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Curriculum is those experiences of  the student for which the school is responsible. Curriculum is concerned not only with the what should be experienced, but also with the why, when, where, and how particular kinds of learnings should take place, and with the atmosphere in which the various learnings occur.  

Curriculum theory is a set of related statements that gives meaning to a curriculum by pointing out the relationships among its elements and by directing its development, its use, and its evaluation.

A study of curriculum and curriculum theory, then, involves teachers in reflections on their philosophies of education, values and goals, learning outcomes, instructional strategies, assessment, and evaluation.

The purpose of this web site is to offer comment and sources of further information on these and many other components of curriculum.

Curriculum tends to be a reflection of the society in which it is formulated.  In various localities the curriculum reflects the stipulations of the current government in power.  Since the focus of this web site is largely the province of Ontario, the governmental directions of the Ministry of Education and Training (Ontario) will be prominent.

In the document Common Curriculum, the Government of Ontario identifies the following attributes for curriculum:

1. The curriculum must reflect the diversity of Canadian society.
   •  Curriculum must present an accurate picture of the world in which students live and will work.  Students' self-image and their attitudes to others are affected both by what is taught and by how it is taught. Students are entitled to have their personal experiences and their racial and ethnocultural heritage valued, and to live in a society that upholds the rights of the individual.  Students will also learn that their society is enriched and strengthened by its diversity.
2. Curriculum must be adaptable to accommodate the strengths, needs, and background of individual students.
   • Curriculum must respond to students' varying strengths and abilities, as well as changing needs and circumstances.  In fact, some degree of flexibility must be built into every program, or it will soon become obsolete.  Teachers' assessment of student progress will indicate the kinds of adjustments that will be needed to meet the particular needs of individuals or groups as they work towards achieving the common outcomes.
   • A flexible curriculum allows and encourages the use of varied content and a range of teaching and learning methods and resources so that students can develop their personal strengths and pursue their own particular interests while achieving the outcomes.  As well, a flexible curriculum allows participation in community activities and provides opportunities for people beyond the classroom to contribute to the school program.
3. The curriculum must guide students to make connections through constant inquiry.
   • Curriculum must enable students to develop inquiry skills and to use them to identify and explore the connections among different areas of learning and between school work and their own lives.  The curriculum must therefore emphasize such activities as exploring and analyzing ideas and problems, and creating and assessing solutions.
4. All of the activities and experiences that contribute to students' achieving the outcome must be considered part of the curriculum.
   • The ways in which people in the school behave towards each other and work together in the course of school activities contribute to learning and are therefore part of  the school curriculum.
5. Curriculum must demonstrate connections among people, ideas, events, and processes to prepare students for a changing world.
   • In the world in which students will have to work and function, different areas of knowledge and different components of reality are found together and are connected in many complicated ways.  Integrated programs are built on these connections and continually focus students' attention on them as they explore various issues and problems.  Over time, students develop the habit of seeing theses connections in reality and of using this perception and knowledge in analyzing issues and seeking solutions to problems.
   • In short, an integrated curriculum and active, inquiry-oriented learning allow students to become creative, adaptable, and independent thinkers who are able to solve problems in a wide variety of situations and to assess their solutions in a global framework.  It is this kind of resourcefulness that students will need in order to deal with the challenges of the future with confidence.

This web site on considerations in Curriculum Theory was done by two graduate students, Cathy Matheson and Maya Rao, in partial fulfillment of 80-524 Fundamental of Curriculum Theory.  The intention is to have the web site serve as a beginning point for further study and discussion.