1.
ESSAY
Book review
Title:
Curriculum: Theory and practice
Student
Luis Santos (31163005)
PhD. Student of Nanjing Normal University
April, 2017

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BOOK REPORT/REVIEW
TITLE: Curriculum:theoryandpractice
Author: Kelly
Edition:5th
.
Year:2004
General overview:
Thisbooktacklesthe differentconceptionsofCurriculum, itsdevelopmentandimplementation,
by reference to the real experience of itsprocess inThe UnitedKingdom, duringthree decades
(from 1970’s to 1990’s). The central theme of this book is the right and essential role of the
teacher, not as a mere technician,but as a professional able to make professional judgements
regardingCurriculum Development.
The author presents this topic focusing on conceptions and theoretical discrepancies about
Curriculum Development.This is, the answers to the question, what is a real or Educational
Curriculum? rather than on methodological focuses referred to the question, how to plan the
curriculum? Nevertheless, the extensive and sophisticated theory presented and explained
provides very clear guidance to develop a practical Curriculum planning process in terms of
principlesandcriteria.
In the debate and practice about Curriculum, very often there are many misused concepts
regarding to this matter that the author attempts to clarify. Those conceptions are referred to
the concept of Education vs. Indoctrination, teaching vs. instruction, Objectives vs. targets,
principles,process,schoolingfocusvs.vocational focus, learning,developingandsoforth.
The authoremphasizesthatthe conceptof CurriculumshouldincludeaJustifiable focus.Thisis,
it should offer justifications and descriptionsabout the purposes,intentions and effectsof the
curriculumregardingitscontentanditsimpactonthe studentsandsociety.Thisisimportantto
avoid a Curriculum that seeks for indoctrination rather than education, motivated by political
interestsandbiasesthataffectthe developmentof aDemocraticCurriculum andSociety.
Finally, the author expresses concerns about Curriculum with totalitarian and anti-democratic
views,whichactuallyiswidelyappliedinmanycurrentsocietiesaswell asinUK until the 1990’s.
Books’ chapters and content:
Thisbookcontainseightchapters.A general overview of eachispresentedbelow.
Chapter 1: The curriculum and the Study of Curriculum
In thischapter,the author developsthe answerstothe questions,whatshouldbe?andwhatis
the Curriculum? Clarification of the concepts of Curriculum and Education are presented. The
references presentedare, the wide dimension of curriculum, its justifiable character, the total
curriculum, its real purposes. A descriptive rather than prescriptive character of curriculum is
emphasized.
References about the seek for liberty, freedom, democracy, respect for others are mentioned
as part of the purpose of the Curriculum. Furthermore, the misconception of Curriculum as a
Syllabus is clarified. Also,the multiple dimensions of curriculum are explained by reference to
moral,values,aestheticandotheraspectsof a comprehensive Curriculum.
An especial reference tothe centralityandthe importance of the teacherisalsogiven.

