Ed.D. Doctor of Education Doctor of Education Curriculum and Instruction 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which curriculum theory posits that schooling reproduces social inequalities by privileging dominant cultural knowledge?
- Perennialism
- Social reconstructionism
- Reproduction theory (Correct answer)
- Essentialism
Correct answer: Reproduction theory
Reproduction theory, associated with Bowles, Gintis, and Bourdieu, argues that curriculum perpetuates existing social hierarchies by valuing the cultural capital of dominant groups.
Question 2: A curriculum director wants to ensure instructional materials reflect authentic community voices. Which approach BEST supports this goal?
- Adopting a nationally normed textbook series
- Conducting community asset mapping and co-designing materials with stakeholders (Correct answer)
- Purchasing award-winning supplemental workbooks
- Aligning all materials to state standardized test blueprints
Correct answer: Conducting community asset mapping and co-designing materials with stakeholders
Community asset mapping identifies local strengths and involves stakeholders in material development, ensuring curriculum authenticity and cultural responsiveness.
Question 3: Fenwick English's concept of 'curriculum alignment' primarily addresses the relationship between which elements?
- Teacher certification and student achievement
- Written, taught, and tested curriculum (Correct answer)
- Federal policy and local school boards
- Textbook selection and instructional pacing
Correct answer: Written, taught, and tested curriculum
English's curriculum alignment framework examines the coherence among what is planned (written), what teachers deliver (taught), and what assessments measure (tested).
Question 4: A school implements a block scheduling model. Which instructional strategy is MOST naturally supported by extended class periods?
- Daily timed recall drills
- Lecture-only direct instruction
- Project-based learning with sustained inquiry cycles (Correct answer)
- Frequent standardized benchmark testing
Correct answer: Project-based learning with sustained inquiry cycles
Block scheduling provides extended time that enables deeper engagement in project-based learning, which requires sustained inquiry, collaboration, and reflection.
Question 5: Which evaluation model emphasizes identifying unintended outcomes of a curriculum alongside its stated goals?
- Tyler's rationale
- Stake's responsive evaluation
- Scriven's goal-free evaluation (Correct answer)
- Kirkpatrick's four-level model
Correct answer: Scriven's goal-free evaluation
Scriven's goal-free evaluation deliberately avoids focusing on stated objectives so evaluators can identify both intended and unintended curriculum effects.
Question 6: An Ed.D. candidate studies how teachers adapt the official curriculum during classroom instruction. This phenomenon is best described as which type of curriculum?
- Null curriculum
- Enacted curriculum (Correct answer)
- Hidden curriculum
- Shadow curriculum
Correct answer: Enacted curriculum
The enacted (or lived) curriculum refers to what actually occurs in classrooms as teachers interpret and adapt the planned curriculum in real instructional contexts.
Question 7: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is built on which three core principles?
- Equity, inclusion, and access
- Representation, action/expression, and engagement (Correct answer)
- Standards, assessment, and pacing
- Scaffolding, differentiation, and remediation
Correct answer: Representation, action/expression, and engagement
UDL's three principles—multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement—address how learners perceive information, demonstrate knowledge, and stay motivated.
Ed.D. Doctor of Education Doctor of Education Curriculum and Instruction 2
Which curriculum theory posits that schooling reproduces social inequalities by privileging dominant cultural knowledge?