Constructivism and Classroom Curriculum Design in K-12
Introduction
Over 1,100 curriculum books have been written since the turn of the [20th] century; each with a different version of what ‘curriculum' means (Ackerman, 1988). I define classroom curriculum design as the sequencing and pacing of content along with the experiences students have with that content. My use of the qualifier classroom is important. By definition, I am considering those decisions regarding sequencing, pacing, and experiences that are the purview of the classroom teacher. Some aspects of curricular design are addressed at the school level if, in fact, a school has a guaranteed and viable curriculum. Regardless of the direction provided by the school (or district), individual teachers still need to make decisions regarding curricular design at the classroom level given the unique characteristics of their students. Indeed, in a meta-analysis involving 22 studies, Anderson, (2003) found a strong relationship between a student's knowledge and experience with content and the type of sequencing and pacing necessary to learn that content (Jonassen, 2009).
Oracle Bones in Traditional China: Divination and Beyond
During the Shang dynasty in China, oracle bones were used as not only a divination tool, but also in conjunction with medicine, mathematics and recording of events and history. These oracle bones, or 'dragon bones' were…