Universities and a Human Development Ethics: a capabilities approach to curriculum

Abstract

This article takes up the challenge of curriculum change in relation to the contested purposes of universities. It argues for an expansive, public good understanding, rather than the thin market exchange norms which currently drive higher education policies. The paper suggests that a human capital approach to curriculum is then insufficient to capture the full range and potential of a university curriculum. Instead, an approach to curriculum based on human development and capabilities formation is advanced as offering a richer perspective on what it means to be human and hence on the kinds of graduates universities should educate. Some implications for teaching, learning and assessment are outlined and a framework to design and operationalise a human development approach to curriculum is proposed.

AlternationSpecial Edition 27(2019) 37-6437Print ISSN 1023-1757; Electronic ISSN: 2519-5476; DOIhttps://doi.org/10.29086/2519-5476/2019/sp27a2Curriculum Development: An Enriched Approach for Twenty-First Century Open Distance Learning

“…Primarily, education can have an instrumental personal economic role. Within this approach, the main goal of higher education is directed towards preparing students for the jobs that the economy offers and most higher education curricula and pedagogy appear to respond to employability and market demands at the expense of expansive human development (Walker 2012). Human Capital Theory (HCT) is a financial investment which views education yielding economic returns (Unterhalter 2010).…”

“…Talik (2003) argues that new values, policies and practices are replacing the old ones and market-driven policies are replacing social democratic values and government subsidies (Ibid). As a result, reductive discourses of employability and well paid global citizens in a global workforce are given priority in the curriculum over other aspects that are important for human development and thriving lives (Walker 2012). Therefore, these researchers argue that higher education institutions cannot afford to sell pre-packaged skills and formal knowledge to student 'consumers' without considering the socio-historical context of student lives in combination with the socio-economic realities which await them outside of higher education spaces.…”

Análisis crítico-filosófico de las potencialidades educativas de la enseñanza basada en competencias

“…En efecto, se asume que trabajadores mejor capacitados son más productivos y generan mayor riqueza (Schultz, 1989). De este modo, esta teoría es invocada como el modelo de educación más adecuado para mejorar la vida individual y social conforme las normas dadas por el mercado y su productividad (Walker, 2012).…”

“…Y ¿es posible mantener y consolidar una democracia saludable solo con conocimientos técnicos? Estas, entre otras, son las preguntas que surgen del examen crítico que hacen distintos investigadores sobre la potencialidad formativa de las competencias y sus supuestos filosóficos en la universidad (Agut y Lozano, 2008;Walker, 2010Walker, , 2012Lozano, Boni, Peris y Hueso, 2012;Rodríguez y Diestro, 2014).…”

The Role of Open Educational Resources (OERs) in Primary Education in Developing Nations: A Case Study of India

“…A curriculum is determined on the basis of value judgement, where the relative importance of a study area in the curriculum is debated (Walker, 2012). In the absence of policies on fixed curriculum standards, debates and disagreements on K-12 content have existed for decades in many countries (Munter, Stein & Smith, 2015;Hammond, 2012).…”