Modified Curriculum Orientations Instrument

My results:

Two highest scores - Cognitive Process (46) and Behavioral (45)

Third highest  - Humanistic (40)

Fourth highest - Academic Rationalism (35)

Second lowest - Eclectic/Practical (31)

Lowest - Social Reconstruction (19)


What the inventory results mean:
I scored highest in Cognitive Process. This belief is based on the principle that the curriculum should focus on helping students develop their ability to think and develop a vast range of skills that will enable students to handle problems. I believe in teaching students real-life skills, and in following the curriculum, I plan units to include problem-based learning giving students challenges where they use skills they'll need in the "real world" (interviewing people, questioning practices and theories, etc...)

I also scored high in Behavioral (Curriculum as Technology). This orientation's basis is in behavioral psychology and the work of B.F. Skinner. What's interesting to me is that this orientation does not focus on a particular content or social/personal issues. Operant behavior (running, talking, blinking) is observable behavior and means that learning is a function of a change in a student's overt behavior. The changes occur due to a student's response to events in the classroom environment.

The Humanistic orientation means that the purpose of education is to give students opportunities to grow and mature, and that in their own time they develop personally. This curriculum orientation includes the emotional and social skills students need to learn to get along with others.

My score in Academic Rationalism wasn't too much lower than the Humanistic score. Academic Rationalism is based on traditional studies in academics. This orientation follows Plato's beliefs that gaining knowledge requires focus and mental discipline.

The lowest score I earned is in the Social Reconstruction curriculum orientation. This orientation encourages and advocates students learning to solve societal problems.  John Dewey's work focused on these beliefs; therefore, the curriculum needs to be relevant to the individual and society. Schools help to shape students so that as individuals, they will be better and more productive members of society. As a result, the society will benefit.

I think this exercise was interesting in that it has pushed me to think about the "Big Picture in Curriculum." I am questioning myself since I am the instructional leader of my department (as the English Department Chair). At the end of each year, I always reflect on what I have taught, how the year has gone, and how can I make my instruction and instructional materials better. I think most teachers do the same. Self-reflecting is a necessary part of growth as an educator and a person. I think my curriculum uses all of the orientations. So much of what we do now in classroom is try to make material and readings useful and relevant to our students. Lastly, I have become curious about the different curriculum orientations, and I would like to do further research on them.