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PME 815 – Designing for Justice Digital Blackface
Author: Kathryn Featherstone
Module #5: Connecting to Professional Communities
Interactions with my Professional Community
I loved focusing even more on my own Professional Development over the past couple of weeks working on Modules 4 & 5. I committed to connecting to my PLC daily over the past several days and found many new and exciting resources to use within my classroom, which has also created a Segway of connections with new PLC’s. I learned some new skills, read several interesting articles, and gathered a collection of feedback and ideas on techniques within the classroom that work for my subjects taught, as well as activities to try. I shared the PLC with fellow educators within my school and it has opened a whole new dialogue for us on how we will finish off the school year together and collaborate as much as possible. I love to collaborate, and it has allowed connections to develop with my colleagues and I feel like I am positively contributing to my school environment. I completely embrace what Blitz (2013) states the Internet has allowed for a great expansion of opportunities for teachers to collaborate “with each other and experts outside their schools – and even outside their districts – for learning, joint lesson planning, and problem solving.” (p.i) and the point that when teachers are willing to adapt their instructional practice, share with others and invite feedback, their school becomes a learning oriented and results-focused organization which ultimately has the greatest impact on their students (p. A-1).
I joined this PLC with the intention of assisting myself and fellow educators at my school as we often struggle with creative ideas for presenting and assessing curriculum, and I have been very excited to share everything I have found and can tap into the resources at my convenience at any time of day. As Blitz suggests, “flexibility is presented as the strongest advantage of online PLCs over the traditional face-to-face environment in facilitating teachers’ learning.” (p. i) Sometimes when my lesson plans don’t seem relevant, I have quickly gone here to find something else to use on a particular day.
My Journal
Sunday March 6th:
Today I took advantage of my PLC- Ontario Teachers Grade 7/8 – Resources & Sharing.
I have been struggling with the recent news of the struggles between Russia and the Ukraine and not knowing how to discuss this with my students. A wonderful educator and contributor to this PLC provided this amazing Google Slide presentation. I plan to use this after we return from March Break.
Another educator then provided this long list of resources found on other PLC’s: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1TuDblDodo_nMyXoKriwGWHr5ZTd4ZVsdh7xrrwgpT14/edit#slide=id.g7211cbe754c70ab7_0
Our school did a fundraiser for the Ukraine (UNICEF) initiating a “Hat Day” on the Wednesday before March Break to raise funds. It was very successful and it was wonderful to feel like we were able to help even a little bit, especially helping the children of Ukraine.
There was a bit of a debate within the post as to whether we as educators had to be careful with what was presented, as someone mentioned it was a political debate and their school suggested they wait to discuss. Once we instigated a fundraiser at our school, I knew it was time for a discussion however, I knew there would be so many students missing the last week of classes so I am waiting. But here is one educator’s thoughts:
“A political event? I respectfully disagree. Complacency left a lot of people on the wrong side of history during World War II. We teach kids to not be bystanders when conflict arises with bullying. How is this any different? Sometimes out of sake of convenience of dealing with parents in education we teach students that it’s easier to remain silent. Perhaps look at Russia’s actions through the lens of human rights and connect to curriculum and allow students to make their own assessments.”
I did ask the initial contributor how the discussion was received within their classroom. Here was the response:
“When I first had the discussion with Grade 7 students because they wanted to, I was hesitant to say too much. I invited them to ask questions instead of providing answers. Their questionings are completely authentic and were recorded on the second slide. If you decide to show them the slideshow before you open it ask them what they want to know about Ukraine. The thing I find very difficult is when a student presents some misinformation they saw on YouTube or heard their adult say in front of the class. Which is why I work hard to get them to ask questions first and keep questioning information even the sources I provide.”
Monday March 7th:
Classroom management: It’s a struggle at the best of times. Children have lost out on almost two years of proper social interactions due to lockdown and I want to support their interests in talking to each other and learning how to interact again. However, I also need to get through what I want to discuss with them within a class block. So I went to the PLC to see if there was an information or discussion on Classroom Management. Sure enough, there was and it was so helpful.
“I’ve done the “NOISE” strategy where I add a letter of the word on the board every time they continue to talk during a lesson. When the word is complete, they lose a recess.
I’ve also done the word “RESPECT” where the word is already written on the board and they are given an incentive of their choice (ex. 15 mins free time, DPA outside) – every time they talk, they lose a letter and once all the letters are gone, the incentive is off the table.
Also, I agree, the waiting out is frustrating, but it does work. I also created a visual cue for my class. I simply raise my hand and wait, then they respond with a hand up as well. I told them that when I see your hand up too, it means they acknowledge me, and they are also ready and waiting to learn.”
I shared my strategy that I shared with my students the first day and week of classes in September. I told them that I do not yell and that I work from a place of mutual respect. Yes, I have raised my voice to speak sternly however, when they are extra chatty and not listening respectfully, I sit back and wait. They know if I have gone silent that I am frustrated and those that tune into it right away, help pull everyone else back in and then we have silence and start again.
I had many thumbs up, likes and hearts so I appreciate that.
In Blitz’s (2013) article, it was stated that we need to understand “the unique characteristics of social interactions. There is a lack of nonverbal feedback, and the absence of natural means for regulating interactions that exists in face-to-face interactions”(p.12). I appreciate this but I also firmly believe there is a time and a place and I try to tell my students, listen, get your work done, and then you have time for social interactions with your classmates.
Book suggestion: https://www.amazon.ca/How-Talk-Teens-Will-Listen-ebook/dp/B003V1WW2O/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1541556049&sr=8-6&keywords=how+to+listen+so+kids+will+talk
Blog post: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/big-and-small-classroom-management-strategies-todd-finley Website article: https://www.whatihavelearnedteaching.com/4-strategies-behavior-toolkit/
Tuesday March 8th:
Today I found this incredible link called, “People Fixing the World” It’s an incredible website for innovations and it’s a podcast so it makes a great launching point for further questions, and I plan to use it for my Grade 7 Language class to get them motivated to write more.