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A descriptionof keyaspectsof Curriculumstudiesispresented,amongthem, the strategiesfor
curriculumchange and control,assessment,evaluationandaccountability,the Politicizationof
curriculum,Curriculumplanning,IdeologiesandCurriculumplanning,andHumanKnowledge.
Chapter 2: Knowledge andthe Curriculum
Thischapterdiscussesaboutthe problemof HumanKnowledge.The authortriestodevelopthe
answersto the questions,whatisthe real knowledge?Whatisthe true knowledge? Isthere an
Absolut knowledge? She presents the different views and ideologies of knowledge that are
involvedinEducationandCurriculumstudiesfromthe philosophicalpointof view of knowledge.
This chapter alsoexplainsthe implicationsof knowledge ideologies inthe Curriculumand how
certain philosophies can affect the curriculum planning and developmental process; especially
itseffectsinthe society.
The knowledge philosophies discussed in this chapter are those regarding to Rationalism,
Empiricism, Pragmatism, Existentialism, Post-modernism and the political uses that those
philosophiescanhave towards Dogmatic, Totalitarian,anti-democraticorDemocraticsystems.
The recommendations about the view of knowledge are towards not absolutist and dogmatic
conceptions,andinfavorof hypothetical-tentative,notuniversalcharacterof knowledge.
Chapter 3: Curriculumas Content and Product
This chapter discusses about the major ideologiesof curriculum and presents three types of
Curriculums.Nevertheless,thetwofirstare furtherdescribed,meanwhile thethirdispartof the
next chapter. The three ideologies of Curriculum are: Curriculum as content and education as
transmission,Curriculumasproduct and educationas instrumental,Curriculumasprocessand
educationasdevelopment.
Problems of content selection and weak planning process are involved in the Curriculum as
contentand Educationas transmissionmodel.
The approaches of Curriculum based on Content and Objectives have been used by and for
political interests linked to utilitarian,instrumental and industrial purposes,and therefore,a
seekforDemocracyhas beendisregarded.
The Objective-basedCurriculummodelhaslargelycontributedtoplanningprocessandprecision,
this view is objectedby those who think that this focus can lead the CurriculumDevelopment
process to dismiss a sophisticated, multi-dimension,moral and artistic character of Education.
Furthermore,concernsof the flawsof behaviorismandindoctrinationare linkedtothismodel
accordingto the author,in spite of the attemptto combine the ContentandObjectivesmodels
as a solution to the shortcomings of a pure Content-based model. Problems of objectives
prescription,are partof the discussionof thismodel.
Chapter 4: Curriculumas Process and Development
Thischapterdescribesthe featuresof whatisthoughtagood Curriculummodel byreferenceto
ideologies, ideas, and concepts such as, Educational Curriculum, comprehensive curriculum,
Democraticcurriculum,participation,principlesforguidingacurriculumprocess.
The author highlights the principlesandprocessfocuson the CurriculumDevelopment,aswell
as the importance of JustificationsandDescriptionsof the purposesof Curriculum.

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It is mentionedthatthe foundationof thismodel isthe Developmental theory,the Humanand
ChildDevelopmenttheory.Thismodeliscalled‘Child-centered’.
Other features of this model presented are: the focus on the individual or the individualities
rather than on the society as a whole, the seek for students, teachers, citizen’s autonomy,the
inclusionof the importance of the Humanpotentialitiesandthe conceptof Competence rather
than performance or acquired knowledge, the empowerment for democracy, the moral,
aesthetic and affective search, the seek for free-of-political, instrumental, commercial view of
curriculum and education, as well as conceptions of Education and teaching free from
indoctrination,instructionconceptions,thosedeemedassimpleviewsof Education.
Chapter 5: Curriculumand Development,change and Control
This chapter takes us to an exploration of the strategies of curriculum planning (strategies for
change andinnovation).The strategiesmentionedare:The Disseminationof Innovation,School-
baseddevelopmentandActionResearch.
There is an especial emphasis on an appropriate Dissemination process to avoid Central-
peripherymodel of dissemination.Besides,inthischapterthereisareferenceaboutthe Control
exercised by the political power to favor its interests. Testing, evaluation and accountability
processes are generally used as means of political control over the curriculum and education
system.
Amongthe strategiessuggestedinthe Curriculuminnovationandchange are:the seekforlocal
initiatives and teacher´s cooperation, Action Research, teachers training and empowerment,
appropriate communication among teachers and other actors, as well as their involvement,
reduction of political interference, and social and organization barriers. It is, to constitute a
healthysocial andorganizational climate.
Chapter 6: Assessment,Evaluation,Appraisal and Accountability
This chapter tackles the implications and conceptions of Educational assessment, evaluation,
appraisal andaccountability.Itissaidthat those processescanbe usedforgood or forill.
The author offersadetailedexplanationabouthow accountabilityandtestingprocessare used
for mere political or centralized control and not for Educational and Curriculum development,
in a direct or indirect manner, under the rhetorical justification of ´education’s quality
promotion´. Generation of statistics has been the motivation of political groups for their self-
promotion.
Other important topics referred in this chapter are, the concepts and practices of summative
and formative evaluation, and implications referred to standards setting, and effectiveness in
the evaluationprocess.
The author emphasizesthatthe essence of arightevaluationandaccountabilityprocessand its
results, isthe provisionof feedbacktoimprove students’education.
Research is equal to Evaluation and Development, thus, an essential part of Curriculum linked
to teacher’sself-evaluationandthe ideaof ActionResearchinwhichteachersplayacrucial role.
Besides, there is a positive accountability model that contributes to the Curriculum and
Education development. This is an Intrinsic, Democratic and professional model of
accountability.

