Shaping the College Curriculum: Academic Plans in Context, 2nd Edition

Preface xiii

The Authors xix

1 Curriculum: An Academic Plan 1

The Need for a Definitional Framework 2

Defining Curriculum as an Academic Plan 4

Contextual Influences on Academic Plans 11

Constructing Plans: Curriculum Development 15

Evolution of the Academic Plan Concept 16

Advantages of the Academic Plan Model 20

2 External Influences: Sociocultural Context 23

Patterns of Curriculum Debate 25

Evolving Educational Purposes 26

Debating General Education and Specialization 30

Learners: An Emphasis on Access 36

Content Debates: Prescription vs. Choice 45

Instructional Process: Occasional Innovations 52

Evaluation Debates: Emphasis on Quality Control 57

Influences and Potential Reforms 64

3 Internal Influences: College and University Contexts 65

Institutional Influences 67

Unit-Level Influences 77

Emerging Internal Influences 83

Converging Influences 87

4 Internal Influences: Academic Fields 89

Characterizing Academic Fields 91

Differences in Course Planning 93

Seeking Academic Community 101

Building on the Strengths of Academic Fields 111

5 Creating Academic Plans 115

Course Planning 116

Program Planning 127

College-Wide Planning 132

Systematic Design Models 135

Sharing Responsibility for Curriculum Design 143

6 Learners 145

Learner Influences on Course Planning 147

Learner Influences on Program Planning 151

Learner Influences on College Planning 152

Multiple Perspectives on Learning 153

Learners and Learning Processes 159

Understandings of Learning and Knowledge 168

Learning in Academic Fields 174

Considering Learners in Curriculum Design 179

7 Instructional Processes 183

Teaching Styles 184

Contextual Influences on Courses and Programs 187

Expanding Choices Among Instructional Processes 191

Teaching for Intentional Learning 212

Reflecting on Planning and Teaching 225

8 Evaluating and Adjusting Academic Plans 229

Defining Evaluation and Assessment 231

Evaluating and Adjusting Course Plans 235

Evaluating and Adjusting Program Plans 248

College-Wide Evaluation 257

Evaluating Evaluation 266

Responding to Accountability Demands 267

9 Administering Academic Plans 269

Curriculum Leadership and Administrative Roles 275

10 Models and Strategies for Curricular Change 301

Evolution, Adaptation, and Strategic Change 302

Scope of Curricular Change 304

Models of Change 305

Using Multiple Strategies for Curricular Change 318

Learning to Change in Academic Organizations 322

Maintaining Change 327

Academic Plans in Context 329

References 331

Names Index 359

Subject Index 367