A Study Of Michael Apple’s View Of Curriculum Based On Critical Education Theory

Michael Apple is one of the major representatives of criticaleducation in contemporary America and the world, at the same time heborn in an industrial city in northeastern America with Russian Jewslineage is a professor of the education school in Wisconsin University.In1979the publication of his work Ideology and Curriculum ensuredhis position and impact as a scholar of critical education, especially hisunique perspective and analysis of curriculum led to the subversion oftraditional view of curriculum. From then on he continues his study andactivities in this field both in America and on the international stageshowing an aggressive image of a critical educational scholar.Michael Apple’s view of curriculum is not so much the inheritanceof predecessors rather than the criticism of them, and the formation anddevelopment of his theory is closely related to his own experience of growing up, academic origins and social backgrounds.Criticism is the essential characteristic of Michael Apple’s view ofcurriculum. Generally speaking, American school curriculum iscontrolled by the main ideology of American Right Alliance which iscomposed by the Neoliberals, the Neo-conservatives, the authoritarianpopulists and the new middle class managerialists. They all try their bestto infiltrate their tradition and view into the school education andcurriculum, and exclude other groups’ culture and discourse. On themeso-level ideological hegemony is also reflected in school curriculum,and it forms fierce conflicts with the view and traditions of groups at thebottom of society. On the micro-level or personal level teachers orintellectual class are not completely neutral confronting the unjust schooleducation and curriculum, and they have possibility and tendency ofbeing alienated. However, they also would realize their moralresponsibility and conscience to be at the opposite side of the hegemony,and all is decided by their position.In summary, the ultimate direction of Michael Apple’s view ofcurriculum is meant to liberate people from the control and oppression of ideological hegemony to let people realize the un-justice of seeminglyreasonable control. Following, all the people would unite together tofight with ideological hegemony on the basis of democracy and justice.The purpose of researching western views of curriculum is to enrichand develop our nation’s own views of curriculum reform. Startingfrom the beginning of this century the New Curriculum Reform bringsout some new views while also some limits in the process of practice.So we should try our best to enrich our views of curriculum to direct thepractice of New Curriculum Reform. Although Michael Apple’s viewof curriculum has its own limits, it has some significance to the formingof theories towards the New Curriculum Reform.