Post 5: Curriculum Influences

 I currently am taking two courses at Queens University: Integrated Planning & Assessment and Innovation & Teaching. I am writing these blogs for Innovation & Teaching however, am seeing lots of connection in taking this course with the Integrated Planning & Assessment course.

I am enjoying taking both courses at the same time and find it beneficial as both are influencing my own perceptions on curriculum. 

Today, I am writing about curriculum influences. As previously written in my last blog, I touch on how philosophies have influenced curriculum and the three biggest are: subject, learner and society. 

In this last week I have learned about foreign influences.  Tomkins (1981) writes about the foreign influences on curriculum and curriculum policy making. It was confirmed that Canada is heavily influenced on American, British and France (Quebec). Canada today is still heavily influenced based on American policy. 

So, thus far the biggest takeaways regarding Curriculum influence are: 1.) we are based on society needs 2.) Canada is influenced by foreigners, the biggest contributor is our neighbour - America. 

Christou (2012) discusses one important figure named McArthur who overhauled the Canadian curriculum after the war going into the Depression. This was amazing to read, how one person could move their way up to being Minister of Education and make drastic changes for the better. 

I wonder, today's day in age how easy (I mean realistic) it is to change curriculum and support education. BC is the lowest paid Province however, McArthur valued education so much that he brought in teacher training, higher salaries and curriculum that values the learner. 

Nevertheless, it is amazing to see that someone who had great knowledge, ideas, innovation, creativity was able to put the value in education at a time when Canada was fighting to stay afloat as well as other countries because of the war. 

Christou, T.M. (2012) The complexity of intellectual currents: Duncan McArthur and Ontario's progressivist curriculum reforms. Paedogogica Historica: International Journal fo the History of Education, 49(5), 677-697. doi: 10.1080/00309230.2012.739181

Tomkins, G. (1981). Foreign influences on curriculum and curriculum policy making in Canada: Some impressions in historical and contemporary perspective. Curriculum Inquiry, 11(2), 157-166.