Module 1 Activity 1

Definitions of Curriculum
A clear understanding of what curriculum is helps scholars and students in understanding
the curriculum as a dynamic field in education. Reid (2006) opined that people talk about, write
about, legislate for, teach courses on, and take credits in curriculum; hence, it is important to
have a concrete explanation of what curriculum is.
Many books on curriculum present various images, characterizations, and definitions of
the term curriculum. To analyse or discuss all of these definitions would be a massive endeavour
since there are more than hundred books written about curriculum (Schubert 1980). Presented
in this book are just a few definitions provided by Beauchamp (1982), Eisner (1985), Glatthorn
(2006), Marsh (2004), Oliva (2005), Pinar (1995), Posner (1995), Reid (2006), Saylor (1981),
and Schubert (1986), among others.

o Curriculum as a list of subject. This definition suggest that curriculum includes the
“permanent” or the traditional subjects offered in the school curriculum such as
Mathematics, Language, Science, Music, Arts, and others.
o Curriculum as learning experiences. This definition includes students’ curricular and
co-curricular activities and the learning experiences they encounter inside or outside
the school. This is also includes the hidden curriculum or those things learned by the
peers, schoolmates, teachers, school staff, or the values they learned from a school
program. In short curriculum includes the school culture.
o Curriculum as intended learning outcomes. This definition includes a list of learning
competencies or standards that students should learn in school.
o Curriculum as planned learning experiences. This definition includes documents
specifying contents, objectives, or general ideas of what students should know in
schools or in a specific discipline.
o Curriculum as a discipline. This definition has its own principles, theories and practices.
o Curriculum as content or subject matter. This definition views curriculum as a series
of topics under each subject area.
It is important that curriculum workers have a common understanding of what curriculum
is. Their personal definition of curriculum defines the curriculum product that they will produce.
Many curriculum projects fail, and many curriculum researches appear vague because of an
unclear understanding of the field of curriculum. Besides, only few people are experts in
curriculum studies, especially in the Philippines, who may be consulted regarding these projects
and researches.

References:
Pawilen, Greg. Curriculum Development. Rex Book Store, 856 Nicanor Reyes, Sr. St., Manila.
2015
 Module 1 Activity 2

Different Types of Curriculum

Several curriculum scholars (see Glatthorn, Boschee, and Whitehead 2006; Print
1993; Tanner and Tanner 2007) cited nine types of curriculum depending on how
curriculum is used in various institutions.
1. Ideal or recommended curriculum. This refers to what scholars propose as the most
appropriate curriculum for the learners. For example, different professional organizations
or various disciplines in different universities may propose curriculum innovations or
alterative curriculum content as a result of their researches.
2. Intended, official, or written curriculum. This refers to the official curriculum embodied in
approved state curriculum guides (Glathorn et al. 2006). It is the curriculum prescribed
by the government. In the Philippines context, these are the prescribed courses from
different government agencies: the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission
on higher education (CHEd), and the Technical Education and Skills Development
Administration (TESDA).
3. Implemented curriculum. This type of curriculum refers to the actual implementation of
the curriculum or what teachers in the school teach. In many cases, teachers modify and
improve their curriculum based on the needs of the students or whenever there are new
ideas in various disciplines that are important to teach to the students.
4. Achieved curriculum or learned curriculum. This refers to the result of the curriculum or
what students actually learned in school (Print 1993). The achieved curriculum reveals
whether the students learned or whether the schools are successful in attaining their
curriculum goals and objectives.
5. Tested curriculum. This is a set of learning that is assessed in teacher-made classroom
tests, curriculum-referenced tests, and in standardized tests. (Glatthorn et al. 2006)
6. Entitlement curriculum. This refers to what the people or the general society believes
learners should expect to learn in the educational system for them to become good
members of the society.
7. Supported curriculum. This refers to the curriculum that is reflected on and shaped by
resources allocated to support or deliver the official curriculum. (Glatthorn et al. 2006)
8. Null or censored curriculum. This refers to various curriculum contents or topics that must
not be taught to the students. ( Tanner & Tanner 2007)
9. Hidden curriculum. This refers to various skills, knowledge and attitudes that students
learn in school as a result of their interaction with other students, staff, and faculty
members. Although hidden curriculum is not actually taught in formal classroom learning,
it can be a product of the students’ schooling. The hidden curriculum is very powerful in
developing the school culture (Print 1993).

References:
Pawilen, Greg. Curriculum Development. Rex Book Store, 856 Nicanor Reyes, Sr. St., Manila.
2015