Curriculum Studies: From Modern To Postmodern

On the basis of investigating the formation, the development and the chatristics of modemcwhculum stUdies, the dissertaion makes research and reflection on the critics of defectS inmodem cwhculum stUdies, the consndion of postInodem cwhculum studies made bycwhcularists. It Compares the relationship betWeen modem and postmodem cwhcultnn -stUdies,and evalUaes their characterishcs. By the study of these aspectS, the paPer attemptS to draw theoutline of the development of currculum stUdies, disclose the paradigm transfOrmation incwhculum studies and finally provide exPerience or enlightenment for the current cdriculumdevelopment in our coUntry.This dissertaion is composed of nine chaPters. They are actually divided into three partS. Thefirst part recalls the development of modern cdriculum stildies and analyses their characteristics.The second part talks about the rise and viewpointS of postmodem cwhculum stUdies. The lastpat makes a comparison betWeen modern and postInodern cdriculum stUdies, discusses theconstrUction of current cdriculum studies and the enlightenmeni to curriculum development inour coUntryModern cwhculum stUdies tend to investigate cuniculum problems specially andsystematically with the modern orientaion of value, manner of cultUre, sociaI spirit and mode ofthinking in modern society or era. Modern curriculum stUdies are born in l9l8. It has tWofundamental models. One pursues the scientfic methOd, the Other the scientific content. Modemcwhculum studies follow the principle of exPerience verification with the man taSk ofillumination, it tIies to exPlain cutriculum and the process of cutriculum development to foreteIlor operate or even colltrOl the actUal cutriculum practice with formula knowledge. MOdemcLIrriculum stUdies show great intereSt in the methOd and procedure of natUral science. Objectivityand value neUtTal form the keme1 of modern cwhculum stUdies.Postmodem cboculum stUdies rise with the reconceptUalhation in l970s.ReconceptualiZaion tends to change cutriculum stUdies from a fleld that is "atheoretical","ahistOrical", and of technical and prastical oriented in narere to the one of hiStorical, individualand changeable which seeks theoriZation and conceptualiZation wun ds own. For the difference ofthe basis of thought and the focus of study, reconceptUalistS were divided into tWo schools,phi lo s op hic aUaestheti c al and s oc ial/Po l iti c al v is ion. The fOrme r sti c ks to thepni los o p hic aI/ae sthetic aI c ritic s to awaken and hei ghten the s elf c ons c io usnes s, to thedevelopment of currere. The latter stresses the critics to social ideology and the constfuchon ofsocial justice. Promoted by reconceptualization, great changes have taken place in the field ofcwhculum studies. After mid l980s, as postriodernism extends itS influence, more scholars tUrnto it. There appears a lot of curriculum stUdies from different postInodern visions, such asconstructive postInodernism, postStructUxalism, postInodern feminism, bio1ogica1 postInodetalsm,etc., which enrich the viewpoints and discourses of curricuIum stUdies. Postmodern curricuIumstLIdies oppose the technological rationality in currcu1am field and insist the change fromcurriculum development to cutriculum" understanding" .It calls to pay more attefltion totheorization, historicity and inquiry in curriculum studies, enhances the ideas of holistics andcorrelations, heighens learners' selfconsciousness and creativities.PostInodem cwhculum studies are the result of reflection and tTanscendency to modemcdriculum stUdies which show great interest in objectivity universality and neutrality on the basisof reflecting and criticizing the negative influences and resuIts made by modern rationalitypostmodem curricuIum studies make efforts to cany forward the spirit of subjectivity,individuality and pluralism. Both modern and postmodern curriculum studies have advantages anddisadvantages. The construction of cur...