1. Contemporary Issues in Curriculum: Chapters 1-5
Vanessa DeLuca

2. Chapter 1: Philosophy as a Basis for Curriculum Decisions
Philosophy and Curriculum:
Provides a framework for tasks such as the goals of education
Essential when determining educational purposes
Philosophy as a Curriculum Source:
How curriculum is being viewed through all “lenses”
Four major philosophical influences on education in the US
Perennialism, Essentialism, Progressivism, Reconstructionism

3. Perennialism Educate the rational person, form intellect
Mastery of facts, focus on the past
Explicit teaching
Classical subjects
Traditional philosophy

4. Essentialism Promote individual intellectual growth
Essential skills and academic subjects
Teacher is authority of knowledge
Essential subjects (English, arithmetic, science, history, foreign language)
Back to basics
Traditional philosophy

5. Progressivism Promote democratic, social living
Focus on active learning
Teaching is a guide for problem solving
Based on students’ interests
Interdisciplinary
Relevant curriculum
Contemporary philosophy

6. Reconstructionism Improve and reconstruct society
Learning concerned with future society
Teachers serve as agents of change and help students become aware of problems
Emphasis on social studies
Contemporary philosophy

7. Conclusion
Important to check notions of curriculum with school’s philosophy
School and community practices should coincide with this philosophy

8. Chapter 2: Goals and Objectives
Curriculum developers must have a clear idea of what they want students to learn
Goals: Help schools determine what is of the highest priority for students
Goal- Determined outcome of a program
Questions to ask when developing goals-
Is the stated outcome potentially significant?
Does it begin with “The student knows or is able to…”?
Is the language concise and clear?
Can learning experiences be derived from this goal?
Is there curricular options for this goal to be achieved?
Does each goal contribute to the overall goals of the program?
Can the goal be identified with approximate developmental levels of students?
Can criteria for evaluating the goal be created?

9. Choosing Goals Goals should reflect three factors:
Nature of organized knowledge
Nature of society
Nature of learners

10. Establishing Local Goals
Gather data about the students’/families’ economic, political, and social conditions
Consider the background of the students
Consider the potential of the various subject fields

11. Conclusion
State goals tend to overlook what schools should actually teach: understanding, analysis, and problem solving
If students are only taught to follow prescribed rules, they will not be able to function in society
The form and wording of goals is essential
Criteria for goals: How well they assist teachers in planning educational activities

12. Chapter 3: What Does it Mean to Say a School is Doing Well?
Standards and testing were intended to fix up a “messy” education system
Rationalization needs to occur (highly rationalized procedures to improve schools):
Clear specification of intended outcomes
Measurement as a means through which the quality of a product or performance is assessed and represented
Ability to control and predict
Downplays interactions
Promotes comparison
Relies on extrinsic incentives to motivate action

13. Conclusion
Schools need to shift from students just wanting to know what they need to know in order to get a particular grade
Movement toward question posing
Different assessment practices, moving toward a more individualized approach to education
Students need to be genuinely engaged in what they are doing in school
Teachers need more time for collaboration amongst each other

14. Chapter 4: Art and Imagination- Overcoming a Desperate Stasis
Mood of many classrooms is passive reception with limited questioning
Schools need to promote more individual resistance and imagination
Students need more meaningful interactions with the arts
Take a step back from standardization and promote thoughtfulness instead

15. Conclusion Curriculum should develop the active learner
Two contradicting trends in education
Shaping young minds to serve the needs of technology in a postindustrial society
Educating young people to grow and become different, finding their individual voices

16. Chapter 5: A Common Core of Readiness
Common Core Standards: Adopted to ensure college and career readiness
Prediction that by % of US jobs will require education beyond high school
If current trends continue, college-educated workers will earn twice as much as high school graduates by 2025
Demand for college degrees in not rising in proportion with the amount of students with college degrees
One possible reason- Inadequate student preparation in high school

17. The Trouble with State Standards
Teachers believe this lack of college readiness is due to inadequate curriculum standards
No consistency across state lines
Common Core Standards created to make standards common among states
CCSS leaders established clear criteria for the standards, making sure they prepared students for college and career readiness

18. What’s New in the New Standards?
Reflect the expectations of colleges
Define some clear expectations for what students should know and be able to do
Reading: Heavy emphasis on comprehension
Writing: Greater emphasis on informational and explanatory writing
Mathematics: Represent skills necessary for college and career readiness

19. Next Steps
Assessments being developed to measure student attainment of the standards (PARCC)
Make schools aware if their students are on track to be ready for college or a career
Teachers must be prepared to teach the new standards
Standards should advance equity and excellence in schools

20. References
Ornstein, A. C., Pajak, E., & Ornstein, S. B. (2015). Contemporary issues in curriculum. Boston: Pearson