The concept of app smashing was also suggested. Taking two apps and combining them together. For example, using Google slides and photo editors to make photo comics or google forms and google sites to make digital breakouts. Something else for me to learn. Fabulous.
There was a suggestion to a creative writing bundle for purchase on TPT. Happy to report I own this and so I will use this as an extension of this set of podcasts. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/2peasandadog/Category/Creative-Writing-318167
I have been inspired to use this in my classroom and shared it with fellow educators. The positive feedback confirmed that I was on the right path, and I look forward to sharing this with the students.
Wednesday March 9th:
My focus today has been all about my PLC’s focus on compiling videos and resources to promote empathy and kindness in the classroom. Everyone is struggling in some way, even if it is not obvious to others. Like an invisible backpack.
New resources that I need to learn how to use: EdPuzzle, Flipgrid, Witeboard,
Empathy can Change the World https://youtu.be/aU3QfyqvHk8
An entire presentation on Empathy – Explore/ Explain/ Apply/ Create/ (This was a view only document but I took a leap of faith and asked the contributor if there was a way to get a copy.) https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15pkzXqiUGP00p0OWoXBfUb6wCNgKKJP_3_PAE8yvgSU/mobilepresent#slide=id.p
Explore: There is a link to the story “The Invisible Boy” by Trudy Ludwig – During the video there is a pause and a question that students are prompted to respond to on “Edpuzzle”.
Explain: There are three short stories called, “Each Kindness”, “My Secret Bully” and “Stand in my Shoes” and students are asked to “turn and talk”, “stop and jot”, and “ record a video” to explain what they learned. There is a Flipgrid to add responses.
Apply: A reflection on how these two videos invoke Empathy: https://youtu.be/uaWA2GbcnJU , https://youtu.be/cDDWvj_q-o8
Apply: Love Vest shows a Kindness Boomerang idea. https://youtu.be/nwAYpLVyeFU
Apply: Merriam Webster definition of “Empathy” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empathy
Apply: Inside the book of “Confessions of a Former Bully”, the author describes a toolkit of resources to help overcome being a bully. Students are encouraged to use the digital tool “Witeboard” to sketch options, or to draw options on paper and take a screenshot of their work
Create: Students are given options on how they will share creations of their ideas on how they can create an impact.
Extend: Additional resources for whole class discussions https://youtu.be/1Evwgu369Jw
I am thrilled to say that within a couple of hours of me asking the contributor if there was a way to get a copy of this document, she sent me a view only version that I could make a copy of – I cannot wait!! https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15pkzXqiUGP00p0OWoXBfUb6wCNgKKJP_3_PAE8yvgSU/edit#slide=id.p
Thursday March 10th:
My opportunities today were focused on contributing to a shared resource that will help Grade 6-8’s with RESPONSIBLE ONLINE ACTIVITY, creating positive digital footprints and being very aware of the influence of social media, cyber bullying, and the inequalities that we face between gender, race, and other factors. We are hoping to align this with equity, inclusion, and diversity with a positive spin of celebrating differences. The moderator is a teacher from the District School Board of Niagara and will share a slide show once all the resources are compiled. I will be using the final presentation within my Grade 8 Religion class.
http://www.stopabully.ca/bullying-statistics.html
http://www.stopabully.ca/bullying-statistics.html
Here is my contribution: https://youtu.be/f8xyjKnDwog
And https://torontolife.com/life/skin-im-ive-interrogated-police-50-times-im-black/
Further investigation led me to finding this website: It’s a gold mine of resources. https://sites.google.com/hdsb.ca/msarcand7/equity?authuser=0
Friday March 11th:
Huge can of worms opened today. The topic of homework. Here is what one person contributed that I support: “I don’t believe in homework, it is my job to teach and work academically with the students, families need to have healthy positive relationships with their families and friends, something that can be stressed with homework. I also don’t know who is really doing the work when it’s done at home. If they don’t finish something in class, they can finish that but that’s about it. I also have a catch-up time at the end of the week when I can help so really, they have not much need to do anything out of class.”
Here’s another that I commented, “Amen” to.
“A very old argument. In my mind, it’s settled…in the context of sending work home specifically as “homework”. You can either send homework they can already do, serving no purpose, or you send work home they can’t do, creating stress at home and work avoidance, serving no purpose. You can’t assess anything sent home, since you can’t determine who completed it. Making it practically useless. You could track it for completion. Creating another make-work project for me. I don’t have time for that. My plate is full. So where does that leave us? Assigning work for the sake of assigning work? So for me, work at home is for people who didn’t complete something assigned in class or want to improve or refine an important task. However, I know full well the ones that do work at home aren’t usually the ones having academic difficulty.”
I found a second post where an educator was asking about Homework worksheets for Geography and History, and I found it so interesting and very intriguing to the comments on that post.
“Ya I definitely don’t assign any homework for history and geo. My program is primarily inquiry based with a heavy focus on asking effective questions. I like the teacher resource cabin for teacher lead lessons. Cause the kids (online) can use “doc-hub” or KAMI to edit the PDF as we do the lesson.”
Most discouraged using resources for homework but I will use these sources as work available in my online workspace for all students because it will be so effective for those that may be in isolation at home. I am very excited to add these resources to my repertoire:
and also found suggestions to investigate “Teacher-Guy”, https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Grade-7-Canadian-History-Powerpoints-New-France-British-North-America-3103195
I have spent a lot of time reviewing learning outcomes and assessments in my subjects to be taught and found creative ways in the curriculum to lighten the student’s workload or make it more interesting, so they are intrigued to work harder. This term I have added more opportunities to work in groups, practicing collaboration, rebuilding relationships that have become non-existent through lockdown after lockdown, and I have increased the number of oral presentations so that students can deepen their learning through teach backs, get more comfortable public speaking, and practice peer assessments as a way to combine assessments so students in future, won’t feel so overwhelmed.
