2.-Philosophical-foundations-of-curriculum.pdf

Curriculum, according to its Latin origins, literally means to run a course (Glatthorn et al., 2009). A curriculum philosophy is a set of values or criteria that guides all decision-making when developing a curriculum (Wiles, 2005). Educators utilize philosophy to create curriculums by setting priorities.

1. Philosophical Foundationsof
Curriculum

2. Learningoutcomes
•Definephilosophyand
educational philosophy
•Compareandcontrastthe
philosophical beliefsofperennialism,
essentialism, progressivismand
reconstructionism
•Explaintheinfluenceofthefour
educational philosophiesoncurriculum

3. Whatisphilosophy?
•Greekwords:
•–philos(love)
•–Sophia(wisdom)
•loveofwisdom

4. Whatisphilosophy?
•thecollectiveworksofother
philosophers
•theacademicexplorationofvarious
questionsraisedbyphilosophers
•someone’sperspectiveonlife
•(philosophyoflife)or
•theunderlyingprinciplesormethodof
achievingsomething

5. Whoarephilosophers?
•peoplewhoseekafterwisdom
•curiousabouttheworld
•seektounderstandthenatureof
things

6. Questionsaskedbyphilosophers?
•Whatistruth?Whydowesayastatementis
correctorfalse?
•Howdoweknowwhatweknow?
•Whatisreality?Whatthingscanbedescribe
asreal?
•Whatisthenatureofthought andthinking?
•Whatis specialaboutbeinga human being?

7. Whatisphilosophyofeducation?
•thestudyofquestionssuchas:
–Whatiseducation?
–Whatisthepurpose ofeducation?
–Whatdoesit meantoknow
something?
–Whatis therelationshipbetween
educationandsociety?

8. Whatdoesphilosophyof
education recognize?
•thedevelopmentofacivilsociety
dependsontheeducationoftheyoung:
–asresponsible,thoughtfuland
enterprisingcitizenswhichisa
challengingtask
•requiringdeepunderstandingof
ethicalprinciples,moralvalues,
politicaltheory,aestheticsand
economics

9. Philosophers:
•Plato
•Aristotle
•Rousseau
•Dewey
•Adler
•Confucius,
•AlFarabi
•Tagore
•Notphilosophersof
education buthavewritten
on philosophyofeducation
•havecontributedtoour
basic understandingofwhat
educationisandcanbe
•haveprovidedpowerful
criticalperspectives
revealing theproblemsin
education

10. PhilosophyandCurriculum
•Philosophyisthestartingpointin
any curriculumdecisionmaking
•thebasisforallsubsequent
decisions regardingcurriculum
•Philosophybecomesthecriteriafor
determiningtheaims,selection,
organizationandimplementationofthe
curriculumintheclassroom.

11. •Philosophyhelpsusanswergeneral
questions suchas:
–Whatareschoolsfor?
–Whatsubjectsareofvalue?
–Howshouldstudentslearnthe
content?

12. •Italsohelpsustoanswermoreprecisetasks
suchas:
–decidingwhattextbookstouse
–howtousethem
–whathomeworktoassignandhowmuch
ofit
–howtotestandusetheresults.

13. EducationalPhilosophies
•Whatcurriculumisproposed?
•Howshouldteachingand
learningbe conducted?

14. 1. PERENNIALISM
•theoldestandmostconservativeeducational
philosophy
•rootedinthephilosophyofPlatoandAristotle
•Modern-dayproponents:
–RobertHutchins
–MortimerAdler

15. 1. PERENNIALISM
Belief Humansarerationalbeings
ToimprovemanasmanAim ofeducation
Whatishumannature?Educational question

16. 1. PERENNIALISM
•Whatis human nature?
humannatureisconstantand
humanshavetheabilityto
understandtheuniversaltruths
ofnature.

17. 1. PERENNIALISM
Whatisthe aim of education?
todeveloptherationalperson
andtouncoveruniversaltruthsby
trainingtheintellect;character
educationis emphasized

18. 1. PERENNIALISM
Wheredoesit baseits belief?
someideashavelastedover
centuriesandareasrelevant
todayaswhentheywerefirst
conceived.

