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Resource: There are 7 unit readings and reading discussions that I wrote.

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Resource: There are 7 unit readings and reading discussions that I wrote.

Unit 1: Suggested Reading and Viewing

“Where curriculum can be constructed now is in the “lived space” of the classroom, in the lived experience of students and teachers.” (Pinar et al., 1996, p. 860)

Pinar, W. F., Reynolds, W. M., Slattery, P., & Taubman, P. M. (Eds.). (1996). Understanding curriculum: An introduction to the study of historical and contemporary curriculum discourses. Peter Lang Publishing, Inc. (1995).

Unit 1: Suggested Reading and Viewing

At a minimum you should read three to four of the Suggested Reading/Viewing and engage meaningfully with the unit video tutorials.

Aktan, S. (2021). Waking up to the dawn of a new era: Reconceptualization of curriculum post Covid19. Prospects, 51(1-3), 205-217. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=a19a9b04-f82a-451b-8ac3-90975990723dredis

Deng, Z. (2018). Contemporary curriculum theorizing: Crisis and resolution. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 50(6), 691-710. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=1bae9656-f73a-4fd2-b718-cc5004668448redis

Gauthier, C. (2020, 9th October). Does the school form inherited from the 17th Century still have Its relevance in the contemporary world? Vancouver, British Columbia, University of British Columbia. https://youtu.be/2wabQzfZPgELinks to an external site.

Khoza, S. B., & Fomunyam, K. G. (2021). Introduction: Theorising curriculum approaches and praxis. In K. G. Fomunyam & S. B. Khoza (Eds.), Curriculum theory, curriculum theorising, and the theoriser: The African perspective (pp. 2-11). Koninklijke Brill NV (Brill | Sense). https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks6/brill6/2021-05-06/1/9789004447943#page=4

Ng-A-Fook, N. (2020, 30th September). Reconstructing Canadian curriculum studies: Life writing, settler colonialism, and reconciliation Vancouver, British Columbia, University of British Columbia. https://youtu.be/1v8hH77jcnQLinks to an external site.

Sundberg, D. (2022). Exploring the intended and enacted curriculum in different schools. In N. Wahlström (Ed.), Equity, teaching practice and the curriculum: Exploring differences in access to knowledge (pp. 76-89). Routledge. https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/52662/9781000571653.pdf;jsessionid=F05F6A2D773D63E3A8925818C84511C3?sequence=1Links to an external site.

Themane, M. (2021). Rethinking curriculum theory that can deliver a decolonised African curriculum. In K. G. Fomunyam & S. B. Khoza (Eds.), Curriculum theory, curriculum theorising, and the theoriser (pp. 39-52). Koninklijke Brill NV (Brill | Sense). https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks6/brill6/2021-05-06/1/9789004447943#page=4

Discussion 1.1 question

Drawing on your reading and experience, situate the theorising of curricula within a broader historical and contextual (including your societal, professional, and disciplinary context) framework.

The discussion that I wrote:

A curriculum theory is a set of interconnected learning concepts that provides an enlightening and consistent perspective on the phenomena associated with curricula (Khoza & Fomunyam, 2020). Scientific approaches to teaching activity can be acquired through curriculum theorizing. Curriculum theory is an excellent source for creating, implementing monitor and evaluating curricula. Curricular theory should be understood by tracing its evolution and investigating several factors that affect it. This paper aims to give more information about curriculum theory, considering it from a historical and over-social standpoint.

The traditional curriculum was based on conventional and classical disciplines, focusing on such subjects. It would help if people were exposed to a narrow range of information to learn anything. Curricular transformations began in the early 20th century with progressive education. Curriculum reformers such as John Dewey argued for the primacy of students’ needs (Pinar, 1995). After WWII, the courses of study were changed. There was an attempt to make it standard and symbolize accountability.

Contextual analysis includes all social, occupational, and disciplinary factors relevant to the situation. Society keeps evolving due to rapid technological development, shifting demographics, and more international trade (Aktan, 2021). Due to these reasons, the curriculum has been reassessed to meet changing and diverse needs. A better understanding of cultural diversity has led to curriculum theorists calling for an inclusive and culturally responsive curriculum.

Curriculum theorists know the necessity for a multidisciplinary approach to solving urgent societal problems. Due to this, they are likely to embrace holistic and integrated approaches to education. Some developing industries are influenced by innovations and new scientific findings (Aktan, 2021); therefore, if the curriculum is pertinent and reflects current knowledge, it is required to be updated.

The curriculum theorists’ educational framework is informed by various philosophies derived from a professional context. Teachers put their classrooms and schools in the way of philosophical principles. They can evaluate the purpose of their school, the quality of study courses they take, and track how well students learn within its premises as it offers learning resources to them (Khoza & Fomunyam, 2020). Some methods emphasize the significance of a teacher’s position during school activities and collaboration as they stress that an educator’s role in learning changes constantly.

The quick evolution of the world causes several difficulties for theory and curriculum. Technology has been increasingly used in classrooms, leading to questions about how digital literacy can be incorporated into education and curriculum adjusted for the challenges of the digital age. Some of the world’s myriad challenges besides climate change include health problems and social justice struggles (Deng, 2018). Thus, Curriculum theorists will have to develop curricula that can address these issues.

Conclusively, curricular theory is a narrative of all aspects of curriculum work, from creation to implementation and assessment. Further clarification of the historical and contextual framework makes theory for curriculum much easier to understand. Curricula are theory ideas that have been around for many years and adjust to world movements.

References

Aktan, S. (2021). Waking up to the dawn of a new era: Reconceptualization of curriculum post-Covid-19. Prospects, 51(1-3), pp. 205–217. DOI:10.1007/s11125-020-09529-3Links to an external site.

Deng, Z. (2018). Contemporary curriculum theorizing: Crisis and resolution. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 50(6), 691–710. 10.1080/00220272.2018.1537376Links to an external site..

Khoza, S. B., & Fomunyam, K. G. (2020). Theorising Curriculum Approaches and Praxis. In Curriculum Theory, Curriculum Theorising, and the Theoriser (pp. 1–11). Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004447943_001Links to an external site.

Discussion question 1.2

Drawing on your reading and experience, describe your role as a curriculum theoriser in your context.

The discussion that I wrote:

As a theorizer of the curriculum in my environment, I am located at the meeting of theory and practice, where education works dialectically. Considering what I have read and seen in practice, my work requires me to create learning materials and methods that not only take into consideration contemporary trends but also focus on responding to future developments (Gauthier, 2020, 9th October). A vital part of my job is continuous interaction with different stakeholders, namely educators, administrators, students, and even parents, to identify the multiple perspectives that formulate the education landscape. Through incorporating these models, I develop a curriculum that is not only challenging but also culturally attuned, reflecting on the complex cultural landscape in which my work is located.