This was my contribution: “We work together in class on assigned work. There is plenty of time given in class to do it, with support freely available from myself as well as many on IEP’s that can go to the Resource Room. If not done in class, it is to be done at home. I do not assign work specifically to be done at home, but many appear to be very distracted within the classroom and so the expectation is to complete it at home if that works better for them on a particular day. I have initiated random “homework” checks but that is, so students are motivated to use their classroom time more wisely and be proud and empowered to show me their amazing work.
I have also requested the Resource teachers and Guidance Counsellors to come into the class more often to speak to the students, reminding them of the resources and supports available within the school. My students need to understand that they have many people and resources available and cheering them on to be successful.
I did get several “likes” and “hearts” so I can see the trends shifting to the support of no homework and I like that too because my children are competitive dancers and the hours spent on extra-curricular make it so difficult to have hours a night for other homework. I have been trying to instill in them the benefit of just getting the work done in school. My 9-year-old has homework nightly and we often find ourselves focusing it on the Thursday night which is when the whole week is due. Ugh. My 17-year-old? Well, that’s an entirely different story of time management…
This is an area I will further research.
For me, this PLC has been a huge success. I can see from the “likes” from group members that my contributions are being received in a positive light. I am curious with myself if I would remove a post if I received negative comments as I shy away from confrontation mostly.
I need to continue making time and finding courage to interact more in this community instead of just being a “user”. It is nerve wracking and yet so empowering to be a “contributor”. I value with the potential for meaningful and immediate discussion especially because it is such a diverse and interesting group of educators that share this space. I know this group will be a valuable tool for me as I continue my journey and perhaps next year find myself teaching another subject or another grade entirely but for now I will refer to this 7/8 group daily.
My Final Thoughts on Connecting to my PLC’s:
Reflecting on what I spend a great deal focusing on within my chosen PLC, I understand that I connect strongly with a handful of educational concepts and philosophies.
I heavily connect to the concepts and theories within the Self-actualization model. This refers to personal purpose and the need for personal integration, and satisfying experiences for each individual learner (Eisner, 1974).
I also strive to present primarily Student-Centered or Learner-Centered designs within the classroom when presenting curriculum and will continue to connect with the Humanistic Curriculum approach to curriculum development. When the curriculum concepts focus on the learner and how they learn best all students within my classroom (Core, IEPs, ELL, ELD) I achieve what McNeil stated best, “how will one of more of the curriculum conceptions contribute to improved learning for all?” (McNeil, 2009, p.1 )
When I first tapped into these concepts in Module # 2, I reaffirmed my belief that every student is an individual and learns in their own unique way and as an educator I strive to appreciate their unique life experiences and have them come to realize their gifts as well.
I do also present often in a Subject-Centered Design Theory style, focused on specific courses as I recognize that I am also training these young minds to prepare for post-secondary education which is still heavily rooted in this design type. Because my PLC is geared towards Grade 7/8, many of the resources are leaning toward learner-centered designs however, there is a copious number of resources and materials within this community still focused on subject centered designs.
It is a slow and steady transition in the planning, instruction, and evaluation from subject specific to student centered however, I now have the tools, resources, and indeed the confidence to create or revise my personal plans and adjust instruction and assessments as I see fit with my students. I hesitate less to take risks because I now have a solid understanding of the ideologies, principle, and concepts within my curriculum frameworks. I have already experienced a shift in my students since starting this course as I have empowered them more to find interest in their learning processes.
Resources
Blitz, C. L. (2013). Can Online Learning Communities Achieve the Goals of Traditional Professional Learning Communities? What the Literature Says. REL 2013-003. Regional Educational Laboratory Mid-Atlantic.
Eisner, E., & Vallance, E. (Eds.). (1974). Five conceptions of the curriculum: Their roots and implications for curriculum planning. In E. Eisner & E. Vallance (Eds.), Conflicting conceptions of curriculum (pp. 1-18). Berkeley, CA: McCutchan Publishing.
McNeil, J. D. (2009). Contemporary curriculum in thought and action (7thed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley. Pages 1, 3-14, 27-39, 52-60, 71-74.
PME 810 – Module 4
Integrated Planning, Instruction, and Assessment
PME 810 – Module 3
Updated Visual – Heidi, Richard and Kathryn
Our visualization changed significantly from our first Coggle design in Module 2. The first reason is purely practical: the more we added, the less clear our visual became for an outside reader. Second, one of the benefits of an online program is learning about and experimenting with new collaborative technology. Coggle is one tool, but we felt it would be good to try a new, slightly more complicated method for sharing our work. Finally, rather than linking the five conceptions of curriculum to philosophies and attaching other concepts to link them, we felt it was better to see each approach as a separate piece and see the concrete, practical ways those approaches work in terms of planning, instruction and assessment. From there, the strengths and weaknesses of each approach became clearer.
The Subject-centred approach is considered an “objective” approach (McMillan, 2014) based on standardized testing as a method of determining student success and making learning efficient (Shepard, 2000). Subject-centered curricula often come from government or school district policy and may not allow for student-specific approaches and are delivered at the age or grade level despite variations in student ability, background knowledge or interest. Planning is based on conveying individual skills or pieces of knowledge for each subject that can be measured using uniform tests. Subject matter is generally delivered in chronological order and organized by subject matter. Instruction is often uniform, through teacher centred approaches, such as lectures, and assignments, and may rely on rote memorization and “teaching to the test” (McMillan, 2014). Additionally, this curriculum may privilege Western-centric views of the word and ways of knowing. Assessment is summative and measured against externally imposed standards, and it is a priority for teachers and schools to maintain government or district standards. In-class assessment is often not classroom- or student-specific and reflects the uniform content delivered. It’s form can mimic the external standardized assessment, as McMillian (2014) observes assessments may be a constructed response like multiple choice, matching, true and false, short answer, or a diagram to be labelled. Despite the limitations of this approach, “backward mapping” (starting with assessments and outcomes and creating a course that leads to them) can lead to positive outcomes (Hayes, 2003). Having local teachers or administrators make mid-course adjustments to content and instruction can also balance standards-based learning with a more student-centred approach.
