CURRICULUM THEORY, EDCI 647-100, Summer, 2000 (3 Hours)
Department of Educational Curriculum and Instruction
Department of Educational Administration
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Instructor:
Dr. Patrick Slattery, Associate Professor
Departments:
Teaching, Learning, & Culture (TLAC) & Educational Administration (EDAM)
Office/Phone:
314 Harrington, (979) 845-8397 (Office); (512) 834-2454 (Home)
Email:
[email protected] or [email protected] (preferred) (NO ATTACHMENTS)
Class Meetings: Monday Evenings (5:45-8:35pm), Room 049 Weisenbaker Hall
Saturday Class: January 27, February 17, and March 10 (9am-6pm)
Office Hours:
Monday 1pm-4pm; Wednesday 1pm-5pm
Appointments: Available upon request by phone, email, or in office.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The purpose of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive perspective on the field
of curriculum theory including, but not limited to, the historical, political, autobiographical,
gendered, racial, social, philosophical, theological, institutional, and international dimensions of
curriculum studies. The reconceptualized curriculum field has moved beyond exclusive concern
with the development of institutional schooling and related classroom materials and activities to
understanding broader philosophical and symbolic representations of curriculum that impact
schools and society. Curriculum theory focuses on the context of education with emphasis on
multiculturalism, internationalization, postmodernism, poststructuralism, ecological
sustainability, economic equity, democratic community, social justice, linguistic and historical
deconstruction, gender equity, anti-racism, anti-sexism/heterosexism, autobiographical
investigations, qualitative and arts-based research, hermeneutics, aesthetics, and ethics. While
curriculum theory includes concern for institutional schooling and classroom practices, its
purpose is broader. The goal of this course is to provide graduate students with the theoretical
framework for analyzing, critiquing, and investigating curriculum so that they will understand the
complexities of contemporary curriculum discourses and research practices.
COURSE READINGS:
Percy, W. (1987). The Thanatos Syndrome. New York: Fawcett Columbine.
Gaines, E. (1993). A lesson Before Dying. (Film)
Slattery, P. (1995). Curriculum development in the postmodern era. New York:
Garland.
Willis, G., Schubert, W. H., Bullough, Jr., R. V., Kridel, C., & Holton, J. T. (1993). The
American curriculum: A documentary history. Westport, CT: Greenwood publishers.
And Several handouts provided by the professor.
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS:
Instructional strategies may include the following: seminar discussion, lecture, library research,
films, small group discussion, individual and group presentations, and reading educational
literature. We will also spend one session in a museum and other educational contexts to discuss
curriculum as aesthetic text, political text, and institutional text.
Slattery — Syllabus, Page Two
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS:
Tuesday, May 30
* Introduction and Course Overview. (Read the handouts Contextualizing Teaching, Chapter 10,
and Center for Postmodernism before coming to this class session.)
* Read and discuss the Introduction and Chapters1-6 of The American Curriculum in class.
Thursday, June 1 (No TTVN class meeting)
* All students will read and be prepared to discuss Chapters 11, 16, 27, and 32-36 of
The American Curriculum in class on June 6.
* Each student will read, summarize, and critique one or two additional chapters from
The American Curriculum as assigned on May 30. Prepare a summary and critique of this
additional chapter in a one page paper (front only, single spaced, 1 inch margins, 10-12 point
font) with copies for the entire class. Bring papers to class on June 6. TTVN students will fax one
copy of their paper before noon on June 6 to 979-845-9663. Attention Dr. Slattery.
* Begin Reading The Thanatos Syndrome
* Read the Introduction and Chapters 1-3 of Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era.
Tuesday, June 6
* Discuss papers on The American Curriculum and Chapters 1-3 of Curriculum Development in
the Postmodern Era.
Thursday, June 8
* Read Chapters 4 and 5 of Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era before coming to
class.
* Write a one page paper (single spaced, front only, etc.) in which you present a brief summary
and critique of the material in chapters 4 and 5 of Curriculum Development in the Postmodern
Era.. Bring this paper to class. Additional copies for classmates are not required. This is a draft
only and will not be submitted for a grade.
