Week One Compare and Contrast

The history of business education can be tracked as far back as the year 1635 in Plymouth Colony when a teacher was hired to teach reading, writing, and casting accounts. According to our assigned readings, the first thought of a specific curriculum was not introduced until 1890. Business education was offered in the form of bookkeeping at the English Classical School for Boys in 1823. Curriculum and the guidelines for teachers to follow were not officially introduced into the business education classroom until at least 60 years later.
Academic Scientism was the term used to describe the very first type of curriculum that was implemented in to the classroom. Academic Scientism lasted from 1890 to 1916. The academic area of the curriculum was a method for teachers to shape the learning of basic education. Charles W. Eliot was the most influential person during this particular time of setting a curriculum. Eliot was the first to make recommendations to elementary, secondary, and higher education schools pertaining to the basic information that was going to be taught in the schools. During the academic scientism time, business education began to come onto the scene. In 1858, a school in New York City opened and was the first to teach stenography and typewriting. In 1868 the first practical typewriter was invented by Christopher Sholes. By 1909, the Business Educator’s Association had joined with the National Education Association and the first Business Education Supervisor, Fredrick Nichols, was employed by the state department of education.
Progressive Functionalism was the second era of curriculum and it lasted from 1917 to 1940. The progressive era of curriculum seemed to be more child centered. The era was centered toward making sure the children enjoyed learning and this learning was directed to topics that interested them. Students mastering the arts were considered very important during this time as well as making sure each child expressed creativeness. Mathematics and grammar during this era were not considered as subjects that were a needed skill that should be taught to the students. Functionalism was important to the curriculum during this time because students were expected to get the most out of there learning experiences. Students were not expected to waste any time and were expected to be extremely time efficient. The business education era from 1917 to 1940 saw many organizations form along with the publication journals for business education. In 1923, the honor society, Pi Omega Pi, was formed and followed with the forming on Delta Pi Epsilon in 1936. From 1919 to 1936, The Balance Sheet and the Delta Phi Epsilon were published.
Educational history then turned to the era of Developmental Conformism from 1941 to 1956. The developmental era was used to help develop the students and prepare them for real life situations. According to our assigned readings, Havighurst was the person that prepared the plan for students to follow beginning with their elementary to adolescent years of life. The curriculum showed what each student should accomplish during their lifespan. The idea of conformity was also established during this time. Havighurst believed that students be conformed to their ways of life and to make sure each student learned the responsibilities of the society norms during this time. In 1946, the United Business Education Association was formed. Also during this particular era of curriculum, business education saw the first electronic computer to be invented along with the first publication of the Business Education Forum being released.
Scholarly Structuralism was from 1957 to 1967 and it seemed to have an interesting effect on the education field and the curriculum being followed. During this time, scholars finally realized that forming a curriculum was going to play a very important role in the success of children and how much the students learn. Federal funds helped pay for scholars to make suitable curriculums for every major subject for elementary and secondary education. In 1962, the United Business Education Association changed it name to the National Business Education Association. IBM invented the first electric typewriter. By 1965, the NBEA Yearbook was published and the word processing was added to the curriculum for students.
The Romantic Radicalism was the next era in curriculum writing. It lasted from 1968-1974. This era was a time of experimentation that took three forms. Alternative schools were considered to be teacher centered since the schools were mostly ran by the teachers without administrators. The curriculum was centered to each child and allowed each child to learn what was appealing to the students and the parents. The open classroom idea was the second form that came during the era. Students were in a controlled learning environment but were to move around and go from station to station at their own rate. Teachers held great concern over keeping order in the classroom since most of the order came from the students and self discipline. Elective programs were also introduced during this era as a way for students to have some control over courses being taught. Students could choose what to study and what not to study. Once again this era was focused more intently around a child centered curriculum and allowing each student to study what was of interest to them.
Privatistic Conservatism was introduced from 1975 to 1989. Education during the era started to be more about family and religious issues and not about students centered learning. During this time period, the family gained information from television sets and widespread immigration became a problem in the United States. Research was conducted during the era to help show how schools could be the most effective from having a good leader and principal along with active parent involvement and support. A more challenging curriculum came during the era along with forcing students to think at school. Accountability was first mentioned during this era. In 1989, President George H. Bush released a set of national education goals that were to be completed by the year 2000. Business Education passed standards during the era also. The Standards for Excellence in Business Education, NABTE Standards for Business Education were both published during the privatistic conservatism era.
The Technological Constructionism era was from 1990 to 1999. Technological advances during this era showed how much students were going to be forced to learn along with keeping up with changing of technology. Technology changed how teachers were teaching and communicating in the classroom. The ability for teachers and students to share information made learning and communicating even more effective during the era. Every state with the exception of Iowa came up with the standards of education for their state. Curriculum and student achievement was an issue that states were facing with the standards that teachers were teaching in the classroom. Accountability was used to make many decisions. Teachers and textbooks were beginning to be held accountable for the success of students in the classroom. One year after Goals 2000 came out in 1994, the National Business Education Association passed the National Standards for Business Education in 1995. The standards showed what student should know and be able to do in business.
The New Privatistic Conservatism is being used in the 21st century. Students are beginning to receive more character education from schools as well as obtaining practical education that can be used in daily life. Even with schools teaching character education, many students are still being home schooled in the United States and although many parents say their child is being home schooled for religious purposes, some believe it is about the ability to choose what is being taught to the child. In 2002, George W. Bush signed the No Child is Left Behind Act into law and the act is requiring that all schools must progress each year. The act also calls for all students to be proficient in math and English.
Curriculum and the ideas of what students must learn have certainly changed throughout the years. Students are being asked to learn more and more all the time and teachers are being held accountable to make sure the students are learning to their utmost ability. Even though some schools are still considered to be child-centered, schools are showing signs of having to follow mandated curriculums in the schools.
Glatthorn and Smith both offer different approaches to curriculum writing, but both have similarities and differences in the approaches. Smith’s approach is broken down into four different parts. The Transmission for Information approach by Smith follows Glatthorn’s structured-oriented theory very closely. The approaches have curriculums that are changed to help with local interest and the wants of the states that are writing the curriculums. Educators tend to share information with each other throughout the approach to help ensure that students are getting the most out of the information being taught. Glatthorn’s content-oriented approach is similar to Smith’s end product approach. Using this approach educators are less likely to worry about how to reach the goals of the curriculum as long as in the end curriculum goals are met. Along with Smith’s process approach, the instructional design process both are used to establish materials and teaching strategies that are used in the classroom. The process puts emphasis on the interaction of all involved parties and forcing students to use critical thinking skills. Using awareness is another approach that can be used in helping a student achieve. Students are all going to learn in different ways and educators that are aware of this trait will be allowing students the chance to learn from different angles in the classroom.