19. •Theseideasshouldbestudiedinschool.
•GreatBooks:literature,art,psychology,
philosophy,mathematics,science,
economics, politics andsoforth
•Examples:
–RobinsonCrusoebyDanielDefoe;Warand
Peaceby LeoTolstoy;MobyDickbyHerman
Melville;Euclid’s bookElementsongeometry,
Newton’sbookon Optics; TheSexual
EnlightenmentofChildrenby SigmundFreud;An
inquiryintotheNatureandCauses oftheWealth
ofNationsbyAdamSmith

20. 1. PERENNIALISM
WhyistheGreat Bookselected?
Ithascontemporarysignificance
Itshouldberelevanttotheproblems
andissuesofpresenttimes
Ithasprofoundandenduringideas

21. 1. PERENNIALISM
Whatbenefitscan studentsget?
Theywillappreciatelearningforits
ownsakeaswellasdeveloptheir
intellectualpowersandmoralqualities

22. PERENNIALISTCURRICULUM
•Characteristics:
•The“GreatBooks”programmeormore
commonlycalledtheliberalartswill
discipline themindandcultivatethe
intellect.Toread thebookinitsoriginal
language,students mustlearnLatinand
Greek.Studentsalsohad tolearngrammar,
rhetoric,logic,advanced mathematicsand
philosophy(Hutchins,1936).

23. PERENNIALISTCURRICULUM
•Characteristics:
•Thestudyofphilosophyisacrucialpart
of the perennialistcurriculum.Thiswas
becausethey wantedstudentsto
discoverthoseideasthat aremost
insightfulandtimelessin understanding
thehumancondition.

24. PERENNIALISTCURRICULUM
•Characteristics:
•Ata muchlatertime,MortimerAdler
(1982) inhisbookthePaideiaProposal,
recommendedasingleelementaryand
secondarycurriculumforallstudents.
The educationallydisadvantagedhadto
spend sometimeinpre-schools.

25. PERENNIALISTCURRICULUM
•Characteristics:
•Perennialistswerenotkeenonallowing
studentstotakeelectives(exceptsecond
languages)suchasvocationalandlife-
adjustmentsubjects.Theyarguedthat
these subjectsdeniedstudentsthe
opportunity to fullydeveloptheirrational
powers.

26. PERENNIALISTCURRICULUM
•Characteristics:
•Theperennialistscriticisedthevast
amountof disjointedfactualinformation
thateducators haverequiredstudentsto
absorb.Theyurge thatteachersshould
spendmoretime teachingconceptsand
explaininghowthese conceptsare
meaningfultostudents.

27. PERENNIALISTCURRICULUM
•Characteristics:
•Since,enormousamountofscientific
knowledge hasbeenproduced,teachingshould
focusonthe processesbywhichscientific
truthshavebeen discovered.However,the
perennialistsadvise thatstudentsshouldnot
betaughtinformation thatmaysoonbe
obsoleteorfoundtobe incorrectbecauseof
futurescientificand technologicalfindings.

28. PERENNIALISTCURRICULUM
•Characteristics:
•Atthesecondaryanduniversitylevel,
perennialistswereagainstrelianceon
textbooks andlecturesincommunicatingideas.
Emphasis shouldbeonteacher-guided
seminars,where studentsandteachersengage
indialogue;and mutualinquirysessionsto
enhance understandingofthegreatideasand
concepts thathavestoodthetesttotime.
Studentshould learnstolearn,andnottobe
evaluated

29. PERENNIALISTCURRICULUM
•Characteristics:
•Universitiesshouldnotonlyprepare
students forspecificcareersbuttopursue
knowledge foritsownsake.“University
studentsmay learnafewtrees,
perennialistsclaim,but manywillbequite
ignorantabouttheforests: thetimeless
philosophicalquestions“ (Hutchins,1936)

30. PERENNIALISTCURRICULUM
•Characteristics:
•Teachingreasoningusingthe“Great
Books‟of Westernwritersisadvocated
usingthe Socraticmethodtodisciplinethe
minds of students.Emphasisshouldbeon
scientific reasoningratherthanmere
acquisitionof facts.Teachsciencebutnot
technology,great ideasratherthan
vocationaltopics.