As a curriculum theorist, I also know how quickly knowledge changes and why it becomes essential to develop skills beyond repeating. I am facing the challenge of using innovative technologies and interdisciplinary methods in courses to provide students with the competencies necessary for effective functioning in today’s global world (Gauthier, 2020, 9th October). In my approach, I focus much on creativity. I use a wide range of sources, from the philosophy of education to neuroscience, to produce an innovative and critical-thinking outcomes curriculum. Education is not universal, and I would appreciate it, as an individualization theorist, to have a curriculum that may be portrayed with aspects of flexibility plus differentiation, taking into consideration their strengths along with interests.

Furthermore, I am aware of the socio-economic and political circumstances that characterize education. My responsibility, therefore, is not only to develop an ideal curriculum but also to influence policies and allocate resources conducive to the implementation of such a developmental program. This refers to working with policymakers, community leaders, and business partners in bridging the gap between theory and practice, ensuring that learning forms a part of living.

Finally, my role as curriculum theorizer is multifaceted, and I am able to achieve a balance in theory practicability and creativity adaptability. It is a process of ongoing correction and improvement aimed at creating a tolerant, versatile, and innovative learning space.

Unit 2: Suggested Reading and Viewing

At the root of individual perception is a particular worldview or model of reality. Such models of reality shape each educator’s personal belief structure about the purposes and methodologies of education. […] these basic beliefs [… are] orientations to curriculum, curriculum positions, or metaorientations. [emphasis in original] (Miller and Seller, 1985, p. 4)

Miller, J.P., & Seller, W. (1985). Curriculum: Perspectives and practice. Longman, Inc.

Unit 2: Suggested Reading and Viewing

At a minimum you should read three to four of the Suggested Reading/Viewing and engage meaningfully with the unit video tutorials.

Antony-Newman, M. (2020). Curriculum orientations and your role in parental involvement among immigrant parents. The Curriculum Journal, 31(3), 340-356. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=bb065344-3f14-4ea6-bc25-526ecde40a15redis

Clarke, H., & Witt, S. (2020). Seeking to unsettle student teachers’ notions of curriculum: Making sense of imaginative encounters in the natural world. In P. Bamber (Ed.), Teacher education for sustainable development and global citizenship: Critical perspectives on values, curriculum and assessment (pp. 132-143). Routledge. https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks5/taylorandfrancis5/2019-11-28/1/9780429427053

Ferguson, K. A. (2021). Homeland of the Métis Nation: A critical inquiry into the hidden curriculum at Winnipeg’s Upper Fort Garry. In E. Lyle (Ed.), Re/humanizing education (Vol. 74, pp. 186-199). Koninklijke Brill NV. https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks7/brill7/2022-04-15/1/9789004507593

Forghani-Arani, N. (2020). Moving teachers’ experience from the edge to the centre. In P. Bamber (Ed.), Teacher education for sustainable development and global citizenship: Critical perspectives on values, curriculum and assessment (pp. 89-99). Routledge. https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks5/taylorandfrancis5/2019-11-28/1/9780429427053

Gleason, T., & Franklin-Phipps, A. (2019). Curriculum, empiricisms, and post-truth politics. Journal of Curriculum Theorizing, 34(3), 41-53. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=ae77d503-1f40-43bd-8979-fc79d7e53bfcredis

Levitan, J., & Johnson, K. M. (2020). Salir Adelante: Collaboratively developing culturally grounded curriculum with marginalized communities. American Journal of Education, 126(2), 195-230. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=e12bfe1e-7935-40c6-a74d-a01748793ea7redis

Lindstrom, G. (n.d.-a). The role of personal values and beliefs in curriculum development Calgary, Alberta, Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning/University of Calgary. https://taylorinstitute.ucalgary.ca/resources/role-personal-values-beliefs-curriculum-developmentLinks to an external site.

Moyo, Z. (2021). Moving toward Indigenisation of knowledge: Understanding African Women’s experiences. In K. G. Fomunyam & S. B. Khoza (Eds.), Curriculum theory, curriculum theorising, and the theoriser (pp. 92-105). Koninklijke Brill NV (Brill | Sense). https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks6/brill6/2021-05-06/1/9789004447943#page=4

Radana, N. (2021). The African theoriser: A sense of mistaken identity? In K. G. Fomunyam & S. B. Khoza (Eds.), Curriculum theory, curriculum theorising, and the theoriser (pp. 259-270). Koninklijke Brill NV (Brill | Sense). https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks6/brill6/2021-05-06/1/9789004447943#page=4

Seidel, J. (2020, 11th December). Imagining ecologically-oriented and life-serving curriculum practices in a hostile petrostate (Alberta/Canada) Vancouver, British Columbia, University of British Columbia. https://youtu.be/uVKg98O0ndYLinks to an external site.

Shephard, J. M. (2018). 3 Kinds of bias that shape your worldview Athens, Georgia, University of Georgia/TEDxUGA. https://www.ted.com/talks/j_marshall_shepherd_3_kinds_of_bias_that_shape_your_worldviewLinks to an external site.

Solomon, M., & Belay, S. (2022). Curriculum conceptualization, development, and implementation in the Ethiopian education system: Manifestations of progressive curriculum orientations. Journal of Education, 202(1), 69-79. https://journals-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/details/00220574/v202i0001/69_ccdaiismopco.xml

Discussion 2.1

Using your professional experience and the literature, articulate the curriculum that underpins and perpetuates your worldview.

The discussion that I wrote:

Articulation of curriculum that underpins my worldview as a professional in curriculum design and teaching is directly linked with the importance of changing individual views through setting curricula. Using my professional history and the given literature, I associate with a curriculum orientation that accords with progressive social reconstructivism.

Several readings influence my curriculum philosophy, particularly Antony-Newman et al.’s (2019) reading on curriculum orientations and parental involvement among immigrant parents. This article emphasizes the need to acknowledge multiple voices in curriculum production, which is necessary for establishing inclusivity and understanding among students and parents from various cultural backgrounds. Furthermore, Levitan and Johnson’s work on culturally grounded collaborative curricula development involving marginalized communities also supports my understanding that cultural perspectives should be considered to acknowledge various groups of people in designing curricula (Levitan & Johnson, n.d.).

