Critically review a curriculum programme or scheme with which you are familiar, examining its aims and purposes and analysing the extent to which these are achieved in practice based on your own experience

Curriculum Studies

Rationale

This unit is intended to raise the level of awareness and understanding of a series of issues related to the curriculum – particularly its specification, development, delivery and evaluation.

It is equally applicable to teachers of all age ranges of students and focuses on generic, rather than subject-specific, issues.

An important intention is that students will be made aware of the underpinning educational and socio-political principles which influence the shape of the curriculum and be able to engage critically with debates about how the curriculum should be defined and taught.

Unit aims

• to examine the concept of ‘curriculum’ and different approaches to defining, teaching, assessing and evaluating it;
• to recognise the relationship between the formal and informal aspects of curriculum;
• to consider the curriculum from a number of different stakeholders’ perspectives and appreciate the dynamics involved;
• to gain some insight into how curriculum development takes place and into approaches to curriculum continuity and progression.

Learning outcomes

• present different definitions of ‘curriculum’ and understand how the academic, pastoral and hidden dimensions of curriculum inter-relate;
• explain how the curriculum can be seen from the perspectives of different stakeholders and within different cultural and socio-political settings;
• examine different models for the curriculum from national approaches to the role of non-governmental organisations;
• show an understanding of the role of the teacher in curriculum development and implementation;
• analyse the impact of the curriculum on teaching and learning and ways in which the curriculum can meet the needs of individual learners;
• describe current issues in curriculum development and research.

This unit is part of a set of units designed to meet the requirements of the IB Educator Certificate. Examples for consideration in the sessions will draw on the IB programmes where possible.

Programme

Session 1 What do we mean by ‘curriculum’? Session 2 Knowledge and the Curriculum Session 3 Culture and the Curriculum
Session 4 Contrasting approaches to the curriculum

Session 5 Approaches to developing and evaluating the curriculum

Session 6 Teachers and the Curriculum Session 7 Current issues in curriculum studies Session 8 Case studies and Presentations

Assessment

Assessment of the unit is through a single assignment of 5000 words. The following title should provide all students with a suitable framework within which to discuss issues raised in the unit:

Critically review a curriculum programme or scheme with which you are familiar, examining its aims and purposes and analysing the extent to which these are achieved in practice based on your own experience. As far as you are able you should include the different perspectives of relevant stakeholders in your analysis and identify overall strengths, limitations and possible areas for development.

The assignment is intended to be a reflective piece of writing using literature and other secondary sources. There is no expectation that any additional empirical data collection should be undertaken.

Students completing this unit as part of the IB Educator Certificate scheme will be required to choose one of the three IB programmes (Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme or Diploma Programme) as the focus for the assignment.

Core reading
Kelly, A. V. (2009: 6th edition) The Curriculum: Theory and Practice, Paul Chapman https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1p1utho/44BAT_ALMA_DS2134880670002761
(Vic Kelly’s classic covering a range of issues drawing on decades of experience of the curriculum particularly in a UK context.)
Marsh, C. (2009; 4th edition) Key Concepts for Understanding Curriculum, RoutledgeFalmer https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1p1utho/44BAT_ALMA_DS2131495680002761
(Colin Marsh presents a more general perspective on current curriculum issues.)

Moore, A (2015) Understanding the School Curriculum: Theory, Politics and Principles, Routledge https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/qj6pj0/44BAT_ALMA_DS5145800560002761
(Alex Moore’s more recent book presents a good overview of current issues.)

Ross, A. (2000) Curriculum: Construction and Critique, Falmer https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1p1utho/44BAT_ALMA_DS5150659440002761
(Alistair Ross also deals with a range of curriculum issues, but also offers a clear account of the history of the curriculum in England.)
Scott, D. (2008) Critical Essays on Major Curriculum Theorists, Routledge https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1fg2g9q/44BAT_ALMA_DS5150659380002761
(David Scott’s essays cover a wide range of perspectives from the viewpoint of significant curriculum theorists from the past and present.)

