ABSTRACT
There is a delusion abroad; a fantasy that has already misled some researchers in education and which seems likely to beguile even more who are attracted by ‘illuminative’ methods. This chimera is known as ‘curriculum criticism’. 1 It flourishes in the United States and is already gaining currency in British curriculum studies. Some of its leading proponents are Mann, Willis, Eisner and Jenkins. 2 Although it has a history of a dozen years or so, it is so new that a recent comprehensive review of educational research methods fails to give it mention. 3 I believe its theory and practice to be deeply flawed and urge that great caution is required lest a whole generation of teachers studying curriculum are encouraged to set off in pursuit of this mirage.
