Conceptions of Curriculum Zais, 1976

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Conceptions of Curriculum(Zais, 1976)

• Presented by Dr. Cole

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What is Curriculum?

• (Zais)
• (1) a plan for the education of learners
• A curriculum or the curriculum
• (2) a field of study
• Substantive (subject matters) syntactical
  (process) structures
• (Eisner)
• A school, or a course, or a classroom can be
  conceived of as a series of planned events that
  are intended to have educational consequences for
  one or more students.

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Origin Development of Curriculum

• Herbartian movement (Late nineteenth century)
• (Johann Friedrich Herbart), German philosopher
• Systematic attention to selection org. of
  subject matter
• 1890s-1900s
• Harvards 1893 report (electives, college prep,
  prac. subjects)
• 1895 Herbart Society founded (now the National
  Society for the Study of Education)
• Deweys laboratory School at the University of
  Chicago

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Origin Development of Curriculum

• 1900s
• The Curriculum - First book Franklin Bobbitt
  (1918)
• Curriculum Construction W.W. Charters (1923)
• 1920s 30s
• Denver St. Louis initiate curriculum prog/
  revision
• Dept. of C I at Teacher College

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Significant curriculum problems

• The nature of knowledge
• The nature of knowing
• The domain limits of curriculum
• The translation of curriculum principles
  theories into educational practice

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Matters of concern throughout the curriculum.
movement

• Relationship b/w general goals objectives for
  guiding teachers
• Sequence or continuity of curriculum
• Balance in the curriculum

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Jigsaw What is curriculum? (Zais 76
article Conceptions of Curriculum)

• Create a Home group of 5 people
• Assign a the following pages to a group member
• Pages 6-8
• Pages 9-11
• Pages 11-14
• Pages 14-18
• Pages 18-20
• An Expert group consisting of all individuals
  readings the same pages is developed for 15-20min
  to read discuss the main question
• Once completed return to Home group to share
  discuss the main question for 15-20mins

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What is curriculum?

• As program of studies
• As course content
• As planned learning experiences
• As experiences had under the auspices of the
  school
• As structured series of intended learning
  outcomes
• As a written plan for action
• A compromise concept of the curriculum
• Purpose, content, method directs instruction
• The necessity of multiple concepts
• It varies by purpose

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Other Aspects of the Curriculum

• Curriculum Foundations (Philosophy, culture,
  indiv.)
• Curriculum Design (element of curric)
• Curriculum Construction (decision-making process)
• Curriculum Development (How will it proceed/ by
  whom)
• Curriculum Implementation (construction
  develop.)
• Curriculum Engineering (making it functional in
  schools)
• Curriculum Improvement vs Change (change is
  harder)
• Curricular vs Noncurricular issues