Broader Strokes: The Curricular and Pedagogical Possibilities of Multiage Educational Settings

Authors

Juria C. Wiechmann, Minot State UniversityFollow
Daniel R. Conn, Minot State UniversityFollow
Leslee J. Thorpe, Minot State UniversityFollow

Abstract

Multiage classrooms seem to be an idea of the past, as students in most schools across the country are grouped by age. However, research by Goldman (1981), Rhoades (1966), and Eisner (2003) argue that multiage grouping has significant social, behavioral, and intellectual advantages for students. Using educational criticism and connoisseurship as a methodology, this article examines the accounts of a professor who taught in a multiage school environment within the United States, as well as observations of a multiage school in the Masaka district of Uganda. This study aims to understand how curriculum and pedagogy interact within multiage system, as well as whether those interactions help or hinder students. Through interviews observations, and classroom artifacts, it was found as Perez, Breault, and White (2014) argue curriculum functions as a space, not only a given content trajectory. Additionally, it was found that in creating a space where community was encouraged, the school was able to move toward pedagogy of love.

Keywords

Multiage Education, Uganda, Africa, Elementary Education, Care Theory, Curriculum as Spaces, Connoisseurship

Author Bio(s)

Juria Wiechmann is a graduate student at Minot State University. Correspondence regarding this article can be addressed directly to: Juria.c.bigelow@ndus.edu.

Dan Conn is an assistant professor at Minot State University. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: daniel.conn@ndus.edu.

Leslee Thorpe is the early childhood education coordinator at Minot State University. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: Leslee.j.thorpe@ndus.edu.

Acknowledgements

Juria would like to thank Kayla and Eli for their support and feedback in the process of writing this article. Dan would like to thank Linda, Virginia, Miles, Snowball, L.D., Lakota, and Paulo for their ongoing love and support.

Publication Date

7-14-2019

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2019.3378

Recommended APA Citation

Wiechmann, J. C., Conn, D. R., & Thorpe, L. J. (2019). Broader Strokes: The Curricular and Pedagogical Possibilities of Multiage Educational Settings. The Qualitative Report, 24(7), 1703-1713. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2019.3378