Nature, Concept and Purposes of Curriculum

Curriculum is dynamic process as it changes along with the society. It can be

understood in a narrow and broader sense. It can be defined in many ways that makes

it as fragmentary, elusive and confusing. On the other side, it shows dynamism, that

connotes diverse interpretations of what curriculum is all about. There was different

point of views about curriculum that was recognized such as the traditional point of

view that views curriculum as written documents or a plan of action in accomplishing

goals. Another point of view that was recognize is the progressivist point of view that

believes that curriculum is the total learning experiences of the individual. In terms of

development view, it should be purposeful, planned and progressive to produce positive

change.

Aside from the different point of views of curriculum there were also different

types of curriculum operating in a school. These are (1) Recommended Curriculum, (2)

Written Curriculum, (3) Taught Curriculum, (4) Supported Curriculum, (5) Assessed

Curriculum, (6) Learned Curriculum and (7) Hidden Curriculum. The following

curriculums functions differently but with one goal that is to bring the best education to

every learner.

Curriculum being dynamic is rooted from the different major foundations, the

philosophical, historical, psychological and social foundation. Philosophical foundation

provides a framework for planning, implementing and evaluating curriculum in school. It

is guided with their aim of education, role of education, focus in the curriculum and

related curricular trends. There were four (4) educational philosophies, first is the

perennialism, it aims to cultivates the intellect. Second is the essentialism, promotes the

intellectual growth and educate competent person. Third is the progressivism, it

promotes democratic and social living. And lastly, the reconstructionism that aims to

improve and reconstruct society. The following philosophies are the strong foundation

of any of the curriculum and a teacher or any curriculum planner are backed up with a

good educational philosophy.

The educational system of the Philippines is touched by the different foreign

influences, the American educational system is the greatest influence based on our

history. The following are the historical perspective of the several curriculum theorists.

Chronologically,the first one is Frankline Bobbit that wants curriculum to be planned

according to the student needs and objectives and its corresponding activities must be

in sequence.Next is Werret Charters, also gives emphasis on students need. William

Kilpatrick views curriculum as the development of social relationship and small group

instruction. Another one is Harold Rugg, views curriculum as child-centered and

emphasizes social studies and the teacher plans the curriculum in advance. In the 5 th

order is Hollis Caswell, who believes that curriculum is a set of experiences. Last in the

list is Ralph Tyler, for him curriculum is always related to instruction. Subject matter is

organized in terms of knowledge, skills and values. He is also one of the hallmarks of

curriculum that also believes that curriculum is based on students’ needs and interest.

This historical development shows different change in the purposes, principles and
content of the curriculum. It implies that curriculum is ever changing putting knowledge

and content from many fields of disciplines.

Psychological foundations provide a basis for the teaching and learning process

and it unifies elements of the learning process. In the field of teaching learning

strategies are very important so we shall consider the group of learning theorists. The

first Psychological foundation is Behaviorism psychology. It believes that learning should

be organized in order that the students can experience success in the process of

mastering the subject matter. Then we have Cognitive Psychology and it believes that

learning constitutes a logical method for organizing and interpreting learning. Educators

use a lot of problem and thinking skills exemplified by practices like reflective thinking,

creative thinking, intuitive thinking, discovery learning and many others. Humanistic

Psychology, it has a great influence in curriculum. Being able to consider that learners

are not machine and does not have a robot mind. This will help curriculum producers to

nurture a more advance and more comprehensive and complete human learning.

To complete the major foundations of curriculum, we have the social foundation

of education. Giving consideration to the society as it affects the shape and the

curriculum of the school. But school is just one of the many institutions that educates

the society. Like curriculum society is also dynamic. Changes happens every now and

then that makes it difficult to adjust and cope with. In that case, schools are present to

assist how to understand the society even though it may sometimes show an act of

being a conservative institution that prevents them to being agent of awareness but it
can still be improve as there were activities and programs that address diversity,

explosion of knowledge, school reforms and education for all.

Strengthening the knowledge and understanding on the nature, concept and

purposes of the curriculum requires us to know as well the components of curriculum

and the curriculum approaches. In doing so it will help us know on what component

should a curriculum must have and how these components be sequenced. In knowing

about the curriculum approaches it will enlighten our minds the role of the learner, the

teacher and the curriculum specialist in planning the curriculum.

Curriculum has its aim, goals and objectives and our three (3) educational level

the elementary, secondary and tertiary also possess their different educational aim. The

following aim stated by each level guides them to achieve the purpose of their

curriculum and will serve as the ladder of one level to the other level as they are related

to each other. As every educational level has its aims, every school as well must be

guided by a mission and vision and its curricula must revolve around this in order to

achieve a common goal.

