Envisioning curriculum as six simultaneities

Abstract

This paper uses the discourse of complexity thinking to envision curriculum as six partial and coupled facets that exist simultaneously: curriculum as structure, curriculum as process, curriculum as content, curriculum as teaching, curriculum as learning and curriculum as activity.  Such a curriculum is emergent and self-organising.  It is emergent in two ways: (1) in its deliberate intention to foster new learning, activities and teaching without knowing or dictating exactly what will emerge, and (2) in the sense that curriculum is an ever-evolving reality that is brought forth in the ongoing interactions of the six coupled facets.  A self-organising curriculum enables a teacher to create ‘a space for running’ and foster ‘interactive running in that space’ to meaningfully honour both the requirements set by authorities and the interests of children and teachers, rather than a pre-determined curriculum.  This model of curriculum was developed and is discussed in the context of the early childhood curriculum in Aotearoa New Zealand.