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CURRICULUM RESEARCH PAPER

CURRICULUM RESEARCH PAPER

Chandra Givens

EDUC 872

Liberty University

2019

Curriculum research paper

CURRICULUM RESEARCH PAPER

Theorist

John Dewey, one of America’s most influential philosopher and educator, was

born in 1859 and lived through times of great change for the United States from the onset

of the Civil War through the Great Depression, the New Deal, and both World War I and

World War II. Dewey’s middle-class family, upbringing, and life experiences helped to

form his philosophy and views regarding the importance of community. Gutek (2011),

stated that Dewey had 93 years to see some of the most momentous events in U.S.

history. This progressive educator had decades to observe the world, note the many

changes, examine and think about the dynamics of change, which shaped his educational

philosophy (Gutek, 2011).

Theory/Design Principles

John Dewey developed his educational ideologies heavily influenced by Horace

Mann and Jane Addams (Gutek, 2011). Dewey “believed that curriculum should begin

with direct experiences that naturally led to the organized academic disciplines (Gutek,

2011).” Dewey maintained that curriculum should be relevant to the students' lives.

“Teach curriculum grounded in rigorous, public academic standards for what students

should know and be able to do, relevant to the concerns of adolescents and based on how

students learn best (Jackson & Davis, 2000, p.23).” He imagined that children learn by

doing and that the development of life skills are central to children's education.

Schools were to be a place of growth where students would learn through

experience based active learning instead of compartmentalized curriculum and recitations

Curriculum research paper

(Gutek, 2011). Curriculum content is derived from student interests and questions. The

scientific method is used by progressivist educators so that students can study matter and

events systematically and first hand. The emphasis is on process-how one comes to know.

Progressivists believe that education should focus on the whole child, rather than

on the content or the teacher. This educational philosophy stresses that students should

test ideas by active experimentation. Learning is rooted in the questions of learners that

arise through experiencing the world. It is active, not passive. The learner is a problem

solver and thinker who makes meaning through his or her individual experience in the

physical and cultural context. Effective teachers provide experiences so that students can

learn by doing.

Contribution

The Progressive education philosophy was established in America from the mid

1920s through the mid 1950s. John Dewey was its foremost proponent. One of his tenets

was that the school should improve the way of life of our citizens through experiencing

freedom and democracy in schools. Shared decision making, planning of teachers with

students, student-selected topics are all aspects. Books are tools, rather than authority.

Dewey believed students solved problems through a series of steps and knowledge gained

from past experiences. Dewey's concept of education put a premium on meaningful

activity in learning and participation in classroom democracy. Unlike earlier models of

teaching, which relied on authoritarianism and rote learning, progressive education

asserted that students must be invested in what they were learning. Dewey argued that

Curriculum research paper

curriculum should be relevant to students' lives. He saw learning by doing and

development of practical life skills as crucial to children's education.

Impact

The Progressive era saw a push towards public schooling as a pathway for

opportunities for the immigrants to the United States. The Progressive movement (Gutek,

2011) came about as the US was embarking on industrialization and urbanization.

Progressivism in education began as reaction against the failings in the US school system.

Dewey had extraordinary visions for moving education and public school to be a means

for all individuals that include the working class, immigrants and equitable educational

opportunities, access and learning for all students. As has been noted, he was a strong

proponent for public schooling and for a foundation of democratic values. Dewey felt the

community was to be supported and included as it had a responsibility in helping students

to construct social consciousness and therefore to become productive members of

society.

Equally important is Dewey’s focus on expanding democracy throughout all areas

of society not just in education. Dewey emphasis on democracy was based on the need of

assisting immigrants and rapid industrialization. John Dewey believed that education is

essential for social progress and reform. With this intention, Dewey recognized the need

for social integration due to the emergence of working-class families and immigrant

populations growing and the significance of making schools more appealing to

contrasting groups.

Analysis

Curriculum research paper

Dewey’s curriculum is built around natural units that grow out of the pressing

questions and experiences of the learners. Pope (2000) contends that viewing the world

from a naturalistic viewpoint is an atheistic worldview. He believes that an atheistic

worldview does not include God as part of that world. The advocates of the progressive

movement believe that reality is in flux and is always changing, so meaning is in the

context of the individual who is a problem solver. Progressives believe that knowledge is

gained by individual experience. With an emphasis on learning how to learn, the child is

at the focal point of learning. The belief is that people should learn how to make moral

decisions based on which course of intelligent action will likely produce the best results

in human terms.

I believe that Dewey did have a biblical worldview that was woven throughout

his ideology. His idea of curriculum was based on students’ interests and involve them in

active experiences. Teachers will instill an interest for knowledge, and will serve as

guides in through inquiry, rather than as disciplinarian. Dewey envisioned school as a

“miniature society that would act as the catalyst for creating a new sense of community”

(Gutek, 2011). “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of

Christ” (Galatians 6:2 New International Version).

Theorist

Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe are the national recognized educators that

developed Backwards design. Wiggins and McTighe are the authors of the

Understanding by Design(UbD) texts and related tools, which are focused on “teaching

for understanding.” The work of Wiggins and McTighe is grounded in “backwards

Curriculum research paper

design” – the practice of looking at desired student outcomes to design curriculum units,

performance assessments, and daily lesson plans. Wiggins is the author of the

books Educative Assessment and Assessing Student Performance, as well as numerous

articles for Educational Leadership. His work is grounded in 14 years of secondary

school teaching and coaching. McTighe is an accomplished author, having co-authored

14 books with Wiggins. His books have been translated into ten languages. He has also

written more than 35 articles and book chapters, and been published in leading journals,

including Educational Leadership (ASCD) and Education Week.

