Faculty of Education

Graduate Studies Program

02.780: (NET) Introduction to Curriculum

Fall 2016
September 15, 2016 to December 8, 2016

Instructor Name: Dr. Mike Nantais

Office: Education Building Room 223-1
Telephone: (204) 727-9619
Email: NantaisM@brandonu.ca
Twitter: @miken_bu

Course Description (from Graduate Calendar)

This course studies the sociological, psychological, and philosophical basis for the
development of school curricula. It investigates procedures, plans, personnel,
processes, and problems in curriculum development via a critical examination of
general curriculum models used in structuring the curriculum for schools.

My Assumptions About Learning

I subscribe to a constructivist view of learning, that is, learning is active and social in
nature, and meaning is constructed through interactions with others (Dewey, 1916;
Bandura ,1977 and others). With that in mind, it is my hope that through readings,
discussion (both asynchronously and synchronously), and other activities, we will
construct an understanding of curriculum and what it means in our own context. I have
found that at times learning is personal and private – alone with our thoughts and
reflections, however, to make complete sense, we need to examine our beliefs and
work to actively construct meaning. Through this process, we can engage in
transformative learning (Cranton, 2006; Mezirow, 2000), learning that encourages us to
critically examine our own perspectives and mindsets, and helps us to grow both
personally and professionally.

About this course

The study of curriculum is a contested one; there is no general agreement on a specific
definition or view of curriculum, curriculum means different things to different people
(Connelly & Clandinin, 1988; Glatthorn, Boschee, Whitehead, and Boschee, 2016).
Curriculum, however, is central to formal education, and thus a major component of
educational leadership. Coming to an understanding of the meaning and influences on
curriculum, as it relates to our own context, is important to our work. In this course we
will critically examine various conceptions of curriculum, its development, and various
influences on it.

Foundational Learning Outcomes/ Essential Learning:

The foundational learning outcomes/essential learning for this course include the
following, all with the goal of prompting us to critically reflect on our own conceptions
and assumptions about the study of curriculum.

• Develop a thoughtful response to the question, “What is curriculum?”

• Develop an awareness of the historical, social and political influences on

curricula.

• Develop an understanding of major and emerging philosophical and

psychological theories that contribute to curriculum development and design.

• Develop an appreciation for the relationship between theory and practice.

• Gain knowledge of curriculum models, and use this knowledge,

• Develop an awareness of considerations for curriculum development,

implementation and curriculum evaluation.

Course Organization:
This organization of the course will follow the outline given below, however, it can stray
as we delve into the various topics and readings and examine the topic of curriculum.
During the first synchronous class, we will decide the frequency and duration of zoom
meetings. Once determined, I will post a schedule on Moodle. The course will use a
combination of asynchronous work (primarily using Moodle) and synchronous sessions
(using Zoom). I also find that the idea of learning as rhizomatic (Cormier, 2008),
especially in the age of the Internet, resonates with me, thus our path may vary from
that presented below.

Course Content* (see the blurb above!)

Introduction
- Overview of syllabus & assignments.
- Decisions: synchronous meetings
- Getting to know one another – Voice thread assignment.

What is Curriculum?
- Exploring the meaning of curriculum
- Types of curriculum
- Curriculum history.
- Curriculum theory (& the important relationship between theory & practice)
- Curriculum as public policy

Influences on Curriculum
- Political influences
- Psychological influences
- Historical and societal influences

Curriculum Development Processes

- Curriculum planning and development
- Theory to practice

Contemporary issues

Proposed video conference sessions: (length and dates TBD during our September
15 class session)

Date Conference topic and discussion

September 15 Introduction

TBD
Course Assignments:
There are course assignments which I hope will help you achieve the foundational
learning outcomes /essential learning of this course.

Assignment Weighting Due date

Participation: Includes attending and 60% Weekly or bi-weekly

contributing to both synchronous and throughout the course.
asynchronous discussion, as well as small
weekly assignments. Many of these will be
informal in nature and require only
thoughtful completion. Some of these
activities will be individual, but some will be
in groups. Details of these activities will be
posted on Moodle weekly.

“Ignite” presentation and annotated 40% Presentations will take place

bibliography. starting in November. A
schedule will be set up for
Briefly, this presentation style consists of signing up. The bibliography
20 slides for 15 seconds each. Details of will be submitted (to be
this assignment and presentation method shared with all class
will be posted on Moodle. The presentation members) by the last class -
topic will be one chosen by the student (in December 8.
consultation with the professor) and should
be related to an area of interest associated
with the course content.
This assignment will be accompanied by
an annotated bibliography of related
articles and resources. Details will be
posted on Moodle.