Additionally, the idea of looking for fantastic adventures in the learning environment, as described by Moyo (2020), is a driving force behind my curriculum worldview. I also subscribe to the view that structured meetings with learning environments have what it takes to promote relationships of respect, care, and guardianship towards our natural environment. This resonated with my observations of learning fun in the outdoors, a feeling I brought to work every day. Nonetheless, given the fast-paced curriculum, I can understand the difficulties of the limited incorporation of outdoor activities. This can be related to the more significant problem of viewing some aspects of education as more valuable than others and remembering the original idea behind holistic education.

My educational philosophy is based on a conviction that education needs to change to constantly address society’s different demands. As a progressive social constructivist, I support inclusivity, diversity, and relevance to the contemporary world as necessary for curriculum development. This orientation emphasizes the need to adjust educational models through which a dynamic and transitional learning process is achieved. By prioritizing inclusivity, diversity, and practicality, my teaching method ensures that learners are well-skilled to operate within an ever-changing and multi-diverse world.

References:

Discussion 2.2

The discussion that I wrote:

Using your professional experience and the literature, explore what the curriculum that underpins your worldview mightreveal about your understanding of curriculum theorising in your context.

My educational background, teaching methods, and communication with students and teachers provide the basis for my professional experience. Besides working through numerous other issues and on many occasions, I have acted just like backup, helping me understand myself and providing enlightenment into various better ways of conducting certain things efficiently. These situations have helped to develop my philosophy and concept of curriculum theorizing. Having evaluated my practice, the orientation of my curriculum leads with pedagogy, inclusive arrangements, and criticality. My concept of education is to make the students reason rather than simply accept factual knowledge as reality, never question dominant narratives, and fully participate in their learning process.

More importantly, the literature reveals how such dynamics could be clarified in different education settings. In his discussion on parental involvement for immigrant parents and its association with curriculum orientations, Antony-Newman (2020) touches on this aspect. Denying conventional approaches to curriculum promotes imaginative interactions with nature to disturb student teachers’ views. In this respect, Forghani-Arani (2020) emphasizes the need to pay due attention to teaching for its developmental aspects to prepare teachers to contribute positively or at least help consciously manage sustainable issues and be citizens of this global world. These points of view clearly show the essence of an educator to critically evaluate assumptions, prejudices, and beliefs incorporated by their selection of curriculum and practice.

My curriculum orientation implies that I uphold social justice, equity, and diversity in my scenario. I believe curriculum theorizing should be attentive to its cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic students’ environment. Levitan and Johnson (2020) highlight the need for collaborative construction of culturally informed curriculum with marginalized communities, a sentiment my methodology of curriculum design and implementation echoes. Radana (2021) talks about how it is essential to indigenize knowledge while challenging Eurocentrism in curriculum theorizing, especially in an African context. In addition, Seidel’s (2020) video discussion of ecologically oriented and life-serving curricula practices behind petrostate-y use reflects on curriculum theory’s broader ecological and socio-political dimensions. Shephard’s (2018) TED presentation regarding biases that inform worldviews reminds educators to identify and analyze their implicit biases and assumptions that might have influenced curriculum decision-making.

In conclusion, my context of curriculum theorizing is informed by professional experience, engagement with the literature, and a social justice and equity drive. It includes challenging dominance, centering marginalized voices, and building critical consciousness among students. As an educator, I endeavor to form inclusive teaching environments that help students become members of change in their communities and beyond.

References

Unit 3: Suggested Readings and Viewing

To think mosaically is to restlessly move among seemingly disconnected domains. To live in dialectical unlearning is to constantly disturb the smooth knowing one thought one possessed. To live in wild imagination is to live without concern for proper outcomes. All three ways are meant to call into question all potential orthodoxies and surety. It is in that capacity for self-questioning and wandering that new possibilities may appear. [emphasis added] (Blumenfeld-Jones, 2022, pp. xiii-xiv)

Blumenfeld-Jones (2022). Reimagining curriculum studies: A mosaic of inclusion. Springer.

Unit 3: Suggested Reading and Viewing

At a minimum you should read three to four of the Suggested Reading/Viewing and engage meaningfully with the unit video tutorials.

Alkan, S. H. (2021). Curriculum making as relational practice: A qualitative ego-network approach. The Curriculum Journal, 32(3), 421-443. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=6085846f-b480-42c6-9260-b4ef2d0608e9redis

Deng, Z. (2021). Constructing ‘powerful’ curriculum theory. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 53(2), 179-196. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=903493dd-9ed8-422f-b3aa-a4be8f564879redis

Dos Santos Costa, G., Mallows, D., Santos, C., & Lessa, P. (2020). Paulo Freire, the decolonial curriculum and the experience of the professional masters in youth and adult education in Bahia, Brazil. Adult Learner, 96-110. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=54fe4100-2780-47eb-bdd7-32185f1c5354redis

Heringer, R. (2021). The (in)efficient curriculum: An overview of how Canadian education has historically failed to welcome Black refugee students. Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies, 19(1), 88-102. https://jcacs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/jcacs/article/view/40447/36686Links to an external site.

Laiduc, G., & Covarrubias, R. (2022). Making meaning of the hidden curriculum: Translating wise interventions to usher university change. Translational Issues in Psychological Science, 8(2), 221-233. https://resolver-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/resolve/23322136/v08i0002/221_mmothcwituuc.xml

Leddy, S. (2021). On the condition of being human: Holistic and relational curricular and pedagogical thinking. In E. Lyle (Ed.), Re/humanizing education (Vol. 74, pp. 52-61). Koninklijke Brill NV. https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks7/brill7/2022-04-15/1/9789004507593

Lindstrom, G. (n.d.-b). Cultivating relational accountability in curriculum development approaches Calgary, Alberta, Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning/University of Calgary. https://taylorinstitute.ucalgary.ca/resources/cultivating-relational-accountability-curriculum-development-approachesLinks to an external site.

Lowan-Trudeau, G., & Fowler, T. (2021). Considering Indigenous environmental issues in Canadian curricula: A critical discourse analysis. Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies, 19(1), 103-128. https://jcacs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/jcacs/article/view/40438/36687Links to an external site.

Macintyre Latta, M. (2018). Curricular enactment matters reorienting education. Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies, 16(2), 34-51. https://jcacs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/jcacs/article/view/40350/36391Links to an external site.

Mahabeer, P. (2018). Curriculum decision-makers on decolonising the teacher education curriculum. South African Journal of Education, 38(4), 1-13. https://web-p-ebscohost-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=277649f5-4f0c-422c-8223-f2a1b4c35830redis

Mooney, J. A. (2021). Moving toward decolonizing and Indigenizing curricular and teaching practices in Canadian higher education. LEARNing Landscapes, 14(1), 231-247. https://learninglandscapes.ca/index.php/learnland/article/view/1045/1067Links to an external site.

