Philosophies of Education: Foundations of Curriculum

Study Notes

Philosophical Foundations of Curriculum

Four major philosophical positions that influence curriculum development:
- Idealism
  - Teaches that ideas are the only true reality and that truth and values are absolute and universal
  - Emphasizes moral and spiritual reality as the chief explanation of the world and considers moral values absolute, timeless, and universal
  - Implications for education: teachers act as role models of enduring values, and the school must be highly structured and advocate only those ideas that demonstrate enduring values
- Realism
  - Reality is found in the physical world
  - Knowledge is gained through reason and experience
  - Scientific research and discovery are useful and an instrument for us to succeed in life and survive
  - Implications for education: curriculum is systematic, organized, and classified under different subject-matter disciplines, and teachers impart knowledge about the world to learners
- Pragmatism
  - Reality is always changing and is dependent on what we observe and experience
  - Learning occurs as the person engages in transacting with the environment
  - Curriculum should be so planned that it teaches learners how to think critically rather than what to think
  - Implications for education: teaching should be more exploratory than explanatory, and learners should be encouraged to solve problems and reconstruct their experiences
- Existentialism
  - Rejects universal and absolute ideas and holds that reality is constructed by the individual
  - Implications for education: learners should be put into a number of choice-making situations, and the curriculum should consist of experiences and subjects that lend themselves to philosophical dialogue and acts of making choices

Main Theories of Education / Educational Philosophies

Perennialism
- Advocates the permanency of knowledge that has stood the test of time and values that have moral and spiritual bases
- Curriculum is subject-centered, drawing heavily on defined disciplines or logically organized bodies of content
- Teacher is viewed as an authority in a particular discipline, and teaching is considered an art of imparting information and stimulating discussion
Progressivism
- Influenced by pragmatism and scientific inquiry
- Learning experiences should include cooperative behavior and self-discipline, both of which are important for democratic living
- Curriculum is interdisciplinary, and the teacher is seen as a guide for students in their problem-solving and scientific projects
Essentialism
- Learning should consist of mastering the subject matter that reflects currently available knowledge in various disciplines
- Emphasizes the importance of teaching essential and enduring knowledge accumulated through the ages
- Curriculum is subject-centered, opposed to interdisciplinary studies, and determined by the traditions and heritage
Reconstructionism
- Rooted in pragmatism, views education as a means of reconstructing society
- Curriculum should promote new social, economic, and political education, and subject matter is used as a vehicle for studying social problems

Sociological Foundations

To make education respond to social changes, a curriculum should be framed keeping in mind:
- Growth of technology
- Structure of the family
- Cultural diversity

Psychological Foundations

Behaviourism
- Behaviourist theories deal with various aspects of stimulus-response and reinforcement schemes
- Implications for education: behaviour is likely to be influenced by the conditions under which learning takes place, and learning experiences can be designed and controlled to create desired learning
- Curriculum should be based on concerns such as remedial measures, acquisition of skills, and considerations of basic or advanced learning
Cognitivism
- Growth and development refer to changes in the structure and function of human characteristics
- Most cognitivists believe that growth and development occur in progressive stages
- Implications for education: curriculum specialists should be aware of the fact that a school/college should be a place where students are not afraid of asking questions, making mistakes, taking cognitive risks, and playing with ideas
Phenomenology
- Emphasizes the affective domain of learning
- Way we look at ourselves is crucial for understanding our behaviour and that we respond to an organisation or pattern of stimuli and not to an isolated stimulus
- Implications for education: humanistic learning may enhance the mental health of learners, harmonise personal feelings among students and teachers, and improve various aspects of human awareness among students, teachers, and curriculum specialists