31. PERENNIALISTCURRICULUM
•Characteristics:
•Perennialistsarguethatthetopicsofthe
great booksdescribeanysociety,atanytime,
andthus thebooksareappropriatefor
Americansociety. Studentsmustlearnto
recognizecontroversyand disagreementin
thesebooksbecausetheyreflect real
disagreementsbetweenpersons.Students
mustthinkaboutthedisagreementsand
reacha reasoned,defensibleconclusion.

32. PERENNIALISTCURRICULUM
•Characteristics:
•Schoolshouldteachreligiousvaluesor
ethics. Thedifferencebetweenrightand
wrong shouldbeemphasizedsothat
studentswill havedefiniterulesthatthey
mustfollow.

33. 2. ESSENTIALISM
•itadvocatesinstillinginstudentswiththe
"essentials"or“basics”ofacademic
knowledgeandcharacterdevelopment.
•Proponents:
•WilliamBagley (1930s)
•ArthurBestorandAdmiralRickover(1950s).

34. 2. ESSENTIALISM
•arguesthatschoolsshouldnottrytoradically
reshapesociety
•shouldtransmittraditionalmoralvaluesand
intellectualknowledgethatstudentsneedto
becomemodelcitizens
•traditionalvirtues:respectforauthority,
fidelitytoduty,considerationforothersand
practicality

35. 2. ESSENTIALISM
•placedimportanceonscienceand
understandingtheworldthrough
scientific experimentation
•emphasizedinstructioninnaturalscience
ratherthan non-scientificdisciplinessuch
as philosophyorcomparativereligion

36. TheEssentialistCurriculum
•Characteristics:
•Thebasicsoftheessentialistcurriculum
are mathematics,naturalscience,history,
foreign language,andliterature.
Essentialists disapproveofvocational,
life-adjustment,or othercourseswith
"watereddown"academic content.

37. TheEssentialistCurriculum
•Characteristics:
•Elementarystudentsreceiveinstructioninskills
suchaswriting,reading,andmeasurement.Even
whilelearningartandmusic(subjectsmostoften
associatedwiththedevelopmentofcreativity)
studentsarerequiredtomasterabodyof
informationandbasictechniques,gradually
movingfromlesstomorecomplexskillsand
detailedknowledge.Onlybymasteringthe
requiredmaterialfortheirgradelevelare students
promotedtothenexthighergrade.

38. TheEssentialistCurriculum
•Characteristics:
•Essentialistprogramsareacademically
rigorous,forbothslowandfastlearners.
Commonsubjectsforallstudents
regardless ofabilitiesandinterests.But,
howmuchisto belearnedisadjusted
accordingtostudent ability.

39. TheEssentialistCurriculum
•Characteristics:
•Itadvocatesalongerschoolday,alonger
academicyear,andmorechallenging
textbooks.Essentialistsmaintainthat
classroomsshouldbeorientedaroundthe
teacher,whoservesastheintellectualand
moralrolemodelforstudents.

40. TheEssentialistCurriculum
•Characteristics:
•Teachingisteacher-centredandteachers
decidewhatismostimportantforstudentsto
learnwith littleemphasisonstudentinterests
becauseitwilldiverttimeandattentionfrom
learningtheacademicsubjects.Essentialist
teachersfocusheavilyonachievementtest
scoresasameansofevaluatingprogress.

41. TheEssentialistCurriculum
•Characteristics:
•Inanessentialistclassroom,studentsaretaught to
be"culturallyliterate,"thatis,topossessa working
knowledgeaboutthepeople,events, ideas,and
institutionsthathaveshapedsociety. Essentialists
hopethatwhenstudentsleave school,theywill
possessnotonlybasicskillsand extensive
knowledge,butalsodisciplinedand practicalminds,
capableofapplyingtheir knowledgeinrealworld
settings.

42. TheEssentialistCurriculum
•Characteristics:
•Disciplineisnecessaryforsystematic
learning inaschoolsituation.Students
learntorespect authorityinboth school
andsociety.

43. TheEssentialistCurriculum
•Characteristics:
•Teachersneedtobematureandwell
educated,whoknowtheirsubjectswell
and cantransmittheirknowledgeto
students.