Theory

Backwards Design or Understanding by Design (UbD) involves planning with

the end in mind (or the end goal) while focusing on what students are expected to learn

and be able to do. It was developed because teaching standards are blueprints for

designing instruction, consequently the curriculum is a means to an end and the state

standards can stifle instruction design. According to Wiggins and McTighe, “Teachers

are designers. An essential act of our profession is the design of curriculum and learning

experiences to meet specified purposes.” (1998, pg. 1)

Designing learning experiences and activities focused on specific learning

goals allows for a deeper understanding of the content. Developed to focus on student

understanding content mastery and knowledge and the desired results of the lesson,

Backwards design puts the goal in the forefront of planning. “We are also designers of

assessments to diagnose student needs to guide our teaching and to enable us, our

students, and others . . . to determine whether our goals have been achieved; that is, did

Curriculum research paper

the students learn and understand the desired knowledge?” (Wiggins and McTighe, 1998

pg. 1).

Assessments, assignments, projects, and achieving academic goals and a conceptual

understanding is also an end result of UbD. Greater learning experiences for individual

students and consistency to are provided in this model to bring change to the educational

disparities that exist.

Contribution

UbD influences rethinking how curriculum is designed which starts at

planning based on the goals at the end of the unit, including formative assessments to

check for understanding throughout the lesson. It is critical that teachers know when

student are not understanding and learning in order for students to gain understanding.

Rather than planning with textbooks, backwards design advocates that starting with the

desired results will drive the curriculum. Backwards design has a three-stage planning

sequence that include; identifying the desired results, determine acceptable evidence, and

plan learning experiences and instruction. The idea is to think about the big picture in

planning to ensure understanding through each stage. Each stage is described in the

following section.

In Stage 1 (Identify Desired Results), state, national and district standards are reviewed

and goals are established as well as potential content, topics and resources. (Wiggins and

McTighe, 1998). The framework provided by Wiggins and McTighe assists educators

with determining curricular priorities within the unit includes three rings that represent

Curriculum research paper

information worth being familiar with, important to know and do and enduring

understanding.

Stage 2 (Determine Acceptable Evidence), helps teachers understand if students have

achieved the desired results and met standards by determining acceptable evidence

throughout the lesson, not just at the end. It is in this stage that teachers are able to think

like assessors which is important during this test-driven state of education. Creating

meaningful assessments and learning plans can enhance learning for students.

Assessment types can vary from traditional quizzes and tests to performance tasks and

projects which can be open-ended, complex and authentic.

Stage 3 (Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction), the final stage is planning the

learning experiences and instruction. It is in this stage that teachers will ask questions

that will drive learning and instruction, such as: what activities will equip students with

needed knowledge and skills, what resources and materials are important to accomplish

goals, what knowledge and skills will students need to achieve desired results and is this

design coherent and effective? (Wiggins and McTighe, 1998).

Impact

Backwards design changed the field of education by helping educators to think

about the specific methods used during instruction as well as examine the strengths and

weaknesses of activities and assessments. The field of education has an accurate means

of articulating and justifying grades when UbD is implemented. Because of this, students

are provided with fair assessments and better-quality feedback as well as an explanation

for grades and why the assignments matter. Educators also take a more personalized

Curriculum research paper

approach to planning and understands that all students learn content and material that

they are able to relate to.

Analysis

One of the most challenging components of the backward design process is to

identify the desired results. “A common mistake made when first using the

Understanding by Design methodology is to assume that everything taught in the

classroom is as important as everything else” (Sgro &Freeman,2008). Learning is the

master skill. When you fully engage in learning—when you throw yourself

wholeheartedly into experimenting, reflecting, reading, or receiving coaching—you are

going to experience the thrill of improvement and the taste of success” (Kouzes & Posner

2017, p. 184). Whenever learning takes place, faith must be exercised through an

endeavor to see the fullness of whatever it is you are learning and faith itself implies a

commitment to grow in knowledge “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do

everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him”

(Colossians 3:17 English Standard Version).

I believe that the Understanding by Design (UbD) process moves instruction away from

just “doing activities to do them.” Wiggins and McTighe also promote clarifying for

students what is expected for understanding (termed enduring understandings) and what

is expected for assessments (using rubrics, etc.) by stating these clearly at the beginning

of each unit. Teachers who have studied and adopted the practice of backward design

start with these inquiries, and then move on to specific queries pertinent to the content.

This strategy is adaptable to the Christian perspective on learning. It promotes

Curriculum research paper

instructional focus; but also, for the Christian teacher, it allows for the incorporation of

Christian understandings and principles.

Curriculum research paper

References

Gutek, G. L. (2011). Historical and philosophical foundations of education: A

biographical introduction (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Jackson, A. W., & Davis, G. A. (2000). Turning points 2000: Educating adolescents in

the 21st century. NY: Teachers College Press

Kouzes, J., & Posner, B. (2017). The Leadership Challenge. Hoboken, NJ, United States

of America: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Pope, E. (2000). Developing a biblical worldview. Retrieved from

http://www.foundationsforliving.org

Sgro, Sergio D. and Freeman, Steven A. (2008). Teaching critical thinking using

understanding by design. Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Conference

Proceedings and Presentations. 224. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/abe_eng_conf/224

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by design. Virginia: ASD.

Wiggins, G., & Thomas, R. (2003). Backward design for forward action. Educational

Leadership, 60(5), 52-55.