Further reading
Apple, M (1990) Ideology and Curriculum, London, Routledge Chapman and Holt https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1p1utho/44BAT_ALMA_DS5155292030002761
Bigge, M, Morris, L & Shermis, S (1992) Learning Theories for Teachers, New York, Harper Collins
Blenkin, G, Edwards, G & Kelly, A V (1992) Change and the Curriculum, London, Chapman Publishing Ltd
Bulman, L & Jenkins, D (1988) The Pastoral Curriculum. Blackwell Education
Burke, J (1995) Outcomes, Learning and the Curriculum, London, Falmer Press https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/10sgk7b/44BAT_ALMA_DS5155278970002761
Campbell, R J (ed) (1993) Breadth and Balance in the Primary Curriculum, London: Falmer Press
Clark, D (1996) Schools as Learning Communities: Transforming Education, London: Cassell
Connelly, F M, et al (eds) (2008) Sage Handbook of Curriculum and Instruction, London, Sage https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1p1utho/44BAT_ALMA_DS5137983190002761
Elliott, J (1998) The Curriculum Experiment, Open University Press Hamblin, D (1986) A Pastoral Programme, Oxford, Blackwell
Hargreaves, A, Baglin, E, Henderson, P & Leeson, P (1988) Personal and Social Education., Oxford, Blackwell
Kelly, A V (1987) Knowledge and Curriculum Planning, London: Paul Chapman Kelly, A V (1994) The National Curriculum: A Critical Review, Paul Chapman
Lawton, D (1973) Social Change, Educational Theory and Curriculum Planning, Routledge and Kegan Paul
Lawton, D (1975) Class, Culture and the Curriculum, Routledge and Kegan Paul https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1mrj9o7/44BAT_ALMA_DS5155314940002761

Lawton, D, et al (1978) Theory and Practice of Curriculum Studies Routledge and Kegan Paul https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1p1utho/44BAT_ALMA_DS5155316070002761
Lawton, D (1981) An Introduction to Teaching and Learning, Hodder and Stoughton
Lawton, D (1986) Curriculum Studies and Educational Planning, London, Hodder and Stoughton
Lawton, D (1989)Education, Culture and the National Curriculum. Hodder and Stoughton
Lawton, D (1992) Education and Politics in the 1990s, London: Falmer Press https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/10sgk7b/44BAT_ALMA_DS5157011000002761
Lawton, D (1996) Beyond the National Curriculum: Teacher Professionalism and Empowerment, London: Hodder and Stoughton
Marsh, C and Willis, G (1995) Curriculum – alternative approaches, Ongoing Issues, Columbus, Ohio: Merrill
Nisbet, J & Shucksmith, J (1986) Learning Strategies. London, Routledge and Kegan Paul
Paraskeva, J (2011) Conflicts in Curriculum Theory: Challenging Hegemonic Epistemologies 1st ed., New York: Palgrave Macmillan https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1mrj9o7/44BAT_ALMA_DS5139777240002761
Pinar, and Pinar, William F. (2014) International Handbook of Curriculum Research. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1mrj9o7/44BAT_ALMA_DS5148306160002761
Pinar, W F, Reynolds, W M, Slattery, P and Taubman, P M (1995) Understanding Curriculum, New York: Peter Lang
Phillips G and Pound T (eds) (2003) The Baccalaureate: a model for curriculum reform, London, Kogan Page https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/10sgk7b/44BAT_ALMA_DS2127374670002761
Schubert, W H (2008) Curriculum Inquiry (in Connelly, F M (ed) Sage Handbook of Curriculum and Instruction, Sage, Los Angeles pp399-419) https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1p1utho/44BAT_ALMA_DS5137983190002761
Skilbeck, M (1985) School-based Curriculum Development, London, Harper and Row
Skilbeck, M (ed) (1988) Readings in School-based Curriculum Development. London, Harper and Row
Stenhouse, L (1975) An introduction to curriculum research and development. London, Heinemann
White, J (2004) Rethinking the School Curriculum, RoutledgeFalmer https://bath-ac-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1fg2g9q/44BAT_ALMA_DS5145800470002761
Wyse et al., (2015) The SAGE handbook of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment, Los Angeles: SAGE. https://bath-ac- primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/1mrj9o7/44BAT_ALMA_DS5150530120002761