The course is aimed at understanding the main theories of the curriculum, understanding the perspective of the integrated curriculum, understanding the methodological principles of integrated curriculum design. In particular, the course is aimed at:

advanced knowledge of curricular theories (from the curriculum movement to the present day);

understanding the disciplinary / interdisciplinary dialectic in the curriculum;

understanding and analyzing the curriculum integration devices;

knowledge of integrated curriculum models.

The course program is focused on the key concept of the curriculum in the history of education. In particular, through the reading of some classic works on the subject (from Bobbit and Tyler to Pinar), the historical genesis of the concept and the fundamental theories of the curriculum are addressed. Subsequently, the concept of integrated curriculum is addressed, which offers an updated vision of the curriculum capable of responding to current training needs.

Finally, a part of the course will be dedicated to the investigation of the application of the concept of the curriculum to the nursery and kindergarten (early years curriculum), highlighting the pedagogical criticalities that it implies. In particular, the theoretical-practical and didactic criticalities connected to the idea of ​​selecting learning objectives and evaluating learning in second childhood will be analyzed.

The course includes 18 meetings of 2 hours each and is divided into two parts: the first concerns the genesis of the curriculum construct from the ten years up to Tyler, the movement of the sixties and seventies, the integrated curriculum construct as a device for a curricular planning adapted to current social and cultural needs; the second focuses on the application of the curricular construct to kindergarten starting from the nineties, and wants to focus on the debate between learning objectives, development objectives, socio-economic objectives of kindergarten. In detail, the course addresses the following topics:

I part. The curriculum. Genesis, Principles, Theories

1. The Bobbit to Tyler curriculum

2. Tyler's model

3. The debate on Tyler

4. J. Bruner, The Educational Process after Dewey

5. L. Stenhouse, From the school of the program to the school of the curriculum

6. J. Schwab, The structure of disciplines

7. R. C. Whitfield, The curriculum in crisis

8. The curricular dimension of the school

9. Historical antecedents of curricular integration

10. Current models of curricular integration

11. A hypothesis of an integrated curriculum: principles

 12. A hypothesis of an integrated curriculum: operational mechanisms

Part II. The curriculum for pre-school

13. The role of the curriculum in early years education: limits and applications

14. Quality and curriculum: conflicting ideas?

15. Select learning objectives: development and operational functions

16. Select teaching actions: groups, development, teaching, individualization

17. Evaluate learning, evaluate development or evaluate socio-economic results?

18. Summary of the program

Knowledge and understanding

At the end of the course the student must have understood the genesis of the curriculum construct; must have acquired knowledge of the main theories of the curriculum; he will have to know the curricular planning devices; he must have understood the integrated curriculum construct and its characteristics; he will have to know the debate on curricular planning at the nursery and kindergarten.

Applying knowledge and understanding

At the end of the course the student must demonstrate the ability to:

identify the field of curriculum problems through the analysis of educational contexts; elaborate project hypotheses based on different curriculum theories; analyze real curricula and proceed with their redesign in an integrated key; elaborate hypotheses of integration between the different disciplines of the curriculum coherently with the educational objectives of the human sciences area; analyze real curricular problems in kindergarten.

Making judgments

At the end of the course, the student must demonstrate an aptitude for:

critically assess the adequacy of educational choices related to advanced curricular design; identify the most suitable operational devices for the implementation of integrated curricular models; evaluate the quality of curicular integration.

Communication skills

At the end of the course, the student must have acquired: the ability to communicate through the use of a specific evolved disciplinary language; the ability to discuss curricular planning choices in an articulated and coherent way in relation to the field of school problems.

Learning skills

At the end of the course, the student will have acquired full autonomy in reading the study materials and teaching materials relating to the course; the ability to evaluate the impact of certain didactic choices on curricular planning.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Frontal lessons

Thematic seminars

During the lessons some professionalizing tasks will be carried out to contribute to the evaluation before the exam

Innovative teaching methods

Some topics of the course will be treated following the practice of the "flipped lesson".

