Discuss How Philosophy Sociology and Psychology Influence the School Curriculum
INTRODUCTION
Education is a form of learning in which the knowledge, skills, and habits of a group of people are transferred from one generation to the next through teaching, training, or research. Moreover, education can develop human being to gain the ability, knowledge, and personality. Thus, the study in foundation of education context provides three significant roles such as philosophy, sociology, and psychology of education. The philosophy of education studies the aims, forms, methods, and results of acquiring knowledge. Beside these, philosophy of education applies to the process and a field of study. The sociology of education is the study of educational structures, processes, and practices from a sociological perspective. It has illustrated the conception of enter-relation between education and society. Hence, Educational psychology in turn notifies of specialty within educational studies, including instructional design, educational technology, curriculum development, organizational learning, special education and classroom management. All of the three elements of education contribute each benefit for young’s abilities, knowledge, and personality.
Discuss How Philosophy Sociology and Psychology Influence the School Curriculum
Foundations of curriculum are the considerations of educational programs and policies in the light of an interdisciplinary endeavor involving philosophical, psychological, sociological, and historical, understandings.
The foundations of curriculum set the external boundaries of the knowledge of curriculum and define what constitutes valid sources from which to derive the field’s theories, principles, and ideas. Curriculum’s commonly accepted foundations are philosophical, psychological, social are explained as under:
DISCUSS HOW PHILOSOPHY, SOCIOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY INFLUENCE THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM
A comprehensive view of the curriculum requires a consideration of the nature and needs of the individual, the aspirations and requirements of society, and the process by which the individual incorporates experience. As the study on curriculum is very wide, the audience chosen should be from all walks of life. Important to the discussion are three foundations of curriculum philosophical, psychological and social impacting education in our past and present day educational system. Each of the major foundations has played a significant role in curriculum development, instructional practices and curriculum development.
Philosophical influence of school Curriculum
Curriculum decisions involve a wide range of considerations that anchor on several issues in education. These issues include the purpose of learning, sources of the subject matter, the nature of teaching/learning process, characteristics of the leaner, among others (Ekanem, & Ekefre, 2014). These decisions are based or anchored on certain fundamental beliefs that spring from one’s philosophy of education. This is what made it possible for philosophy to be viewed or taken as one of the foundations of curriculum. The various philosophical thoughts that influence curriculum are Idealism, Realism, Existentialism, Pragmatism, Essentialism, perennialism and Deconstructionism.
Alistair (2000) argues that there is no curriculum that does not draw inspiration from these philosophical schools of thoughts. Philosophy helps us to handle our own personal system of beliefs and values, that is, the way and manner that we perceive the world around us and how we actually define what is important to us. Since philosophical issues have always influenced society and our institutions of learning, the study and understanding of philosophy of education in relation to curriculum development becomes vital and imperative.
Basically, philosophy of education does influence, and to a greater extent determines our educational decisions and alternatives. This is because; those that are responsible for curricular decisions need be clear about what the belief or their belief system is. This is based on the fact that unclear or confused beliefs will definitely lead to unclear and confusing curriculum (Ekanem, 2013). One vital step in developing a personal philosophy of education is to understand the several alternatives that others have developed over the years.
Discuss How Philosophy Sociology and Psychology Influence the School Curriculum
Psychological influence of school Curriculum
Educational Psychology as a discipline is concerned with the question of how people learn (Ornstein and Hunkins, 1998). Psychologists are concerned with establishing patterns in human life so as to be able to understand and predict behavior (Shiundu and Omulando, 1992). Educational Psychology as a discipline advances principles of teaching and learning that influence teacher-student behavior within the context of the curriculum. This is because psychology is the unifying element in the learning process. For example John Dewey, a renowned educationist acknowledges that psychology is the understanding of how the individual learner interacts with objects and persons in the environment. The quality of this interaction determines the amount and type of learning.
Psychology in general and educational psychology in particular contributes to appropriate decision making in curriculum regarding selection and organization of appropriate objectives, learning experiences and methods of evaluation as well as decisions regarding the scope of the curriculum. According to Ornstein and Hunkins (1998) psychology serves as the impetus for many curriculum decisions. Psychological influences of curriculum can best be understood through theories of learning. These theories of learning are classified into three broad categories as follows: Behavioral learning, cognitive and developmental learning and humanistic learning theories.
Schools are part and parcel of society and exist for society. Society influences society through its curriculum. Schools, through their teaching of the curriculum, can shape and mold society and society in turn can impact the curriculum. There is rarely a curriculum that is developed without reflecting society. Thus, to understand how the content of schooling is shaped in any society, we must understand the relationship between education and other institutions in society. In other words, to understand what is taught, how it is taught and why it is taught, we need to look at the social forces that shape the curriculum.
Knowing the social foundations of curriculum is crucial in making decisions about what should be included in the curriculum and eventually what happens in the classroom. A curriculum should be able to prepare students for the present and the future. In other words, a curriculum should address the wants and needs of learners by responding to social conditions locally, nationally and globally.
Sociological influence of school Curriculum
Sociological Curriculum It studies human behavior in groups social structure and social phenomena different forms of human interrelations – Latin “Socius” – “social or being with others” – and the Greek “logos” – “study” Therefore, the term “Sociology” basically means the “study of social beings”.
The Sociological Foundation Issues from society including groups and institutions in the culture and their contribution to education – refers to issues from society that have an influence on curriculum. There are many aspects of the society that need consideration in curriculum making. These include: Changes occurring in societal structures; Transmission of culture; social problems as issues for Curriculum and Economics issues.
