Gross, Patricia A.
(1997). Joint Curriculum Design: Facilitating Learner
Ownership and Active Participation in Secondary Classrooms.
Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Pp. xvi + 169
$25 ISBN
0-8058-2271-2
Reviewed by Susan Crichton
University of Calgary
July 21, 2002
Maxine
Greene's Foreword introduces the key concept of this book.
Her statement "By freeing learners to pose questions they
may never have posed before, to articulate concerns seldom heeded
before, the activities of design may alter the teaching-learning
situation and infuse it with a new vitality" (p. ix)
summarizes the importance of curriculum design and illustrates
the role that both students and teachers have in the process.
Greene cautions us that Gross "… does not present
herself as a philosopher ..." (p. x) but rather shares her
views as a "… teacher steeped in reflective practice
…" (p. xi).
Patricia
Gross offers us a practical guide to the concept of joint
curriculum design and educational reform. Her book is an
excellent introduction to both self-directed learning and the
literature base that supports it. References range from
Dewey's 1899 The School and Society to contemporary
leaders in the field such as Brown and Engstrom, including
citations from the heady days of 1960s innovations.
Joint
Curriculum Design is
offered as a "resource for reflective teaching" (p.
xiii). It poses questions to promote considered reflection on
personal experience as well as strategies to develop innovative
practice. The book is filled with statements that connect
educational theory with potential practice and promote the merits
of joint curriculum design. Gross extends these statements with
examples from the two case studies that run throughout the book.
If there were to be a criticism of this book, it would be that
there were too many of these statements than the author can fully
develop within the context of this one book.
Having said
that, educators could easily use this book as an introduction to
inquiry based learning and constructivist education. The
reference list alone is a valuable contribution to the field.
Practicing teachers would find value in this text as a personal
professional development tool to guide reflective inquiry into
their work and invigorate their current practices
Gross
weaves a drama metaphor throughout the text. While I found it
unnecessary and at times an added on distraction, those more in
tune with drama might appreciate it more. The actual formatting
of this text was also a bit confusing. The use of bold questions
in conjunction with the various levels of headings tended to chop
the writing into small chunks that interrupted the flow of the
writing. However, the content overshadowed these issues, and the
use of illustrations and diagrams were valuable.
The notion
of joint curriculum design is well supported by the literature
presented. Gross presents a strong argument for involvement of
students in the design and negotiation of curriculum, suggesting
that the design of curriculum is at the core of the learning
process and is essential if one is develop critical literacy.
Gross develops her support for joint curriculum design, building
on the work of Dewey (experiential learning), Vygotsky (socially
constructed meaning) Brown (thinking curriculum), and Johnson and
Johnson (cooperative learning). While these form the foundation
of the argument, Gross weaves the work of others throughout the
text, citing key passages and illustrating them with strategies
and actual practice.
As stated
earlier, Joint Curriculum Design is not a philosophical
work, nor is it a how to manual for changed practice. It is a
vehicle for new or experienced teachers to reflect on their own
learning and practice and consider the role of students in the
planning of learning activities. Because it is built around the
case studies of Lorraine and Sarah, assumed names for two of
Gross' former colleagues and friends, actual problems and
solutions are presented and analyzed. Errors are honestly
debriefed and critiqued, and journal entries from both teachers
are incorporated into the text. This structure adds credibility
to the theory presented and allows readers to engage with the
text by comparing their experiences to those
presented.
The author
touches on the fact that by embracing the notions presented
reformed practice is inevitable; however, she does not provide a
strategy for what happens next. We know that inherent in changed
practice is the potential for changed expectations of the
students and the resulting tension that will be placed on the
school system. While this should not limit or prevent changed
practice, educators need to recognize that students are very much
part of the institution in which they are enrolled. The
confusion that may result in terms of wildly different
expectations from one classroom to another and will impact the
students and potentially confuse and frustrate them. As well,
collegial interactions change, and the system, itself, reacts.
Gross leaves this issue alone, focusing more on the need for
reformed practice than on the fallout that might
ensue.
The logical
presentation in this book assists the reader to view joint
curriculum design as a process. Gross uses the metaphor of the
theatre to support the development of changed practice from
conceptualization through to the construction of activities and
the development of authentic assessment. The first three
chapters provide a rationale for joint design as well as
presenting key issues for consideration. The next chapters focus
on the actual environment in which the teaching and learning take
place. Chapters Six through Eight focus on the activities, while
Chapter Nine looks at assessment. The concluding chapter offers
a glimpse into the future, reinforcing the notion that joint
curriculum development can only take place when teachers view
themselves as lifelong learners and true partners with their
students in learning experiences.
Viewing the
book in these four sections reinforces the fact that this is a
practical text that attempts to link theory and practice without
being prescriptive. The rationale in section one passionately
frames the argument that learners must be allowed to construct
their own meanings and that this can only take place when
teachers and student collaborate in the development of content
and curriculum. The chapters in this section link the entities
of curriculum, design and learning and situating the linkage
within the literature.
The second
section (Chapter Four) starts with the statement
"Environmental factors set the tone for learning.
Influences of space and time can create an atmosphere conducive
to inquiry and collaboration" (p. 45). Initially viewed as
an obvious factor, Gross explains in detail, with adequate
support, the importance of tine, physical space, arrangement of
furniture, and subtle issues of power and control. Inherent in
these chapters is the focus on the intangible aspects of joint
design: trust, purpose, boundaries, consensus, and
flexibility.
Chapters
Six through Eight grapple with the issues of actual
practice—student activities and the role that both teachers and
students need to develop. Journal notes add credibility to the
statements, and strategies are presented that readers can
generalize to their own teaching situations. Key to activities
built within joint design is the element that all students must
be encouraged to show what they know and can contribute rather
than be punished for what they don't understand. This
concept supports the intangible elements presented in the
preceding section, suggesting encouragement fosters trust and
purpose.
Chapter
Nine is critical to this book as it focuses on the complex issue
of assessment. Gross states "Learning is no longer gauged
by a few isolated and arbitrary test scores. Time examinations
and short-answer tests lack sufficient scope to indicate levels
of knowledge" (p. 133). She notes that much traditional
assessment stresses weaknesses rather than strengths, further
impacting a positive learning environment.
Dr. Gross
presents a strong case for reflective teaching and offers a
reasoned and well documented argument for reformed educational
practice. Joint Curriculum Design is a good resource for
both new and experienced teachers as it offers valuable
references and strategies to encourage and support teachers as
they move from directors of instruction to facilitators of
learning.
About the
Reviewer
Susan Crichton,
Ph.D.
Assistant Professor,
Faculty of Education
The University of
Calgary
602 Education
Tower
2500 University Dr. NW,
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
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