Journal of Teaching Innovation and Reform

Articles

Vol. 1 (2025)

Teacher as Curricular Artist: Implications of William E. Doll Jr.’s Thought on the Teacher’s Role in Shaping Living Curriculum

Published
2025-09-24

Abstract

Modern education models tend to position teachers as mere technical implementers of centrally and uniformly designed curricula, thereby neglecting the dynamics of the classroom and the reflective–creative potential inherent in the learning process. Through his postmodern curriculum approach, William E. Doll Jr. offers a radical repositioning of both the teacher’s role and the very nature of the curriculum. This study aims to examine in depth the implications of Doll Jr.’s thought for the teacher’s role in shaping a living curriculum. It employs a qualitative, library-based research approach, using critical discourse analysis of Doll’s seminal works alongside supporting secondary literature. The findings reveal two main points: first, the paradigm of the teacher as a ‘curricular artist’ encourages teachers to act not merely as executors, but as interpreters and creators of curricula who are sensitive to context and learning relationships; second, the curriculum is understood as a living process formed through dynamic interaction among teachers, students, and the learning environment, rather than as a fixed and rigid final product. Although this approach faces criticism regarding the lack of standardization and the risk of subjective bias, Doll responds with the concepts of open structure and reflective dialogue. The implications of this study highlight the need to transform the teacher’s role in contemporary education toward a more autonomous, creative, and humanistic position.

 

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