CHAPTER 1: UNDERSTANDING CURRICULUM

LESSON 1 – VARIOUS DEFINITIONS OF CURRICULUM

ACTIVATE

Read Today’s Headlines

1. “PCOO assists DepEd on blended learning materials”

2. “CHED: Colleges, universities may still add Filipino to curriculum”

3. “DepEd: Curriculum to undergo changes”

4. “Philippines needs to improve its education system”

5. “Education in the face of a pandemic: Should parents shift to homeschooling?”

https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp -
content/uploads/2020/05/May -11-DepEd-Online-
Press-Conference-page-001.jpg

What can you say of these headlines? Do these reflect what are going on in our school?
Should the public know and be involved in the schooling of the citizens? What are the
implications of each headline to the classroom curriculum?

Write your thoughts on the space provided.

The Five headlines that is stated above shows the challenges in the educational
system of the country and their ways on overcoming and putting solution for these crisis.
Headlines are all about the current situation that we are facing right now in which the
COVID 19 pandemic affects all sector of the society especially the Department of
Education and CHED. These pandemic leads to many changes in the educational
system of the country which became a great challenge for the educational sector to
overcome with this pandemic and look for alternative mode of learning to continue and
meet the needs in the education of the young dreamers. In the first headline it is stated
that “PCOO assists DepEd on blended learning materials” it is all about the new normal
setting in the educational system of the country in which the Department of Education as
well as the CHED provide multifunctional alternative learning materials to help students
in their home schooling. Teachers provide blended learning materials to guide their
students in their studies despite of the challenges that they may take in their learning
process. Next headline is all about adding Filipino subject in the curriculum in tertiary
level. For me it is needed for us to learn Filipino subject first before learning other
languages. Yes, we can’t deny the fact that English is more important subject to learn
because it is useful for us to find job opportunities, yet, Filipino is also important for me
because it was a shameful act if we have so much knowledge of the foreign languages
but illiterate in our own language itself. Next we have, Curriculum undergo changes, the
department of education and the Commission on Higher Education need to have
changes in their curriculum to suit for the challenges that we are facing right now in our
educational system. Then we have the headline stating that Philippines needs to improve
its educational system because there are many lapses in the educational system of the
country we are lack of learning materials as well as teacher manual or guide in the
delivery of the lesson. We are lack of school facilities such as classroom, comfort rooms,
laboratories, Gymnasium and many more which is necessary for the holistic
development of the students. And lastly, education in the face of a pandemic: should
parents shift to homeschooling? In my own opinion for these I prefer to have face to face
classes rather than home schooling. Each one of us has different multiple intelligences,
some of us are fast learners some are slow learners. Not all the students have a higher
thinking order skills to fully understand, analyze and apply what they have learned out of
the topic. I’m not in favor for the homeschooling because there are many factor that
could be a barrier in the learning process of the students. There are many factors that
could affect the attention of the students in their studies at home. In the schooling of the
citizen the public should know and involved because they could be one of the factors that
could influenced an individual in their schooling. They have a great contribution in
molding an individual. the implications of each headline to the classroom curriculum is
that it shows on the changes that takes place in the educational system. Curriculum
change depends on the circumstances. Curriculum has a dynamic change, it changes
over time.

APPLY

Activity 1 – In this activity, let us find out how teachers, students, educators, define
curriculum from their own points of view.

Try to inquire from the following persons identified below (thru text messages, video
calls, chat, etc.). Allow them to share their views/ideas on what Curriculum is.

Record their answers and present the definition in a matrix like the one below. Try to
note their discussions with you and you may compare them as to the similarities and
differences of their ideas.
 Persons Answer to Question: What is Curriculum to You?
Interviewed

Elementary Grades “A step by step program to ensure the complete learning for
Teachers the students”.

“Subject that comprises the course you are studying that

School Principals needs to be passed to take the next courses. (Pre requisite
subject)”

Persons Answer to Question: What is Curriculum to You?

Interviewed
“Curriculum is the totality of the learner’s experience in the
Professor educational process. It also refers to the numerous subjects
that is being offered by the institution. It also discusses the
series of instructions planned by the institution to cater the
needs of the students and fulfill their academic needs.
Curriculum is dynamic and it continuously change due to
prevalent needs of the society. As what the saying goes “it
takes the village to raise a child”, the reason why an institution
needs stakeholders and other support system to create a
dynamic and successful curriculum.
“Set of courses/ subjects required for a chosen degree”.
School Personnel

“Set of courses and subjects that the school offers for the
Non-education students.
College Student

Comments /Observations:

Based on the information’s that I gather out of the interview that I’ve conducted for five
persons with different Profession and position in school I come up with the idea that
curriculum is something that serves as a guide of the teachers as well as the students in
their class all throughout the year. Curriculum is made by the Department of Education
and Commission on Higher Education and are implemented in the whole educational
system of the country. Curriculum change over time for it to suit for the prevalent needs
of the society.
ASSESSMENT

1. How do you view your school curriculum?

My own view or perspective on the curriculum of Iloilo Science and Technology
University Miagao Campus is that it molds student to be globally competitive individual,
it prepares students for their role to play in the future and their role to portray in their
field of profession/chosen profession. It provides adequate education and learning for
the students. It enhances the skill and abilities of the students in many field like for
example for the teacher education courses students are well trained. They are sent
from other schools to have their practice teach to showcase and enhance their skills in
teaching. Students are encouraged to join for school activities to showcase their talents
in acting, dancing, singing and many more.

2. Try to study and analyze the pictures below and write your personal definition of
curriculum.
a. Curriculum encourage students
participation on the class discussion.
Performance based curriculum.

b. Enhancing the skills and abilities of

the students.