Elliott Eisner

Explicit, Implicit and Null Curricula

Explicit curriculum is the stated goals, content, method in short, the curriculum documents. Implicit curriculum is the messages conveyed by how the school is run what kind of a school it is. It includes everything from architecture and furniture to teaching styles and reward systems. For example, Eisner suggests that the design of a typical school building sends a message to students that efficiency is valued most in a school; and, although encouraging initiative is desirable and possible, schools tend to promote compliance. Writing 30 years ago in an American context, Eisner observed that schools also promote competition, rather than collaboration, and comments that compliance and competition may well be excellent preparation for many jobs. This may not be true today, given the change in the nature of many occupations and careers in the internet age. Another example of implicit curriculum is the message conveyed by the allocation of time to various subjects, and the time of day certain subjects are taught. Null curriculum is what is not taught. When teachers present information from one point of view; this implies that there is only one way to approach an issue or a problem. The big picture, the why, the different perspectives on the topic being covered, are often neglected, for various reasons, such as time constraints; teachers comfort levels; and teachers shallowness of knowledge and understanding. The major guiding influence on the null curriculum, however, is the prevailing societal values of a school community. Two major areas within the null curriculum are intellectual processes, and subject content. Intellectual processed: schools over-reliance on writing implies that this is the only way of expressing thinking, and that thinking that cannot be expressed in the written form is inferior. This limits the intellectual processes available to students. It fosters literalness at the expense of imagination. Subject content: Eisner points out a number of valid subjects that could be should be? taught, but are generally not: economics; law; filmmaking; and the arts in general. Note that this was first written in 1979; some of those areas are now being covered, but there are many more that are still neglected. Interestingly, Eisner hints at what has since become media studies: the vernacular arts, or the study of popular images. Links for Further Reading http://www.teachersmind.com/eisner.htm
Eisner, E. (1979). The Educational Imagination: On the Design and Evaluation of School Programs . New York: Macmillan College Publishing. Retrieved from http://people.cehd.tamu.edu/~pslattery/documents/EducationalImagination.pdf