Philosophy of University Curriculum and Instruction

Philosophy of university curriculum and instruction is a core component of higher education. They are closely related and work together to improve the quality of education. Curriculum design not only affects students’ academic learning outcomes, but also exerts a profound influence on the cultivation of their critical thinking, innovative ability, and sense of social responsibility. At the same time, philosophy of university curriculum and instruction is a very important part of educational theory. It explores how to design, implement, and evaluate university curricula, and reflects educators’ basic ideas, values, and goals concerning teaching. Any theory and practice of curriculum and instruction more or less implies certain fundamental philosophical assumptions. No matter how we view curriculum and instruction, it is always related to the nature of knowledge and its teaching. What should teachers teach? How should students learn? Who should determine the curriculum? Answers to these questions all reflect the respondent’s view of knowledge. Moreover, different views of knowledge will largely shape the answers to these basic questions. By analyzing the internal logic of curriculum design and teaching practice, this chapter reveals how the two jointly shape the quality of education.