Society- or problem-centered approaches are, by design, more local and personalized in their approach. They presume, as Sowell (2005) observes, the purpose of education is to either prepare students for the world, or enable them to reform it in the future, or ambitiously, to do both. This approach to curriculum design is not as widely utilized as subject centered approaches for as Orstein and Hunkins (2013) note, planning, instruction and even subject areas addressed must be tailored to the problem selected and the needs, interests and abilities of the learners targeted. Unlike subject-centered approaches, planning may not be completed in advance of instruction, rather it must be revisited throughout the process in response to unknown outcomes as they arise during instruction and to ensure that any predetermined learning outcomes are interwoven into the learning process through instruction or selection of resources.
Instruction in this approach often takes a dual focus with problem solving and social relation skills being addressed in addition to the content, that is the how is equally, if not more important than the what. The role of the teacher in this approach may be understood as a facilitator, providing appropriate resources and fostering opportunities to practice social and problem-solving skills in a supported environment. Assessment in this approach may vary widely. Students may be measured against their own individual starting point, or against external criterion depending upon how this design is implemented. This approach may use teacher-created standards, standards co-created with the students, or external standardized measures such as reading levels or a combination of these. Samuelsson et al. observe that a child’s degree of involvement may be seen as an indicator of learning. As observed by educators in A Teachers Point of View of Starting Inquiry Based Learning in the Classroom (n.d.), assessments for the same content or experience may vary by student as different marking tool may be utilized for different projects or students within the group. The same educators note that assessment may be understood as being ‘expanded’ in this approach to include representations of learning such as portfolios, finished products or journaling and that assessment should be a tool of not only measuring and demonstrating student growth, but also for driving teacher growth through reflection, self-assessment and collaboration (A Teachers P.O.V., n.d.).
Finally, the learner-centred approach is the most personalized of the three approaches. It conceptualizes the learner not as a receptacle for knowledge but rather as a source for curriculum design. Ornstein and Hunkins (2013) posit that in this perspective the curriculum should be developed in response to how a learner (or learners) learn, form attitudes, generate interests, a develop values (p. 154). Unlike subject-centred curriculum design, planning is undertaken throughout the course of instruction and is not the sole domain of the teacher. Rather learners are invited to help select and organize the content they will learn (Sowell, 2005). Instruction may center around constructing projects or experiential approaches for the students to fully encounter results first-hand. Samuelsson et al. (2006) summarize this type of instruction concisely with their depiction of the Plan-Do-Review model, where the teacher supports students through a routine of planning learning, undertaking the task as planned and then reviewing the activity and its outcome with a guided reflection. Instruction is learner centered and the skills needed for learners to work together are deliberately and explicitly taught and cultivated. Subject matter from a variety of disciplines or subject areas is combined to support the learners to understand and solve social problems and to meet their developmental needs (Orstein and Hunkins, 2013). Assessment extends through the entire learning process, as McMillan (2014) notes, with pre-assessments, formative and summative assessments being employed. These assessments may take many forms and may be selected by students to best reflect their preferred learning style or goals. Self-assessment of learning for both the students and the teachers is emphasized, as the teachers model growth and collaboration towards learning goals with their colleagues.
REFERENCES
Canadian Education Association. (2011, August 31). John Ralston Saul: Where is the Standardized Testing Trend Taking Us?. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/28412154
Canadian Education Association. (2013, March 11).The Power of Student Voice to Enhance Teacher Practice.. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/61528845
Canadian Education Association. (2014, January 30). A Teacher’s P.O.V. on Starting Inquiry-based Learning in the Classroom. . Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/85470752
Hayes, D. (2003) Making learning an effect of schooling: aligning curriculum, assessment and pedagogy, Discourse: studies in the cultural politics of education, 24(2), 225-245
McNeil, J. D. (2009). Contemporary curriculum in thought and action (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley. Pages 1, 3-14, 27-39, 52-60, 71-74.
McMillan, J. H. (2014). Classroom assessment: Principles and practice for effective standards-based instruction (6th ed., pp. 1-20, 57-64, 74-88). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Ornstein, A. C., & Hunkins, F. P. (2013). Curriculum: Foundations, principles, and issues (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Read Chapter 6, pp. 149-173.
Samuelsson, I. P., Sheridan, S., & Williams, P. (2006). Five preschool curricula—comparative perspective. International Journal of Early Childhood, 38(1), 11.
Shepard, L. A. (2000). The role of assessment in a learning culture. Educational Researcher, 29(7), 4-14. doi:10.3102/0013189X029007004
Sowell, E. J. (2005). Curriculum: An integrative introduction (3rd ed., pp. 37-51). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
TEDTalks. (2013, May 10). Ken Robinson: How to escape education’s death valley. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX78iKhInsc
Conception of Curriculum
Conceptions of Curriculum
“We are concerned with our shared knowledge and understandings of conditions that benefit children’s learning and growth an understanding that has been reached in modern time and in a variety of cultures and contexts”. –(Samueulsson et al., 2006, p.23)
Conceptions of curriculum can be divided into five perspectives, shown here in mauve, they are Humanistic/Self-actualization, Academic Rationalism, Cognitive Processes, Technology and Social Reconstruction. As Sowell (2005) notes, each conception of curriculum implies “a purpose of education and content from one or more sources to enable learners to reach that purpose” (p.61). As Ornstein and Hunkins (2013) observe, the Humanistic Conception of curriculum stems from the philosophy of Progressivism which emphasizes students’ interests and needs to drive student motivation, emphasizing active participation and meaningful learning, and is interdisciplinary in subject matter, activities, and projects. This conception embraces learner centered curriculum design where the teacher is both guide and resource for the student, but the focus is on hands-on learning and the individual experience.
