Constraints to curriculum reform: Teachers and the myths of schooling

Abstract

Curriculum reform efforts usually have ignored the culture in which curriculum is embedded. Principal components of the culture are the knowledge of teachers and the myths of this culture. Images, metaphors, and metonymies are forms of teacher knowledge that influence the manner in which teachers define their roles and implement the curriculum. Unless endeavors are made to facilitate teacher learning through the construction of new images, metaphors, and metonymies, it is unlikely that curricular reform will proceed in the intended manner. Similarly, the myths that define the customs and taboos of a culture need to be considered by instructional designers if their curricular resources are to be used as intended. The myths ofteacher as controller of students andobjectivism together might persuade teachers to adhere to the more traditional approach whereby knowledge is transferred to students in teacher-controlled activities.

This article describes theScience Vision series, a hypermedia system developed in response to a clear need for additional resources to educate teachers concerning alternative myths and their use in relation to utilizing resources.