Running head: THEORIES AND MODELS IN CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT 1

Theories And Models In Curriculum Development

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Theories And Models In Curriculum Development

Introduction

The development of curriculum is not done in isolation. However, the process is a part of

planning, the development, the implementation, and the review cycle. The process of curriculum

development can be explained at various levels: the curricular reform that is of large-scale to the

alterations in the individual lessons. This report aims at explaining the various theories and

models of the curriculum development. The report also addresses the ways through which the

models and theories involved in developing the curriculum can be used in the process of coming

up with curricula in primary school teaching.

Theories And Models Of Curriculum Development

The curriculum is defined as the intended learning outcomes due to the learning

experiences that are not only planned but also guided. The plans are formulated by reconstructing

the experiences and knowledge systematically under the guidance of the school’s auspices and to

make sure that the learners are guaranteed not only a willful growth but also a continuous growth

in their personal social competence. There exist many varying definitions of the curriculum.

Syllabus and curriculum terms are in many cases interchangeable in their use. In some areas,

such as Latin, the curriculum is used to depict a course. According to Kelly 2009, curriculum

represents all the school planned and guided learning. In this meaning, the policy makers mostly

influence the curriculum.

There are four main aspects that need to be considered when one is defining the

curriculum. These are the syllabus, the pedagogy, the assessment, and the Praxis. Basically, the

basic components of the curriculum are content, teaching strategies, assessment, resources,
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extension activities, and differentiation. The curriculum can therefore be defined as the learning

design plan. The plan calls for purposeful sequencing, organization and management of the

interactions between the learners, teachers and the content knowledge that the learners are

expected to gain. The curriculum ought to have aims that are well stipulated. The aim is to equip

learners with particular abilities. The curriculum framework is a crucial tool in making sure that

there is not only the quality but a consistency in the curriculum. In primary school sector, the

curriculum will give an outline regarding the capabilities that a teacher ought to have so as to

deliver the curriculum.

Humanists Theory

Maslow’s theory in curriculum development

Every individual is driven by the urge to accomplish certain goals. Achieving these goals

helps the individuals quench certain deeds and desires. It is hard to meet all the learners’

physiological needs. The teachers and the group leaders have no way to provide all basic needs

to the learners. Fortunately, the reduced and free lunch programs have assisted in combating the

impacts of hunger in schools. As primary school teachers, we can perceive this need as the need

we cannot meet but we ought to do our best so as to provide the learners with the access to these

programs addressing these needs within the school. The safety needs takes into account

numerous factors that the group leaders and the teachers should consider to help in making

learning process feel safe. In regards to safety, the teachers need to come up with a routine within

the learning environment. The learners’ procedures and rues needs to be clearly defined. By

doing this, the learners will feel that they have control over their learning environment by just

being aware of what to anticipate during the instruction.

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The learner needs to feel cared about and loved so as to satisfy the needs of love and

belongingness. The learners often seek this kind of fulfilment from not only the teachers but also

other individuals. As leaders and teachers, we ought to make sure that the students know that

they are individuals who are valued. We need to take advantage of all the chances to reinforce

learner’s self-esteem and positive behaviour. As a teacher, on needs to take their time so as to get

to know the learners and comprehend their level not only in terms of knowledge but also on the

Maslow’s Hierarchy. In doing this, the teacher is in a better position to assist the learners climb

up the hierarchy.

Constructivism Theory

Jean Piaget theory

The theory depends on the idea that a developing child builds up the cognitive structures

or the mental schemes, maps or the networked ideas of not only understanding but also

responding to the physical environment within their surroundings. The theory points out four

stages of development and the processes undertaken by the children through them. In the

sensorimotor stage, the child by interacting with the environment comes up with a set of

concepts regarding the reality and how it operates. Preoperational stage, the child cannot

abstractly conceptualize and requires physical situations that are concrete. The concrete

operations stage the child begins to conceptualize as the physical experiences accumulates. The

formal operations stage the cognitive structures are similar to those of the adults.

The teachers must set a curriculum that is developmentally appropriate and which

enhances the students’ conceptual and logical growth. The teachers need to emphasize the crucial

role played by experience with the environment when it comes to student learning. The teachers
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should apply the visual aids and props in classes, compose relatively short instructions and use

actions together with words. The teachers also needs to be sensitive that the students may have

varying meaning for similar word. Give the students a great deal when it comes to hands-on

practice including the skills that play the role of building blocks for harder skills.

The models play the role of guiding the actions. There are numerous models in primary

school education profession. The evaluation or instruction models are some of the examples of

the models used in coming up with the curriculum for primary school teaching. There are

benefits for using the curriculum models and also the use leads to higher efficiency.

a. Objectives Or Linear Product Model

This is the best known model. The model uses an approach that is inductive to the

development of curriculum. The model begins with the specifics and growing up to, the general

design. She harbored the thought that instead of handing down the curriculum to the teachers by

the highest authority, the curriculum ought to be created by the teachers. She pointed out several

steps in developing the curriculum and she believed that the teachers ought to contribute highly

on all the steps. According to Tabba, 1962, these steps were:

1. Pointing out the leaner’s needs

2. Development or formulating of the objectives

3. Content selection. In this, there ought to be a match between the objectives and the

contents.