Furthermore, to achieve the vision and mission of the school it was translated as

educational goals that was presented in two (2) ways. Explicit formulation of the ways

in which students are expected to be changed by the educative process; and intent

communication by statement describing a proposed change in learners. This

educational objective directs the change in behavior which is the ultimate aim of

learning. That’s why it was classified into three (3) big domains the cognitive, affective

and psychomotor domain and the main purpose is to specify its target in every learner.
 Curricula is guided by the content or the subject-matter. This is the knowledge

that a curriculum must have as it compose of facts, concepts generalization, principles

and theories and this will be the source or way to human exploration. As they say

knowledge is a model, we construct to give meaning and structure to regularities in

experience. There were broad subject areas that has its own subject matters or

learning content. This broad subject area may also affect in achieving the curriculum

objectives as content selection is a very crucial stage in curriculum development that’s

why formulation of criteria was made that can be utilized in the selection of subject

matter content or knowledge in a curriculum. The criteria were composed of Self-

sufficiency, Significance, Validity, Interest, Utility, Learnability and Feasibility. Lastly, we

have the principle of Balance, Articulation, Sequence, Integration and Continuity that

we need to follow in organizing the different learning contents.

In relation to the learning content and the subject matter in every curriculum,

this will not be fully appreciated by the learners and this will not be put into action and

be called curriculum experience if not link with the teaching strategies and methods.

Teaching methods or strategies is the way to make content of curriculum visible inside

the school specifically in the classroom, known as the instruction. During the

instruction, educational activities will be incorporated in the class that both teachers and

learners can facilitate and enhance their learning. With the different teaching methods

that can be used in a curriculum, there were guides in selecting and using it that must

be put into consideration.

 Moreover, effectiveness of a curriculum does not happen if we don’t conduct an

evaluation. There will be an aim, goals and objective as well as the content and

learning experience but this will not be fully recognized if there will be no formal

determination of the quality, value of the program, process, and product of the

curriculum. The most known curriculum evaluation model is the Stufflebeam’s CIPP

(Context, Input, Process, Product) Model. This model show interrelatedness to each

other but can still be taken separately as it is a long ang continuous process. Within the

evaluation process, specific activities help in determination of curriculum effectiveness.

Activities like assessment and teaching method like diagnostic test are some of the

needed process in evaluation and must be utilized effectively. We need to put in our

mind as well that regardless of the methods and materials, evaluation will utilize a plan

of action for the process of the curriculum. We need to focus on one particular

component of the curriculum. Collect different information that is needed in the

evaluation. Organize the collected information for interpretation. Analyze the

information appropriately. After analyzing, the reporting will be done formally or in

informal way. Then lastly, recycling of information for modification and adjustment that

can be used in the future.

In summary, the components of a curriculum are distinct but are interrelated to

each other in a curriculum design. Aims, goals, and objectives can be simplified as

“what is to be done”; the subject matter/content is “what subject matter is to be

included”; the learning experiences is “what instructional strategies, resources and

activities will be employed”; while curriculum evaluation is “what methods and

instruments will be used to assess the results of the curriculum”.

Curriculum Approach is showing us the different roles of teachers, learners,

curriculum specialist in planning a curriculum. This will show a different point of views

including the person’s perspective in reality, important values and the knowledge

he/she possess. Simply it is a way of dealing with a curriculum, a way of doing,

creating, designing and thinking about the curriculum. Approaches to utilize are

behavioral, managerial, system and humanistic approach. Curriculum practitioners may

utilize one or more approaches according to their way of planning, implementing and

evaluating the curriculum. Behavioral approach is based on a blueprint and takes it

learning outcome in the change of behavior of the learners. On the other hand,

managerial approach is focus on the principal as the general manager and in charge in

looking into curriculum changes and innovations as they administer the resources and

restructure the school. They also set the policies and properties, establishes the

direction of change and innovation and planning and organizing curriculum and

instruction. Principal as the leader inside the school he/she receives mandates from the

heads and gives orders and work assignment to his/her teacher. This shows a system

that is in the system approach. System approach examined how every individual inside

the school relate to each other. Then we have humanistic approach, and approach that

gives emphasis on the learner. This approach is a learner-centered approach and its

curriculum is a student centered one believes that the whole child development is the

prime consideration in the curriculum.

 One of the most common definition of a curriculum is that it is the total learning

experiences. Teaching as a process in curriculum so the teacher becomes the decision

maker in planning, implementing and evaluating. The process replicates the process of

curriculum development as the implementation phase is actually the actual teaching

and experiencing the curriculum. A continuous process of feedback and reflection as to

whether the three phases were appropriately done and gave good results. It is a

process embedded in teaching where the teacher inquiries into his or her actions and

provides deep and critical thinking.