* Discuss papers on chapters 4 and 5 in class.
Saturday, June 10 (8am to 5pm in Austin)
* Finish reading The Thanatos Syndrome before class. Be prepared to discuss this novel.
* Read Chapter 10 of Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era. before coming to class.
Tuesday, June 13 (No TTVN or class meeting)
* Read Chapter 6 of Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era
* Write a one page paper (single spaced, front only, etc.) in which you outline your position on
race, ethnicity, gender, sexism, heterosexism, and racism in American schools and society. A
few citations from the readings are required. A few additional citations are acceptable. Bring this
paper to class on June 15.
Slattery–Syllabus, Page Three
Thursday, June 15
* Discuss papers on Chapter 6 of Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era.
* Films: “A Lesson Before Dying” and “In The Life”
Tuesday, June 20
* Read Chapters 7, 8, and 9 of Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era before coming to
class. Discuss these chapters in class.
* Films: “Off Track” and “Interdisciplinary Curriculum”
Thursday, June 22 (Library Research)
* Prepare final research paper
Tuesday, June 27
* Read chapters 11, 12, and 13 of Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era. and the
handout Prisoners of Time before coming to class. Be prepared to discuss these chapters in class.
Thursday, June 29
* Final research papers due
ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION:
Attendance and participation in class discussions and group work is essential for success in this
course. Students will be expected to ask questions and dialogue with the professor and other
students during each class session. Students will also be expected to log on to the class list serv
and contribute to the conversations. NO CREDIT will be given for assignments missed because
of an unexcused absence, and a grade of 0 will be assigned. In the case of illness or emergencies,
please submit a written note to the professor following the absence. Please do NOT call in
advance unless an extended absence is anticipated. There will be no penalty for excused
absences, and assignments may be submitted late for excused absences.
Slattery–Syllabus, Page Four
COURSE GRADING:
25% of the grade will be based on attendance, participation in class discussions, participation in
the class TTVN discussions, and presentation of papers. In order to receive an “A” for this
portion of the grade, students must attend all class sessions (excluding excused absences–see
below), read or summarize a portion of their assigned papers, contribute weekly to the class
TTVN discussions, and participate in class sessions by regularly asking questions and critically
extending the conversation about the assigned readings. These comments must demonstrate
competence in curriculum theory. A student will receive a “B” for this portion of the grade if she
or he is absent from one class session (excluding excused absences–see below), only occasionally
reads portions of the assigned papers, only occasionally contributes to the TTVN and class
discussions of the assigned readings, and/or does not demonstrate an understanding of curriculum
theory. A student will receive a grade of “C” or lower if she or he has two unexcused absences,
fails to bring written assignments to class session, and does not participate in class discussions
and the class TTVN.
25% of the grade will be based on the paper on “The American Curriculum.”
25% of the grade will be based on the paper on race, gender, heterosexism, and ethnicity.
25% of the grade will be based on the final research paper. In order to receive an “A” for this
portion of the grade, students must include 5 to 10 pages of scholarly analysis of curriculum
theory with a reference list of at least 10 citations in APA style. Please put a title page and staple
the paper in the upper left hand corder. Do not use any binders, folder, or covers. All material
must be written in a scholarly style and grammatically correct format using APA for citations and
references. The research paper must do more than simply summarize the readings; it must
include a critical analysis and commentary on the readings. Supplemental material such as artsbased reflections, interviews, media reports, CD ROMs, and/or classroom artifacts may be
included in an appendix to enhance the research paper, but these additional materials are not
required. A grade of “A” indicates outstanding scholarly research. A grade of “B” indicates
excellent scholarly research. A grade of “C” or lower will be given for the paper if it fails to
meet any of the criteria described above.
ADA:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides
comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this
legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that
provides for reasonable accommodation of their disability. If you believe you have a disability
requiring accommodation, please contact the Office of Support Services for Students with
Disabilities in Room 126 of the Student Services Building. The phone number is 845-1637.