Rhoades, R. (2018). Intersectionality and solidarity in curriculum-making theatre encounters with marginalized youth researcher-artists. Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies, 16(1), 185-198. https://jcacs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/jcacs/article/view/40358/36356Links to an external site.

Somerville, M. J., & Powell, S. J. (2021). Becoming-with fire and rainforest: Emergent curriculum and pedagogies for planetary wellbeing. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 38(Special issue 3-4: Post-qualitative inquiry: Theory and practice in environmental education), 298-310. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/australian-journal-of-environmental-education/article/becomingwith-fire-and-rainforest-emergent-curriculum-and-pedagogies-for-planetary-wellbeing/492F023BB7123695C9861CC85CCAB5C1Links to an external site.

Discussion 3.1

Using your professional experience and the literature, articulate your understandings of relationality and praxis regarding your context and role as a curriculum theoriser.

The discussion that I wrote:

As a curriculum theorizer, relationality alludes to the connectedness and harmonization of various tenets that comprise education. According to Deng (2021), the curation of an ideal curriculum entails equal consideration for the content, educators, learners, and the milieu. During the curriculum development process, it is imperative for contributors to understand each other’s values, motives, and concerns to facilitate coalescence and establish a platform to create scholarly materials for students’ benefit (Deng, 2021). Despite its seeming merit, the approach advocated by Deng (2021) is seldom implemented in many jurisdictions, with learners notably missing in action. Worse still, curriculum theorization in multicultural societies tends to favor the dominant demographic at the peril of minority groups. Heringer (2021) aptly captures this reality in her treatise detailing how the Canadian education curriculum disserves Black refugee students from different cultures. She argues that Canada’s education system is devised chiefly for the benefit of white students, descendants of the European settlers who established national systems that sideline other ethnicities.

Heringer’s (2021) assertion about Black refugee students facing hardship settling into Canada’s education system is especially resonant with my first-hand experiences of this demographic struggling to gain academic ground. Coming through primary education, my school took in immigrant students from Haiti whose academic performance reflected cultural incongruence with their adopted country. Although these students availed themselves of acculturation initiatives like English lessons, the intervention was not feasible to acclimatize them fast enough to make them effective participants in the system. This observation emphasizes the need to develop better mechanisms to integrate international students.

My vantage point regarding the immigrant students revealed that cultural competency initiatives aimed at learners may not optimally integrate foreigners into the Canadian education system. This reality necessitates a different approach, for instance, to make the educator more proactive to make education more inclusive. Citing Dewey (1964), Heringer (2021) espouses the conformist idea that non-white communities can assimilate into the dominant culture. Teachers play a seminal role in effectively incorporating non-mainstream students into the education system but, they first must understand students’ needs, experiences, and extent of knowledge and skill to relate to them. As an educator anticipating to work with Black or other non-White students, I will be responsible for remedying the cultural discontinuity bogging down international students by adopting diversity, equity, and inclusion regimens to make me more alert to the unique needs of non-mainstream students. This notion of enhancing teachers’ cultural competency is backed by Dos Santos et al. (2020) in their study that expands upon Brazilian education philosopher Paulo Freire’s ideas on curriculum decolonization. Dos Santos et al. (2020) posit that interculturality represents the actualization of a decolonized curriculum.

Subscribing to Friere’s school of thought, Dos Santos et al. (2020) argue that since curriculums are intentionally designed to represent ideas in a particular way, they should be reimagined to enhance social understanding. In this light, it is imperative to collate emancipatory pedagogical strategies that emphasize the humanity of subjects and engage them in the education process. Interculturality aims to cultivate symmetrical relationships between human systems, some rooted in the conflict associated with unequal social, economic, and political systems. It promotes exchanges and creates spaces to mediate different players, knowledge, and practices (Dos Santos et al., 2020).

References

Discussion 3.2

Using your professional experience and the literature, describe some possibilities for reflexive curriculum theorising processes within your context.

The discussion that I wrote:

Reflexive curriculum theorizing is a curriculum development stance where designers consider how contextual factors influence education practice. As an aspiring contributor to this field, the reflexive curriculum theorizing processes relevant to me are outstanding past experiences as a learner that I view retrospectively and project how my current expertise would lead to improvements. As mentioned in a previous submission, my former school took in several immigrant Black kids who experienced difficulties auguring with the domestic education system, making for poor academic showing. At the time, I held that there could be a more effective assimilation approach. This encounter holds more significance now that I am well-versed in curriculum matters. Heringer (2020) substantiates the challenges faced, explaining that ‘Othering’ defines Canadian society; the system makes it harder for non-white demographics to thrive.

Although demographic trends point to increasing multiculturality, different systems, notably education, are rigid in numerous ways. Latta (2018) notes that the modern education landscape is defined by a broad array of dynamic elements that the current education system seems unprepared to navigate. Actors in this domain are still accustomed to the antiquated way of resolving issues, which may not be effective in the contemporary scene. This author terms these mechanisms as ‘curriculum fixes.’ The problem with these predetermined monolithic solutions is that they are likely to marginalize others. Latta favors an approach whereby education fosters ‘learning about and through others’ (p. 36). Some meaning-making modes that should define modern learning include input from diverse voices, embracing diversity, and creating flexible learning encounters. Latta (2018) contends that humans are innately curious, which makes meaning-making-oriented learning suitable and effective.

It is plausible that one of the reasons the immigrant students did not find success was because they were schooled on pre-packaged content without regard to their unique needs. Latta (2018) denounces the learning mode where knowledge is treated as a noun, where teaching entails students being familiarized with ready-made learning material. She champions a learning approach where knowledge is treated as a verb, such that learning material is delivered as intelligent practice or an attitude of mind. This approach positions learners as (co-)creators of knowledge. Deng (2021) mirrors Latta’s (2018) sentiment about a malfunction in the education system, terming contemporary curriculum ‘moribund’ for emphasizing theoretical work and disregarding practice, which erodes the credibility of curriculum theory. To revitalize curriculum theory, the scholar terms this discipline practical, requiring using theories critically.

In making learning materials to grow learners’ intellectual and moral powers, Deng (2021), proposes that scholarly materials need to be translated into the curriculum through the three lenses of the theory of content namely; purport, originating discipline, and access disciplines. Purport, which speaks to the theme conveyed by the scholarly material, is crucial to rousing students’ interest in a topic. The originating material from which the material derives fosters students’ depth of thought and cultivates critical thinking, while access disciplines refer to various avenues to interpret the learning material. The theory of content theorizes knowledge to achieve a vision of liberal education, which helps learners deal with modern challenges.

References

Unit 4: Suggested Reading and Viewing

Contemporary educational institutions, which are best with and perpetuate fear, becoming, conditioning, and fragmentation, are unquestionably dangerous for the creative growth and development of [human beings]. […] I want to propose reimagining curriculum as a space for meditative inquiry. (Kumar, 2013, p. 97)

Kumar, A. (2013). Curriculum as meditative inquiry. Palgrave Macmillan: St Martin’s Press.

Unit 4: Suggested Reading and Viewing

At a minimum you should read three to four of the Suggested Reading/Viewing and engage meaningfully with the unit video tutorials.

Courtland, D. (2022). Reimagining a curriculum in crisis. Prospects, 51(4), 547-556. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=bb25da5d-18a3-4d41-b288-09c0632570eeredis

Eppert, C. (2021, 30th March). Ecological witnessing, imagination, and transformation in Canadian and ELA curricula Vancouver, British Columbia, University of British Columbia. https://youtu.be/nvCG68_XcWALinks to an external site.

Gunnlaugson, O., Cueto de Souza, R., Zhao, S., Yee, A., Scott, C., & Bai, H. (2023). Revisiting the nature of transformative learning experiences in contemplative higher education. Journal of Transformative Education, 21(1), 84-101. https://journals-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/details/15413446/v21i0001/84_rtnotleiche.xml

Holmes, K. (2021). Rehumanizing the heart. In E. Lyle (Ed.), Re/humanizing education (Vol. 74, pp. 230-240). Koninklijke Brill NV. https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks7/brill7/2022-04-15/1/9789004507593

Kumar, A., & Downey, A. M. (2018). Teaching as meditative inquiry: A Dialogical Exploration. Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies, 16(2), 52-75. https://jcacs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/jcacs/article/view/40339/36397Links to an external site.

Pithouse-Morgan, K., Pillay, D., & Naicker, I. (2021). Being and becoming human in higher education: A co-autoethnographic inquiry. In E. Lyle (Ed.), Re/humanizing education (Vol. 74, pp. 31-42). Koninklijke Brill NV. https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks7/brill7/2022-04-15/1/9789004507593

Reiss, M., & White, J. (2022). A critical appraisal of aims-based curriculum from a Global South perspective. Journal of Human Values, 28(1), 70-78. https://journals-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/details/09716858/v28i0001/70_acaoacfagsp.xml

Walters, S., von Kotze, A., O’Neil, J. K. P., Burt, J., February, C., & Clover, D. E. (2022). Towards an emergent curriculum for climate justice adult educators/activists. Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 62(3), 298-324. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=579b3282-652c-4f9e-9d52-e04b2214ebd0redis

Wang, M.-q., & Zheng, X.-d. (2018). Embodied cognition and curriculum construction. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 50(3), 217-228. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=f4c5cbb9-4618-4473-86d2-463a19dcd7cdredis

Discussion 4

Drawing on your reading and experience, describe what curriculum theorising, in your context, might look and feel like if it is both critical and contemplative?

The discussion that I wrote:

A growing research body in curriculum studies continues to highlight the inadequacies of the conventional curriculum and recommends areas of improvement. Criticism of contemporary curriculum stems mainly from its colonial descent and the tendency to task instructors with education leadership and assign learners a passive role. My literature-informed curriculum theorizing envisions a system where the learners and instructors are equally involved in the education process. Courtland (2022) recounts how the pandemic redefined knowledge and caused curriculum reconception as learning shifted to the digital space. She opines that pandemic constraints challenged the prevailing views about conventional learning. Similarly, her study titled “Reimagining a Curriculum In Crisis” aims to absolve the contemporary curriculum of colonial and positivist influences. This scholar espouses contemplative and critical curriculum theorizing by championing an approach that emphasizes learners’ experiences rather than the common view of curriculum as a mastery of outcomes. Further, she observes that the outcome-oriented colonial curriculum micromanages students by prescribing check-in times and teachers by mandating them to submit daily reports, which do little to foster relational accountability between teachers and students. Relational accountability promotes personal connections between teachers and learners.

Gunnlaugson et al. (2023) contend that contemplation enriches the learning experience and transcends the limits of typical education. Through a review of research and theoretical literature, the researchers demonstrate that contemplative practice as a pedagogy in higher education empowers learners to tap intersubjective faculties, facilitating transformative learning that positively affects the trajectory of their studies. These researchers find that contemplative practice in higher education started gaining traction in North America toward the turn of the century, as evidenced by a considerable body of literature touting its transformative nature. Both Courtland (2022) and Gunnlaugson et al. (2023) agree on the utility of contemplative inquiry in redefining the relationship between students and teachers.

Kumar and Downey (2018) support deeper connections between learners and educators through instruction that emphasizes meditative inquiry. The researchers posit that this pedagogy enhances awareness through dialogue, purposeful questioning, and attentive listening. This teaching method eschews the normal, static knowledge passed on to students. Instead, flexibility and creativity are presented as the hallmarks of gainful learning. According to Kumar and Downey (2018), substantive communication between teachers and students is the essence of education because it entrenches formative relations between the two parties to enhance the quality of learning. Wang and Zheng (2018) observe that modern curriculum theory identifies cognitive science as a contributor to enhanced educational experience.

The overarching theme in the numerous Unit 4 readings cited in this discussion is that curriculum theorization requires a critical approach to long-standing educational conventions. These scholarly sources extoll revisionist curriculum development approaches that shun outdated and static teacher-fronting instruction methods. Instead, a balanced approach where learners and instructors engage in a collaborative, mutually fulfilling, and effective learning experience. Courtland (2022) labels this learning relational accountability, while Kumar and Downey (2018) call it meditative inquiry. The contemplative practice advocated by Gunnlaugson et al. (2023) concurs with the increasing role of cognitive science in education referenced by Wang and Zheng (2018).

References

Unit 5: Suggested Readings and Viewing

Rejecting the notion that [education] should concentrate on intellectual development academically conceived, we should design programs that support satisfying ways of life for whole persons. (Noddings, 2013, p. 157)

Noddings, N. (2013). Education and democracy in the 21st century. Teachers College Press.

Unit 5: Suggested Reading and Viewing

At a minimum you should read three to four of the Suggested Reading/Viewing and engage meaningfully with the unit video tutorials.

Airton, L. (2021, 29th April). No more subjects: Destabilizing the gender diversity curriculum of teacher education Vancouver, British Columbia, University of British Columbia. https://youtu.be/gifvJcuphogLinks to an external site.

