This book deals with curriculum issues and problems, and one of its aims is to help practising teachers to clarify their own theory and practice in relation to the curriculum. The contributors look at three popular theories or sets of assumptions held by teachers: the child-centred view of education; the subject-centred or knowledge-centred view; and the society-centred view. Each of these views is incomplete on its own, but each has something to contribute in planning a curriculum as a whole, and the authors emphasize that a comprehensive theory of curriculum planning would take into account the individual nature of the pupil and also recognize the social value of education. This kind of comprehensive curriculum planning has been described as the situation-centred curriculum, based on the idea that schools should be concerned with preparing the young for the world as it will be when they leave school. One of the purposes of education is to develop a child’s autonomy; he or she must learn to cope with the variety of situations which will face him or her in society. Thus many different approaches must be employed in establishing a basis for the complex task of curriculum planning. The book draws on the disciplines of philosophy, psychology, history and sociology to suggest new approaches to curriculum objectives and evaluation. It considers the theoretical bases of curriculum models, practical issues of planning, evaluation and pedagogy and discusses some urgent contemporary questions about the politics and control of the curriculum.
Introduction: Why Curriculum Studies? Denis Lawton Part 1 Approaches Through the Disciplines 1 The Nature of Educational Theory Terry Moore 2 Philosophical Issues Richard Pring 3 Psychological Issues Maggie Ing 4 Sociological Issues Denis Lawton 5 Language and Curriculum Denis Lawton 6 A Multidisciplinary6 Approach to Curriculum Denis Lawton Part 2 Psychological Issues 7 Learning Theories Maggie Ing 8 Theories of Motivation Maggie Ing 9 theories of Cognitive and Moral Development Maggie Ing 10 Two Theories of Instruction: Bruner and Gagné Maggie Ing 11 Creativity and Intelligence Bill Gibby Part Three Philosophical and Social Issues 12 Tradition and Change in the Curriculum Peter Gordon 13 Problems of Justification Richard Pring 14 Curriculum Content: Principles of Selection Richard Pring 15 Curriculum Content: Sociology of Knowledge Peter Gordon Part Four Evaluation and Assessment 16 Curriculum Objectives Bill Gibby 17 Curriculum Evaluation: with Reference to Some Projects Bill Gibby 18 Curriculum Evaluation: New Approaches Denis Lawton 19 Methods of Assessment Bill Gibby Appendix: Historical Background to Examinations Peter Gordon. Part Five The Teacher, Accountability and Control 20 Role of the Teacher Peter Gordon 21 Changing Role of the Teacher Peter Gordon 22 Teacher as Researcher Richard Pring 23 Control of the Curriculum Peter Gordon 24 Accountability Richard Pring 25 Authority and Participation Terry Moore and Denis Lawton Conclusion Why Change the Curriculum? Denis Lawton. Bibliography. Index.
Biography
Denis Lawton (Institute of Education, University of London, UK)
'This is one of those rare books that fulfil a long-felt want, in this case the want being a book that deals comprehensively with the various theories, disciplines and values that underlie educational practice today.' -- Education
