Unit 1: Conceptions and Aspects of Curriculum Development
The curriculum is something that we have always followed as a student. This is also a basis on which we are going to be functioning in the school. It is adamant to have a curriculum in an education system. However, I had never questioned or even raised a question about how this curriculum plays a vital role. I was not even aware of its clear functions. To be more honest, I couldn’t even understand why we were studying curriculum as a module in our postgraduate degree.
To answer my what, why, how, when, and other related questions, I had to look deeper into the study of the curriculum. This was assisted by the tutors who left no rock unturned to feed the student teachers with information which are factual and precise. To kick start my journey of discovering the curriculum, the first unit emphasized the background of the curriculum. We were also allowed to exchange and give out responses on our understanding of the topic. While some of the responses were relevant, it was evident that our ideas about curriculum needed to be broadened.
Royal Education Council defines curriculum as a course of study that provides a series of educational experiences to empower learners for life. It is therefore a basis on which a school or an educational institute runs. The curriculum is a guide that directs the education system to teach students what is necessary to learn. Therefore, it was also clarified that curriculum is something that changes with time. This was something that struck me hard during the initial stages of my hearing because according to the needs of the time, I would be teaching students something that I might not have learned either. This evoked self-contemplation whereby I came to the conclusion that my learning should never stop. As a teacher, I should be competent enough to cater to the needs of my students and the ever-changing world.
Having understood that curriculum prepares the students for their life, it is ideal to have an approach to frame curriculum. This was explained through ‘Conceptions of Curriculum. For this, a detailed discussion on the proper definition of conception was discussed. I was able to understand the six conceptions of the curriculum which had their own goals and method to frame a curriculum. To cite an example, the Social Reconstructionist conception dealt with how the school is a means for social change. This conception focused on preparing students for changing world. Likewise, Academic Conception was focused on wisdom accumulated by a learner. Each of the conceptions had its own place and importance. Therefore, eclectic conception provided scope for combining two or more conceptions to create an ideal conception of the curriculum. It was only logical that students need digital knowledge which builds the cognitive ability to adjust to the social environment. Therefore, I forged an eclectic conception of the curriculum in my head combining humanistic, cognitive, and technological conceptions of the curriculum.
All in all, the unit was an introduction to a vast topic that serves huge importance to an educational institute. The unit also helped me in understanding different views on how a curriculum should be through various conceptions. It also enhanced my analytical power whereby I had to combine certain conceptions of curriculum to frame a conception of curriculum that would be best and beneficial to the students.
Great insight into the first unit. Awesome work bro.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your work. Good write up and the use of language is interesting. Keep up👍
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