Lecture Notes on Dr. Franklin Bobbitt and Modern Curriculum Theory

Introduction

• Presenter: Jerry Thor
• Colleagues: Celeste Morgan, Sonora Mosby
• Focus: Dr. Franklin Bobbitt, founder of Modern Curriculum Theory

Background of Franklin Bobbitt

• Born: Rural Indiana
• Family: One of 11 children; father was a minister and teacher
• Career:
  • Worked as a teacher
  • Traveled to the Philippines (1902-1907) to develop curriculum
  • Realized curriculum should be socially efficient
• Academic Career:
  • Education professor at the University of Chicago
  • Published significant works: "The Curriculum" (1918) and "How to Make a Curriculum" (1924)

Historical Context

• Significant changes during Bobbitt's lifetime:
  • Urbanization in America
  • Industrialization and economic participation
  • Harlem Renaissance
  • Technological advancements (airplane, telephone, automobiles)
  • 19th Amendment (women's suffrage)
  • Shift from traditional answers to "how" and "why" questions

Bobbitt's Educational Beliefs

• Critique of the Committee of Ten: Outdated and ineffective research
• Social Efficiency Movement:
  • Purpose of education aligned with skills for adult life
  • Maximize efficiency using structured curriculum and scientific analysis
• Curriculum Development:
  • Emphasized measurable, clear, systematic, and sequential curriculums
  • Included general education and vocational tracks
  • Five-step curriculum making process
  • Curriculum involves direct and indirect experiences

Comparison with John Dewey

• Both influenced education: Bobbitt (public), Dewey (private)
• Bobbitt focused on objectives for future living; Dewey on current living
• Dewey's view: Education is a process of living

Theoretical Contributions

• Curriculum as interaction of directed and undirected experiences
• Students not passive learners; active engagement required
• Critical thinking skills development

Curriculum Design

• Objectives should be:
  • Practical and prepare for adulthood
  • Sequenced by grade level
  • Developed with input from experts and community
• Emphasizes experiential learning

Curriculum Evaluation

• Learning as acquiring skills
• Evaluation based on performance against set objectives
• Education similar to manufacturing with set standards

Conclusion

• Importance of aligning curriculum with societal needs and structures
• Encourages further reading with attached handouts and references