41: Curriculum Studies and Social Consequences of Value

In the collected essays of Dwayne Huebner edited by Vikki Hillis and introduced by William Pinar (1999) titled The Lure of the Transcendent, Huebner offers five challenges to the contemporary curriculum field: first, surpass the technical foundations of education; second, affirm the significance of the imagination; third, use the world’s intellectual traditions and achievements; fourth, speak out for justice for children and youth; and fifth, engage in public discourse about education (Huebner, cited in Hillis, 1999, p. 432). It is the final two challenges for justice and public discourse that may best explicate our questions today about defining curriculum work, recognizing curriculum workers, valuing knowledge and experiences, and deciding upon the most important curriculum questions.