Philosophical bases of curriculum

Philosophy is the end and education isthe means to achieve that end

Philosophy determines the goal of life andeducation tries to achieve the goal

Curriculum is positively correlated with theneeds and requirements of the society

The contents of curriculum change to suitthe prevalent ideologies and social ways ofthinking

Philosophy provides curriculum specialists with a framework for broad issues andtasks, in general what experiences and activities to stress in schools andclassrooms.

Relationship between Education and

Philosophy in the modern world

The basic relationship between philosophy and education

•It is philosophy, that provides the purpose or the aim and it is education

which makes it practical.

•Philosophy shows the way and education moves on in that direction.

•Education is the modification of behaviour, the direction in which,

modification to be carried out is determined by philosophy.

•Education is a laboratory where philosophic theories and speculations

are tested and made concrete. Education may, therefore, be rightly

called applied philosophy.

•Philosophy is wisdom; education transmits that wisdom from one

generation to the other.

•Philosophy is in reality the theory of education.

Philosophy formulates the method, education its process.

Metaphysics or the discussion about the nature of ultimate reality and the cosmos

Epistemology or the theory of knowledge

Ethics, the theory of morality

Aesthetics or the discussion of beauty

Logic or the study of ideal method of thought and reasoning

• The focus in the curriculum is classicalsubjects, literary analysis and considerscurriculum as constant

Perennialism

• The essential skills of the 3 R's andessential subjects of English, Science,History, Math and Foreign Language is thefocus of the curriculum

Essentialism

• The curriculum is focused on students'interest, human problems and affairs.

• The subjects are interdisciplinary,integrative and interactive

Progressivism

• The focus of the curriculum is on presentand future trends and issues of nationaland international interests

ReconstructionismP

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Schools of Philosophy and their impact on education

Teacher is considered to

be an authority and serves

as a living ideal

subjects called ‘Humanities’ like

History, Literature, Philosophy,

Culture and region and various

fine arts and physical education

are included

Science and mathematics too find place to

stimulate intellectual development

Books are considered as treasure

house of knowledge

Mind or spirit is

the essential

world

Promoting

the

intellectual

growth and

the self

realization

Subject centred

curriculum

Should

attain

mastery

RealismMatter is everything

Sense organs are gateways of knowledge

Philosophy of life and philosophy of education both aredetermined by the interaction between man and hisenvironment

Values remain unchanged

Developing the rational person

Subjects are chosen based on their characteristics

Physical sciences and mathematics are given priority

Study of literatureAll components of general educationincluding language study, physical education,music, drawing, paintings etc.Vocational education for higher classes

Pragmatism

Change, growth and development - goals

of life

Advocates scientific

method to solve man’s problems

No knowledge is final or eternal

Human experience

alone is real

Man creates his own values

life centred curriculum

Aim of education is

not to prepare the child for any

future life

NaturalismReality is ‘Nature’

itself

Our senses are the

gateways of

knowledge‘learning by doing’ is

given precedence

Basically all organisms

are innately pure and

good

Science subjects with

nature are given

importance

•It recommends for

Self expression

Succeed in the struggle for

existence

Autonomous development of

individuality

Sensory training

Redirection and sublimation of

natural instincts

Education in accordance with the

nature of the child

Every society expects its schools:

•To preserve the culture and transmit it to the

young children (socialization)

•To help learners to meet the pressing social

needs’

•To prepare the learners for the future society

The society influences the school curriculum

only those subjects and activities should be

included in the curriculum which is useful from the

point of view of society.

Leisure

Culture

Home Membership

Occupation

Skills

School curriculum is expected to put emphasis

on:

•Training and research

•Specialized skills for new work culture

•Discovery and encouragement of creativity

•Preparation of the environment for the future

•Peace Education

•Computer Education

Human Ecology

•Small family norm, delayed marriage, responsible

parenthood, status of women attitudes towards family

planning

•Environmental concepts should also find a place in

school curriculum.

