Name: Xavier Basil Chua Cometa Professor: Paul Ray Mark Salsag

Date: 10/07/2022 Course: Curriculum  

 One of the simple definitions of the curriculum is that 1“Curriculum is a total learning

experience planned and directed by the school to attain its educational goals.” (Ralph Tyler,1957

p.79) Indeed, it is a vital component and foundation of the educational system because there can

be no school if there is no curriculum and so I can rationalize that curriculum is the reason for

the existence of the school. In addition, the curriculum is the backbone and heart of the school

system by which schools designed a package for desired learning outcomes reconstructing both

knowledge and experience that enables learners to develop and acquired the most helpful skills

and knowledge integrated into their life situations to be productive and effective members of the

society likewise in my profession later on in the teaching which is the best example I have my

subject matter such as assessment, Ed-Tech, curriculum and religious education which are

integrated into the classroom but actively manifested during the observation of my field study

class which I am sent to a particular school to observed if these concepts are not just remaining

abstract but concrete.

Moreover, as society changes so does knowledge and so the teaching profession is

confronted with the duty of deciding what subject matter to include in the curriculum for any

individual can study which aims to prepare students for the future and make a contribution to the

developing society. So, what knowledge is of the most worth? According to Toffler that 2“

Nothing should be included in the required curriculum unless it can be strongly justified in terms

of the future” (Toffler,1972,p.132). Indeed, with the advancement of science and technology, the

educational system must be anchored and integrated into the two principles of curriculum
1
Ralph Tyler,1957 p.79
2
Toffler,1972,p.132
perspective such as traditionalist and progressivist. Why such a perspective must be considered

because in traditionalist perspective it voices out that learners should have basic skills such as

reading, writing, arithmetic, oral communication, and computer literacy. In addition, learners are

equipped with the necessary skills and tools so that they can be efficient and effective

independent learners of their lifetime, for example in Basic Education, students should begin

developing their numeracy and literacy abilities in the first grade so that when they enter

secondary and higher education, they won’t be reluctant in communicating and answering

problems. However, the negative implication is that the primary sources of knowledge are books

and what the teachers say. In other words, 3“it is a sequence of content units arranged to have

already been mastered by the learner.” (Robert Gagne, 1967, p.23)

On the other hand, the progressivist perspective voices out that it is not enough that they

know but they must value it and be capable of doing what they know and value. In addition, this

perspective answers the question, what should it teach about? This means that education must

focus and address the signs and needs of the time, 4“Think and act” (Omstein, A. C., 1988 pp.192

-199) likewise students should be given the essential knowledge and skills of specific disciples

who they love to prepare them for specific careers to change and find the solution of the real

world problems. In the advent of the 21st century, especially in the accelerating world of science

and technology what can we do to contribute to the exponential increase in the quantity of

knowledge? For example, OBE approach the framework involves creating, selecting, organizing,

and utilizing human, material, and technological resources available to develop a better world.

Taking all these into consideration, nonetheless, they are expected to yield both material and

non-material benefits. Consequently, these two perspectives are not dominant to each other yet

3
Robert Gagne, 1967, p.23
4
Omstein, A. C., 1988 pp.192 -199
they are inter-disciplinary or complimentary to one another, they help one another in the progress

of humanitarian and societal development.

Effective teaching requires the skill of a 5“knowledgeable and experienced educator”

(Rubio,2010). Thus, the relationship between curriculum and instruction is an implicit

relationship. Hence, instruction is viewed as an aspect of the curriculum, and its function and

importance change throughout the several types of curricula. For example, in the written

curriculum, when the curriculum is a set of documents (aims, objectives, instructional methods,

learning material, resources, and tests) that guides planning, instruction however is only one

relatively minor aspect of the curriculum. Consequently, instruction is a component of the

planned curriculum. Thus, when the written curriculum is actually delivered, instruction takes on

new importance. For that reason, 6“teachers, administrators and supervisors” (Connecticut State

Department of Education) should view the curriculum as the total learning experience for

students and focus on instruction on how teachers are teaching. As a result, the curriculum is

important to be evaluated to determine the possible gaps, make necessary adjustments, and meet

the current demands of educational reforms.

Therefore, the curriculum may have different definitions according to the perspective of

everybody especially the scholars and experts, however it is unified in the same purpose that

curriculum plays a vital role in the educational system. In addition, it is somehow a blueprint that

leads the teacher and the learner to desired learning outcomes. As a result, experts must take into

consideration some factors such as learning experience which means that it must motivate

students to continue learning and make it a more meaningful learning experience because

5
Rubio,2010, p.8
6
Connecticut State Department of Education
a 7“meaningful experiences” (Pratt, D. 1980, p.11) are better remembered and more significant,

for example, a student cannot just engage in learning without experiencing some activity and

some content nor as well if students don’t find it relevant and meaningful to their life. For that

reason, it is a great challenge to design a package to attract students to school. Thus, it is good to

take note that curriculum must be balanced with knowledge and at the same time practices and

integrate them into a real-world problem so that schools can make learners become what society

expects them to become, namely good citizens, who are not only able to understand certain

school subjects but fully integrated individuals that can fit into society and contribute their share

as well, to the progress of society.

REFERENCES:

7
Pratt, D. 1980, p.11
Flake, L. H. (2017). A look at the relationship of curriculum and instruction and the Art and

Science of Teaching. Asian Journal of Education and Training, 3(2), 82–85.

https://doi.org/10.20448/journal.522.2017.32.82.85

Tyler,R.W. (1985). Principles of curriculum, instruction and evaluation: Past influences and

present effects. Loyola eCommons, p.76. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/84858907.pdf

Omstein, A. C. (1988). Sources of Change and the Curriculum. The High School Journal, 71(4),

pp. 192–199. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40364904

Toffler, A. (1972, September). Future shock,p.132. Google Books. Retrieved October 7, 2022,

from https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.3730560328

Gagne, R.M. (1967). Curriculum research and the promotion of learning. In R. Stake (Ed.),

Perspectives of Curriculum Evaluation, AERA monograph series on curriculum evaluation,

No. 1. Chicago: Rand McNally

MORENO RUBIO, C.: “Effective teachers –Professional and personal skills”, en ENSAYOS,

Revista de la Facultad de Educación de Albacete, Nº 24, 2009. (Enlace web:

http://www.uclm.es/ab/educacion/ensayos - Consultada en fecha (07-10-2022)

Connecticut State Department of Education. CT.gov. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2022, from

https://portal.ct.gov/SDE

Pratt, D. (1980). Curriculum design and development. New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich.

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