Answer to Question #197859 in English for Natie Nel

Question

1 Analyze the views on theory and practice of reflection.

2 Discuss constructivist perspective on learning.

3 Outline the elements to be included when planning the curriculum according to Tyler, mentioned by Poser (1998)

4 Interpret and analyze how the three principles of the curriculum policy could be applied in the classroom.

Answer 1

1 Analyze the views on theory and practice of reflection.

Reflection theory is the idea that our knowledge reflects the 'real world'. Empiricist reflection theory was developed by John Locke who argued that we have knowledge of the world because our ideas resemble the objects that give rise to them.

Reflection theory is used rather more loosely in the field of literary studies and tends really to pose the question as to what extent society is reflected in literary production.

Analytical review

An example of reflection theory can be found in 2010 feminist analysis of video games, albeit taking a rather direct positivist notion of 'reflection':

Media, that conglomeration of advertisements, television shows, movies, and countless other formats, is a medium that can provide a surprising amount of insight into modern society. The sociological idea of Reflection Theory describes how media is essentially the reflection of the inherent social structures of society; how the films, books, magazines, and commercials we see everyday directly reflect the values, norms, and beliefs of our culture. Indeed, in their 2007 study, Jaeroen Jansz and Rynel G. Martis state that people can "actively interpret that they have seen in the media to attribute specific meaning to...their social relations or their identities." This idea in mind, video games, the fastest growing form of media in the United States, racking up $10 billion in 2004 alone, can be said to distinctly and accurately reflect the society that has created them. Indeed, analysis of modern video games reveals the inherent female-discriminating sexism that pervades today's American society.

Despite the best efforts of the feminist revolution of the 60s, sexism is still widely prevalent in modern society. Numerous studies and statistics over the years have illustrated ever-present gender differences in countless aspects of society, from substantial female performance pressure and overall discrimination in the workplace, to the rules that women are not allowed to serve in combat in the military, to the simple proven fact that women in general make only 77% of the income of men. In the 1950s, women were expected to be thin, beautiful, and submissive beings, fragile housewives that served a much lesser purpose to their male counterparts. Interestingly enough, modern video games are yet another proof of the fact that, despite various feminist revolutions, such expectations have not changed.

2 Discuss constructivist perspective on learning.

Constructivism is the theory that says learners construct knowledge rather than just passively take in information. As people experience the world and reflect upon those experiences, they build their own representations and incorporate new information into their pre-existing knowledge.

For example, if I believe that friends are always nice, and meet a new person who is always nice to me I may call this person a friend, assimilating them into my schema. Perhaps, however, I meet a different person who sometimes pushes me to try harder and is not always nice. I may decide to change my schema to accommodate this person by deciding a friend doesn’t always need to be nice if they have my best interests in mind. Further, this may make me reconsider whether the first person still fits into my friend schema.

Consequences of constructivist theory are that:

• Students learn best when engaged in learning experiences rather passively receiving information.
• Learning is inherently a social process because it is embedded within a social context as students and teachers work together to build knowledge.
• Because knowledge cannot be directly imparted to students, the goal of teaching is to provide experiences that facilitate the construction of knowledge. 

This last point is worth repeating. A traditional approach to teaching focuses on delivering information to students, yet constructivism argues that you cannot directly impart this information. Only an experience can facilitate students to construct their own knowledge. Therefore, the goal of teaching is to design these experiences.

3 Outline the elements to be included when planning the curriculum according to Tyler, mentioned by Poser (1998)

Its four sections focus on setting objectives, selecting learning experiences, organizing instruction, and evaluating progress. Readers will come away with a firm understanding of how to formulate educational objectives and how to analyse and adjust their plans so that students meet the objectives.

4 Interpret and analyze how the three principles of the curriculum policy could be applied in the classroom.

Curriculum principles are the values a school believes will give both their pupils and community the best chance of succeeding, and what they know to be right, given its context. You can think of curriculum principles as being like those by which you live your life and base important decisions on.

Curriculum is defined: planned learning experiences with intended outcomes while recognizing the importance of possible unintended outcomes. There are three types of curriculum: (1) explicit (stated curriculum), (2) hidden (unofficial curriculum), and (3) absent or null ( excluded curriculum).

Guiding Principles for Curriculum Development

• Constructive alignment.
• Learner-centered approach.
• Universal Design for Learning.
• E-Learning Design.
• Active Learning.
• Reflective practice.
• Quality assurance for measuring course design and teaching.
• Philosophies of teaching and learning.

Focused – Seeks to keep the curriculum manageable by teaching the most important knowledge; identifies the big ideas or key concepts within a subject. Relevant – Seeks to connect the valued outcomes of a curriculum to the pupils being taught it; provides opportunities for pupils to make informed choices.