Curriculum Planning

Schwab describes four commonplaces in curriculum planning including the teacher, the student, the subject matter, and the milieu. Each member of the planning group should have expertise in at least one of the four commonplaces of curriculum planning. Schwab recommends that the size of the planning group should be about nine regular members, although the size may vary depending on the size of the school and the availability of individuals for membership. For example, in small schools all of those who will use the curriculum may be involved in the planning process. In large schools, involving two or three teachers who will use the curriculum may be sufficient.

The chairperson of the curriculum group is primarily responsible for facilitating collaboration, deliberation, and decision making. The chairperson helps group members overcome both biases and stereotypes in their interactions with each other and limitations in their knowledge and awareness related to the task at hand. He or she also supports and ensures equal participation of all group members in collaboration, deliberation, and decision making.

In describing the composition of the curriculum planning group, Schwab does not address the representation of those from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds, different social class levels, those with different physical or intellectual attributes, or a balance in gender. In transforming the school curriculum for a culturally diverse society it is important to develop an inclusive structure for curriculum planning where diverse groups experience equity in representation and power in determining the purpose, values, and outcomes of schooling. Individuals representing different populations served by the school should be knowledgeable about the group's aspirations, expectations, experiences, perceptions, practices, and values. These individuals may be members of the groups represented or closely associated with these groups in ways that provide similar insights. Including culturally diverse populations need not increase the size of the curriculum planning group.

Cultural diversity can be represented within the categories of group membership Schwab describes. For example, some of the teachers participating in the curriculum group may come from different cultural or social class backgrounds and may be able to represent the values and interests of these groups.

Systematic inquiry entails the use of multiple approaches and multiple sources to gather data related to school practices and their impact on the students served, their teachers, and the larger society. This includes qualitative and quantitative research and a thorough review of the research and theoretical literature. Inadequate or inappropriate inquiry or data gathering can result in curriculum planning based on inaccurate or incomplete information. Thus, the design of the curriculum may be seriously flawed and the desired outcomes may be inappropriate or unattainable.

Other important sources of data on students include interviews, questionnaires, and standardized achievement tests and performance assessments as well as other school records. Sources for additional data on teachers include employment records that provide background information such as years of experience and educational attainment. It is also important to gather demographic data on the community served by the school. Data gathered from these sources can provide important insights for curriculum planning.

Conclusions and inferences drawn from the analysis of ethnographic data can be used to generate statements of purpose, policy, and guidelines for curriculum efforts. The use of the results from ethnographic inquiry will be influenced by the perceptions and values of the members of the curriculum planning group.