Slattery–Syllabus, Page Five
PLAGIARISM:
The handouts used in this course are copyrighted. By “handouts” I mean all materials generated
for this class, which include but are not limited to syllabi, quizzes, exams, lab problems, in-class
materials, review sheets, and additional problem sets. Because these materials are copyrighted,
you do not have the right to copy handouts, unless I expressly grant permission. As commonly
defined, plagiarism consists of passing off as one’s own the ideas, words, writings, data base,
research notes, web site information, etc. which belong to another. In accordance with this
definition, you are committing plagiarism if you copy the work of another person and turn it in as
your own, even if you should have the permission of that person. Plagiarism is one of the worst
academic offenses, for the plagiarist destroys the trust among colleagues without which research
cannot be safely communicated. If you have any questions regarding plagiarism, please consult
the latest issue of the Texas A&M University Student Rules, under the section “Scholastic
Dishonesty.”
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Loewen, James W. (1997). Lies My Teacher Told Me. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Macedo, Donaldo (1994). Literacies of Power. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Kincheloe, J. L., & Steinberg, S. R. (1995). Thirteen Questions: Reframing Education's
Questions [Second Edition]. New York: Peter Lang Publishers.
National Commission on Time and Learning. (1994). Prisoners of Time. Washington, D.C.; US
Department of Education. (and 1995 Harvard Educational Review 65 (4) .)
Eisner, Eliot W. (1991). The enlightened eye: Qualitative inquiry and the enhancement of
educational practice. New York: Macmillan.
Grumet, Madeleine R. (1988). Bitter milk: Women and teaching. Amherst, MA: University of
Massachusetts Press.
Henderson, James G., & Hawthorne, R. D. (1995). Transformative curriculum leadership. New
York: Macmillan.
Kincheloe, Joe L., Slattery, Patrick, & Steinberg, Shirley R. (2000). Contextualizing Teaching.
New York: Longman.
Kozol, Jonathan. (1991). Savage inequalities: Children in America's schools. New York:
Crown.
Kozol, Jonathan. (1995). Amazing Grace. New York: Crown.
McCarthy, Cameron. (1990). Race and curriculum, London: Falmer.
Miller, Janet L. (1990). Creating spaces and finding voices. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
Noddings, Nel. (1992). The challenge to care in schools: An alternative approach to education.
New York: Teachers College.
Pinar, William, Reynolds, William, Slattery, Patrick, & Taubman, Peter. (1995). Understanding
curriculum. New York: Peter Lang.
Reed, Ronald & Johnson, Tony. (1996). Philosophical documents in education. New York:
Longman.
Slattery–Syllabus, Page Six
van Manen, Max. (1993). The tact of teaching: The meaning of pedagogical tactfulness. New
York: SUNY Press.
Bennett, William. (1987/1988). The James Madison High School or The James Madison
Elementary School. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. [Handout].
Dewey, John. (1916). Democracy and Education. New York: Macmillan.
Dewey, John. (1938). Experience and Education. New York: Macmillan.
Dewey, John. (1934). A Common Faith. New York: Macmillan.
Dewey, John. (1934). Art as experience. New York: Macmillan
Doll, William E., Jr. (1993). A post-modern perspective on curriculum. New York: Teachers
College Press.
Eisner, Elliot W. (1994). [Third Edition]. The educational imagination: On the design and
evaluation of school programs. New York: Macmillan. [Handout].
Freire, Paulo. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York:
Continuum Press.
Knapol, Barry, & McLaren, Peter (eds.). (1997). Critical Multiculturalism: Uncommon voices in
a common struggle. Westport, CT: Bergin and Garvey.
Shapiro, H. Svi, & Purpel, David E. (1993). Critical social issues in American education:
Toward the 21st century. New York: Longman Publishers.
Wheatley, Margaret J. (1992). Leadership and the new science: Learning about organization
from and orderly universe. San Francisco: Berret-Koehler Publishers.
