The Development Of American Curriculum Theories In The First Half Of The 20～(th) Century

It is insurmountable of historical limitations for human beings' thought and cognition, and no matter what extent its history develops to, that is the extent we perceive the entities. Thus, both history and logic are unified. If the researchers on educational theories would make clear of their environment and recognize their starting point, they must have an insight into history and grasp totally the developmental history of mankind's educational thoughts. Those who lack of historical sense are superficial, and the understanding that lack of historical sense must also be superficial. The theoretical research will lose its foundation to a certain extent and be limited, if the importance of history research cannot be attach attention to.Curriculum theory acts on practical activities and playa the role of criticizing, describing, explaining, predicting and guiding. At present, the reforms of basic education curriculum in new century are catching on like fire throughout the country. And there must be great advantages for nowadays curriculum reform practices and curriculum theory development if we acquaint ourselves with the production and strong points of curriculum theories and comprehend them in historical development.As far as curriculum theory is concerned, it is a special period for the first half of the 20th century, when the United States as the birthplace of curriculum theory leads the world trend of curriculum theory research. At this period, many influential curriculum reforms, curriculum theoreticians and curriculum monographs appear in America. Since 1918 when Bobbitt made the beginning of curriculum research in Curriculum, a great many scholars have gradually made progress constantly in this field. By 1949, Basic Principle of Curriculum and Instruction written by Taylor can be regarded to created a new ear of curriculum establishment principle. Not only have all of these reflected the course of America curriculum theory development, but also embodied the development orbit of curriculum theory to a certain extent.The overall implementation of industrialization, urbanization, new immigration's tide, the maturation of native country culture consciousness and the reformation of progressivism has not merely composed of the basic elements of U.S.A.'s social changes in the first half of the 20th century, and has also reformed the main social background that curriculum theory produces and develops.The conditions that any theory faces in its development, not only include some unfavorable factor of hindering from or resisting its development, namely, the impedance factor. Through the analysis and research to the documents, it is not difficult for us to find the scientific ideological trend; the movement of education research being scientific; the development in scientifically fundamental theories like philosophy, psychology, culture, etc.; and critical thinking that is the paramount motive factor. Meantime, we find some impedance factors that mainly represent in the influence of natural science, the influence of the social ideology, the era limitation of the theoretical foundation, the inherent factor's impedance of the curriculum, etc.Practice of curriculum reform needs the strut of curriculum theory. In accordance with the current situations of curriculum reform and curriculum theory in our country, we enlightening the following from the development of America curriculum theory in the first half of the 20th century: Firstly, attach close attention to the curriculum research; strengthen the consciousness of curriculum; let curriculum go out of the words system of teaching; set up words system of curriculum theory; establish curriculum views of combining, producing and practicing; and direct curriculum reform practice with new curriculum theory. Secondly, attach importance to experimental research of curriculum reform. The reform of the curriculum is experimental process from one point to one side, and is also a systematic and long-period project. The experiment of the curriculum is the bridge c...