Curriculum Prototypes and the Seven Dwarfs.

Jonathan Culler's notion, that each change of perspective a reader makes brings something different from the text, is explored by using four curricula. They are: the traditional language arts curriculum, an active reading comprehension curriculum, a psychology curriculum, and a feminist curriculum. By analyzing the same text, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," with these curricula, several areas can be addressed concerning curriculum development. Each curriculum offers a different knowledge even though the text or artifact has remained the same. Knowledge changes depending on the experiences of the reader and in this case the reader/curriculum designer. Because of the different results that will be obtained by using each curriculum, it is necessary for teachers to be aware of their perspectives, objectives, and outcomes before creating a curriculum since each view embraces different knowledge, different vocabulary, different attitudes, and different responses from students. (Fourteen references are appended.) (MS)