIntosh & what makes her feel hopeful about the future?

·       SILENCE ON GAYS & LESBIANS IN SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM (2003) – STEPHEN J. THORNTON – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #30)

·       GENDER PERSPECTIVES ON EDUCATING GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP (2005) – PEGGY MCINTOSH – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #32)

Critical pedagogy leads people to use/shape curriculum in a way that will transgress & strive to enrich equity.  In this way, curriculum can be used to push beyond social inequities that link to sex, gender, sexual orientation, & other forms of domination. (1) How does society construct identity & curriculum … & how does curriculum then mirror & reproduce society? (2) How can we see this in mathematics education? (3) What would Kaiser & Rogers have to say to Mortimer Adler about standardization? (4) What do Kaiser & Rogers have to say about binary opposites & how do you feel about this (McIntosh touches on this same theme)? 

·       INTRODUCTION: EQUITY IN MATHEMATICS (from EQUITY IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION: INFLUENCES OF FEMINISM & CULTURE)(1995) – GABRIELE KAISER & PAT ROGERS

Additional books/articles of the subject of sex, gender, & sexual orientation include:

·       Sexism in School & Society (1973) – MYRA & DAVID SADKER

·       Caring: A Feminine Approach to Ethics & Moral Education (1984) – NEL NODDINGS

·       Bitter Milk (1988) – MADELEINE GRUMET

·       Interrupting Patriarchy: Politics, Resistance, & Transformation in the Feminist Classroom (1990) – MAGDA LEWIS

·       Interrupting Heteronormativity: Toward a Queer Curriculum Theory (1999) – DENNIS SUMARA & BRENT DAVIS

·       Thinking About Women: A Quarter Century’s Views (2005) – MARGARET L. ANDERSON

·       Sexual Fundamentalism & Performances of Masculinity: An Ethnographic Scene Study (2006) – KATHLEEN GALLAGHER

Question #12 - What can we see in the crystal ball of curriculum change?

In many ways, curriculum is a fluid idea/entity.  It changes – whether dramatically or subtlety – in terms of its core aim, its content, & its mode of delivery.  Considering these aspects of curriculum return us to the interlocking matters of what and how we considered in relation to our second big question (see Question #2 – What is curriculum … & is it locked into a time-loop?).

As we explored in our first major question (see Question #1 – Where shall we point the arrow of time/observation?), we considered Nel Noddings’ idea of educating the whole child.  With this in mind, what should the core aim of a curriculum be in today's world?

·       THE AIMS OF EDUCATION (2008) – NEL NODDINGS – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #34)

What about change & the curriculum of tomorrow?  While curriculum is formally changed by institutional organizations (such as government departments), larger social forces (such as economic interests & political pressure) shape these changes.  The matter of curriculum change is debated in the public sphere.  A variety of stakeholders attempt to participate in this process of change, with varying degrees of success; and this is partly because stakeholders hold different forms social, cultural, and linguistic capital. 

Key curriculum-related issues that have arisen over the years (such as the core aim of curriculum itself) continue to be a matter of debate.  As we reflect on the question of curriculum change, numerous questions arise: (1) When & why does curriculum change? (2) Why should it change? (3) Who is (& isn’t) involved in this change process?  Who should be? (4) What happens when curriculum changes? (5) How has curriculum changed in the past & what can we learn from this?

Additional books/articles on the subject of curriculum purpose, interpretation, & change include:

·       The Daily Grind (1968) – PHILIP JACKSON – (The Curriculum Studies Reader #11)

·       Beyond the Ethics of Flag Waving: Schooling & Citizenship for a Critical Democracy (1991) – HENRY A. GIROUX

·       Diversity, Group Identity, & Citizenship Education in a Global Age (2008) – JAMES A. BANKS

Curriculum Rubric

This Curriculum Rubric has been designed to help us critically reflect on the theorists & ideas we encounter as we navigate our way through the arena of curriculum theory.  Because some criteria counter other criteria it is important to note that some theorists would be content to receive one or more level 1s.  Ultimately, this rubric can help us to critically reflect on our own views of curriculum, education, & society itself. 

Criteria	Level of utilization	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3
1.1   DRAWING FROM “CLASSICAL” (WESTERN EUROPEAN) AESTHETICS.		With limited effectiveness, curriculum prepares learners to draw from “classical” aesthetics in their lives.	With some effectiveness, curriculum prepares learners to draw from “classical” aesthetics in their lives.	With considerable effectiveness, curriculum prepares learners to draw from “classical” aesthetics in their lives.
1.2   DRAWING FROM “CRITICAL” (CULTURALLY & LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE) AESTHETICS.		With limited effectiveness, curriculum prepares learners to draw from “critical” aesthetics in their lives.	With some effectiveness, curriculum prepares learners to draw from “critical” aesthetics in their lives.	With considerable effectiveness, curriculum prepares learners to draw from “critical” aesthetics in their lives.
2.1   DRAWING FROM “OBJECTIVIST” KNOWLEDGE.		With limited effectiveness, curriculum prepares learners to draw from “objectivist” knowledge in their lives.	With some effectiveness, curriculum prepares learners to draw from “objectivist” knowledge in their lives.	With considerable effectives, curriculum prepares learners to draw from “objectivist” knowledge in their lives.
2.2   DRAWING FROM “SUBJECTIVIST” KNOWLEDGE.		With limited effectiveness, curriculum prepares learners to draw from “subjectivist” knowledge in their lives.	With some effectiveness, curriculum prepares learners to draw from “subjectivist” knowledge in their lives.	With considerable effectiveness, curriculum prepares learners to draw from “subjectivist” knowledge in their lives.
3.1   RAISING AWARENESS OF THE KNOWLEDGE CONSTRUCTION & PARTICIPATING IN THE KNOWLEDGE RE/CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.		Curriculum raises minimal (if any) awareness of knowledge construction & does not create opportunities for learners to contribute to a knowledge re/construction process.	Curriculum raises some awareness of knowledge construction & creates few opportunities for learners to contribute to a knowledge re/construction process.	Curriculum raises considerable awareness of knowledge construction & creates many opportunities for learners to contribute to a knowledge re/construction process.
4.1   DEVELOPING & UTILIZING SPECIFIC TECHNICAL SKILLS THAT DIRECTLY CONNECT TO FUTURE EMPLOYMENT.		Curriculum does not train learners to develop & utilize specific technical skills that directly connect to future employment.	Curriculum trains learners to develop & utilize some specific technical skills that directly connect to future employment.	Curriculum trains learners to develop & utilize many specific technical skills that directly connect to future employment.
5.1   STREAMING LEARNERS INTO VARIOUS PATHWAYS.		Curriculum does not stream learners into pathways during their time in school.	Curriculum streams some learners into pathways during their time in school.	Curriculum streams a great many learners into pathways during their time in school.
6.1   RECOGNIZING & ASPIRING TO TRANSCEND SOCIAL INEQUITIES.		Curriculum does not recognize social inequities & does not attempt to transcend them.	Curriculum recognizes some social inequities & in a limited way attempts to transcend them.	Curriculum recognizes a great many social inequities & authentically attempts to transcend them.
6.2   RECOGNIZING & ASPIRING TO TRANSFORM SOCIAL INEQUITIES.		Curriculum does not recognize social inequities & does not attempt to transform them.	Curriculum recognizes some social inequities & in a limited way attempts to transform them.	Curriculum recognizes a great many social inequities & authentically attempts to transform them.