I will post the discussion topics and details of assignments on Moodle.

***Please read and use the guidelines for each of the assignments. ***
Required Texts & References:

• Main text (available at the book store, or can be ordered through Chapters/Indigo or
Amazon.ca)

Glatthorn, A.A., Boschee, F., Whitehead, B.M., & Boschee, B.F. (2016). Curriculum
leadership: Strategies fro development and implementation (4th ed.). Los Angeles:
Sage.
• The manual for rules of APA.

American Psychological Association (2009). Publication manual of the American

Psychological Association (6th ed.) Washington, D.C.: American Psychological
Association.

• Other readings will be listed – or provided – on Moodle as needed.

• I have included links to other resources, including my ‘under construction’ live

binders collection.

• The BU library has a wealth of resources, both on the premises and online. Be sure
to take advantage of this resource! (https://www.brandonu.ca/library/)

Course Grade Evaluation:

* Minimum grade requirement for graduate program: B

Grade Equivalencies: A+ 96-100 B- 70-74

A 90-95 C+ 65-69
A- 85-89 C 60-64
B+ 80-84 D 50-59
*B 75-79 F Under 50%

Academic dishonesty will result in a final grade of F-AD (Fail-Academic Dishonesty)

(refer to the Graduate Calendar, section 3.9: Academic Dishonesty and Misconduct)

Getting the most out of the course:

Being in the fall term we have about 3 months (12 weeks) to complete the course, so
we can proceed at a more ‘leisurely’ pace than a spring or summer course. That said,
the course demands consistent and regular attention to the discussions, weekly
assignments, and readings. Do not fall behind.

In my experience, graduate courses are best when one takes an active role in the
course activities and classes. The best learning comes from sharing our ideas,
thoughts, questions, and being open to new ideas and considerations. I understand that
being an educator (a classroom teacher or administrator) is a demanding job and that
often life happens and can interfere with our plans. I was in that position for 30 years. I
completed a M.Ed. while teaching full time, and a doctorate while working full time as a
professor. With all that said, it is also important to realize that this is a graduate degree,
it demands your attention as well. At the time it can seem overwhelming, however it can
be done and, if you allow it, be an amazing growing experience. If life gets hectic or out
of control for a bit, we can work it out – as long as we communicate and are reasonable.
Statement on Accommodation

Brandon University values diversity and inclusion, recognizing disability as an aspect of

diversity. Our shared goal is to create learning environments that are accessible,
equitable, and inclusive for all students. The Student Accessibility Services (SAS) office
works with students who have permanent, chronic, or temporary disabilities. SAS will
provide and/or arrange for reasonable accommodations. If you have, or think you may
have, a disability (e.g. mental health, attentional, learning, vision, hearing, physical,
medical, or temporary), you are invited to contact Student Accessibility Services to
arrange a confidential discussion at (204) 727-9759 or email
magnussonm@brandonu.ca. If you are registered with SAS and have a letter
requesting accommodations, you are encouraged to contact the instructor early in the
term to discuss the accommodations outlined in your letter. Additional information is
available at the Student Accessibility Services website.

Attendance at Lectures and Practical Work:

(refer to the Graduate Calendar, section 3.7.1)

1. All students are expected to be regular in their attendance at lectures and labs.
While attendance per se will not be considered in assessing the final grade, it
should be noted that in some courses participation in class activities may be
required.
2. For limited enrolment courses, students who are registered but do not attend the
first three classes or notify the instructor that they intend to attend, may have
their registration cancelled in favour of someone else wishing to register for the
course.
3. Students who are unable to attend a scheduled instruction period because of
illness, disability, or domestic affliction should inform the instructor concerned as
soon as possible.
4. Instructors may excuse absences for good and sufficient reasons.

References used in this outline.

Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Connely, F. M. & Clandinin, D.J. (1988). Teachers as curriculum planners: Narratives of

experience. New York: Columbia University.

Cormier, D. (2008). Rhizomatic education: Community as curriculum. Innovate 4 (5).

http://www.innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=550

Cranton, P. K. (2006). Understanding and promoting transformational learning. San

Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education: An introduction to the philosophy of
education [Project Gutenberg eBook]. Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org

Glatthorn, A.A., Boschee, F., Whitehead, B.M., & Boschee, B.F. (2016). Curriculum
leadership: Strategies fro development and implementation (4th ed.). Los
Angeles: Sage.

Mezirow, J. (2000). Learning to think like an adult: Core concepts of transformation

theory. In J. Mezirow (Ed.) Learning as transformation (pp. 3-33). San Francisco,
CA: Jossey-Bass.