o societal level of curriculum - the farthest from the learners since this is

where the public stakeholders (politicians, special interest groups,

administrators, professional specialists) participate in identifying the goals,
the topics to be studied, time to be spent in teaching/learning, and materials
to aid instruction
o institutional level of curriculum - refers to the curriculum derived from the
societal level, with modification by local educators or lay people; often
organized according to subjects and includes topics and themes to be
studied; may also include standards, philosophies, lesson plans, and
teaching guides
o instructional level of curriculum - refers to how teachers use the curriculum
developed in the societal level and modified in the institutional level, or
what authorities have determined; involves the teachers' instructional
strategies, styles and materials used.
o Experiential level of curriculum - the curriculum perceived and experiences
by each student and may, therefore, vary among learners because of
individual differences.

A. Designs and Patterns of Subject-Centered Curriculum

✔ Separate/Single Subject: subjects independent in content and time; based on one of
the academic disciplines or organized subject matter areas
✔ Correlated Subjects: subjects in two or more areas are related in content and time:
maybe factual (facts relate subjects), descriptive (generalization relate subjects;
normative (social-moral principles relate subjects), but the subject identities
remain (example: vocabulary/spelling words may be based on science or social
studies; literature may be corrected with history of a given era)
✔ Fused Subjects: similar to correlated subjects but the individual identity of each
subject is lost (example: social studies, which is a combination of geography,
society and culture, history; Language arts, where reading, speaking, listening and
writing are all taught)
✔ Broad-Fields Curriculum: broadening and integration/fusion of several subjects on
longer time blocks; may integrate through a) principles of themes, of b) historical
integration of subject (example: Humanities program).
✔ Core Curriculum : Aims at creating a universal sense of inquiry, discourse, and
understanding among learners of different background; Assumes that some content
is essential to students; this content would become the core; Stresses integration of
learning by systematic correlation of subject matter around themes drawn from the
contemporary problems of living; Encourages problem solving through reflective
thinking; Examines broad areas of concern and promotes a common body of
learning experiences and knowledge which are carefully prepared.
✔ Spiral Curriculum: recognizes that students are not ready to learn certain concepts
until they reach the required level of development and maturity and have the
necessary experiences; some topics treated with corresponding degree of
 complexity across levels; provides for widening horizontal organization of scope,
integration and deepening of knowledge (vertical sequence, continuation)
✔ Mastery Learning Curriculum: offers an opportunity for all students to succeed by
giving them all the time they need to master objectives through remediation and
formative evaluation without penalty
✔ Open Education Curriculum: also called open classroom; built on philosophical
ideas that allow student to be free to discover important knowledge; teachers as
major curriculum developers
✔ Problem Solving Curriculum: learning-centered; students guided to discover
answers to problems to understand concepts and generalizations to master the
discipline

B. Designs and Patterns of Experience/Learner-Centered Curriculum

✔ Activity-Based: based on child's needs but there is no advance planning; may
necessitate special subjects for specialized interests; use of problem-solving
method; cooperative planning
✔ Child-Centered: focuses on normal, "custom-made" activities for children, with no
advance planning made; use of experiential rather than rote learning; researched-
based; large use of motivation
✔ Social Process and Life Functions-Focused: centers around major cultural life
activity of mankind; based on analysis of life activities; relates learners and
society; uses experiential learning and social process approach; structured around
the various aspects of problems and processes of community
✔ Process-Oriented: focuses on personal attributes and skills of individual learner in
ever-widening circles of self, others, and society (working well with others,
effective leadership, giving and following directions, making judgement, decision
making, panning, etc.); emphasizes development of skills and traits that will sense
the learner for life; with better balance between affective and cognitive
consideration