4. Content organization by content sequencing, considering the readiness and level of the

learners.
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5. Selecting the learning experiences or the instructional methods whose aim is to engage

the learners.

6. Organizing the learning activities. It is similar to organizing the content.

7. Evaluating the outcomes.

In the objective model, there is proposed that all the learning be defined by taking into

account what the learners are capable of doing after they are through with the course. The aim of

this approach is on teaching. The steps involved in designing the curriculum are:

a. Identifying the specific objectives and broad aims.

b. Creating the course to ensure that the objectives are achieved.

c. Testing the course’s capacity to achieve the aims.

d. Elaborating the objectives and curriculum to the teachers.

The model has the merits of enabling the benchmarking of the subject and the program

specifications. The model is among the education that is outcome based. The model advocates

that the teachers ought to decide the suitable outcomes and describe them not only precise but

also clearly. The teachers need to work in a backwards manner in identifying the best learning

experience that is needed to achieve the outlined outcomes. The methodology forces the teachers

to primarily focus on what the learners can do and come up with lessons based on this.

b. Cyclical Model

This model is similar to a linear model. Wheeler developed the model which involves the

pointing out of the objectives and aims relying on the assessed needs of the professional students
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and bodies; proceeded with the selection and development of content; selecting the learning

activities; and ending with the evaluation or the assessment. An argument by Nicholls 1978,

states that “the changes should be planned and introduced on a rational and valid basis according

to a logical process”.

The development of the curriculum begins with calls for assessment. This is followed by the

implementation of the expected outcome. After this, there is need to be reviewed, depending on

the first assessment and identification of new needs is done. Taking into account the design of the

curriculum, the following stages need to be included:

a. Pointing out the context of what the curriculum will deliver. This comprises the current

social belief or educational belief, economy, teachers, learners and politics.

b. Point out the requirements and needs of the curriculum bodies.

c. Outline the sessions’ outcomes and aims.

d. Pointing out both the ideas and the limitations

e. Use the required outcomes to point out and develop the topics.

f. Come up with the teaching program, including the timetable

g. Delivering the course

h. Setting up evaluation strategies

i. Reviewing the course based on the feedback

The two models make use of the logical and efficient approach. The model is prescriptive

having not only clear objectives, but also assessment strategies that are aligned and designed to

check how the students have attained the intended learning outcomes. The merit of the model is
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the model’s logical, sequential structures that can be followed easily, even by the teachers who

are inexperienced.

c. Student/Dynamic/Process-Centered Model

The model was developed in the 1960s for the purpose of active learning. The process of

designing the curriculum is an ongoing one and the activities possess value beyond the meeting

the learning objectives like the use of experience in learning, socialization, problem solving and

thinking. The model gives the learner a chance to define their aims of learning. The approach

emphasizes on the methods in adult learning and approaches. The model makes use of the active

learning instead of the teacher-led approach. This model takes into account the following

processes:

a. Skill acquisition or training

b. Information or instruction acquisition

c. Socialization or initiation

d. Problem solving or induction

Based on this model, the best approach when it comes to designing the curriculum is to bring

together the better of the two approaches depending on the teacher’s experience, the needs of the

student and the resources. Hence, the overall structure of the course will be designed to take into

account the main objectives and aims of the curriculum (Lau, 2001).

Application in primary school teaching

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The key feature of the student learning is the acquisition of knowledge. The pupils need

to demonstrate that they have acquired the data that is provided by the teacher. There is an

expectation that the learners should be able to reproduce what they have learnt through the

experiments or demonstrations. The acquisition of certain skill can be done by the learners

imitating the teacher’s performance and then redoing it until they meet the set out standard. The

cyclical model the teacher is supposed to ensure that the pupil is continually prepared to follow

the critical inquiry process until the pupil gains the insight. The process based model requires the

teacher to make sure that they work together with the pupil through sharing of opinions, ideas

and views.

References
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Cunningham, T., Gannon, J., Greene, J., Reddy, L., & Whitson, L. (2007). Theories of learning

and curriculum design-Key positionalities and their relationships.

Lau, D. C. M. (2001). Analysing the curriculum development process: three models. Pedagogy,

culture and society, 9(1), 29-44.

Kelly, A. (2009). The curriculum. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

Nicholls, A., & Nicholls, S. (1978). Developing a curriculum. London [etc.]: Allen and Unwin.

Taba, H. (1971). Curriculum development. London: Harcourt Brace.

Burleson, S. E., & Thoron, A. C. (2014). Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Its Relation to

Learning and Achievement.