Curriculumul contextualizat: între pluralism cultural și autonomie curriculară [Articol]

Abstract

Postmodernism has redefined the foundations of education by replacing universalism and the absolute authority of knowledge with ideas such as relativism, diversity, and fragmentation. Within this new framework, the contextualized curriculum gains major importance, offering an educational approach that starts from students’ concrete realities, their cultural and social identities, and the need to construct personal meaning in learning. Thus, education becomes a process of negotiation and dialogue, rather than a rigid transmission of abstract knowledge. However, this openness faces systemic pressures of standardization, creating a tension that is difficult to balance; the contextualized curriculum may offer a middle-ground solution, providing both coherence and adaptability. Integrating the intercultural dimension into this type of curriculum is essential in increasingly diverse societies, contributing to inclusion, equity, and social cohesion - central values in contemporary education.