Reflection in week 8

in this week we learned about curriculum theory and practices.

1) curriculum as a syllabus to be transmitted

- means a concise statement of table of the heads of a discourse/ course, the contents of a treatise/ thesis, the subjects of a series of lectures.

- in malaysian context, syllabus ( of subject ) are connected with courses leading to examination
 ( UPSR, PMR, SPM, STPM ).

- syllabus, naturally originates from the greek.


2) curriculum as products

- the real purpose of education is to bring about significant changes in the student's pattern of behaviour.

- important to recognize that any statements of objectives of the school should be a statement of changes to take place in the students.

• steps in getting the "product"

1. diagnosis of need

2. formulating of objectives

3. selection of content

4. organization of content

5. selection of learning experiences

6. organization of learning experiences

7. determination of what to evaluate & of the ways & means of doing it.

• the advantages ( of curriculum as products )

- this approach of curriculum theory and practice is systematic and has considerable " organizing power"

- central to the approach is the formulating of behavioral objectives> providing a clear notion of outcomes so that content and method may be organized and the results evaluated.

• disadvantages

- this programme is outside the learning experience of learners.

- learners can end up with little or no voice. they are told what they must learn and how they will do it.

- there are questions around the nature of objectives.

3) curriculum as process

- curriculum is the interaction of teachers, students and knowledge.

- curriculum is what actually happens in the classroom and what people prepare to be transmitted.

• stenhouse on curriculum

curriculum should provide a basis for planning a course:

1. Principle to the selection of content what is to be learned and taught.

2. principle for the development of a teaching strategy-how it is to be learned and taught.

3. principles for the making of decisions about sequence.

4. principles on which to diagnose the strengths and weaknesses of individual students.

• empirical study ( suggests that there must be )

- principles on which to study  and evaluate the progress of students.

-principles on which to study and evaluate the progress of teacher.

- guidance as to the feasibility of implementing the curriculum in varying school contexts, pupils contexts, environments and peer-group situations.

• disadvantages ( of curriculum as process )

- problem for those who want some greater degree of uniformity in what is taught.

-places thinking at its core and treats learners as subjects rather than objects can lead to very different means being employed in classroom.

- the problem with this ( process ) approach is that students place a high concern on exam or subjects.

4) curriculum as praxis

- process of learning the experiences by learners through dialogue and negotiation, recognizes them both as problematic.

- allows students and teacher together.

- the curriculum itself develop through the dynamic interaction of action and reflection.

• curriculum in context

- curriculum is what actually happens in classroom, that's is an ongoing social process comprised of the interactions of students, teacher and knowledge.

- stenhouse ( what happens in the classroom rather than what actually occurs ).