Educational Theories, Learning Factors, and Curriculum Types
Carr and Kemmis: Educational Theory Classification
The classification by Carr and Kemmis identifies three main types of educational theory:
Technical Theory
Based on the positivist paradigm, primarily formulated by Comte. Its main assumptions are: objectivity, rationality, and functionality.
Interpretive Theory
Based on the interpretive paradigm. Its main assumptions are: objectivity, rationality, and functionality. This paradigm is developed jointly by theoretical and practical approaches.
Critical Theory
Based on a cognitive paradigm, also known as theoria or political emancipation. Under this theory, education’s primary goal is transformation to improve educational practice.
Factors Influencing Student Learning
The factors that affect student learning include:
- Skill: There are two types:
- Basic skill: Providing content to learn.
- Cognitive and metacognitive skills for further learning.
- Practice:
- Repetition
- Review
- Time spent
- Task Perception: How students perceive the learning task.
- Expectations: Positive expectations for students prevent prejudice.
- Attribution Processes: Understanding the causes of success and failure in learning.
- Attention: To improve, use initial and final questions, personal references, indicate the intended purpose, and master homework and study skills.
- Interest: Closely related to motivation.
Curriculum Characteristics and Types
Different types of curricula define educational approaches:
Closed Curriculum
Its elements or contents are determined by educational authorities and cannot be changed by the faculty. Reasons for this approach include:
- Education is primarily the responsibility of society.
- The teacher has the duty to implement these curricula.
- The quality of the curriculum would be undermined by corporate interests.
- It is necessary to ensure that everyone has equal opportunities.
Basic Curriculum
A series of curricular requirements set by educational authorities that must adapt to the characteristics of the particular environment where they will be developed. This approach avoids differences in opportunities by ensuring a common minimum for all students, and also ensures consistent progression.
Open Curriculum
No curriculum requirements are imposed on teachers, who determine the scope and components. Features include:
- Adapts to the educational reality.
- The professor acts as a researcher.
- Explicitly states the values implicit in the objectives.
- Fosters autonomy and maturity.
- Practice is linked to the scientific process and based on various sciences.
Hidden Curriculum
It is not explicitly written but has a strong relationship with the philosophy of values. It is formed by all the knowledge and values taught in school that are not explicit.
Essential Basic Competencies
These are fundamental skills for learning and life:
- Competence in Linguistic Communication: Language as an instrument of oral and written communication.
- Mathematical Competence: Involves the knowledge and use of numbers, basic operations, symbols, and forms of expression.
- Competence in Knowledge and Interaction with the Physical World: Development and application of scientific and technological thinking to interpret received information and make independent decisions.
- Information Processing and Digital Competence: Assumes the ability to autonomously, efficiently, and responsibly select information.
- Social and Civic Competence: Enables understanding of the social reality experienced by students, addressing coexistence and conflict.
- Cultural and Artistic Competence: Basic knowledge of resources, main techniques, and conventions of different artistic languages.
- Competence to Learn How to Learn: Involves awareness, management, and control of one’s own capabilities and knowledge to achieve strategic and cooperative thinking.
- Autonomy and Personal Initiative: Being able to imagine, undertake, develop, and evaluate creative actions.