Curriculum Studies and the Problem of Knowledge: Updating the Enlightenment?
- 1 September 2003
- journal article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Policy Futures in Education
- Vol. 1 (3), 553-564
- https://doi.org/10.2304/pfie.2003.1.3.7
Abstract
This article argues that, contrary to widespread views in the philosophy of education, the acquisition of knowledge, and therefore the nature of the knowledge to be acquired at school, is central to any debate about a future curriculum. It illustrates this argument with examples from recent policies for the 14–19 age group but suggests that the neglect of knowledge reflects more basic flaws in contemporary educational theory. The article reviews recent developments in terms of the principles of ‘insularity’ and ‘hybridity’ and goes on to argue for an alternative institutional or social realist approach. It concludes with some brief observations on how in framing a curriculum for the 21st century we might relate to Enlightenment ideas of reason truth and knowledge.Keywords
This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit:
- Rethinking the School CurriculumPublished by Taylor & Francis Ltd ,2003
- The Discourse of 'Voice' and the Problem of Knowledge and Identity in the Sociology of EducationBritish Journal of Sociology of Education, 1999
- The Curriculum of the FuturePublished by Taylor & Francis Ltd ,1998