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Curriculum Development For Higher Education Their Problems and Solutions
Curriculum Development For Higher Education Their Problems and Solutions
Concept of Curriculum
In the past, the term curriculum signified a course of studies followed by a pupil in a teaching
institution. In the English-speaking tradition it was used as equivalent to the French concept
programme dtudes. Today, it means in general terms, the contract between society, the State
and educational professionals with regard to the educational activities that learners should
undergo during a certain phase of their lives to learn something desirable.
Definitions of curriculum
Standard dictionaries define curriculum as a course of study offered by an academic
institution. According to Ronald Doll, curriculum is the formal and informal content and
process by which learners gain knowledge and understanding, develop skills, and alter attitudes,
appreciations, and values under the auspices of an academic institution. In other words,
curriculum can be defined as the total experience. From this view point, Curriculum is not only
the content selected and delivered, but also the planned and unplanned activities in which
individuals participate as students.
In educational literature, in short, the word curriculum has been defined in the following ways:
Curriculum is such permanent subjects as grammar, reading, logic, rhetoric,
mathematics, and the greatest books of the Western world that embody essential
knowledge.
Curriculum is those subjects that are most useful for living in contemporary society.
Curriculum is all planned learning for which the institution is responsible.
Curriculum is all the experiences learners have under the guidance of the institution.
Curriculum is the totality of learning experiences provided to students so that they can
attain general skills and knowledge at a variety of learning sites.
Curriculum is a structured series of intended learning outcomes.
Syllabus and Course
The other terms that are commonly used as synonymous to curriculum are syllabus and course.
But curriculum can refer to any level of an educational experience, from that of a particular area
within a course, to the course itself, to a broader program of study that comprises a number of
different courses around a particular content area.
Curriculum is often used to refer to a focus of study, consisting of various courses all designed to
reach a particular proficiency or qualification; Syllabus refers to the content or subject matter,
instructional strategies and evaluation means of an individual course. The collective syllabus of a
program of study represents a map of the curriculum for that program. A curriculum is developed
through planning for a larger program of study and then building syllabi for courses to manifest
the curriculum design and plan. However, even developing a syllabus for a specific course can be
thought of as a form of curriculum development.
Her model was an attempt to ensure that decisions about curriculum are made
on the basis of valid criteria and not whim or fancy. She claimed that decisions
should follow in the order of the seven steps. She advocated analyzing learners'
needs by considering the society and culture in which they live and only then
making decisions about the steps that follow. Therefore, she did not neglect
contextual factors. However, her model has the same drawbacks as Tyler's, even
though it is a more expansive model. On the positive side, the model was an
advance on Tyler's and it incorporated up-to-date (at that time) knowledge from
educational psychology about learning and teaching.
Another group of models include elements of the rational/objective models, but
go beyond by viewing curriculum development as a continuing activity and
adding modifications as new information becomes available, For example,
pressure from the public about new business or social needs might result in
updating curriculum.
A new element, called situational analysis, was introduced in the 1970s to Taba's
diagnosis of needs. It refers to a detailed description and analysis of context in
which a particular curriculum is to be implemented. This model comprises the
following steps.
situational analysis
selection of objectives
selection and organization of content
Selection and organization of methods of teaching.
evaluation of learning
Curriculum Wing requests the Provincial Centres to prepare draft curriculum for each
subject taught in various classes up to Class XII.
Provincial Centres call in Committee of Experts, Teachers, and Subject Specialists on
each subject.
Provincial Curriculum Committees prepare curriculum plan.
The draft plan is sent to the Curriculum Wing.
Curriculum Wing circulates the drafts to the selected teachers, subject specialists in
schools, colleges, and other agencies concerned and invites their comments.
The comments are reviewed in the Curriculum Wing.
The National Committee of Curriculum scrutinizes the draft in the light of the comments.
The Committee submits its recommendations to the Ministry of Education.
Secretary Education accords necessary approval.
The Curriculum schemes duly approved are passed on to the provincial Textbook Boards
for preparation of textbooks.
invited to share their definition with the total group. The ML will assist the
participants to arrive at a consensus about the definitions.
4.4 Activity 4: Mapping Participant Conceptions
The participants may be asked to identify the strengths and weakness of the
curriculum in vogue in Pakistan. Their response may be displayed through flip
charts or multimedia to find out the extent to which the participants agree or
disagree.
4.5 Activity 5: Interactive Lecture
The ML shall deliver interactive lecture on the concept of curriculum. In the
course of lecture, the participants may express their ideas or enter into
arguments/debate that may help them to clarify their concepts. The lecture shall
be comprised of the following topics.
Meaning of curriculum.
Models of curriculum development.
Curriculum development in Pakistan.
The ideas incorporated in the attached reading materials may help the ML to
prepare his/her lecture. S/he is encouraged to use additional materials for this
purpose, if there is need to do so.
4.6 Activity 6: Participants to Share their Learned Experiences
This activity may take the form of question and answer session to clearly
understand the concept of curriculum.
4.7 Activity 7: Application Activity
Participants will review one of their syllabi and assess its strengths and areas for
improvement based on Tabas model of curriculum below. One course syllabus is
a microcosm of a larger curriculum plan for a program of study. Since faculty
participants have more control and influence over their own course syllabus, we
will use this level to put new learning into practice and the development of new
tools for use in the classroom.
For each item below, participants should assess the strength of that element in
their syllabus and if in need of improvement make note of what improvement
could be made to their syllabus. They can also identify areas in the list below
that are missing from their syllabus. This is a first round assessment and they
will continue to assess their syllabi as they learn more about each topic. These
improvements will be made throughout the remaining sessions of the module. 14