Importance of Curriculum Foundations free essay sample

Curriculum planning involves making a series of choices (Saylor, Alexander and Lewis, p. 27) In the process of curriculum planning the three bases of curriculum should be considered these bases are society, learner and knowledge. Each of these bases is equally important and cannot be neglected. They are like three legs of a tripod stand, if one leg is bigger than the other than the tripod cannot stand. Similarly each of these bases cannot be given more importance over than the other all have equal importance. Society can be understood through Sociology, Learner can be understood by Psychology and Knowledge can be understood through Philosophy. Thus in order to plan curriculum the foundations of curriculum play a major role. Print (1993) defines curriculum foundations as those that influence and shape the mind of curriculum developers. These curriculum foundations can be categorized under three that is (i) philosophy, (ii) psychology and (iii) sociology. These foundations influence developers’ way of thinking about curricula and in the process, produce conceptions of curricula. The importance of three foundations in planning the curriculum is discussed as under. Philosophical Foundation Philosophy is basic to all curriculum foundations as it is concerned with making sense of what we encounter in our lives. It is concerned with the clarification of concepts in which our experiences and activities are intelligible (Print, 1993, pp. 33-34). Curriculum developers perceive the world by asking themselves three questions: ontological (What is real? ), epistemological (What is good? ) and axiological (What is true? Answers to these questions, emerge different individual philosophies through which individuals perceive and relate to the curriculum. Ontological . Ontology is concerned with the nature of reality and asks the question: What is real? Different societies perceive reality in different ways. Thus important when what is real to society is very important when constructing a curriculum. Curriculum developers see their roles of recreating society by using curri culum as a vehicle for change. Example: Bhukari, H. M (2010) in his research says that Pakistan has embraced capitalism since the time of its birth. Pakistan inherited different institutions of Modernity and capitalism such as democracy, cosmopolitan nationalism, free market etc from its colonial masters. All institutions including education were used to realize capitalist ends. All education policies from 1947 to 2010 were based on capitalist norms and premises. Capitalism was assumed to be natural. National education policies have sought to produce individuals who could productively serve capitalist institutions. (p. 256) Epistemological According to Print (1993), epistemology deals with the nature of knowledge and the nature of knowing. What is true? is the question asked in epistemology. Curriculum developers consider which truth and values need to pass from one generation to the other. Example: From the example above, capitalism is assumed as natural in the Pakistani society since the very begining, the society is divided into three classes and the capitalist run the country so it is considered true for the society therefore all educational policies up to 2010 are based on capitalist norms. Axiology Print (1997) holds that axiology deals with the question â€Å"What is good? † Ethics is concerned with the concept of good and bad. Curriculum developers while planning keep in mind such ethical knowledge that is desirable for students to acquire. Sharma (2006) holds that moral education is the concern of every teacher and that all the student – teacher interaction contributes inevitably towards students’ moral learning and can be geared to contribute towards their moral education. (p. 58) Example: Dean, L. B (2007) in her research report says that teaching and learning in Pakistani classrooms is simply the transmission of stated goals of civic education in most curriculum documents. A capacity to exercise judgment in matters of morality, ethics and pluralistic society. Another example can be the role of teacher as a model of truth and other abiding virtues like administering discipline, reinforcing discipline. Learning is the realization of goodness and truth. Philosophical schools of thoughts A part from these three questions we have five basic philosophies that lay the foundation of curriculum. Idealism Idealism stresses that students acquire vital subject matter in an idea centered curriculum. Ideas consist of concepts and generalizations for students to acquire. Idealist believes that knowledge come from four sources i. e. revelation (spiritual books), authority (tribe leader), religious leaders and myths. Idealism focus on the constant effort to achieve perfection and the purpose of learning is to benefit the humanity rather than self engagement. Example: Idealism is a strong reflection is the Sindh Text books, the verses from Holy Quran are quoted within the text. Teaching and learning process in Pakistani classrooms are from textbooks and knowledge comes from text books, subject matter is considered of high value in Pakistani society. Realism Realism is concerned with the world of ideas and anything that are fixed with establishing subject matter. Realists say that the matter is real and that the idea exists within the matter. Realists believe that there is nothing beyond scientific knowledge. Knowledge can be obtained from the use of sense and nature. Supernaturalism does not exist since it goes beyond sense data. (Edige Rao, 2003, p. 4) Example: In the practical classroom, the students follow a specific procedure to make hydrogen gas, and that is the reality of the procedure, if the procedure changes the gas can not be produced. Existentialism Existentialists believe in choices and decisions made by the students within a highly flexible environment. The individual is responsible for acts and deeds, with no one else to blame for mistakes are due to freedom. Existentialist wants children to make their own choices. They emphasize the importance of individuals continually making choice in school curriculum and in the curriculum of life. (Edige Rao, 2003, p. 24) Example: For this assignment, the students were given a freedom to give opinions for the marking criteria. They were free to assign as many marks for the two questions. Perennialism The two main goal of education according to perennials is to cultivate reason and develop children’s intellectual powers. They says that education has absolute knowledge and thus the subject matter cannot be changed. The subject matter should be taken from the â€Å"Great Books† which contain accumulated wisdom from the past. The school of perennialist does not teach subjects as general or as combined but history as history, geography as geography and not as general history. They value the literature from the past. Perennialists seek vital ideas of great minds of the past to select subject matter for students to learn (Edige Rao, 2003, p. 25) Example: Classical English literature of Shakespeare though being so old and ancient is still being taught in the schools because it contains values. Pragmatism