Curriculum theory: what it is and why it is important

Authors

  • Michael Young Universidade de Londres (Reino Unido), Londres, Inglaterra

Keywords:

Curriculum, Knowledge, Curriculum Theory

Abstract

In this paper we discuss the importance of curriculum theory and its specialists in the current debate on school curriculum. After a short account on the evolution of the field of curriculum studies, we delve into the critique and normative aspects of the curriculum theory, suggesting that these two objectives have been separated, much to the demise of both of them. Next, when defending education as a practical and specialized activity, we suggest that the curriculum theory unite both aspects and regard the curriculum as a form of specialized knowledge. Lastly, we postulate that curriculum theorists concentrate their efforts on the development of curriculum that not just reproduce learning opportunities, but rather broaden them.

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Author Biography

Michael Young, Universidade de Londres (Reino Unido), Londres, Inglaterra

Instituto de Educação, da Universidade de Londres (Reino Unido)

m.young@ioe.ac.uk

References

CALLAHAN, Raymond. Education and the cult of efficiency. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1964.

HARDT, Michael; NEGRI, Antonio. Império. Rio de Janeiro: Record, 2001.

MULLER, Johan. Reclaiming knowledge: social theory, curriculum and education policy. London: Routledge/Falmer,2000.

SCOTT, David; HARGREAVES, Eleanore (Ed.). Handbook on learning. London: Sage, 2014.

SMIT, Reneé. Transitioning disciplinary differences: does it matter in engineering education? In: AUSTRALASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR ENGINEERING EDUCATION CONFERENCE, 2012. Proceedings… Melbourne, Victoria: AAEE, 2012.

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Published

2014-03-31

How to Cite

Young, M. (2014). Curriculum theory: what it is and why it is important. Cadernos De Pesquisa, 44(151), 190–202. Retrieved from https://publicacoesfcc.emnuvens.com.br/cp/article/view/2707

Issue

Vol. 44 No. 151: jan./mar.2014

Section

Outros Temas

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