Psychological Bases for Curriculum Decisions

• Individual Differences• Accommodations• Principles of Learning• Behaviorism• Humanism• Learning Styles• Highlighting the Rewards of

Learning

Social and Cultural Forces

• Structures• Traditional Curriculum• Curriculum Challenges• Influences• Political Pressures• Immediate Communities

QUESTIONS THAT TEACHERS NEED TO ASK

• DOES THE CONTENT RELATE?• HOW CAN I ORGANIZE AND

PRESENT?• CAN I ORGANIZE IN A

LOGICAL SEQUENCE?• HOW CAN I RELATE CONTENT

TO PUPILS’ EXPERIENCES?

SUBJECT MATTER AND ITS ROLE IN DECISION

MAKING• WHAT TO TEACH• WHEN TO TEACH• NEED TO TRY HARDER• EXPERIMENTS• GUARDING AGAINST

PATCHWORK

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING CONTENT

• VALIDITY• SIGNIFICANCE• BALANCE OF SURVEY AND

DEPTH• APPROPRIATENESS• DURABILITY• RELATIONSHIP OF FACTS AND

MAIN CONCEPTS• ILLUMINATING WITH DATA

ORGANIZATION

• SUBJECTS• CORRELATION• BROAD FIELDS• CORE PROGRAMS• LIFE SITUATIONS• PUPILS’ EXPERIENCE

SPECIAL PROBLEMS

• SEQUENCE• CONTINUITY• SCOPE• BALANCE

NEW VERSIONS OF SUBJECT MATTER

• TECHNOLOGY• ECOLOGY• VALUES• “NEW” SEX• ALCOHOL AND DRUG

ABUSE