A. Designs and Patterns of Experience/Learner-Centered Curriculum :

Learner-Centered Curriculum
Different types of curricula used in schools today
A. Overt, explicit, or written curriculum - a curriculum that is usually
confined to those written understandings and directions formally
designated and reviewed by administrators, curriculum directors
and teachers, often collectively
B. Societal curriculum (or social curricula)- this is the massive,
ongoing, informal curriculum of family, peer groups,
 neighborhoods, churches, organizations, occupations, mass media,
and other socializing forces that “educate” all of us throughout our
lives.
C. The hidden or covert curriculum – the curriculum which refers to
the kinds of learnings children derive from the very nature and
organizational design of the public school, as well as from the
behaviors and attitudes of teachers and administrators…. ”
D. The Null Curriculum - That which we do not teach, thus giving
students the message that these elements are not important in their
educational experiences or in our society.
E. Phantom Curriculum - The messages prevalent in and through
exposure to any type of media.
F. Concomitant Curriculum - What is taught, or emphasized at home,
or those experiences that are part of a family’s experiences, or
related experiences sanctioned by the family.
G. Rhetorical Curriculum - Elements from this curriculum are
comprised from ideas offered by policymakers, school officials,
administrators, or politicians.
H. Curriculum-in-Use - The formal curriculum (written or overt)
comprises those things in textbooks, and content and concepts in
the district curriculum guides.
I. Received Curriculum - Those things that students actually take out
of classrooms; those concepts and content that are truly learned
and remembered.
J. The Internal Curriculum - Processes, content, knowledge
combined with the experiences and realities of the learner to create
new knowledge.
K. The Electronic Curriculum - Those lessons learned through
searching the Internet for information, or through using e-forms of
communication.

1. Perennialism
Perennial means "everlasting." like a perennial flower that blooms year after year.
Perennialism, the oldest and most conservative educational philosophy has its roots in the
philosophy of Plato and Aristotle. Two modern day proponents of perennialism are Robert
Hutchins and Mortimer Adler. The perennialists believed that humans are rational and the aim of
education is "to improve man as man" (Hutchins, 1953).
2. Essentialism
Essentialism comes from the word "essential" which means the main things or the basics. As an
educational philosophy. it advocates instilling in students the "essentials" or "basics" of academic
knowledge and character development.

3. Progressivism
Progressivism is a philosophical belief that argues that education must be based on the
fact that humans are by nature social and learn best in real-life activities with other people. This
philosophy focuses on personal experiences, children's interests and their needs (Martin &
Loomis, 2007). These philosophers emphasize on curriculum that is relevant to children

Reconstructionism focuses on social ills and intends to change the social structures in order to
mitigate contemporary social problems.

Existentialism
Existentialism is a philosophy developed by Jean-Paul Sartre, Kierkegaard and others. The
"existence 'originates' in the inner self of man because it is here that the prima cognition of the
idea first occurs. At its core it is about rejection of the idea that there is a higher power or God
controlling our destiny. Existentialist educators believe there is no God or higher power guiding
their students. Thus, they encourage all students to exercise personal agency, create their own
decisions and meaning for life (Ginny, 2012).

Quick view of the 5 Philosophical Foundations of Curriculum

Focus of Sample Role of Teacher Goals for Educational
Curriculum Classroom Students Leaders
Activity
Teacher-Centered Philosophies
Perennialism Core Socratic Scholarly role To increase Robert
curriculum dialogue model; their intellectual Hutchins,
analyzing analyzing a philosophically powers and to Mortimer
enduring ideas philosophical oriented, helps appreciate Adler
found in Great issue or the students seek learning for its
Books. meaning of a the truth for own sake.
great work of themselves.
literature.
Essentialism Core Teacher focuses Model of To become William
Curriculum of on “essential” academic and naturally literate Bagley, E.
traditional information or moral virtue; individuals, D. Hirsch,
academic the development center of model citizens Jr.
topics and of particular classroom educated to
traditional skills. compete in the
American world.
virtues.
Student-Centered Philosophies
Progressivism Flexible; Learning by Guide and To become John Dewey,
integrated doing – for integrate intelligent Nel
study of example, learning problem solvers, Noddings
academic students plan a activities so that socially aware
subjects field trip to learn students can citizens who are
around the about history, find meaning. prepared to live
needs and geography and comfortably in
experiences of natural science the world.
students
Social Focus on Learning by Provide To become George S.
Reconstructionism social, reconstructing authentic intelligent Counts, Jane
political and society – for learning problem solvers, Roland
economic example, activities that to enjoy Martin,
needs; students work to both instruct learning, to live Paulo Freire,
integrated remove health students and comfortably in bell hooks
study of hazards in a improve the while also
academic building housing society. helping reshape
subjects the poor. it.
around
socially
meaningful
actions.
Existentialism Each student Students choose One who seeks To accept A. S. Neill,
determines the their preferred to relate to each personal Maxine
pace and medium – such student responsibility; Greene
direction of as poetry honestly; to understand
his or her own skilled at deeply and be at
learning. creating a free, peace with
open and one’s own
stimulating unique
environment. individuality.

Additional Readings on different philosophies

Oriental/ Eastern Philosophies

Philosophy Origin Philosophies

Confucianism Confucious, China ▪ The “Golden Rule”, Do unto others what you
want others do unto you.