Capra, Fritjof. (1983). The turning point: Science, society and the rising culture. New York:
Banta Books.
Griffin, David Ray (Ed.). (1988). The reenchantment of science. Albany, New York: State
University of New York Press.
Maxcy, Spencer J. (1995). Democracy, chaos, and the new school order. Thousand Oaks, CA:
Corwin Press.
Bowles, Samuel, & Gintis, Herbert. (1976). Schooling in capitalist America: Educational
reform and the contradictions of economic life. New York: Basic Books.
Daly, Herman E., and Cobb, John B., Jr. (1994). For the common good: Redirecting the
economy toward community, the environment and a sustainable future. Second Edition.
Boston: Beacon Press.
Deleuze, Gilles, & Guattari, Felix. (1987). A thousand plateaus: Capitalism and schizophrenia.
Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Bowers, Chet A. (1993). Critical essays on education, modernity, and the recovery of the
ecological imperative. New York and London: Teachers College Press.
Bowers, Chet A., & Flinders, David J. (1990). Responsive teaching: an ecological approach to
classroom patterns of language, culture, and thought. New York: Teachers College
Press.
Orr, David W. (1992). Ecological literacy: Education and the transition to a postmodern
world. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press.
Jencks, Charles, (Ed.). (1992). The post-modern reader. New York and London: St. Martin's
Press.
Usher, R. & Edwards, R. (1995). Postmodernism and education. New York: Routledge.
Slattery–Syllabus, Page Seven
Bauman, Zygmunt. (1994). Postmodern Ethics. New York: Blackwell Publishers.
Derrida, J. (1972). Discussion: Structure, sign and play in the discourse of the human sciences.
In R. Macksey & E. Donato (Eds.), The structuralist controversy (247-272). Baltimore,
MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Derrida, J. (1976). Of grammatology. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Derrida, J. (1981). Positions. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Dewey, J. (1934). Art as experience. New York: Minton Balch.
Diamond, C. T. P. & Mullen, C. A. (Eds.). (1999). The postmodern educator: Arts-based
inquiries and teacher development. New York: Peter Lang.
Ellsworth, E. (1997). Teaching position: Difference, pedagogy, and the power of address. New
York: Teachers College Press.
Foucault, M. (1972a). Power/Knowledge. New York: Pantheon.
Foucault, M. (1972b). The Archaeology of Knowledge. New York: Pantheon.
Foucault, M. (1975). Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. New York: Pantheon.
Foucault, M. (1977). Language, counter-memory, practice. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University
press.
Foucault, M. (1983). This is not a pipe. (J. Harkness, Trans.). Berkeley, CA: University of
California Press.
Freire, P. (1985). The politics of education: Culture, power, and liberation. South Hadley, MA:
Bergin and Garvey.
Giroux, H. A. (1992). Border crossings: Cultural workers and the politics of education. New
York: Routledge.
Giroux, H. A. (1997). Pedagogy and the politics of hope: Theory, culture, and schooling.
Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Lather, P. (1986). Research as praxis. Harvard Educational Review 56, 257-77.
Lather, P. (1991). Getting smart: Feminist research and pedagogy with/in the postmodern. New
York: Routledge.
Lather, P. & Smithies, C. (1997). Troubling the angels: Women living with HIV/AIDS. Boulder,
CO: Westview/harper Collins.
Lawrence-Lightfoot, S. (1983). The good high school: Portraits of character and culture. New
York: Basic Books.
Lawrence-Lightfoot, S. & Davis, J. H. (1997). The art and science of portraiture. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Lyotard, J.-F. (1984). The postmodern condition: A report on knowledge. [G. Bennington and B.
Massumi, Trans.]. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Lyotard, J.-F. (1992). The postmodern explained to children: Correspondences 1982-1984.
London: Turnaround.
McLaren, P. (1997). Revolutionary multiculturalism: Pedagogy of dissent for the new
millennium. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Nietzsche, F. (1968). The birth of tragedy. In W. Kaufman (Ed.), Basic writings of Nietzsche.
