In the historiography on curriculum reform during the progressive era, one interpretive lens has dominated the study of 20th-century reform for more than 40 years: the idea of the "social efficiency" doctrine. In this historiographical essay, the authors briefly trace the rise of social efficiency as an idea in curriculum history, identify the…

Presents Rugg's educational philosophy and his materials in a descriptive overview; discusses his designs for a new social studies field; examines the process of curriculum development practiced by Rugg and his team of educators and authors; and draws parallels between the Rugg product and the projects of the 1960's. (Author/JK)

The purpose of this paper is to explain the relationship of Mortimer Adler's Paideia Proposal to John Dewey's "progressive" educational philosophy; to demonstrate Adler's and Dewey's philosophical similarities; and to discuss the impact and implications of their works on public school curriculum design ideology. Two common denominators…

Use of a critical approach in a curriculum design course for preservice teachers, by a five-phase process, would offer a beneficial shift away from the dominant "objectives first" models. This approach allows most teachers to reevaluate the processes and perspectives involved in educating children. (86 references) (CJH)

A review and bibliography of the history of curriculum development in the United States is presented. The document is comprised of two parts. Part I traces the history of curriculum thought and practice up to 1955. Periods covered include: Herbartianism (1895-1905), which represented the first major formulation of curriculum methodology based on…