Bickmore, K. (2021, 16th February). Teaching social difference in handling conflict: ‘Canadian’ curriculum practice in comparative contextVancouver, British Columbia, University of British Columbia. https://youtu.be/xXtv-_emCTwLinks to an external site.

Buffington-Adams, J., & Vaughn, K. P. (2019). The curriculum of disability studies: Multiple perspectives on Dis/Ability – Introduction: An invitation to complicated conversations Journal of Curriculum Theorizing, 34(1), 1-9. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=71b823b4-448d-404e-8705-3cc61409c75fredis

Chapman, D., & Morris, M. (2020, 13th October 2020). CSCP #1 Svi Shapiro talks about his mentor David Purpel In Curriculum Studies Collaborative Podcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXPKhHKyZRcLinks to an external site.[start viewing at 14:00]

Clement, V. (2021). Our ancestor’s gifts: Interpreting intergenerational knowledge about developing a teaching identity. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 17(3), 310-317. https://journals-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/details/15505170/v17i0003/310_oagiikadati.xml

Forte, R. (2021). Curriculum-making through the Mural Mile: Narrating a social history. In E. Lyle (Ed.), Re/humanizing education (Vol. 74, pp. 220-229). Koninklijke Brill NV. https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks7/brill7/2022-04-15/1/9789004507593

Gibbs, B. (2021). My eyes were closed the entire trip, but now they are open wide: A testimonio of the personal and political. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 17(3), 301-307. https://journals-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/details/15505170/v17i0003/301_mewctetotpap.xml

Greene, B., Catlett, C., Daryl, C., Friedman, O., Carter, T., & Belkyr, Y. (2018, 25th September). Humanizing our future: A night of talks from TED and Verizon. TEDBlog. https://blog.ted.com/humanizing-our-future-a-night-of-talks-from-ted-and-verizon/Links to an external site.

Khan, M. (2021). Refusing to hide the ragged edges: Toward a humanized curriculum of wide-awakeness. In E. Lyle (Ed.), Re/humanizing education (Vol. 74, pp. 83-94). Koninklijke Brill NV. https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks7/brill7/2022-04-15/1/9789004507593

Poindexter, N. K., Smith, L. G., & Wang, H. (2021). Heightened consciousness and curriculum in a time of crisis. Prospects, 51(1), 47-61. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=4a4e38a5-1da4-4dc6-87f1-7ab9fc50e01eredis

Simon, R. (2022). Curriculum as a vehicle for change In Teaching tomorrow. https://soundcloud.com/celeste-faye-382655098/41-curriculum-as-a-vehicle-for-change-with-dr-rob-simonLinks to an external site.

Zinn, D., Raban, M., Lück, J., Latolla, N., Kubashe, N. C., De Vega, T. I., Champion, E., & Biggs, L. (2021). Uzifozonke: Healing the heart of curriculum in a South African University. In K. G. Fomunyam & S. B. Khoza (Eds.), Curriculum theory, curriculum theorising, and the theoriser(pp. 15-37). Koninklijke Brill NV (Brill | Sense). https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks6/brill6/2021-05-06/1/9789004447943#page=4

Discussion question 5

Using your professional experience and the literature, describe what humanising curriculum might look and feel like in your context, and how you, as a curriculum theoriser, might theorise a humanising curriculum framework in your context.

The discussion that I wrote:

The reading discussion will focus on Buffington-Adams & Vaughan (2019), Gibbs (2021), and Poindexter et al. (2021). Buffington-Adams & Vaughan (2019) examine the intersection of curriculum studies and disability studies. The reading emphasizes critical methodologies and perspectives to understand disability and integrate related aspects in curriculum development. The traditional models of disability experience challenges in promoting an inclusive education. Adopting a more sensitive approach in modern curriculum can promote inclusivity and foster social justice. Disability is a socially constructed condition. These social constructs are influenced by the barriers experienced by people with disability. Scholars can address these social constructs by developing curriculums that encourage inclusivity within education settings. The education sector is best suited to address these challenges because it provides society with knowledge and information.

Gibbs (2021) explores the struggle of immigrants with undocumented statuses in the US. The access to education is fundamental to facilitating the overall individual development. Education also allows the person to understand their rights and advocate for polices that promote social justice. Claudia’s family experienced significant threats of deportation because they did not have proper documentation. This status interfered with Claudia’s access to opportunities such as higher education. The case demonstrates the financial constraints and emotional struggles students might experience. Some are willing to acquire the education, but the unique circumstances they find themselves in make it challenging to achieve this goal. The story inspires readers to adopt humane approaches in education and other settings. This approach is integral to ensuring that the less privileged students access education. Also, the approach is essential to promoting respect and dignity when dealing with others regardless of their background differences. The reading also emphasizes resilience as an integral tool for helping students achieve their academic and personal goals.

The school curriculum should consider emerging issues. Poindexter et al. (2021) examine the relationship between curriculum and a crisis. The article emphasizes the need to acknowledge the realities of suffering and death. Covid 19 pandemic is an example of a crisis that the curriculum should consider. The approach ensures that educators and learners are prepared to address critical issues in life. Suffering and death are some concepts curriculums tend to ignore. Integrating these aspects into the curriculum can provide parents and teachers with the framework to support students in times of need. The aim is to create an environment that recognizes and honors human experience. The process should involve connecting learners to the community and promoting unity.

References

Buffington-Adams, J., & Vaughan, K. (2019). The Curriculum of Disability Studies: Multiple Perspectives on Dis/Ability Introduction: An Invitation to Complicated Conversations. Journal of Curriculum Theorizing, 34, 1–9.

Gibbs, B. (2021). My eyes were closed the entire trip, but now they are open wide: A testimonio of the personal and political. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 17(3), 301–307. https://doi.org/10.1080/15505170.2020.1786751

Poindexter, N. K., Smith, L. G., & Wang, H. (2021). Heightened consciousness and curriculum in a time of crisis. PROSPECTS, 51(1), 47–61. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-021-09542-0

Unit 6: Suggested Reading and Viewing

The secrets of [curriculum theorising, development, and evaluation] are to ask questions, to ask the right questions, to ask the rightquestions of the right people, [and to ask the right questions of the right people at the right time]. [emphasis in the original] (Oliva & Gordon, 2013, p. 321)

Oliva, P. F., & Gordon, W. R. (2013). Developing the curriculum (8th ed.). Pearson. (2005).

Unit 6: Suggested Reading and Viewing

At a minimum you should read three to four of the Suggested Reading/Viewing and engage meaningfully with the unit video tutorials.

