The Teacher and the School

Curriculum (PCK1)

Module 2 The Teacher as Knower of Curriculum

THE SCHOOL
CURRICULUM,
DEFINITION, AND SCOPE
Bolalin, Joni Angeli B.
BSED 2 -English
 OBJECTIVES
1. Define curriculum from different perspectives.
2. Describe the nature and
3. Recognize the scope of School Curriculum.

 What is the MEANING OF SCHOOL CURRICULUM?

The term curriculum has been derived from the Latin word
‘Currere’ which means a racecourse or a runway on which
one runs to reach a goal.

Curriculum is the whole body of a course in an

educational institution or by department – The New
English Dictionary

Curriculum is the courses taught in schools or universities –

The Oxford English Dictionary

 Definitions of Curriculum

Curriculum is a planned and guided set
of learning experiences and intended
outcomes, formulated through the
systematic reconstruction of knowledge
and experiences under the auspices of
the school, for the learners’ continuous
and wilful growth in personal social
competence. (Daniel Tanner, 1980)
The contents of a subject, concepts and
task to be acquired, planned activities, the
desired learning outcomes and
experiences, product of culture and an
agenda to reform society make up a
curriculum.
(Shubert, 1987)

A curriculum includes “all of the experiences

It is a written document that that individual learners have in a program
of education whose purpose is to achieve
systematically describes goals,
broad goals and related specific
planned, objectives, and content,
objectives, which is planned in terms of a
learning activities, evaluation framework of theory and research or past
procedures and so forth. (Pratt,1980) and present professional practice.”

(Hass,1987)
 Definitions of Curriculum

It is a program of activities (by

teachers and pupils) designed so
that pupils will attain so far as
possible certain educational and It provides answers to three questions:
other schooling ends or objectives.

(Grundy, 1987) 1. What knowledge skills and values

are most worthwhile?
It is a plan that consists of learning
opportunities for specific time frame and
place, a toll that aims to bring about
behaviour changes in students as a result
of planned activities and includes all
2. Why are the most worthwhile?
3. How should the young acquire
them?
(Cronbeth, 1992)

learning experiences received by

students with the guidance of the school.

(Goodland and Su. 1992)

 Some Point of Views of other Curricularists

Progressive Traditional
John Dewey believes that education is experiencing.
Robert M. Hutchins views curriculum as
Reflective thinking is a means that unifies curricular
“permanent studies”. The 3Rs (Reading, Writing,
elements that are tested by application.
‘rithmetic) should be emphasized in basic

education while liberal education should be

Holin Caswell and Kenn Campbell viewed curriculum
emphasized in college. "
as all experiences children have under the guidance
·
Arthur Bestor as an essentialist believes that
the
of teachers.

mission of the school should be intellectual

Othaniel Smith, William Stanley, and Harlan Shore
training.
define curriculum as a sequence of potential

experiences, set up in schools for the purpose of

Joseph Schwab thinks that the sole source of
disciplining children and youth in group ways of
curriculum is discipline.
thinking and acting.

Phillip Phenix asserts that curriculum should

Colin Marsh and George Willis also viewed
consist entirely of knowledge.
curriculum as all the experiences in the classroom

which are planned and enacted by the teacher and

also learned by the students.

 Nature of Curriculum

Curriculum is what is taught in school, a

set of subjects, and a content. A
program of studies, a set of materials, a
sequence of course, a set of
performance objectives, everything that
goes within the school. It is what is
taught inside and outside of the school

directed by the teacher, everything

planned by school, a series of
experiences undergone by the learners
in school in what individual learner
experiences as a result of school. In
short, curriculum is the total learning
experiences of the learner under the
guidance of the teacher.
 Scope of Curriculum

Scope refers to areas of

development addressed by the
curriculum which includes plans and
materials for learning experiences to
support and extend children's
learning at various levels of
development. Scope consists of all

the contents, topics, learning

experiences comprising the
curriculum. It shall consider the
cognitive levels, affective domain
and psychomotor skills in identifying
the contents. Other factors will be
considered but caution is given in
overloading of contents.
 The Teacher and the School
Curriculum (PCK1)

Module 2 The Teacher as Knower of Curriculum

APPROACHES TO THE
SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Bolalin, Joni Angeli B.

BSED 2 -English
 OBJECTIVES
1. Describe the different approaches to school curriculum.
2. Explain by examples how the approaches clarify the
definition of curriculum.
3. Reflect on how the three approaches interrelate with
each other.