Taoism China ▪ “Harmony with nature.” Regards nature as

sacred and even an extension of human selves.

Buddhism Buddha, Japan ▪ “The third eye helps us to read; enlightenment

 through silent meditation.”

Shintoism Shotoku Japan ▪ “Behave in the Kami No Michi which means

deities or Gods.”

Hinduism India ▪ “A commitment to an ideal way of life called

Dharma characterized by honesty, couorage,
service, faith, self-control, purity, and non-
violence acquired through YOGA

Modern Hinduism Mahatma Ghandhi and ▪ “To seek God, man needs to seek truth by
Rabindranath Tagore practicing non-violence (ahimasa) in thoughts
and deeds.”

Buddhism Siddharta Gautama India ▪ One of the major religions in the world

Islam Prophet Mohammed Basic Beliefs

▪ One God
▪ Sacred ground
▪ Polygamy
▪ Equality before God
▪ Life after death
▪ Prohibition on intoxicating drink

Subject-centered view of curriculum

1. Subject Design - The curriculum is organized in terms of subjects. Most of these
subjects are offered in the elementary level. The subjects are organized in a
fragmented manner. Connections between and among these subjects are not
emphasized in the subject design. Instead, the nature of the subject is highlighted
in this design to provide students with a general knowledge of each subject.
2. Academic Disciplines Design – Like the subject design, this type of design
organizes the curriculum in terms of disciplines like Algebra, Physics, Chemistry,
Literature, Economics, Philippine History and other disciplines. This type of
design is mostly used in high school or in college. The contents are highly
specialized particularly in the college level.
 3. Integrated Design – This curriculum design is based on the principle that learners
learn in an integrated manner. Thus, this type of curriculum design tries to merge
two or more related subjects. There are three types of integration:
a. Interdisciplinary – includes the merging of two related disciplines or
subjects. An example is the integration of Science and Health. Educators
believe that these two are naturally integrated. One needs science in order
to understand health concepts.
b. Multidisciplinary or broad fields – includes the integration of three or more
related disciplines. An example is the Social Studies curriculum.

c. Core – requires that all subjects or disciplines in the school curriculum be

put together using a single theme. Usually, this type of integrated
curriculum design is used in preschool where the subjects are combined
using curriculum themes.
Learner-centered view of curriculum
• This design focuses on the needs, nature, and interests of learners in the curriculum.
The aim of these designs is to develop the potentials and abilities of the learners and
making the curriculum relevant and responsive to them.
a. Activity/Experience Design – This concentrates on activities that are meaningful
and interesting to the learners. In doing these activities, learners will develop
various skills like process skills, communication skills, problem solving, critical
thinking, and creativity that are important for the learners.
b. Humanistic Design – The curriculum is composed of topics and
learning experiences that focus on the holistic development of an
individual. It also addresses the needs and nature of the learners.
The goal of this design is the development of a well-rounded
individual.

Criteria used in selection of subject matter for the curriculum:

- Self-sufficiency – “less teaching effort and educational resources, less learner’s effort
but more results and effective learning outcomes – most economical manner (Scheffler, 1970) •
Significance – contribute to basic ideas to achieve overall aim of curriculum, develop learning
skills.
- Validity – meaningful to the learner based on maturity, prior experience, educational and
social value.
- Utility – usefulness of the content either for the present or the future.
- Learnability – within the range of the experience of the learners
- Feasibility – can be learned within the time allowed, resources available, expertise of
the teacher, nature of learner

Principles to follow in organizing the learning contents (Palma 1992):

1.  BALANCE– Content curriculum should be fairly distributed in depth and breadth of the
particular learning or discipline. This will ensure that the level or area will not be overcrowded
or less crowded.
2.  ARTICULATION – Each level of subject matter should be smoothly connected to the
next, glaring gaps or wasteful overlaps in the subject matter will be avoided. • Sequence – This is
the logical arrangement of the subject matter. It refers to the deepening and broadening of
content as it is taken up in the higher level.
3. The horizontal connections are needed in subject areas that are similar so that learning
will
be related to one another. This is INTEGRATION.
4. Learning requires a continuing application of the new knowledge, skills, attitudes or
values
so that theses will be used in daily living. The constant repetition, review and reinforcement
of learning is what is referred to as CONTINUITY.

Selection of content:
- Answers the question “What knowledge is most worth?”
- Content is the subject matter of teaching-learning process, includes knowledge, skills,
concepts, attitudes, and values, and significant only insofar as it is transmitted to the
student in some way (method)