Bérard, M.-F. (2021, 13th May). The uncertain profession: In-dwelling between curriculum worlds in Canadian art museum educationVancouver, British Columbia, University of British Columbia. https://youtu.be/pehLQ4DZe-0Links to an external site.

Burns, L. D., & Flynn, J. (2020). Social justice education and the pitfalls of community and inclusion. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 18(1), 4-20. https://journals-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/details/15505170/v18i0001/4_sjeatpocai.xml

Long, R.-E. M., & Stabler, A. (2021). “This is NOT okay:” Building a creative collective against academic ableism. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 19(4), 288-314. https://journals-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/details/15505170/v19i0004/288_inobaccaaa.xml

Patel, S. A. (2021). Talking complicity, breathing coloniality: Interrogating settler-centric pedagogy of teaching about white settler colonialism. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 19(3), 211-230. https://journals-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/details/15505170/v19i0003/211_tcbcisotawsc.xml

Vera Cruz, A. C. (2018). A framework for cross-cultural curriculum development. Transnational Curriculum Inquiry, 15(1), 68-82. https://ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/tci/article/view/191028Links to an external site.

Zembylas, M. (2020). Affective and biopolitical dimensions of hope: From critical hope to anti-colonial hope in pedagogy. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 19(1), 28-48. https://journals-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/details/15505170/v19i0001/28_aabdohhtahip.xml

Discussion question6.1

Drawing on your reading and experience, identify and describe what curricular questions must be asked in your context.

The discussion that I wrote:

For an educator, the development of a relevant, effective, and engaging curriculum for the students is a massive task that comes with a great deal of responsibility. It is because the curriculum is almost like a breathing, living, and malleable thing that can act as a catalyst of change for classrooms and the outside world (Simon, 2022). Recently, the inequities present in the education system regarding opportunities and fair treatment of students and teachers have been quite visible. Therefore, the curricular development process makes us question ourselves to come up with ways to solve this critical dilemma and bring unity to the dynamics involving teachers and students. Luckily, by devising an appropriate and thorough curriculum, the injustices and gaps in the education department involving teachers and students can be eradicated and filled, respectively. Now, the question to ponder is: how can this be achieved? The answer is that for this to happen, it is necessary to invest in a curricular building collaborative research community, which should include members like experienced educators, novice teachers, and young students (Simon, 2022). The addition of young students to the team will bring a fresh perspective and level the playground for all so that no one is in charge and more focus is on exploring the text together. Another question that educators should ask themselves is about the purpose of creating engaging literature. What is the end goal? The end goal of curricular building is to create powerful texts that are easily absorbed by students. Interestingly, this is only possible by prioritizing building connections with the students. After that, the emphasis should change to creating an environment in which students have enough time and space to comprehend a curriculum text (Simon, 2022).

The educators of the current era have realized that culture and context hold great significance for students’ learning. However, does the present curriculum embody universality? In a perfect world, education is supposed to be universal, catering to people of all ethnicities. Unfortunately, in the practical world, the” uproot and plant” model towards curricular universality is quite evident (Cruz, 2018). This problematic practice causes several issues in the students’ learning and makes us question what in the curricular world is understood as universal. Furthermore, if a multicultural curriculum is the answer to this conundrum, then the questions to consider are how to create it ethically and how practitioners can take part in the creation process of an ethical cross-cultural curriculum. Educators believe that linguistic hospitality and critical reflexivity are basic requirements for cross-cultural curriculum development. Moreover, various ethnicities have inherently cultural knowledge systems (Cruz, 2018). This aspect makes it further hard to decide what to exclude and include in the curriculum so that it can obtain, sustain, and maintain universality.

It is quite evident that global education has a propagative nature, and through the curriculum, it displays Western culture as supreme. Does such a type of curriculum affect individuals or society as a whole? Absolutely yes! It has an internal, intergenerational, and interpersonal impact on individuals and society. Can this issue be tackled through the curriculum? Absolutely yes! It can be resolved if educators invest in devising a curriculum that cultivates anti-colonial aims (Zembylas, 2022). Furthermore, creating pedagogies that acknowledge the legitimacy and validity of different knowledge systems will also help in the expansion of anti-colonial hope because it will educate individuals enough to challenge colonial practices and structures present around the world by fostering critical consciousness and promoting transformative praxis. The absence of such pedagogies will perpetuate colonial ideologies and structures, which will further create division among people and reinforce the oppression system (Zembylas, 2022).

References

Discussion question 6.2

The discussion that I wrote:

Drawing on your reading and experience, identify who (types of collaborators in curriculum theorising) might be able to help you inform yourself, as a curriculum theoriser, in relation to curricular questions in your context.

Curricular theoriser can engage various collaborators to understand varied curricular questions. One of the significant collaborators involves students. Including learners in the curriculum theorising process helps to provide valuable insight into their learning experiences, interests, and needs. For example, to foster inclusivity, engaging students with special needs is imperative to recognise their interaction with the curriculum. Long and Stabler (2022) noted that disabled University students, including their disabled faculty, staff, and other community members, experience different challenges in undertaking their studies and navigating their daily lives in learning institutions. Thus, it is imperative to consider the needs of the disabled community. This can be achieved by involving members of the disabled community as collaborators in curriculum theorising.

Additionally, teachers are key collaborators that inform curriculum development. Involving teachers who work directly with the learners helps to provide crucial insights concerning the needs of all learners, including approaches that work and those that do not. Holmqvist (2020) explains that teachers can help curricular theoriser understand and address the challenges faced by students with disability. In this case, teachers and educators help gain insight and significance and develop collaborative professional development to enhance inclusive teaching.

Engaging policy experts help understand various problems affecting curriculum. For example, policy experts can explain how the curriculum can be used as a tool for racial discrimination. Patel (2022) emphasizes that challenging the colonial world order cannot lead to decolonization. However, it is crucial to focus on indigenous conceptions about land, lives, and their future. Policy experts develop effective approaches to address these issues.

References

Holmqvist, M. (2020). Lesson study as a vehicle for improving SEND teachers’ teaching skills. International Journal for Lesson & Learning Studies, 9(3), 193-202.

Unit 7: Suggested Reading and Viewing

When curriculum work is understood as an exercise in human judgement, the question of wisdom becomes personally and professionally relevant. […] Wisdom is a lofty yet worldly term, denoting soulful and holistic practical artistry directed toward personal and social goods. The concept curriculum wisdom [is used …] as a concise way to convey the subtle and complex challenges of approaching curriculum work as envisioning and enacting a good educational journey.” [emphasis in original] (Henderson & Kesson, 2004, p. 4)

Henderson, J. G., & Kesson, K. R. (2004). Curriculum wisdom: Educational decisions in democratic societies. Pearson Education Inc.