 3 Ways of Approaches to Curriculum

1.Curriculum as a Content or Body of Knowledge

The focus of the body of knowledge is to be transmitted to students using appropriate

teaching methods. For example, a primary school mathematics curriculum consists of topics
on addition, multiplication, subtraction, division, and many more. Teaching will be limited to
the acquisition of facts, concepts, and principles of the subject matter, however, the content
or subject matter can also be taken as a means to an end. All curricula have content
regardless of their design or models.

Four ways of presenting the content in curriculum:

a.Tropical Approach – content is based on knowledge and experiences are included.
b.Concept Approach – fewer topics in clusters around major and sub-concepts and their
interaction, with relatedness emphasized.
c.Thematic Approach - combination of concepts that are develop conceptual structures.
d.Modular Approach - leads to complete units of instruction.
Criteria in Selection of Content:
1.Significance. Content should contribute to ideas, concepts, principles and generalization that should
attain overall purpose of the curriculum.
2.Validity.The authenticity of the subject matter forms its validity.
3.Utility.Usefulness of the curriculum is relative to the learners who are going to use these.
4.Learnability.The complexity of the content should be within the range of experiences of the learners.
5.Feasibility. Subject content must be learned within the time allowed, resources available, expertise of
the teachers and the nature of learners.
6.Interest. Learners should take interest in the content.

Guide in the Selection of the Content in the Curriculum:

1.Commonly used in the daily life.
2.Appropriate maturity levels and abilities of the learners.
3.Valuable in meeting the needs and competencies of the future career.
4.Related to other subject fields or discipline for complementation and integration.
5.Important in the transfer of learning to other disciplines.
B A S I C S: Fundamental Principles for Curriculum Contents

B-alance. Contents should be fairly distributed in depth and breadth.

A-rticulation. As content complexity progresses with the educational levels,
vertically or horizontally, across the same discipline smooth connections or
bridging should be provided.
S-equence. The logical arrangement of content or the order.
I-ntegration. Content of curriculum does not stand alone or in isolation.
C-ontinuity. Content should continuously flow as it was before, to where it
is now, and where will it be in the future.
S-cope. The breadth and depth of the curriculum.
 3 Ways of Approaches to Curriculum

2. Curriculum as a Process

Curriculum is not seen as a physical thing but an action. It is an interaction among the
teacher, students and content. As a process, the curriculum is seen as a scheme about the
practice of teaching. The process of teaching and learning becomes the central concern
of teachers to emphasize critical thinking, heads-on, hands-on, learning and many more.
The curriculum links to the content. While the content provides materials on what to
teach, the process provides curriculum on how to teach the content. When accomplished,
the process will result to various curriculum experiences for the learners. The intersection of
the content and the process is called The Pedagogical Content Knowledge or PCK 1.
Instruction, implementation, and teaching are the words that connote the process in
the curriculum. When teachers are asked of the curriculum they are using some will answers
will be 1. Problem-based, 2. Hands-On, Minds-On, 3. Cooperative Learning, 4. Blended
Curriculum, 5. On-line, 6. Case-based and many more. These responses approach
curriculum as a process.
Guiding Principles in Approaching Curriculum as a Process:

·Curriculum process in form of teaching methods or strategies are means to achieve the
end.
·There is no single best process or method. Effectiveness will depend on the desired
learning outcomes, the learners, support materials and the teacher.
·Should stimulate learner’s desire to develop domains.
·In the choice of method, learning and teaching styles should be considered.
·Every method or process should result to learning outcomes.
·Flexibility should be considered in the use of process or methods.
·Both teaching and learning are two important processes in the implementation of the
curriculum.
 3 Ways of Approaches to Curriculum

3. Curriculum as a Product

Curriculum is seen as students’ desire to achieve learning

outcomes. The product from the curriculum is a student equipped with the
knowledge, skills and values to function effectively and efficiently. There are
several desired learning outcomes, but if the process is not successful, then no
learning outcomes will be achieved. These learning outcomes are
demonstrated by the person who has meaningful experiences in the
curriculum. The products of learning are operationalized as knowledge, skills,
and values. All of these are result of planning, content and process in the
curriculum.
 REFERENCES

Bilbao, Dayagbil, Corpuz. (2020). The Teacher and the School Curriculum. Metro
Manila, Philippines: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.
https://pdfslide.net/reader/f/curriculum-its-meaning-nature-and-scope
https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/southern-philippines-agri-business-
and-marine-and-aquatic-school-of-technology/education/educ-327-the-
teacher-and-the-school-curriculum-document/16126204