The Academic Rationalism conception of curriculum stems from Perennialism (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2013). It emphasizes the past with a focus on content over process. This conception is designed around subject matter which is standardized and traditional with the teacher is an authority figure and the main source of knowledge providing lessons that are based on lectures and explanation (Sowell, 2005).
The Cognitive Processes conception of curriculum derives from Essentialism, with a focus on process over content, intending to prepare the student for the world by refining their intellectual operations and cognitive skills (Eisner and Vallance pg. 6). Progressivism also influences this conception with its focus on student motivation and the assumption that knowledge promotes growth and development (Orstein & Hunkins, 2013). The Cognitive Processes conception follows subject centered design, organized around a particular subject matter or discipline; however, it can also be based on learner centered designs emphasizing student needs and interests and the teacher as a guide for learning and an agent for change.
The Technology conceptualization of curriculum shares its philosophical roots with Cognitive Processes drawing on Essentialism (Orstein & Hunkins, 2013). It is process focused though it is important to note it is not concerned with the process of learning, rather with the technology by which learning is communicated and facilitated (Eisner &Vallance, 1974). It is a subjected centered perspective and construes teachers’ role as organizing learning for efficiency (Eisner & Vallance, 1974).
Finally, the Reconstruction conception derives from Reconstructionism, assuming education promotes social change and students actively learn from real life experiences and environments (Orstein & Hunkins, 2013). This conception sees teacher as both a resource and a catalyst for change (Macneil, 2009). This learner centered approach emphasizes the future and is process focused, as content is seen as a means to prepare students to inhabit a changing world and to reform society for the better (Sowell, 2005). This conception takes a Problem Centred approach organizing learning around real life problems of individuals and society with learning focused skills and content but not predetermined outcomes (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2013).
In addition to, the curriculum designer(s) will use an overall “approach” determined by society, school or personal philosophy, as well as curriculum domains, theory and practice (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2013). These approaches combine hierarchy and organization, course and lesson design, and teaching practices to create a “holistic” space for curriculum development. The technical approaches are Behavioral, Managerial and Systems approaches, which use traditional models and formal practices. The non-technical approaches are the Academic, Reconceptualist, and Humanistic approaches.
Finally, each of the perspectives discussed above impacts how content is organized within the curriculum design. Content is organized horizontally and vertically and this differs as the scope, sequence, continuity and integration of material reflect the intention of the educational approach taken.
Citations
Eisner, E., & Vallance, E. (Eds.). (1974). Five conceptions of the curriculum: Their roots and implications for curriculum planning.In E. Eisner & E. Vallance (Eds.), Conflicting conceptions of curriculum (pp. 1-18). Berkeley, CA: McCutchan Publishing.
McNeil, J. D. (2009). Contemporary curriculum in thought and action (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley.
Ornstein, A. C. (1990/1991). Philosophy as a basis for curriculum decisions. The High School Journal, 74, 102-109.
Ornstein, A. C., & Hunkins, F. P. (2013). Curriculum: Foundations, principles, and issues (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Samuelsson, I. P., Sheridan, S., & Williams, P. (2006). Five preschool curricula—comparative perspective. International Journal of Early Childhood, 38(1), 11.
Sowell, E. J. (2005). Curriculum: An integrative introduction (3rd ed., pp. 52-54, 55-61, 81-85,103-106). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
References
Al Mousa, N. (2013). An examination of cad use in two interior design programs from the perspectives of curriculum and instructors, pp. 21-37 (Master’s Thesis)
Eisner, W. E., & Vallance, E. (1974). Conflicting conceptions of curriculum (pp. 1-18).
Berkeley, CA: McCutchan Publishing Corporation.
Farimani, Z. B., & Shahri, N. N. (2020). Reaching Self-actualization in Education: Construction and Validation of a Hierarchical Scale. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 11(4), 623+.
McNeil, D. J. (2009). Contemporary curriculum: In thought and action (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. P 57
Pratt, D. (1994). Curriculum and human well-being. In D. Pratt, Curriculum planning: A handbook for professionals (pp. 1- 22). Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace College Publishers.
Schiro M.S. (2013). Introduction to the curriculum ideologies. In M.S. Schiro, Curriculum theory conflicting vision and enduring concerns. (pp. 1-13). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Sowell, E. J. (2005). Curriculum: An integrative introduction (3rd ed., pp.38 – 42). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
My context of practice……
How I use curriculum to guide my planning, instruction, and assessment
As I reflect on my current classrooms and the planning, instruction, and assessment styles within my practice, I recognize that I have evolved so much as an educator since my first time in a classroom in 1995. There have been so many shifts in education over the past 25 years and while I was out of the physical classroom for many of those years, my life experiences have allowed me to grow and develop as an educator and I have reassessed my beliefs and methods many times when dealing with today’s learners.
When I first began teaching I was 23 years old, still “wet behind the ears”, and I fell into the “Formality Fallacy” (Eisner & Vallance, 1974) believing that skills and the blueprints of curriculum were first and foremost my priority. I was working at a highly esteemed Private Institution so I was heavily focused on the academic side, ensuring I was providing students with the content that was expected.
I had the privilege of living in one of the student homes on campus as a “housemother” to a group of mostly International Students from Grades 9 to 13 so forming connections was something I took for granted within that environment and only many years later did I understand the true impact that I made on these young adults. To be told now, the positive impact I had on them has shaped me into the educator that I am today.
Back then I was so focused in the classroom trying to deliver prescribed learning outcomes and compile results to create letter grade requirements, that my now philosophy of Student Centered Learning, wasn’t quite yet fully developed. But as I mentioned, it seems that I already had that philosophy, I just didn’t know it yet.