New York: Modern Library.
Rorty, R. (1989). Contingency, irony, and solidarity. Cambridge, England: Cambridge
University Press.
Slattery–Syllabus, Page Eight
Rorty, R. (1991). Objectivity, relativism, and truth. Cambridge, England: Cambridge
University Press.
Rouse, J. (1987). Knowledge + power: Toward a political philosophy of science. Ithaca, NY:
Cornell University Press.
Said, E. (1979). Orientalism. New York: Routledge.
CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS:
Controversy surrounds contemporary philosophical issues in curriculum theory. Please read the
texts, listen to the professor, and listen to student reports with curiosity and a healthy skepticism.
Please ask questions, challenge positions, and present rebuttals. However, please refrain from
attacking or belittling the position of an author, professor, guest lecturer, or fellow student. Ad
Hominem attacks are to be avoided. We are all challenged to listen, question, and debate from
an open and inquisitive posture. When the course if over, students are obviously free to accept or
reject any philosophy presented in this course. However, during the course students are required
to explore and understand the various curriculum theories presented by the professor and the
texts.
FILMS:
There are several films related to themes in the textbook that I would recommend for viewing.
We will have the opportunity to view a few of these films during the course. Students may want
to rent the other films for future viewing after the course is over.
“A Lesson Before Dying” by Ernest J. Gaines
“The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman” by Ernest J. Gaines
“Integrating the Curriculum” by ASCD
“Off Track” by Teachers College Press
“XXXY”
“In the Life”
“Licensed to Kill”
“Little Secrets”
“American History X”
“Higher Education”
“Vukovar”
“PBS Documentary: Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan”
“PBS Documentary: Albert Einstein”
“PBS Documentary: How the West Was Lost” (6 Parts)
“Children in America’s Schools” PBS Special with Bill Moyers and Jonathan Kozol
“At Play in the Fields of the Lord”
“The Mission”
“Secrets and Lies”
“Lone Star”
“Dead Poets Society”
“Dangerous Minds”
“Stand and Deliver”
“Pollock”
“Basquiat”
“Eurpoa, Europa”
CURRICULUM THEORY
University of Manitoba, Summer, 2000
Dr. Patrick Slattery, Associate Professor, Texas A&M University
Department of Educational Curriculum and Instruction
Department of Educational Administration
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:
Office/Phone: 314 Harrington, (979) 845-8397; (512) 834-2454 (Home).
Email:
<[email protected]> or <[email protected]> (preferred)
Class Meetings: M-F, 8:30-11:30am; July 17-21 and July 24-28. And 1-4pm July 21 (off site).
Location:
Classes will meet on campus except for July 21 and two additional off campus
field experiences. The class times may have to shift to the afternoon for these two field
experiences to accommodate museum hours. Additional off campus field experiences each
afternoon will be made available on a voluntary basis for interested students. These enrichment
experiences are optional and will not impact grades or class assignments.
Appointments: Available upon request.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The purpose of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive perspective on the field
of curriculum theory including, but not limited to, the historical, political, autobiographical,
gendered, racial, social, philosophical, theological, institutional, and international dimensions of
curriculum studies. The reconceptualized curriculum field has moved beyond exclusive concern
with the development of institutional schooling and related classroom materials and activities to
understanding broader philosophical and symbolic representations of curriculum that impact
schools and society. Curriculum theory focuses on the context of education with emphasis on
multiculturalism, internationalization, postmodernism, poststructuralism, ecological
sustainability, economic equity, democratic community, social justice, linguistic and historical
deconstruction, gender equity, anti-racism, anti-sexism/heterosexism, autobiographical
investigations, qualitative and arts-based research, hermeneutics, aesthetics, and ethics. While
curriculum theory includes concern for institutional schooling and classroom practices, its
purpose is broader. The goal of this course is to provide graduate students with the theoretical
framework for analyzing, critiquing, and investigating curriculum so that they will understand the
complexities of contemporary curriculum discourses and research practices.
