The four dimensions of curriculum: defining curriculum from the early childhood educator's perspective

The early childhood curriculum has traditionally drawn on theoretical descriptions for development and learning to inform its approach to the education of young children. In the past, research aimed at examining the curriculum from a practical perspective has tended to focus on the extent to which an educator’s practice can be deemed to match the theoretical imperatives of any given curriculum approach. Research regarding educators’ conceptions of the curriculum has not been as frequently conducted. This paper explores the conceptions of curriculum held by twelve early childhood educators working across two different settings. The findings indicate that the educators conceived the curriculum in terms of four main dimensions including: curriculum as the observation of children’s development; curriculum as a reflection of children’s interests and developmental potential; curriculum as the philosophical and religious beliefs of the educator; and curriculum as influenced by the management structures governing a setting. The paper suggests that the four dimensions of curriculum offer a useful framework for examining issues associated with the relationship between theory and educators’ beliefs about the early childhood curriculum within a particular educational context.