Philosophical Foundations of Curriculum

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CHAPTER 2
Philosophical Foundations of Curriculum
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Chapter Outline

• 2.0 Introduction
• 2.1 What is philosophy?
• 2.2 Philosophy of education
• 2.3 Philosophy and curriculum
• 2.4 Perennialism
• 2.5 Essentialism
• 2.6 Progressivism

• 2.7 Reconstructionism
• 2.8 Abu Nasr al- Farabi
• 2.9 Confucius
• 2.10 Rabindranath Tagore
• 2.11 Summary

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2.0 Introduction

• In this chapter we will examine the philosophical
  beliefs that influence curriculum.

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2.0 Introduction

• Do you have your own philosophy in life?

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2.1 What is Philosophy?

• From Greek word,
• philos sophia gt philosophy
• (love) (wisdom) (love of wisdom)
• What is truth?
• How do we know what we know?
• What is thought?
• Do our actions result from thinking or emotions?
• What is special about being human being?
• What is beauty?

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2.2 Philosophy of Education

• Is a study of questions such as
• What is education?
• What is the purpose of education?
• What does it mean to know something?
• What is the relationship between education and
  society?
• What values determine the development of civil
  society?
• What are the needs of children?

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2.2 Philosophy of Education in Malaysia

• "Education in Malaysia is an on-going effort
  towards further developing the potential of
  individuals in a holistic and integrated manner,
  so as to produce individuals who are
  intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and
  physically balanced and harmonic, based on a firm
  belief in and devotion to God. Such an effort is
  designed to produce Malaysian citizens who are
  knowledgeable and competent, who possess high
  moral standards and who are responsible and
  capable of achieving high level of personal
  well-being as well as being able to contribute to
  the harmony and betterment of the family, the
  society and the nation at large"

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2.3 Philosophy and Curriculum

• Philosophy is basis of decisions regarding
  curriculum (aims, selection, organization and
  implementation)
• Helps to answer to questions such as
• What are schools for?
• What subjects are of value?
• How should students learn the content?
• What homework to assign and how?

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2.3 Philosophy and Curriculum

• What is the basis of philosophy in Malaysian
  Educational Philosophy?
• How is it translated to Curriculum?

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2.4 4 philosophical perspectives (1/2)
Perennialism
Essentialism
4 schools of thought
Reconstructionism
Progressivism
Compare and contrast 4 philosophical perspectives
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2.4 4 philosophical perspectives (2/2)

• To your mind how do the 4 Philosophies Influence
  Curriculum?
• Please try out activity 2.3
• Which philosophy suits best our national
  curriculum?

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2.5 Farabi, Confucious and Tagore

• Link
• What are the differences?
• What are the similarities?
• Choose one from the three different ideas. What
  are the implications on Curriculum Design?
• Which idea you would adopt in designing
  curriculum and how you will apply it for national
  schools ?

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Conclusion

• Philosophy enable us to explain what, where,
  who, why, when and how of curriculum