In 2012, I had planned to get back to teaching and completed my AQ in Special Education realizing that I had great interest in understanding how to create and assess individualized goals, however, in 2013 we added to our family one final time with the birth of our fourth child and so, another halt.
However, I will say those studies were so incredibly valuable that I was able to sharpen my saw and had pure confidence adding this to my teaching toolbox, ready to use various forms of assessments based on my students needs, and comfortable planning my instruction to ensure I meet all student needs.
As I returned to the traditional classroom a couple of years ago, I found myself knee deep into the unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic. I stepped into classrooms that were so vastly different than what I remember, because now terms like diversity, inclusion, modifications, accommodations, were all main stream focuses plus we had to pivot many times to sort out things like socially distanced classrooms, and mask wearing, etc., and I was so thrilled to be involved in the challenges of this kind of a classroom where all children were being noticed and valued even though I still didn’t know about the scope of Virtual Learning I was about to undertake.
The significant education disruption due to this pandemic deepened and accelerated inequities in education outcomes, and created an incredible amount of increased mental and physical health risks.
To say I understand many of these issues happening in our young students would be an understatement. I have 4 children of my own (2 girls and 2 boys, ages 22, 20, 17, and 8) and they were all impacted significantly by this turn of events over the last 2 years. My whole world changed having these special and so individually unique individuals in my life and I have always known I needed to be back in the classroom to help shape and influence young minds and create connections with children to help them love learning. To go through this crazy roller coaster with them has continued to shape me as an educator as well knowing how invaluable a connection is between teacher and student.
Every child can develop to their fullest potential by giving them choices, a voice, and preference of how to learn.
I have come to realize even more so through these readings, that I adhere to the progressive philosophy of the humanistic conception of curriculum. I strive to create a classroom based on respect with a balance between being the “resource center” (McNeil, 2009) providing teacher dominated and larger group learning and also but more often “providing warmth” and nurturing emotions (McNeil, 2009) which allow for socialization, cooperative learning, and a combination of independent and small-group learning.
My lessons are definitely shaped by sharing life experiences, encouraging creative problem solving, and active participation in learning and interest centers. I do put a lot of emphasis on socialization to allow students to relearn how to communicate with each other. I have said this many times this year to my students, “It is my responsibility to help teach you how to interact positively and respectfully which each other, so that when you go out into the world as an adult, you know how to function.”
I understand that there are times the Systemic approach using Standards based curriculum may be the only solution or a necessity. My 2 daughters in post secondary programs spent the last two years in this situation where technology and media are used to deliver the curriculum. It works if the goal is regurgitation of information but sadly it is not very motivating. I have personally taken many, many trainings this way and is only really appealing due to convenience.
The educator is reduced to a facilitator instead of delivering the knowledge, because they are just making pre-recorded lectures available to the student to be used when convenient. This is currently a reality for me as the expectation is that lessons delivered within the classroom are made available online for those students who cannot attend class on a given day.
I understand how the intentions behind this systemic approach to ensure equity however, the focus should include creating a supportive environment that caters to the depth of learning of all students regardless of abilities to use academic language.
I am proud of my approach that I used this year in September as I walked into two vastly different physical classrooms: one full of Grade 7 students and one full of Grade 8 students. Having taught virtually to a group of Grade 1’s the previous school year and realizing that many students haven’t interacted with another peer in perhaps as long as a school year. I decided that before I truly had an entire “plan” for the year, I would need to understand the needs of each of my students while also coming to understand my classroom as a whole. At the beginning of a school year, I made a conscious effort to make connections with students, coming to know their strengths, what gets them excited, what causes them concerns, and then find ways to get them excited about learning again.
I have come to know and understand who has social anxieties, who loves to read, who loves to collaborate, who likes to be more independent, who likes to be a “teacher’s helper”, and even who is strong in numeracy versus literacy. I let my students know that I come from a place of mutual respect and that they are important and I am here to help them however they need. This helps me guide my planning and instruction. I also focus on how the class interacts as a whole. How do students support each other, what are their needs when we are working on tasks as a whole group, who works well together?, etc.
While this information helps me with planning and instruction, it also helps me get to know what student needs will be when it comes to assessment.
As I reflect on my goals and aspirations for this year, I would like to focus on developing consistent rubrics for my students that takes into account the individualized varying needs in my classroom. I have mainstream students, ELD students that are working at a Grade One level of literacy, and many students with an IEP for various developmental and behavioral reasons. I am also very focused on the social needs of these students and would like to incorporate more self and peer assessment opportunities so they can take responsibility of their own learning and learn to give constructive feedback. This coincides with my focus on the Humanistic conception as it emphasizes students learning about themselves through self-reflection and ensures that we continue to work in a classroom of mutual respect for all.
Endurance vs Permanence
Why do some conceptions of curriculum continue to be used over time and are considered to be mainstream, while others are not?
Endurance – Humanistic Conceptions
My discovery after perusing the extensive amounts of reading, is that there are many different conceptions of curriculum and directions that the education system has taken over the years, or can choose to take in future. There are so many ideologies, methodologies, and philosophies, that have evolved or been re-visited over time due to situational changes or experiences that demand change that it is understandable that there are so many options.
Regardless of which conceptions of curriculum are being utilized, with the ever changing social, political, and educational climates, it is imperative that it is believed in and valued.
The humanistic conception is rooted in the belief that the purpose of education is to provide a solid foundation for personal growth and development in a manner that ensures learning continues throughout a person’s life time (Farimani, Z. B., & Shahri, N. N., 2020). In the individualization movement of the 1970s, humanistic education gained popularity as students were encouraged to talk about themselves, to be open with others, and to express their feelings through self actualization, individual fulfillment, and learner centered curriculum. (Orstien & Hunkins, 2009; Schiro, 2008).
Designed so individuals could choose and construct their learning through discovery and child centred curriculum this style of education fully supported the philosophy that the whole child focus was necessary for development (Eisner & Vallence, 1974; Orstien & Hunkins, 2009; Pratt, 1994; Sowell, 2005).