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The evaluationbasedonprinciplesandprocessisdeemedmore appropriate,ratherthanbased
on a listof prescribedobjectives.
Chapter 7: The Politicizationofthe Curriculum
Political implications in the Curriculum are widely explained in this chapter. Since, politics has
strong influence in Education and Curriculum, most of it with negative implications, there is a
vast number of topics referring to its means of influence and effects in the educationsystem.
The author expressesthe close linkbetweenEducationandpoliticsbynoting that Educationis
essentially a political activity, therefore, is not possible to discuss about curriculum without
political references.
External examinationandtestingsystemisone meanof indirect political influence andcontrol.
Direct political interventions have been performed in form of inhibition teacher’s autonomy,
creationof agenciesof control andaccountability,anddirectdictationof curriculumfocus,such
as the performance focusratherthanthe competence focus, throughpoliciesandregulations.
Basedon the experience of UKthat the authornarrates, political influence hashadeconomical
and instrumental tendencies,aswell as,aninterestforkeepapolitical andsocial status-quo.
It is also said that the Curriculum is a battleground of competing ideologies. Instrumental,
commercial vs. Democratic/idealistic ideologies fight to prevail and guide the Curriculum
Developmentprocess.
Chapter 8: Democratic and Educational National Curriculum
This chapter discusses the problem about the tensions between two views of Curriculum that
claim to seek for a Democratic Curriculum. One is focusedon the individualities of students or
individualneeds,andthe otherisfocusedonthe ideaof Equalityof Educational opportunity.
Basedonthe experience inUK,therehavebeenpressuresforexternalcontrolandrequirements
of internal development in favor of a Universal National Curriculum, which embraces and
proposesanindividual ‘diet’foreveryone.The argumentsthatthiscurriculumfocuspresentsto
support its Democratic claim are based on the theory of Rationalist Nature of knowledge that
tends to a universal, objective character of knowledge. Also, presents a Social or Sociological
argumentby reference to equalityof educationopportunityforall.Anotherargumentisbased
on the idea of Balance, by reference to a set of educational experiencesfor all pupils; and the
lastargumentisreferredtoaPolitical-Economical view,thatclaimsthe needof achievingcertain
necessary standards by pupils for a productive life. Regardless these arguments that claim a
Democratic view of Education and Curriculum, the arguments against are by reference to a
Dogmaticviewof knowledgeandproblemsrelatedtocontentselection.
On the other hand, the author asserts that the Curriculum as process and Education as
Development model is seen as the solution to the theoretical dilemma, since it proposes
‘commonareasof experience’andprinciples basedon the Childdevelopment theory thatguide
the educationprocesstowardsthe constructionof Democracy andautonomous people,andthe
ideaof an individualizedCurriculum intermsof Teacher’sAutonomy, thatpaysattentiontothe
particularities of each reality, school and pupils. A National Curriculum in these terms is what
the author deemsplausible. ThisisaDemocraticNational Curriculum.

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Conclusion
This book answers the questions regarding to what is a real Educational Curriculum? or What
should be a Democratic Curriculum? By implication, it refers the misconceptions and flaws in
the practice of Curriculum Development and implementation, by reference to the Curriculum
processinEnglandand Wales throughoutthree decades.
The author ends this book by stating that an appropriate curriculum for a democratic society
allows continuing development of knowledge, provides opportunities for young people to
develop their powers of autonomous thinking, provides teachers with autonomy to make
professional judgments, is developed in a democratic system of accountability, is framed in
termsof guidelinesandprinciples, isplannedwiththe participationof keyactors,among them
professionals,academics,policy-makersandothers.
Finally, this book Invites to develop further research on questions such as, the exploration of
‘the role of the professional teacherina democraticsociety’,how democraticinthe contextin
whichthe teacherperformshiswork?,the practical procedural principlesbasedonthe Human
Development theory for a National Curriculumor Curriculum Development,the dimensions of
the conceptof educationleftbehindincurrentNational curriculums, the featuresof a National
Curriculum that promote or block the development of students’ autonomy for a democratic
society.