COURSE READINGS:
Percy, W. (1987). The Thanatos Syndrome. New York: Fawcett Columbine.
Davies, R. (1970). Fifth business. New York: Penguin Books.
Slattery, P. (1995). Curriculum development in the postmodern era. NY: Garland.
Numerous daily readings. Please get the packet of readings before the course begins.
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS:
Instructional strategies may include the following: seminar discussion, lecture, library research,
films, small group discussion, individual and group presentations, and reading educational
literature. We will also spend two or three sessions in a museum or other educational context to
discuss and experience curriculum as aesthetic text, political text, and theological text.
Slattery — Syllabus, Page Two
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS:
Pre-course Assignment:
Prior to the first class session on July 17, students will read the novels The Thanatos Syndrome
and Fifth Business and write a short scholarly paper. The paper should briefly review the texts,
analyze a few themes or characters, draw connections to education and educational literature, and
offer a critical analysis of the texts. The paper must be written using APA, Chicago, or MLA
style for citations and references. Obviously, such a paper could easily exceed 20 pages.
However, please limit this paper to about 5 double spaced pages (excluding title page and
reference list of works cited). A few citations from each novel must be included in your paper.
Additional citations from educational literature or other works of fiction are encouraged. I
would suspect that at least five additional references would be needed in order to produce a firstrate scholarly paper. Please submit these papers to the department secretary or Professor Roy
Graham prior to July 14. I hope to read and grade these papers on the weekend of July 15-16 in
Winnipeg. If a few students finish these papers before July 1, please mail them directly to my
home address: 1104 Huntridge Drive, Austin, Texas, 78758, USA. Please confirm reception on
my home email account. This will help to insure that I have time to read and grade all papers
before our first meeting date.
Daily Reading Assignments:
Monday, July 17, 8:30-11:30am
At this first class meeting we will engage in a lively discussion about the two novels and share
portions of our scholarly papers. Time permitting, we may watch clips from the film “A Lesson
Before Dying” or the film “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pitman.” We will also discuss the
handout from Curriculum Inquiry [Slattery, P. & Daigle, K. (1994). “Curriculum as a place of
turmoil: Deconstructing the source of anguish in Ernest Gaines' Pointe Coupee and Walker
Percy's Feliciana.” Curriculum Inquiry, 24 (4), 437-461] in which I present my scholarly
analysis of the work of Walker Percy and Ernest Gaines. This article will help students to begin
to understand why I begin all of my courses with literature and art. I will also show two short
film clips on the region of Louisiana that is the setting for the novels by these two authors. I
hope that class members will bring artifacts and films that will enhance our understanding of
Canadian literature, especially the work of Robertson Davies. Please bring lawn chairs and
coolers. We will sit outside for a portion of the day if the weather permits. Optional Luncheon
at 1pm.
Tuesday, July 18, 8:30-11:30am
Topic: Postmodern Theories and Philosophies.
Read the Intro. and Chapters 1-3 & 7 of Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era.
Read the handouts “Center for a Postmodern World” and “Contextualizing Teaching”
Wednesday, July 19, 8:30-11:30am
Topic: Critical Theory and Radical Democracy.
Read Chapter 9 of Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era. Read the handouts “Life in
Schools” by McLaren and “Wheels in the Head” by Spring. Film: “Off Track.” by Michelle Fine.
Optional afternoon food bank tour and volunteer service from 1-4pm.
Slattery — Syllabus, Page Three
Thursday, July 20, 8:30-11:30am
Topic: Theology and Hermeneutics
Read Chapters 4 and 5 of Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era.
Friday, July 21, 10am to 5pm, Field Experience
Topic: Ecology and Interdependence
Location: Sweat Lodge
Read Chapter 8 of Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era
Monday, July 24, 8:30-11:30am
Topic: Race, Gender, Economics, Sexual Orientation
Read Chapter 6 of Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era
Read the preview handout to “Children in America’s Schools”
Films: “Children In America’s Schools” and “In the Life”
Optional dinner and film “Vukovar” at 6pm.
