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CONCEPTUALIZATION OF A NEW HOLISTIC
CURRICULUM FOR THE NEW ERA
I have six years teaching experience in secondary, higher secondary
level and degree level. I found that in the current curriculum the
major focus is on the cognitive development. There are no separate
sections for affective and psychomotor domain in the SLOs
(Students’ Learning Outcomes) in the curriculum document. In my
opinion quality education equally focuses the cognitive, behavior
and psychomotor development of an individual. In other words
education means the overall development of an individual e.g.
physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual development.
Another thing in our current curriculum is the division of
knowledge into subjects, units and lessons. Because of this
segregation students often do not see the relationship between
these subjects, the relationship between facts within a subject or
the relevance of the subjects to their own lives.
The current curriculum facilitates learning to some extent, but to
my view it does not fulfill the needs of learners of 21st century.
The learner of today needs a 21st century world view. We need a
learner centered curriculum drawn on the explicit assumptions of
connectedness with the world and satisfying the needs of life as a
whole. Therefore, integrated curriculum need to be introduced to
enable learners as global citizen.
Keeping in mind the above facts and the limitations of current
curriculum, I think there should be a type of curriculum where
there is a balance between cognitive, affective and psychomotor
development and which fulfill the needs of the students of Pakistan
in 21st century. This curriculum is the “holistic curriculum”. This
type of curriculum allows the students’ development in holistic
manner which is the need of this era. The word “holistic” comes
from the Greek “holos” which means whole, holy, and connected
(Miller, J. P. 2001). The holistic curriculum therefore seeks to
acquire and develop a “complete or integral” view of human nature,
of the world, of life and of their interrelations. Therefore, what
I emphasize on is the integration of various disciplines and
subjects into a whole. The reason is that life is not segregated
and compartmentalized; hence segregation of subjects does not serve
the learners’ life as a whole entity rather than fragmented parts.
‘Holistic curriculum’ attempts to bring education into alignment
with the fundamental realities of the nature, and its core is
interrelated. We can see this dynamism and connectedness in the
atom, organic systems, the biosphere and the universe itself,
(Capra, 1996). Unfortunately, the human world since the industrial
revolution has stressed on compartmentalization and standardization
of knowledge. The result has been fragmentation. Another form of
fragmentation is within ourselves. Emerson (1990) wrote the reason
why the world lacks unity, and lies broken and in heaps, is because
man is disunited with himself. We find ourselves disconnected from
our bodies and our hearts. Education specifically has done much to
separate the relationship between head and heart.
The aim of ‘holistic curriculum’ is the
development of a whole individual. The students are not limited to
a set of learning competencies or thinking skills but are seen as a
whole being. Certainly when we look the student as less than a
whole person, we diminish the opportunity for authentic learning. A
teacher having holistic perspective of knowledge and learners will
use strategies, such as creative problem solving, cooperative
learning and arts which encourage students to make various types of
connections with the real world problems and practical life. These
connections make learning personally and socially meaningful for
students.
The focus of ‘holistic curriculum’ is on relationship between
linear thinking and intuition, between mind and body, and there is
relationship among various domains of knowledge. This curriculum
helps in developing a relationship between the individual and
community, to the earth, and our relationship to our souls.
‘Holistic curriculum’ then views the school as an organism, and
change as organic (Peter Senge, 1990). Instead of seeing the school
as a factory where people believe as if they are working on an
assembly line, the school can be seen, as a complex living organism
that is evolving or changing through a sense of purpose,
collaboration and a deep sense of inner direction.
In ‘holistic curriculum’ teachers also care about how students
think and in particular teachers tries to encourage creative
thinking. Teachers also want the students to be able to solve
problems and use both analytical and intuitive thinking in the
process. ‘Holistic curriculum’ also cares about the physical
development of students, and there is room for activities that
foster healthy bodies and positive self-image (Miller, J. P. 2001).
In ‘holistic curriculum’ teachers care about how students relate to
others and to the community at large. Teachers also focus on
communication skills, and as the students develop, teachers
encourage them to use these skills in a variety of community
settings. At the same time we encourage the community to come into
the school, particularly artists who can inspire the students’
aesthetic sense.
Most of all, the ‘holistic curriculum’ focuses on students well
being. Teachers realize that the final contribution that learners
make to this planet is from the deepest part of their being and not
just from the skills we teach them. We can try to foster the
spiritual growth of the students by working on ourselves as
teachers to become more conscious and caring. By working on
ourselves, we hope to foster in our students a deep sense of
connectedness within themselves and other beings on this planet.
Although there are some challenges to implement the ‘holistic
curriculum’ in our schools but these challenges can be overcome
with commitment. One challenge is that holistic curriculum in the
hands of the transmission oriented teacher will become a
transmission curriculum. So, first of all we have to train our
teachers to teach the curriculum in such a way that the objectives
of the ‘holistic curriculum’ can be achieved. For curriculum
implementation school leaderships must be aware of the importance
of the curriculum. They must realize that change is inherent in the
life of the school. Schools must know that change is an organic
part of life. From holistic point of view we simply try to be in
harmony with this change, this perspective focuses on alignment.
Another challenge is for the teachers in school contexts where
‘holistic curriculum’ is implemented, teachers need to care for
students. They need to be concerned about them and care about their
academic work. Teachers also need to be knowledgeable and committed
in order to help students’ develop all the three domains of
education. Teachers also need to let students see how subjects
relate to one another, and to the students themselves. To teach
this type of curriculum there should be such teachers who have
knowledge about the integration of different subjects.
The basic goal of education, in the 21st century, is not only to
enable learner to function in society and to increase production.
But s/he has also to learn how to live consciously rather than to
continue existing unconsciously, learn how to live in a responsible
fashion and be responsible. To days, learner needs to learn how to
become independent and stand upon one’s own feet rather than be
dependant on others. ‘Holistic Curriculum’ is the potential
curriculum to facilitate such learning which can meet the needs of
learners today and in the time to come as well.
Shafiqur.Rehman
Student M.Ed
AKU-IED Karachi
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