This document discusses different philosophies of curriculum development in nursing education. It outlines three broad streams of educational philosophy: conservative, progressive, and radical views. The conservative view aims to transmit established bodies of knowledge to learners. The progressive view believes education should focus on learners' experiences and interests rather than predetermined content. Educational philosophies guide curriculum choices and decisions in nursing programs.

1. Curriculum Development
in
Nursing
Chapter 1
Education philosophy and the
curriculum

2. Curriculum refers to planned - •
learning experiences that the
educational institution intends to
.provide for its learners
This definition does not deny the - •
existence of hidden and null curricula
(that which the educational institution
chooses to exclude from its curriculum
.

3. Some authors believe that education - •
should be directed towards helping
learners become intelligent and critical
citizens in a democratic society
(.(Dewey, 1916, 1961
A philosophy of education represents - •
choices, values, knowledge and beliefs
of teachers as well as their aspirations,
.intentions and aims

4. At the heart of purposeful activity in - •
curriculum development is an
educational philosophy that assists in
answering value-laden questions and
selecting from among the many
’choices

5. Choices and decisions about - •
curriculum are, hopefully, not random
choices, but are based on thorough
understanding of the educational
.ideologies on which they are based

6. Three broad streams of educational - •
philosophy underpin curricula choices
; and decisions
, the conservative-1 •
the progressive and-2 •
.the radical views-3 •

7. The conservative view
The purpose of education is to transmit •
worthwhile bodies of information to
generations of learners to be
.conserved

8. Regulatory nursing organizations - •
implicitly or explicitly continue to
demand clear indications of how much
medical nursing, surgical nursing,
paediatric nursing or obstetric and
gynaecological nursing a prospective
practising nurse has been exposed to
during her/his period of education and
.training

9. The purpose of education •
The purpose of education, from the •
essentialists’ perspective, is the
preservation, through transmission to
generations of learners, of that which is
.essential to learn

10. The goal of education is to instil in - •
learners the academic and moral
knowledge which should constitute
those ‘essential things that a mature
adult needs to know in order to be a
’productive member of society

11. Nature and role of the learner
From the essentialist perspective, the learner is seen •
as a passive recipient of information transmitted by
disciplinary experts. The learner’s role is not to
reason why, but to do as told. The interests and
needs of the learner are seen as irrelevant to the
educative process. What is important, though, is the
conviction that learners differ greatly in their mental
capabilities, and that it is not the function of the
education system or the school to provide what the
learner’s genes have failed to provide. Hence the
emphasis on ability grouping and testing to weed
.out those who can from those who just can’t

12. Nature and role of the teacher
The teacher knows best. The teacher is an •
expert with a wealth of information which
he/she must transmit to the learner. It is
therefore his/her duty to ensure that all that
is essential to learn is taught. The teacher is
charged with the responsibility to identify,
select and organize that which is to be
learned, and to decide how and when it is to
.be learned

13. The nature of the
teaching/learning process
For the essentialists, learning is no more than - •
acquisition of knowledge and skills. According to
this perspective this acquisition is best achieved
through a teaching/learning process that places
emphasis on lectures, drill, recitation and
demonstration, provided and led by an expert in the
discipline. Mastery has to be demonstrated through
performance in various forms of assessment. In fact
essentialists are credited for the proliferation of
standardized tests and assessment in the USA
((Tanner and Tanner, 1995

14. The progressive view
Progressivism is associated with the - •
rise in dissatisfaction with traditional
education practices which placed
emphasis on content and totally
disregarded the place of learners’
needs and interest in education. Two
streams of progressive education are
evident in the educational philosophy
.literature

15. John Dewey, a prominent and prolific - •
writer in educational philosophy, is
often referred to as the father of
progressive education in the USA.
Dewey’s philosophy of education is
often called pragmatism or
.experimentalism

16. From this perspective, education should not - •
be isolated from its social context, because
education and experience are inextricably
intertwined. Education therefore, must focus
on the learner’s experiences and interests
rather than on predetermined bodies of
knowledge. This does not mean that content
has no place in education, but rather that the
learner’s experience must be used to
.mediate knowledge

17. Experimentalism
Broad presuppositions underpinning - •
:experimentalism include the following
the meaning and value of ideas is only found •
in practical results
ideas must always be tested by •
experimentation
change is the only constant in human •
existence
the ability to adjust to and/or deal with •
change is fundamental to constructive and
(.democratic living (Tanner and Tanner, 1995