While it can be argued that self-actualization is not considered as mainstream, it’s focus on personal purpose and the focus on creating rewarding experiences for each individual learner is an immensely important component of curriculum and education as a whole. We must “see” each child as a unique individual recognizing the vast differences of experiences and even personalities. With a classroom full of students with varying needs, I can attest to the challenges of covering off the checklists that we are expected to teach however, I know for myself I am always up for the challenge however, there does need to be some changes for this to truly be successful. For example, smaller class sizes and more support systems within the school.
In today’s tumultuous and uncertain landscape of an entire generation of students impacted by the cumulative effects of the pandemic (COVID-19), I believe the humanistic approach is essential not only from missing key building blocks of knowledge that are necessary for success, but also the concerns of our future generation’s broader mental health issues and need for social reintegration.
As an educator, this conception resonates with me as I create a safe learning environment for all learners through the building of strong relationships with the students and collaborating with fellow teachers, evaluating students’ needs and wants regularly, and including them in the process of selecting engaging activities that will facilitate learning goals that they selected at the beginning of the year, and then help design pathways for students to reach their goals.
Impermanence? Or changing direction?
While Academic rationalism has been said to be the most mainstream approach and the conception that is used the most in the education system, I would support the idea that many of the concepts are not supported as widely in today’s education system or are no longer used extensively for certain age groups. It’s primary focus has been to give a child the tools to participate in society and provide them with access to some of education’s most commendable ideas (Eisner & Vallance, 1974).
While this conception continues to be used over time because it focuses on realizing that the education system cannot possibly teach children everything, I can appreciate the focus on providing students with the knowledge of how to seek answers for themselves and develop an ability to understand where to look for solutions (Eisner & Vallance, 1974).
This ideology therefore still holds some significance in today’s curriculum. As hard as we try to teach our students as much as we can, we must also accept that not every child will learn all that they should. So, we must do our due diligence enabling students to teach themselves to find the answers they need. This conception could be considered fairly crucial when reflecting on students at the high school level where subject specificity becomes the dominant form of curriculum, helping students prepare for post-secondary education where. Teaching students how to self advocate and gain knowledge on their own will facilitate their navigation through society.
So….what now?
All conceptions of curriculum hold value and can be considered important elements in the constitution of education, however it is clear that some are used more than others for a multitude of distinctive reasons. Sometimes it can be as simple as: it saves time, the curriculum is provided to the educator, or the philosophy that the curriculum is research based, so it must be ok to use? While I don’t necessarily agree with these simple facts as the motivator for the curriculum I choose, I have witnessed plenty of educators over the years with those philosophies at the forefront of what drives them. Do I want to save time? Of course I do! Do I want to have something to follow to ensure consistency in what I am teaching? Absolutely! Is there validity to research? For sure? But then I question if the research is a true reflection of what is currently happening in the world of education and in our schools and classrooms.
Today’s field of education is constantly evolving, and in order to enhance academic and social achievements in our students we must focus on ensure our learning encounters are relevant and effective for all.
Recognizing that all persons are unique “individuals” with distinct diversities like age, culture, language, experiences, modifications, accommodations, overall abilities, and even present mindset in the dynamic and sometimes turbulent world of education (for example, the rapid shift to online/virtual learning due to COVID-19), it is imperative that some conceptions of curriculum remain in effect but are also able to be tweaked and shifted to cater to today’s society.
Practice and conceptions of Curriculum
Interpretations of Curriculum
In the world of education, there are many interpretations of curriculum that have been created, identified, and adopted by practitioners, disseminators, evaluators, advocates, developers, and theorists, as concepts, fields, principles, or ideologies. Upon reflection of these various approaches, deciding what is most suitable to utilize or follow as curriculum is perhaps often circumstantial and adopted or examined from a diverse viewpoints of what one decides is a quality education appropriate for all students and their needs in this changing world.
Regardless, the focus must always remain on the enhancement of student learning. Through our readings, I have gained a deeper understanding of the way a curriculum is defined by others and have put into motion further personal reflection on what styles resonate with me and what I choose to focus on with my students in my practice.
According to Sowell (2005), a conception of curriculum implies a particular of education with appropriate content and organization. There should always be an emphasis on subject matter, a purpose of transmitted cultural heritage, a focus on social aspect of preparing people for living in an unstable and changing world, whilst still taking into considering individual needs essential for developing individuals to their furthest potential. (Sowell, 2005). Many people may believe in one conception where others can believe in more than one, and others still believe that many concepts are not mutually exclusive (Moussa, 2013).
According to Pratt (as referenced in Moussa, 2013), in an ideal world, teachers would not adhere to only one perspective of curriculum but would adopt several concepts from various curriculum ideologies or conceptions in order to create a full commitment to a human being.
All this to say, that I support the idea that various ideas from different conceptions can be utilized in my choices of curriculum at any one given time. The primary conceptions that I will focus on are humanist, social reconstruction, academic rationalism, technology, and cognitive process which I have found through my readings can all be labelled using various terms.
The Humanistic Conception of Curriculum
The humanistic conception of curriculum is rooted in a progressive philosophy focused on putting the learner at the center of the curriculum. It has also been identified or given the title of self-actualization, individual fulfillment, or learner centred. The focus is on the needs, concerns, and interests of an individual (Schiro, 2008), with intentions to allow children to pursue individual choices through student oriented and child centred curricula.
Lessons are based on life experiences, allowing creative problem solving, active participation in learning and interest centers, and an emphasis on socialization through an education that demonstrates development of the whole child. (Ornstein and Hunkins, 2013). Learners are given the freedom to discover and construct meaning for themselves. (Eisner & Vallance, 1974; Schiro, 2008, Sowell, 2005).