Tuesday, July 25, 11am-3pm, Field Experience
Topic: Art and Aesthetics in the Curriculum
Location: Art Museums and Galleries
Read Chapter 10 of Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era
Wednesday, July 26, 8:30-11:30am
Topic: Time and Learning
Read Chapters 11, 12 and 13 of Curriculum Development in the Postmodern Era
Read the handouts “Prisoners of Time” and the 1995 Harvard Ed. Review Critique of “Prisoners
of Time” by Slattery
Optional luncheon and further discussion at 1pm
Thursday, July 27, 8:30-11:30am
Topic: Democracy and Education
Read the handouts “Lies my Teacher Told Me” by Lowen and “Wheels in the Head” by Spring
Friday, July 28, 10am-1pm
Topic: Course Summary
Prepare and short oral statement to share with the class
Location: Restaurant near campus for a shared meal, oral report, and discussion
Slattery — Syllabus, Page Four
Final Paper
After the course is completed, each student will write a long scholarly paper (about 10 double
spaced pages) using the same criteria listed above for the introductory paper. These papers will
reflect a comprehensive understanding of curriculum theory as outlined in the course description
at the beginning of this syllabus. Students must cite the texts and handouts read in the course, and
demonstrate a thorough understanding of these texts and the class discussions. Students will
submit these papers to the departmental secretary by August 21.
Grading
A= Outstanding graduate level scholarly work with a strong critical analysis of the texts
B= Very good graduate level scholarly work (stylistic and/or scholarly improvements needed)
C, D, F= Unacceptable graduate level work
25%= First scholarly paper on the two novels
25%= Consistent participation and critical analysis in class discussions
50%= Final research paper
ADA: (USA)
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides
comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this
legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that
provides for reasonable accommodation of their disability. If you believe you have a disability
requiring accommodation, please contact the office responsible for support services for students
with disabilities, and please inform me of the Canadian regulations that may apply to individual
students.
PLAGIARISM:
The handouts used in this course are copyrighted. By “handouts” I mean all materials generated
for this class, which include but are not limited to syllabi, quizzes, exams, lab problems, in-class
materials, review sheets, and additional problem sets. Because these materials are copyrighted,
you do not have the right to copy handouts, unless I expressly grant permission. As commonly
defined, plagiarism consists of passing off as one’s own the ideas, words, writings, data base,
research notes, web site information, etc. which belong to another. In accordance with this
definition, you are committing plagiarism if you copy the work of another person and turn it in as
your own, even if you should have the permission of that person. Plagiarism is one of the worst
academic offenses, for the plagiarist destroys the trust among colleagues without which research
cannot be safely communicated. If you have any questions regarding plagiarism, please consult
the latest issue of the Graduate Catalogue of the University of Manitoba, Page 23, for details.
Slattery — Syllabus, Page Five
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Willis, G., Schubert, W. H., Bullough, Jr., R. V., Kridel, C., & Holton, J. T. (1993). The
American curriculum: A documentary history. Westport, CT: Greenwood publishers.
Loewen, James W. (1997). Lies My Teacher Told Me. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Macedo, Donaldo (1994). Literacies of Power. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Kincheloe, J. L., & Steinberg, S. R. (1995). Thirteen Questions: Reframing Education's
Questions [Second Edition]. New York: Peter Lang Publishers.
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CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS:
Controversy surrounds contemporary philosophical issues in curriculum theory. Please read the
texts, listen to the professor, and listen to student reports with curiosity and a healthy skepticism.
Please ask questions, challenge positions, and present rebuttals. However, please refrain from
attacking or belittling the position of an author, professor, guest lecturer, or fellow student. Ad
Hominem attacks are to be avoided. We are all challenged to listen, question, and debate from an
open and inquisitive posture. When the course if over, students are obviously free to accept or
reject any philosophy or theory presented in this course. However, during the course students are
required to explore and understand the various curriculum theories presented by the professor
and the texts.