Theory and Curriculum Development

Recommended Prerequisites

No requirements other than those required by a 2nd year student are required.

Teaching Methods

Face-to-face sessions include both theoretical and practical work, to wit:

- Presentation and exploration of documents (texts, images and video);

- Demonstration of procedures, and presentation of methods, techniques and instruments;

- Accomplishment of individual tasks and/or in small groups.

Autonomous student work throughout the semester:

- Step-by-step development of a learning portfolio (composed of six tasks).

Learning Outcomes

By reference to the syllabus:

1. Acquiring knowledge

- Integrating knowledge in previous schemes of thought

- Retrieving knowledge correctly

2. Understanding knowledge

- Relating aspects of knowledge (new and previous)

- (Re)organising knowledge and give it a sense/significance

3. Analyse particular issues/documents/situations based on knowledge

- Deconstruct these issues/documents/situations into their main parts

- Discuss these parts in light of relevant knowledge

- Give these issues/documents/situations meaning in order to achieve guiding syntheses.

4. Apply knowledge in concrete circumstances

- Use products of analysis and synthesis to express an opinion and/or perform a specific task

- Check the appropriateness/correctness of the given opinion and/or of the specific task

5. Value knowledge

- Attributing value to knowledge

- Be involved in the appropriation of knowledge.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Introduction

Conceptions of education, conceptions of school curriculum

Sense(s) of school curriculum

Professionals as decision makers in curricular development

1 Curriculum Theory

1.1 Elements of contemporary curriculum policy

1.2 Historical roots of the school curriculum

1.3 The school curriculum in the social debate

1.4 The teleological reasoning underlying the school curriculum

1.5 The duty to educate underlying the school curriculum

1.6 Epistemological framework(s) of the school curriculum

1.7 Curricular implications of scientific knowledge on learning

1.8 Professional thinking and action in curricula

2 Curriculum development

2.1 A guiding scheme of curriculum work

2.2 Possible curricular paths and legitimate decisions

2.3 Circumstances in which the school curriculum is developed

2.4 Curricular structuring: stages and references

2.5 Documentary implementation of the school curriculum

2.6 The school curriculum in interaction

Synthesis

Analysis and construction of curricular.

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Synthesis work: 50.0%
Exam: 50.0%

Bibliography

- Anderson, L. & Krathwohl (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing. New York: Anderson, L. & Krathwohl (Eds.) (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing. New York: Longman.

Carrilho, A. (1992). Desenvolvimento curricular. Lisboa: Texto Editora.

Damião, M. H. (1996). Pré, inter e pós-acção. Coimbra: Minerva.

Flinders, D & Thornton, S. (Ed.) (2017, 6ªed). The curriculum studies reader. New York: Routledge.

Kelley (2009). The currriculum: Teory and practice. London. Sage Publications.

Mayer, R. & Alexander, P. (Eds.). (2011). Handbook of research on learning and instruction. New York: Routledge.

Mayer, R. E. (2011). Applying the science of learning. Boston, MA: Pearson

Pacheco, J. A. (2005). Estudos curriculares. Porto: Porto Editora.

Silva, T. T. (2005). Teorias do currículo: Uma introdução crítica. Porto: Porto Editora.

Syomwene, A. (2020). Curriculum theory. Characteristics and funcions. European Journal of Education Studies 7(1), 326-337.