This conception resonates with me as I strive in my classroom to find a balance between being the “resource center” (McNeil, 2009) providing teacher dominated and larger group learning and also but more often “providing warmth” and nurturing emotions (McNeil, 2009) which allow for socialization, cooperative learning, and a combination of independent and small-group learning.
Every child can develop to their fullest potential by giving them choices, a voice, and preference of how to learn. This concept believes that the curriculum should be a major factor in developing a child’s identity, to create opportunities of personal growth, freedom, and autonomy, and include activities that allow and recognize individuality (Eisner & Vallance, 1974; McNeil, 2006; Schiro, 2008, Sowell, 2005).
The Social Reconstruction Conception of Curriculum
The second curriculum that resonates with me is social reconstruction (also been labeled as social transformation or reconceptualist). Ornstein (2013) suggests that to some curriculum scholars, this approach is seen as extending the humanistic approach, and I suspect that is why it appeals to me as well. Curriculum scholars believe that subject matter should bring awareness to environmental, political, social, and economic issues, facilitating social change and a society that offers safety and satisfaction to all (Eisner & Vallance, 1974; McNeil, 2006; Ornstein & Hunkins, 2009; Schiro, 2013, Sowell.2005).
Our role as educators would be to give students the tools to function and create a better society hence providing a curriculum that connects them to society and the knowledge with how to create change.
The Academic Rationalism Conception of Curriculum
Academic rationalism (also called scholar academic or cumulative tradition of organized knowledge) is the oldest and most traditional way of approaching curriculum (Eisner & Vallance,1974; Sowell, 2005). It identifies as the most mainstream approach of curriculum, focusing on more distinct subjects or disciplines and stresses the intrinsic value of comprehension and intellect. With a purpose to transfer the knowledge, theories, philosophies, and culture, of one generation to the next, the main mode of teaching is a focus on learning specific academic subjects (math, English, science, history, social studies) in school. (Eisner & Vallance,1974; McNeil, 2006; Schiro, 2008; Sowell, 2005).
This mastery of knowledge is delivered through a tradition of tools like memorization, analyzing, classifying, and reconstructing of academics there are also intended to follow a set of academic standards and enable students to participate in the Western cultural tradition.
Academic thinkers believe knowledge is unified and unchanging so for consistency school should be structured to help repair needs and gaps in an individual’s understanding. The transmission of information should also be taught by teachers through verbal or written means (Pratt, 1994). Essentially, the curriculum helps individuals understand knowledge (skills, tools, concepts) needed to participate actively on their own and support their cultural needs (Eisner & Vallance, 1974; Sowell, 2005).
The Technology Conception of Curriculum
The technology conception of curriculum (also includes systemic, managerial, and behavioural ideologies) focuses on making learning efficient, by following a set of predetermined standards, aligning instruction with clear expectations and objectives, and identifying a goal of predetermined and specific outcomes, making the learning fairly controlled and predictable.
McNeil (1996) states, it “focuses on the effectiveness of programs, methods, and materials in the achievement of specified ends or purposes” (p. 57). All content, lesson plans, learning outcomes, and assessment measures are expected to align with these elements. (McNeil, 2009, Orstien & Hunkins, 2013).
According to Eisner & Vallance (1974), “the focus is less on the learner or even on his relationship to the material than on the more practical problem of efficiently packaging and presenting the material to him (p. 8). The predetermined, simple outcomes strategy is somewhat limited using words and symbols, using computer- assisted programs giving students immediate knowledge. (Sowell, 2005).
The Behavioural Approach of Curriculum
Ornstein (2013) explains that the Behavioral Approach was created with the intention of being a logical and prescriptive approach to curriculum. Originally based on the strategy that following a frame of reference containing objectives and learning outcomes would create efficiency, it came with consequences such as increasing numbers of students in the classroom and reducing teachers’ salaries, all while maintaining operational costs and expecting similar output results.
This oldest and still dominant approach to curriculum has evolved to include consideration of the complexities of human learning and individual student experiences. So, while still following a blueprint, the conception takes into account that learners are cognitive individuals that also function within a social context and therefore depending on their life experiences, will respond to curriculum and expectations in different ways (Ornstein, 2013).
The Systemic Approach of Curriculum
The systemic approach focuses on clear objectives and a standards based curriculum created by developers and delivered to educators with an expectation to follow the assessment criteria. Criteria for learning depends on the subject and the age of learners, using benchmarks to determine where students lie in abilities and help decide directions to take from there (McNeil, 2009).
McNeil (2009) states, more schools are now using technology and media to deliver curriculum. This has transformed the educator to facilitator versus imparter of knowledge using channels like pre-recorded lectures available for the convenience of the student. This definitely holds true today where the expectation is to ensure that all lessons delivered within the classroom also be available online for those students who cannot attend class on a given day.
The Managerial Approach to Curriculum
The managerial approach views the school as a collective arrangement where students, teachers, and administrators collaborate. “Interested in innovation and how curriculum specialists, supervisors, and administrators can facilitate change” (Ornstein & Hunkins, p. 3), educators also rely on this conception to develop their curriculum based on available space, schedules, and resources and equipment available. Depending on the mindset of the school administration, the school culture is created for change or stability and managers communicate the direction to teachers (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2013).
The Cognitive Conception of Curriculum
The last approach I will cover is the cognitive process approach which can also include the social efficiency approach and relates to technology and self-actualization conceptions. All of these concepts focus on the development and refinement of the intellectual growth in learners.
“The essence of learners lies in their competencies and the activities that they are capable of performing” (Schiro, p. 5). According to Eisner & Vallance (1974), this process focuses on the “how” rather than the “what” of education, understanding how learning occurs in the classroom. The priority lies on the learner, the materials, and the learning process of teach individual and the belief that the learner will grow to be intellectually independent if presented with the proper set of intellectual skills developing the capability of utilizing these outside the classroom as well (Eisner & Vallance, 1974, Sowell, 2005).
The relationships of each conception and approach to the various curriculum designs
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Kathryn Featherstone 