This chapter dives into what a curriculum actually contains - aims & objectives. So, after having analyzed the learner needs and the situation, it is now time to bring all that knowledge together in the writing or revising of a curriculum. I really appreciated the statement on page 112: "Formulating goals is not, therefore, an objective scientific enterprise, but a judgment call." So, even though we may have applied scientific principles and approaches in conducting the needs and situation analysis, we're back to judgment calls when deciding on aims and objectives. I guess there's just no way around good old judgment!
I also found the curriculum ideologies intriguing. Somehow they seemed vaguely familiar - especially when I got to the social reconstruction and the cultural pluralism one... I'm still trying to figure out where I may have encountered these before, maybe my multicultural education class last spring...? In any case - I find the the academic rationalism amazing. Can we really justify spending time and money for research or learning about something by stating that it adds to our knowledge base? Is knowledge an end in itself or should there be a need or application for it in order for knowledge to be useful? I am currently struggling with this idea in the context of my SLA class. If SLA does not help us be better teachers, then what is its relevance? I guess I am still trying to find a justification beyond interest and academic rationalism... :)
On the subject of language classes, I choose to believe that my language students get a cultural, social and economic benefit from spending time in my classroom rather than just a higher state of academic enlightenment - but that's just me...
I think that many of the concepts from the ideology section can be meshed into a better concept or idea. Many of them have valid points and if you take the best in all of them then you have a perfect balance. It sounds as though you have already applied this to your own teaching and I hope that when the time comes I will also be able to.
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