44. 3. Progressivism
•arguesthateducationmustbebasedon
the factthathumansarebynaturesocial
and learnbestin real-lifeactivitieswith
other people
•Proponent:
•JohnDewey(1859-1952)

45. 3. Progressivism
•Dewey’sbeliefs:
•theroleofeducationistotransmit
society’sidentitybypreparingyoung
peopleforadultlife
•Educationshouldallowlearnersto
realizetheirinterestsandpotential.

46. 3. Progressivism
•Dewey’sbeliefs(1920):
•Learnersshouldlearntoworkwith
others becauselearninginisolation
separatesthe mindfromaction.
•Certainabilitiesandskillscanonlybe
learned inagroup.

47. 3. Progressivism
•Socialandintellectualinteractiondissolvesthe
artificialbarriersofraceand classby
encouragingcommunicationbetweenvarious
socialgroups(Dewey,1920).
•Educationisaprocessofgrowthand
experimentationinwhichthoughtandreason
areappliedtothesolutionofproblems.

48. 3. Progressivism
•Childrenshouldlearnasiftheywere
scientists usingthescientificmethod
proposedby Dewey
•Socialandintellectualinteractiondissolves
the artificialbarriersofraceand classby
encouragingcommunicationbetween
various socialgroups(Dewey,1920).

49. 3. Progressivism
•Educationisaprocessofgrowthand
experimentationinwhichthoughtand
reason areappliedtothesolution of
problems.
•Childrenshouldlearnasiftheywere
scientists usingthescientificmethod
proposedby Dewey.

50. 3. Progressivism
•Educationisaprocessofgrowthand
experimentationinwhichthoughtand
reason areappliedtothesolution of
problems.
•Childrenshouldlearnasiftheywere
scientists usingthescientificmethod
proposedby Dewey.

51. 3. Progressivism
•Scientificmethod:
1.Tobeawareoftheproblem(eg.plantsneed
sunlighttogrow)
2.Definetheproblem(eg.canplantsgrow
withoutsunlight)
3.Proposehypothesestosolveit
4.Testthehypotheses
5.Evaluatethebestsolutiontotheproblem

52. 3. Progressivism
•Teacher’smethod:
•Studentsshouldbeconstantlyexperimenting and
solvingproblems;reconstructingtheir experiences
andcreatingnewknowledge usingtheproposed
fivesteps.T
•Drilland practice,
•Learners’exposuretoactivitiesthatrelatetoreal
lifesituations
•Learningbydoing

53. TheProgressiveCurriculum
•Progressivistsemphasizethestudyofthenatural
andsocialsciences.Teachershouldintroduce
studentstonewscientific,technological,and
socialdevelopments.Toexpandthepersonal
experienceoflearners,learningshouldberelated
topresentcommunitylife.Believingthatpeople
learnbestfromwhattheyconsidermostrelevant
totheirlives,thecurriculumshouldcentreonthe
experiences,interests,andabilitiesofstudents.

54. TheProgressiveCurriculum
•Teachersshouldplanlessonsthatarouse
curiosityandpushstudentstowards
higher orderthinkingandknowledge
construction. Forexample,inadditionto
readingtextbooks, studentsmustlearn
bydoingsuchasfieldtrips wherethey
caninteractwithnatureand society.

55. TheProgressiveCurriculum
•Studentsareencouragedtointeractwith
one anotherand developsocialvirtues
suchas cooperationandtolerancefor
differentpoints ofview.

56. TheProgressiveCurriculum
•Teachersshouldnotbeconfinedto
focusing ononediscretedisciplineata
timebutshould introducelessonsthat
combineseveral differentsubjects.

57. TheProgressiveCurriculum
•Studentsaretobeexposedtoamore
democraticcurriculumthatrecognizes
accomplishmentsofallcitizensregardless
of race,culturalbackgroundorgender.

58. TheProgressiveCurriculum
•Byincluding instructioninindustrialartsand
homeeconomics,progressivistsstrivetomake
schoolingbothinterestinganduseful.Ideally,
thehome,workplace,andschoolhouseblend
togethertogenerateacontinuous,fulfilling
learningexperienceinlife.Studentssolve
problemsintheclassroomsimilartothose
theywillencounteroutsideschool.

