Cycle 4 - How Should Curriculum Be Created?

This cycle’s discussion topic puzzles me most because it provokes such a wide variety of topics related to it. Considering the question on how curriculum should be created, since curriculum should be made by people, a question on credibility or reliability of participants in creating curriculum comes to my mind first; who are worthy of being called curriculum experts? Who should be included in creating curriculum? How can participants reach an agreement on determining common school curriculum? The concept of curriculum is already broad in itself and far more complex in creating it. I think curriculum cannot be separated from the historical and social context, as shown in the U.S history of curriculum revision. I’ve come to think that there should be two aspects to consider when creating curriculum; universal aspect and contemporary aspect. When curriculum is designed and developed, there will be some part everyone would agree to include in the curriculum while other parts can be divided according to different interests and agendas of the representative groups at the time.

As I reviewed the brief footsteps of curriculum development of American history, I found out that curriculum in Korean education has just followed what has been done in the U.S. – emphasis on public education, science education, nation-wide common curriculum and allowance on independence of regional diversity. It is quite natural because Korea was under influence of the U.S since the Korean War, thereafter schools based on Christianity were founded. I didn’t know about the underlying friction of America’s philosophical foundation until I read Russell Shorto’s article How Christian Were the Founders. I just thought that America largely has strong inclination toward Christianity, for I’ve seen a lot of things in politics and social issues intertwined with it.

In this sense, Ralph Tyler’s Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction can give fundamental ideas and outlines on how curriculum should be treated and planned. It also makes us focus on optimizing curriculum in the center of “learning experience” what Tyler indicates that is the very process and outcome of planned curriculum. While it sounds so ideal and clear, it doesn’t seem so easy to follow because of the people concerned whose belief and interest is different. Then how can we draw balanced ideas apart from each person’s belief or view in creating curriculum which will dramatically affect all learners subject to changes? And how can we be sure of the designed curriculum generating the desirable or intended outcomes? That’s why constant revision and feedback is necessary to improve curriculum and make it up to date. The problem is that those who are the closest to learners have often been excluded from the procedure of creating curriculum. Although there may have been a way that educators in the field voice their opinions and concerns, it could not be fully satisfactory or sufficient enough to mirror the effectiveness of curriculum without their feedback.

To make the curriculum consistent and well-planned, it is necessary that experienced experts, scholars and teachers should be included in the creation of curriculum to discuss the matter fundamentally and realistically. Curriculum is not just textbooks or disciplines, but it provides way of thinking and boundaries of ideas reflecting its contemporary circumstances. Considering that curriculum planning and creating cannot be separated from social context, we need to be aware of that it should not be swayed too hard. However, sadly enough in Korea, curriculum is affected too easily even from the changes of college entrance exam, not to mention by the shift of government administration. (History Loses Place in School Curriculum - The Korea Times) To avoid that happening, people who engage in the process of making curriculum should be drafted from the various field, as in Schubert’s article introduced, perspectives of “four different curriculum traditions”. Of course, there will be clashes and conflicts between them, even if they are under one purpose of planning “Curriculum that benefits all learners and society”, yet the efforts surrounding it would truly be worth it. At least we could realize how far and wide the gap is between different perspectives. I think we need all different views on curriculum, from extreme to moderate, from conservative to progressive, to find the fitted curriculum for all individuals possible.

Reference sites:
Ralph Tyler, one of century's foremost educators, dies at 91 (Stanford University News Release)