•Afforestation and Deforestation

•Conservation of forests and animals

•Conservation of rain and water

•Soil erosion, preservation of green lands

•Water, air and chemical pollutions

Population growth emphasizes the

following in school curriculum

Psychological bases of curriculum

Education is for the child and not that child is for

educationChild is the centre of educational process

Child develops through various stages - curriculum should be

so flexible

Each child to develop along his natural path and progress

at his own speed

The curriculum should contain various sports, games,

creative activities

Skinner and Thorndike are the important behavioural psychologists.

Behavioural psychology deals with observable responses or behaviour of

the learners

•Micro Teaching

•Instructional training modules

•Individualized learning’

•Direct instruction’

•Mastery learning

•Computer Assisted Instruction

•Bahavioural objectives

Cognitive Psychology deals with the thinking process of the learners. Piaget,

Bruner, Gagne and Guilford are the chief cognitive psychologists

•Develop divergent thinking, reflective

thinking and critical thinking

•Develop imagination’

•Develop the problem solving skill

•Develop creativity

•Develop proper perception

Humanistic Psychology

Humanistic Psychology is considered to be the recent learning theory. Maslow

and Rogers are the important humanistic psychologists

Positive attitude and feelings

Self actualization

Freedom to learn

Value clarification

Becoming a person

Self direction

Simple learning experiences are recommended for the nursery

school children, whereas advanced and abstract ideas and concepts

are recommended for high school children.

Instructional objectives

Contents

Teacher methodology’

Evaluation

Curriculum content

Criteria of selection of

content

Self-sufficiency

Significance

Validity

Interest

Utility

Learnability

Feasibility

Orientation of democratic values

Content organization

Principles of organizing the selected content

Sequencing

Continuity

Integration

Logical organization

Psychological organization

Concentric organization

Topical organization

Unit organization

Modular organization

Logical organization

The arrangement of contents in a natural

sequence is called logical organization. The

contents are logically organized in the following

ways

•Sequence from the known to the unknown

•Sequence from the simple to the complex

•Sequence from the concrete to the abstract

•Sequence from observation to reasoning

•Sequence from a whole to a more detailed view

According to this approach, children in the primary

classes begin to develop simple generalizations and

as they progress through high classes, they work with

difficult arrangement of information.

•The same facts are repeated again and again

•Hurried and temporary references will not be helpful

in understanding complex problems.

Concentric organization

Limitations

Topical organization

The nature of the topics varies in accordance with the

age, ability and interests of the children.

It discusses all the aspects of the problem and gives an

overall view of that particular problem.

Merits

•It provides a solution for dealing with vast material in a

logical and rational fashion.

•It helps the pupils to understand the facts

•It can be adapted according to the age, ability and

aptitude of the children.

Unit organization

The ‘unit’ is an organization of various activities,

experiences and types of learning around a central problem

or purpose, developed co-operatively by a group of pupils

under teacher leadership; involves planning, execution of

plans and evaluation of results.

Characteristics of the unit

•It is a purposeful learning experience

•It has significant content

•It is comprehensive enough to have scope and unity

•It involves pupils through active participation

•It develops competent skills.

Advantages

i.The unit method is well suited for the growth and

development of the abilities and skills

ii.The organization of experiences and materials into

units facilitates the child learning significant

relationships, concepts and processes.

iii.The unit, because of its flexibility provides facility in

adopting instruction to individual differences of

children

iv.In a unit, the needs of the learner are given top

consideration.

Modular Organization

The arrangement of the material in ‘modules’ is called

modular organization.

The contents in a module are organized in such a way

that students can study in groups or individually.

There is a sequence in the modules from one year to

the next. Within a year, a student can learn several

modules having different difficulty levels.

In general, modules are well structured self instructional

programme containing self study materials, enrichment

exercises, self tests and remedial exercises.