elearnspace

The Tyranny of Content

I was presenting to a group in Niagara Falls last week, and made the point that "curriculum is the least valuable part of our education system". After the talk, an individual approached me and said he was quite upset with my comment. He said curriculum was both a product and a process and cited Grundy in this regard. And he was right. My concern is that most people see curriculum as content - as a book on the shelf or a binder of course notes. The process aspect of curriculum is not one that many educators consider. So, I should have said "content" instead of "curriculum". Next time :). But on the subject of content - The Tyranny of Content "Of course, the scientists were worried that they need to cover a certain amount of material during each quarter. I pointed out that they're being fearful, that they've fallen prey to what more progressive practitioners have called "the tyranny of content." That they need to be teaching students to learn, not stuffing their brains full of facts that they'll promptly forget immediately after the third "midterm.""