| Modern curriculum, as an institutionalized form of curriculum, should be considered to be a social-cultural construction in given institutions. Curriculum reform is carried out under the guidance of assumed curriculum values, but the idea of curriculum values is specified and established by the implementation of curriculum institutions so that the idea of curriculum values can be ultimately institutionalized and the operation of curriculum institutions guarantees and ensures the transition of curriculum values into curriculum practice. Therefore, the construction of school curriculum institutions reflect both the basic appeal in curriculum theorizing and the current demand in curriculum practicing, which is indeed a research topic in curriculum studies.Institutions are fundamental to school curriculum reform. Curriculum changes cannot be advanced unless school curriculum is supported by related institution design and policy making because curriculum institutions are significant indicators by which curriculum development can be judged and examined. Based on the aforementioned argument, analysis of school curriculum institutional factors and establishment of a cognition-action framework for curriculum implementation on the level of school institutions are what this dissertation is intended for.The approach to the present research is illustrated as follows:On the basis that curriculum is understood as institutionalized text, the present dissertation makes a theoretical analysis of the relationship between curriculum and institution, explores the intrinsic mechanism of institutionalized curriculum and curriculum institutionalization. By using institution analysis as the methodological instrument, the dissertation discusses how curriculum as a phenomenon and curriculum institutions interact. By making the arguments that curriculum ideas are the understandings of curriculum values and curriculum presence and are fundamental to the establishment of curriculum institutions which are the embodiment and institutionalization of curriculum beliefs and values, the dissertation studies the historical development and intrinsic logic of school curriculum institutions in the context of institutionalized school education by adopting the theoretical resources of institution studies from various disciples (particularly the research paradigm of new institutionalism and institutionalized education) and combining the research methods of historical examination and current investigation to view the research topic. By analyzing the conditional, institutional and cultural factors that impact upon curriculum innovation in schools, the dissertation proposes the assumption that institutions are the most crucial element that has an influence upon curriculum development. Starting from the history and current status of school curriculum development in China, the dissertation analyzes the institutional source of school curriculum institutions, the scope, extent and limitations of how institutions impact school curriculum innovation, and explores a feasible and suitable approach to the generation and changes of school curriculum institutions in the Chinese context, which meets the requirements of both rationality and legitemacy.On the above-mentioned research design, the dissertation consists of seven chapters with research content described briefly below:Part One examines school curriculum changes from the perspective of curriculum and action. Curriculum institution reflects the rational appeal of school curriculum development, and the mutual and interactive construction of institutionalized curriculum and curriculum institutionalization. In this chapter, the function of standardization, orders and freedom is highlighted, and curriculum institution is considered as a fundamental approach to school curriculum development, thus establishing the logic premise on which the present research is based. In terms of research methodology, the methods used for institutions analysis in various disciplines are adopted as the basis and new institutionalism as the forceful instrument in analyzing school curriculum innovation.Part Two study school curriculum institution itself. In this part, the author first reviews the concept of institution in the light of pragmatics and other disciplines and explores the foundations of current research on school curriculum institution as well as the existing problems, and then defines the core concept school curriculum institution (which is the logic departure of the present study) by making theoretical interpretations of school curriculum institution in terms of the nature, type and structure on the basis of research findings of institution in various fields, kinds and levels so as to make clarifications of school curriculum institution and provide theoretical resources and reference framework for understanding school curriculum institution.Part Three proposes that functions of school curriculum institution can fall into actual functions and ideal functions, the functions are not unlimited because the realization of them is subject to certain approaches and conditions, and the functions can be improved in the process of their implementation in school curriculum activities.Part Four holds that school curriculum institution is a dynamic process. The change of school curriculum institution indicates the shift from the old to the new one and the substitution of the flexible one of the rigid one. According to different dimensions, school curriculum institutions change in different ways and with a certain rationality in a given range and extent. The change shows the objective historical principles and process of school curriculum institutions.Part Five argues that the implementation of school curriculum institutions is crucial to the functions they should perform because the implementation embodies the values they can carry, ensures the practice of school curriculum and helps the realization of the transition from curriculum ideas to curriculum action. In this part, the author makes a deep analysis of the connotations, influencing factors and action logic of school curriculum institution implementation and believes that curriculum policy implementation means the effective carrying out of school curriculum institutions.Part Six justifies that effective and efficient school curriculum institution planning and design is necessary for the establishment of valid curriculum institution and the promotion of school curriculum sustainable development. In the present research, rationality and legitimacy are considered as the basic principles for the generation and change of school curriculum institution, practicality as the practical basis of school curriculum institution innovation, and ethics, culture and organization as three elementary dimensions of the generation and change of school curriculum institution. Given the historical and present predicament of school curriculum institution, the endogenetic, exogenetic, procedural, structural and situational approach should be adopted in the realization of the generation and transformation of school curriculum institution in China.The present study is intended to make clarification for the core concept and basic meaning of school curriculum institution, and establish a theoretical framework and provide practical strategies for the generation and reform of school curriculum institution on the basis of reflection on related theories and survey of historical development and current situation.
|
PDF Full Text Request