University of Southeastern Philippines

College of Teacher Education and Technology

Advanced School Division

Lesson 2: What is a Curriculum?

Introduction.
In the previous lesson, you were able to describe your school’s existing
curriculum in terms of track, runners, and officials. However, a curriculum has an
evolving definitions. It is due to the fact that it is dynamic and it is likewise designed
according to the needs of our society. Most probably, school designs a curriculum
based on societal needs. But you need first to gain a profound understanding
about curriculum before we dive into another lessons. This lesson helps you realize
what really a curriculum is.

Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you are able to:
 Define curriculum based on its relevance to your personal teaching
and school headship.
 Discuss factors that influenced your ideas and definition of
curriculum.

Let’s get started.

Without looking at the content of this lesson, write your own definition of
curriculum.
Answer:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

MAED 202: Management of Curriculum and Instruction

 University of Southeastern Philippines
College of Teacher Education and Technology
Advanced School Division

Let’s think about it!

1. Review your own definition about curriculum. In what way you defined
curriculum? What school experience influenced your own definition about
curriculum?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Let’s explore!

There are many ways of defining curriculum. In fact, in the span of more
than sixty years, different people at different times have already defined it in
various ways. Some of these definitions are composite definitions from one or
more sources from a particular period while others are specific to one source
(Hiponia, 2011; Smith & Lovat, 2003). Definitions of curriculum are influenced by
modes of thoughts, pedagogies, political as well cultural experience of those who
wrote them (Bilbao, et al., 2008). This section of this lesson introduce you to the
various ways of defining curriculum as well as the features of these definitions.

Ways of Defining Curriculum

Hiponia (2011) cited the list of several definitions of curriculum of Smith &
Lovat (2003) from different periods of time. Only some of these definitions,
however, are considered here. Read carefully and analyse each definition
carefully with your school in mind.
Try to find out which of the definitions are applicable to your school context.

MAED 202: Management of Curriculum and Instruction

 University of Southeastern Philippines
College of Teacher Education and Technology
Advanced School Division

1. “The curriculum is a sequence of potential experiences that is set up in the

school for the purpose of disciplining children and young people in group ways
of thinking and acting.” (1957).

2. The curriculum is all the experiences a learner has under the guidance of the
school. “(1970)

3. “The curriculum is all of the learning of students which is planned and directed
by the school.” (1957)

4. “The curriculum is the syllabus, a course of study or subjects.” (1971)

5. “The curriculum is a vital complex movement of people and things in a

freewheeling setting.” (1973)

6. “The curriculum is all planned learning outcomes or desired consequences of

the instructor for which the school is responsible.’ (1970)

7. “Curriculum produced plans; instruction puts them into action.” (1965)

8. “Curriculum is the planned learning experiences of students for which the

school is responsible.’ (1988)

9. “Curriculum is the educational experience, the educational journey.’’(1975)

10. “Curriculum is a set of discourse: number of symbolic texts and practices that
are representative of particular ideologies and which may be interepreted to
produce different meanings.

MAED 202: Management of Curriculum and Instruction

 University of Southeastern Philippines
College of Teacher Education and Technology
Advanced School Division

According to Smith & Lovat (2003) as cited by Hiponia (2011), any definition
of curriculum makes assumptions about the nature of reality, truth and
knowledge, and also conveys views of reality, truth and knowledge in practice.
Such are unique in a particular period of time.

Let’s do it!
Activity 1
1. Which of the ways of defining curriculum do you consider as most relevant to
your school curriculum. Choose only three and explain your answer. Please write
down your answer in the table below.

No. Ways of defining curriculum that are relevant Explanation

to your school curriculum
1

Activity 2.
1. Now that you already went through several definitions of curriculum, write down
your own definition of curriculum.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

MAED 202: Management of Curriculum and Instruction

 University of Southeastern Philippines
College of Teacher Education and Technology
Advanced School Division
2. What are the factors that influenced your idea and definition of curriculum?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Closure!
Well done! You now understand what really a curriculum is based on your
school context. This lesson prepares you to acquaint with various types of
curriculum. In the next lesson, you will have to discuss with your classmates and
describe various types of curriculum that have existed in your classrooms and
schools. Good luck! Please prepare yourself for the next lesson!

MAED 202: Management of Curriculum and Instruction