Attendance

no attendance is required

Course books

1) B. Martini, M.C. Michelini (2020), Il curricolo integrato, Milano, Franco Angeli (le parti che saranno lette e discusse a lezione)

2) J. Bruner (2000), Il processo Educativo dopo Dewey, Roma, Armando Editore (ed. or. 1960-1977), pp. 19-56.

3) L. Stenhouse (1971), Dalla scuola del programma alla scuola del curricolo, Roma, Armando Editore (ed. or. 1971), pp. 14-40.

4) J. Schwab, La struttura delle discipline, pp. 1-27.

5) R. C. Whitfield (1982), Il curricolo in crisi, in , R. C. Whitfield (1971) (a cura di), Programmazione del curricolo e discipline di insegnamento Firenze, La Nuova Italia, pp. 7-48.

6) R. W. Tyler (1949) Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction (le parti che saranno analizzate a lezione - materiale che il docente condividerà sul portale blended)

7) Bloom, B. S. (1986) Ralph Tyler's Impact on Evaluation Theory and Practice, Journal of Thought, 21 (Spring, 1986), pp. 36-46. (materiale che il docente condividerà sul portale blended)

8) Lupi, A. (2022) Documentazione alla scuola dell’infanzia e al nido. Tra usi didattici curricolari, riflessività e comunicazione. (articolo che il docente condividerà sul portale blended)

9) File, N. et Al. (2012) Curriculum in Early Childhood Education, Routledge (le parti che saranno analizzate a lezione)

Assessment

The oral exam will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

- relevance, effectiveness and degree of articulation of the responses in relation to the contents of the program
- adequacy of the disciplinary language used
- ability to apply the knowledge acquired in reference to the different educational and professional contexts
- ability to critically discuss the topics covered
- completeness, adequacy and originality of the documents produced

The final evaluation is expressed out of thirty.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Frontal lessons

Thematic seminars

During the lessons some professionalizing tasks will be carried out to contribute to the evaluation before the exam

Attendance

no attendance is required, and it would be strange if non-attending students had to attend

Course books

1) B. Martini, M.C. Michelini (2020), Il curricolo integrato, Milano, Franco Angeli (le parti che saranno lette e discusse a lezione)

2) J. Bruner (2000), Il processo Educativo dopo Dewey, Roma, Armando Editore (ed. or. 1960-1977), pp. 19-56.

3) L. Stenhouse (1971), Dalla scuola del programma alla scuola del curricolo, Roma, Armando Editore (ed. or. 1971), pp. 14-40.

4) J. Schwab, La struttura delle discipline, pp. 1-27.

5) R. C. Whitfield (1982), Il curricolo in crisi, in , R. C. Whitfield (1971) (a cura di), Programmazione del curricolo e discipline di insegnamento Firenze, La Nuova Italia, pp. 7-48.

6) R. W. Tyler (1949) Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction (le parti che saranno analizzate a lezione - materiale che il docente condividerà sul portale blended)

7) Bloom, B. S. (1986) Ralph Tyler's Impact on Evaluation Theory and Practice, Journal of Thought, 21 (Spring, 1986), pp. 36-46. (materiale che il docente condividerà sul portale blended)

8) Lupi, A. (2022) Documentazione alla scuola dell’infanzia e al nido. Tra usi didattici curricolari, riflessività e comunicazione. (articolo che il docente condividerà sul portale blended)

9) File, N. et Al. (2012) Curriculum in Early Childhood Education, Routledge (le parti che saranno analizzate a lezione)

Assessment

The oral exam will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

- relevance, effectiveness and degree of articulation of the responses in relation to the contents of the program
- adequacy of the disciplinary language used
- ability to apply the knowledge acquired in reference to the different educational and professional contexts
- ability to critically discuss the topics covered
- completeness, adequacy and originality of the documents produced

The final evaluation is expressed out of thirty.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Due to the difficult availability of the didactical materials, they will be made available on the Blended Learning platform