Unit 7: Suggested Reading and Viewing

At a minimum you should read three to four of the Suggested Reading/Viewing and engage meaningfully with the unit video tutorials.

Barnes, M. E. (2022). From involvement to solidarity: Community engagement to foster culturally-proactive and constructivist pedagogy. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 19(1), 4-27. https://journals-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/details/15505170/v19i0001/4_fitscetfcacp.xml

Clark, A. (2020). How do teachers engage with school values and ethos? In P. Bamber (Ed.), Teacher education for sustainable development and global citizenship: Critical perspectives on values, curriculum and assessment (pp. 32-39). Routledge. https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks5/taylorandfrancis5/2019-11-28/1/9780429427053

Espinosa-Dulanto, M., & Calderon-Beruman, F. (2021). The poetics aesthetics of testimonios. Subverting “I” for social “I/We.” Una lengua que desquicia la academia. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 17(3), 242-246. https://journals-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/details/15505170/v17i0003/242_tpaotsulqdla.xml

Galpin, A., Beevers, D., Cassidy, S., Short, B., Panagiotidi, M., Bendall, R. C. A., Quigley, E., & Thompson, C. (2021). Values-led curriculum co- creation: A curriculum re-innovation case study. The Curriculum Journal, 33(4), 553-569. https://bera-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/curj.154Links to an external site.

Pacini-Ketchabaw, V. (2021, 22nd June). Education for worlds to come Vancouver, British Columbia, University of British Columbia. https://youtu.be/g6uwAKqHfpMLinks to an external site.

Scoffham, S. (2020). In search of core values. In P. Bamber (Ed.), Teacher education for sustainable development and global citizenship: Critical perspectives on values, curriculum and assessment (pp. 23-31). Routledge. https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks5/taylorandfrancis5/2019-11-28/1/9780429427053

Simpson, J. (2020). Learning to unlearn: Moving educators from a charity mentality towards a social justice mentality. In P. Bamber (Ed.), Teacher education for sustainable development and global citizenship: Critical perspectives on values, curriculum and assessment (pp. 40-52). Routledge. https://books-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/en/read?id=/ebooks/ebooks5/taylorandfrancis5/2019-11-28/1/9780429427053

Tanner, S. J. (2021). Urgent and dangerous work. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 18(3), 231-232. https://journals-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/details/15505170/v18i0003/231_uadw.xml

Wahlström, N. (2022). Equity in education: Equal opportunities for what? In N. Wahlström (Ed.), Equity, teaching practice and the curriculum: Exploring differences in access to knowledge (pp. 30-45). Routledge. https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/52662/9781000571653.pdf;jsessionid=F05F6A2D773D63E3A8925818C84511C3?sequence=1Links to an external site.

Walton, P. (2020). Virtues of the educator. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 52(8), 902-911. https://web-s-ebscohost-com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=375c99b8-ef33-4675-8b2a-870a2247fb86redis

Discussion question 7

The discussion that I wrote:

Using your professional experience and the literature, describe the curricular values and curricular wisdom that could guide humanising curriculum in your context.

In education, curriculum creation must stand on values and wisdom to meet learners’ inherent holistic development and diverse needs. The presented essay discusses the theory of curriculum wisdom and ideals as being relevant for education, based on my professional experience and related research. This discussion will use suggested readings and viewing materials to clarify how curricular values and wisdom can lead to the humanisation of the curriculum.

The set of principles and attitudes that determine what educational programs consider to be their purpose, content, and methods of instruction are referred to as curriculum values. It is vital to humanise curriculum to develop values that uphold the learner’s holistic welfare, celebrate inclusivity and inspire a feeling of community and social accountability. According to Barnes (2022), community involvement in constructivist and culturally proactive pedagogy is invaluable as educators must be open to diverse viewpoints and perspectives in their syllabi (Barnes, 2022). In this context, the wisdom of curriculum shares the thread, which Henderson and Kesson (2004) describe as artistry directed toward personal and social goods, stressing educational policies’ soulful and holistic nature (Henderson & Kesson, 2004). In addition, Galpin et al. (2021) stress adopting the values-led curriculum co-creation framework, where the curriculum is developed based on the shared values and aspirations of the stakeholders (Galpin et al., 2021). This example is not just learner-centred but also paves the way for a sense of ownership, participation and belonging within the learning environment.

Tanner (2021) asserts that curriculum reform should be based on equality and social justice as these values are the basis of present society with inequalities and power dynamics. When the educators’ principles of equity and justice are woven into the curricula, they can push toward building a world of fewer barriers and more inclusive learning spaces (Tanner, 2021). Moreover, curriculum wisdom involves the layering of making practical and moral decisions with professional competence. Walton (2020) argues for the importance of teacher virtues by stripping it to the basics of empathy, integrity, and tenacity to be used for correct decisions in the education process (Walton, 2020). By this, we mean the area of curriculum wisdom, involving not only the professional skills but also the ethics and the alertness of the learners.

Espinosa-Dulanto and Calderon-Beruman (2021) also address testimonials’ aesthetics and poetics, highlighting personal narratives’ transformative role in reshaping the dominant discourses and building solidarity within different educational settings. Educators can achieve that by making marginalised voices and experiences the core of the curriculum (Espinosa-Dulanto & Calderon-Beruman, 2021). In this way, teachers can build a foundation for empathy, critical consciousness and respect for diversity.

In conclusion, humanising curriculum demands consideration of values and wisdom topromote not only the development of the entire student but also the diversity and well-being of the learners. Educators would incorporate literature and practical experience to establish moral principles that would contribute to inclusiveness, equity, and justice while also championing the values of empathy, integrity, and perseverance. Curriculum wisdom involves the art of navigating the complicatedness of education with a dose of the soul and an insight of ethics, with the faith that personal life stories and community involvement may be sturdy ground for a creative transformation. Through internalising the values-driven process of curriculum development and putting into practice the precepts of wisdom, teachers will be able to establish classrooms that ensure all students will stand out as compassionate, critical, and socially responsible members of the world.

References

Espinosa-Dulanto, M., & Calderon-Berumen, F. (2020). The poetics aesthetics of testimonials. Subverting “I” for social “I/We.” Una lengua que desquicia la academia. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 17(3), 242-246. https://journals-scholarsportal-info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/details/15505170/v17i0003/242_tpaotsulqd la.xml

Henderson, J. G., Kesson, K. R., & River, N. J. (2004). Curriculum wisdom: Educational decisions in democratic societies. Education for Meaning and Social Justice, 53.