Using the Spiral Curriculum in the High School Classroom

Bruner's notion of the 'spiral curriculum' is an approach to teaching and learning that emphasizes revisiting basic concepts and principles over time, with each revisit aimed at adding layers of complexity and deepening understanding. His belief was that learning should be active - an interactive process where learners construct new ideas or concepts based on their current knowledge. In a high school mathematics classroom, this could be implemented by introducing the fundamental concepts first, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. After mastery of these basics, teaching can proceed to more complex topics, like algebra, geometry, or trigonometry. Yet, it is not a simple progression from one topic to the next. Instead, each new concept is linked back to previously learned ones, like revisiting the concept of addition when teaching algebra. The constant linking back and building onto earlier learned concepts helps solidify understanding and ties together different parts of the curriculum. Each revisit to a topic hence incorporates more complex information than the previous, leading students to gain an in-depth understanding of the subject matter gradually over time. By doing this, the learner becomes more proficient in problem-solving involving more complex mathematical problems. In contrast, Vygotsky's information processing approach puts emphasis on the social context of learning. He argues that cognitive development is heavily influenced by social interactions. Learners are believed to construct knowledge actively, but this process is facilitated by more knowledgeable others – like teachers, peers, or culturally provided tools. For a math class, Vygotsky’s approach might involve group problem-solving. Students can learn from each other or from the teacher facilitating the activity. The teacher is there to scaffold learning - providing support to students at the beginning - and gradually withdrawing this support as students become more capable and independently competent. Overall, Bruner’s spiral curriculum focuses on the revisiting and deepening of concepts over time, while Vygotsky emphasizes the social context in learning and the role of a more knowledgeable other in guiding learning. Both approaches share a view of learning as an active process, though they differ in how new knowledge is constructed and acquired.