ECS 210 Dr. Carol Fulton

Overview What is Curriculum? What are Different Kinds of Curriculum? What is Curriculum as Self? What is Curriculum As Complexity? What Are the Implications? What Does This Look Like in the Classroom?

What is Curriculum? Some Definitions “The range of experiences both direct and indirect, concerned in unfolding the abilities of the individual.” “A series of consciously directed training experiences that the schools use for completing and perfecting the individual.” (Wiles and Bondi. 2011)

More Definitions “Curriculum is all the learning of the students which is planned by and directed by the school to attain educational goals.” (Taba, 1962) Curriculum is the collective story we tell our children about the past, present and future, (Grumet, 1981) Curriculum is the story we tell about the world we want for the future and the people we want to be. (Bomer and Bomer, 1999)

Wide Range of Definitions Why so many definitions? Curriculum as product – (noun) The Ministry documents Curriculum as currere – “to run the course” (verb) “The Latin infinitive form of curriculum means to run the course, or... the running of the course— provides a strategy for students of curriculum to study the relations between academic knowledge and life history in the interest of self-understanding and social reconstruction (Pinar, 20014)

What Determines Curriculum? Values of Society Values of Curriculum Developers Values of Community Values of Teacher What are YOUR values? How will they influence what and how you teach? Values relate to the 3 most important philosophical questions: What is good? What is true? What is real? What is the source of what we teach? ( The good - axiology) How do we teach? (The true - epistemology) What content should we teach? (The real - ontology).

Kinds of Curriculum Overt, explicit, or written curriculum Hidden or covert curriculum Societal curriculum Null curriculum Curriculum in use Received curriculum Phantom curriculum Electronic curriculum

Curriculum as Self Who you are as a person determines what curriculum will be enacted in your classroom. “Know thy self.” Why did you want to become a teacher? What are you passionate about? What are the values of our family? What are the values of your community? What do you believe is the purpose of education? What do you believe about how people learn best? What influenced your beliefs?

Curriculum as Complexity Curriculum is everything

We Are Part of Complex, Nested, Interconnected Systems Ecological Economic Political Social Biological, psychological Historical

Everything We Do Affects and is Affected By Us Complex systems are nested within other systems. Changes in one system can affect other systems. Small changes can have huge effects or vice versa.

Views of Systems Old View Control “Make things happen” attitude Leader in charge Top-down authority Learning viewed as product New View Ambiguity Attitude that is both visionary and responsive to unpredictable events Teachers and students are co- creators Emergence Learning viewed as process and adapting to change

Implications A willingness to be confused A willingness to let go A willingness to be open to possibilities A willingness to engage in respectful dialogue and listen to each other A willingness to take action

What Does it Look Like in the Classroom? Ethic of Caring, respect Choice Freedom with responsibility Engagement with relevant issues Possibly doing PBL and SL