다시 생각해 본 수준별 교육과정 - 수준별 교육과정의 도입 , 편성 , 운영논의와 관련된 몇 가지 쟁점을 중심으로 - = Curriculum Differentiation on the Basis of Student's Academic Capability Reconsidered

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study is to analyze the significance of curriculum differentiation we plan to interduce for the 7th national curriculum. Korean Ministry of Education already made it public that the concept and practice of curricumum differentiation on the basis of students` academic capability would be a main characteristic of the 7th national curriculum. Unluckily, however, we didn`t have an opportunity to make an in-depth analysis of the issue. This is to provies a public space to talk about the pros and cons of curriculum differenctiation on the basis of students` academic capability. In this article, I first examine the development of the concept of curriculum differentiation in Korea, and then analyze the possibilities and limitations of curriculum differentiation on the basis of students` academic capability, focusing on the issues of curriculum differentiation in general vs. curriculum differentiation on the basis of studemts` academic capability, intraschool ability grouping vs. interschool ability grouping the positive effects vs. the negative effects of ability grouping, and the pursuit of efficiency vs. the pursuit of equality. In the process, I find and inconsistency between the original motives of interducing curriculum differentiation and actual development strategies of differentiation. And I also imply that curriculum differentiation is being introduced without in-depth analyses being made about the pros and cons of curriculum differentiation. I conclude this article with providing the direction in which curriculum differentiation as part of school reform stratagies in Korea should be implimented in order to be successful. First, I suggest that the notion of curriculum differentiation on the basis of students` academic capability should be expanded to include a veriety of curriculum differentiation. Second, I maintain that the notion of curriculum differentiation is not the panacea to all school ills, but only one reform strategy we are adoption today to change our schooling practices. Third, I contend that school frform should be regarded as a journey of learning, and that teachers in schools should be the active agents of school reform if the reform is to succeed. Without embracing the perspective-shift mensioned above in school reform endeavors, I am sure that any reform strategy is doomed to be a failure.