59. 4. Reconstructionism
•Proponent:
•TheodoreBrameld
•GeorgeCounts(1932)
•favorsreformandarguethatstudentsmust
be taughthowtobringaboutchange.
Reconstructionismisaphilosophythat
believesintherebuildingofsocialand
cultural infrastructures.

60. 4. Reconstructionism
•believesintherebuildingofsocialand cultural
infrastructures.
•Studentsaretostudysocialproblemsand
thinkofwaystoimprovesociety.
•Schoolsbecometheagentofsocialchange
andsocialreform.
•Studentscannotaffordtobeneutralbutmust
takeaposition.

61. 4. Reconstructionism
•believesintherebuildingofsocialand
cultural infrastructures.
•Studentsaretostudysocialproblems
and thinkofwaystoimprovesociety.
•Schoolsbecometheagentofsocial
change andsocialreform.
•Studentscannotaffordtobeneutralbut
must takeaposition.

62. 4. Reconstructionism
•Mostadvocatesofreconstructionismare
sensitivetorace,gender,ethnicityand
differencesinsocioeconomicstatus.
•relatedtoCriticalPedagogy:
–ateachingandcurriculumtheory,designedby
HenryGirouxandPeterMcLaren,whichfocuses
upontheuseofrevolutionaryliteraturein
classroomsthatisaimedatliberation.

63. 4. Reconstructionism
•Criticalpedagogy
•basedonMarxistideology which
advocates equalityinthe distributionof
wealthand stronglyagainstcapitalism

64. 4. Reconstructionism
•Recentreconstructionist:
•PauloFreire(1968)
•advocatedarevolutionarypedagogyforpoor
studentsinwhichpeoplecanmovethrough
differentstagestoultimatelybeabletotake
actionandovercomeoppression.
•arguedthatpeoplemustbecomeactive
participantsinchangingtheirownstatusthrough
socialactiontochangebringaboutsocialjustice.

65. TheReconstructionistCurriculum
•Inthereconstructionistcurriculum,it
wasnot enoughforstudentstojust
analyseinterpret andevaluatesocial
problems.Theyhadtobe committedto
theissuesdiscussedand encouragedto
takeactiontobringabout constructive
change.

66. TheReconstructionistCurriculum
•Thecurriculumistobebasedon socialand
economicissuesaswellassocialservice.The
curriculumshouldengagestudentsincritical
analysisofthelocal,nationaland
internationalcommunity.Examplesofissues
arepoverty,environmentdegradation,
unemployment,crime,war,political
oppression,hunger,etc.

67. TheReconstructionistCurriculum
•Therearemanyinjusticesinsocietyand
inequalitiesintermsofrace,gender,and
socioeconomicstatus.Schoolsareobliged
to educatechildrentowardsresolutionof
these injusticesandstudentsshouldnotbe
afraidto examinecontroversialissues.
Studentsshould learntocometoa
consensusonissuesandso groupworkwas
encouraged.

68. TheReconstructionistCurriculum
•Thecurriculumshouldbeconstantly
changing tomeetthechangesinsociety.
Studentsbe awareofglobalissuesand
the interdependencebetweennations.
Enhancing mutualunderstandingand
globalcooperation shouldbethefocusof
thecurriculum.

69. TheReconstructionistCurriculum
•Teachersareconsideredtheprimeagents
of socialchange,culturalrenewaland
internationalism.Theyareencouragedto
challengeoutdatedstructuresand
entrusted withthetaskof bringingabout
anewsocial orderwhichmaybeutopian
innature.

70. TheReconstructionistCurriculum
•Ingeneral,thecurriculumemphasised
the socialsciences(suchashistory,
political science,economics,sociology,
religion,ethics, poetry,andphilosophy),
ratherthanthe sciences.

71. References
Alvior,M.(2015).Fourmajorfoundationsof curriculum
andtheirimportanceineducation. Retrievedfrom
https://simplyeducate.me/2015/01/09/foundations-of-
curriculum/
Philosophicalfoundationsofcurriculum.Retrievedfrom
http://www.fnbaldeo.com/EDCI547/Resource%20
Materials/Philosophical%20Foundations%20of%20
Curriculum%202.pdf