Pragmatist say that knowledge is not at all mutable. In a world of rapid change what may be true and valid may not be valid and true tomorrow. They wish to teach children how to think rather what to think. Example: It was believed that there were nine planets in the solar system but now there are only eight planets. So the subject matter in the social studies text books changed. Knowledge does not remain mute but for perennialist it is the opposite case. Reconstructionism Reconstructionists believe in reconstruction of society with education having the schools in the fore front. They regard human heritage as the tool to be used in the self realization. They use multiple teaching materials and consider subject matter to be used chiefly in serving their central cause. Teachers following this philosophy will break precedents if necessary to rebuild the culture. Examples: In the Pakistani society there are many issues such as human rights, corruption, female status, child labour etc these are not dealt in detail in the textbooks neither are ever talked about in schools. There is a need of reconstructionist philosophy in the curriculum development so that such issues can be considered. Social Foundations 1. Functionalism Functionalism is a theoretical perspective based on the notion that social events (elections, Christmas, marriage, exams etc. ) can best be explained as the functions they perform that is the contributions they make to the continuity of society. Society is a complex system whose various parts work in a relationship to one another in a way that needs to be understood. For functionalist thinkers society is an integrated whole composed of structures which mesh closely with one another. (Giddens, A. , 1997, p. 689) Functionalism is a manifestation or intended functions including cultural transmission, socialization, integration and innovation as well as latent or hidden functions. Cultural transmission will bring unification and harmony in the society. The people will have some norms, beliefs, dress tec. Education integrate society. The function of education is to diverse a society more unified, integrated and functionists look upon education to do that through socialization cultural transmission, innovation and cultural change through latent functions of education. .e. g. institutions have a hidden function of a marriage market. Students in the universities or institutes select their marriage partners during their course of study. Lovat and Smith (2003) opines that the students who is good at mathematics and science should be encouraged to tackle a fully six years secondary education and be trained in order to take dominant roles in society. . Conflict Perspective Conflict theorists believe that the scarcity and value of resources in the society produce conflicts as groups’ struggles gain access to control those resources. According to Karl Marxs, societies are divided into classes with unequal resources. There is division of social interests in the social system because of inequalities. These conflicts of interests at some point break out into active change. Society is seen as essential full of tension. (Giddens, A. , 1997,p. 669) Browne (2020), â€Å"it is the major difference in interest between the two classes that create conflicts†. Conflict perspective view education an agent of conflict. There are conflict in classes e. g. Ellite classes has kept jobs for ellites. Ministry of Education has people who are beaurecrats but in Civic centre the employees who are serving as clerks are mostly who have received education n from either Matric or Madrsa system. Education is an agent that develops, constructs and reconstructs the same class. Education is a proponent of conflict, division and status quo and thus serves as a screening device. In both capitalist and socialist societies the educational institution actually promotes and perpetuates inequalities. Conflict arises in education because of 1. Unequal access in schooling and educational inequalities. 2. Unequal access to schools. 3. Unequal access to higher education. 4. Schools as screening devices. 3. Interactionist Perspective According to Gelles, R. J. , Leving, A. (1995), â€Å"The structure of society is determined through social interaction. † (p. 70) The focus of inteactionist analysis is the day-to-day activities of million of individuals, who through the way that they act together, make up what we call society. Interactionists agree that there is no such society, apart from the individuals who constitute it and therefore their research is based on the small scale interactions of everyday life. (Lawson, T Garrod, J. , 2003, p. 140) Interaction is a view that focuses on micro level analysis and the meanings that arise through the process of social interaction. (Thomson, W. E, Hickey, J. V, p. 626). It emphases that adequate explanation of social behavior requires understanding the subjective meaning people attach to their social circumstances. It stresses that people help, create their social circumstances and do not merely react to them. (Lie Bryn, 2006, pp. 14-15 ) Education is a source of tracking. It is an agent of socialization through interaction, for personal and social development. It is an agent of self fulfilling prophecies through interaction. Psychological Foundations: Lovat and Smith (2003) holds that psychology can assist the student teacher to reflect on all that is involved in the business of effective curriculum. Psychology helps in thinking about variables which effect the learning and schooling process. It helps the teacher in understanding the patterns of human development and learning processes. It makes a teacher proficient about the ways that can minimize student’s anxiety. According to Saylor, Alexander and Lewis (1980), the curriculum developers prior planning the curriculum need to know the information about the learner’s growth and development which include: 1. Physical development including health status and special physical needs. 2. Emotional and social development. 3. Psychological needs. 4. Intellectual and creative development. 5. Personal traits including motivational level and behaviour. Jean Piaget in his theories mainly focus on the child development and about the way thinking process develops from birth to adolescence (Lovat and Smith, 2003, p. 47) This four satge developmental theory helps planners to plan the subject matter according to the cognitive level. Example: Students of KG II, cannot be taught multiplication because, the child is at pre operational stage and the vocabulary is limited and he can only understand the basic number skills i. e. counting. The method is not lecture but play way. There are many who have contributed in psychology for curriculum planning and its implementation. Benjamin Bloom with his taxonomy of educational objectives in the cognitive domain, Jerome Burner with his models of learning, Robert Gagne with his notion of learning structures and hierarchies of capabilities and Abraham Maslow with his concept of human deeds fulfillment have marked contribution in the field of psychology (Lovat and Smith, 2003. P. 49) these contribution are considered in the curriculum process and thus is of prime importance.