The Nature and Function of Curriculum Theory

73 While curriculum theory is usually esteemed by scholars in the field as an important component of curriculum studies, it seems to be held in low regard by most practitioners, who often dismiss it as completely unrelated to their day-to-day work. Although that impatience with the theoretical is quite understandable, the view advanced in this chapter is that sound theory can be of value to both the scholar and the practitioner. At its best, curriculum theory can provide a set of conceptual tools for analyzing curriculum proposals, for illuminating practice, and for guiding reform. Melding theory and the reality of school curriculum together is an important step in the educational planning process. Not all curriculum theories translate smoothly into real-world practice. Educators have found it difficult to use theoretical approaches to make continual analyses, reevaluations, and revisions of curriculum in light of such fields as informational technology and the sociology of knowledge. It is a daunting task to undertake the complexity of curriculum design given race, class, economic conditions, and cultural diversity—not to mention the continual changes evolving with technological advances in education. It is therefore essential to develop a fundamental understanding of curriculum theory by providing the tools necessary when analyzing curriculum proposals, illuminating practice, and guiding reform. Questions addressed in this chapter include the following: