TOPIC 1

What is curriculum?

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rosinahbinti Mahmood

 Curriculum Fable
This book is a timeless fable that
contains a powerful, universally
understood message: sweeping
education reforms that neglect to
recognize students as unique
individuals and learners will,
undoubtedly, set our students up
to fail
school. Does this fable have a moral?
Once upon a time the animals decided they must do something heroic to meet the
problems of a “new world” so they organized a school. They had adopted an activity
curriculum consisting of running, climbing, swimming and flying. To make it easier toad
minister the curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects. The duck was excellent in
swimming. In fact, better than his instructor. But he made only passing grades in flying
and was very poor in running. Since he was slow in running, he had to stay after school
and also drop swimming in order to practice running. This was kept up until his webbed
feet were badly worn and he was only average in swimming. But average was acceptable
in school so nobody worried about that, except the duck. The rabbit started at the top of
the class in running but had a nervous breakdown because of so much makeup work in
swimming. The squirrel was excellent in climbing until he developed frustration in the
flying class where his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of the tree top
down. He also developed a “Charlie horse” from overexertion and then got a C in climbing
and D in running. The eagle was a problem child and was disciplined severely. In the
climbing class, he beat all the others to the top of the tree but insisted on using his own
way to get there. At the end of the year, an abnormal eel that could swim exceeding well
and also run, climb and fly a little had the highest average and was valedictorian. The
prairie dogs stayed out of school and fought the tax levy because the administration
would not add digging and burrowing to the curriculum. They apprenticed their children to
a badger and later joined the groundhogs and gophers to start a successful private
How would

Subject or Learning
you define the courses? activities?

Teaching

concept of
techniques?

curriculum?

Pedagogy?

Assessment?

Curriculum What students should know (content)

1
is a
statement What students are able to do (activities)
2
of :

3 How it is taught (strategies)

How it is measured (assessment)

4

How the educational system is organised

5 (context)
What is the distinction planned, hidden and
assessment curriculum?

Assessment
curriculum

It is the content
measured by
student
assessments

(Porter, 2004)
(Ornstein & Hunskins, 2014)

Curriculum models
Dualistic curriculum model
An educational approach that separates academic and vocational education into distinct and separate tracks, with academic courses preparing students for
college and vocational courses preparing them for specific trades or careers. Criticism: Criticized for perpetuating social inequality by directing lower-
income students and students of color towards vocational tracks and limiting their opportunities for upward mobility. Example: Students are divided into
two tracks: academic and vocational. In the academic track, students take courses focused on college preparation, such as advanced math, science, and
literature. In the vocational track, students take courses in fields such as automotive repair, cosmetology, or culinary arts, with a focus on skills needed for
entry-level jobs. While this model is intended to provide students with options for their future careers, it can perpetuate inequality by directing lower-
income students and students of color toward vocational tracks, limiting their opportunities for upward mobility.

Concentric, spiral, cyclical curriculum model: Educational approach that emphasizes the integration and repetition of key concepts
throughout a student's academic journey. The main features:
Concentric: The curriculum is structured around a core set of knowledge or skills, with subsequent learning building on this core.
Spiral: Key concepts are revisited and deepened over time, with students building on their prior understanding and developing a more complex and
nuanced understanding of the subject matter.
Cyclical: The curriculum is designed to be cyclical, with concepts and themes recurring across multiple subjects and disciplines.
This model is intended to provide students with a more holistic and interconnected understanding of the material, as well as to encourage critical thinking
and problem-solving skills.
An example of a concentric, cyclical, spiral curriculum model is the Core Knowledge Curriculum, which is used in some elementary schools in the US. This
curriculum is designed to provide a strong foundation of knowledge and skills in a wide range of subject areas, including language arts, mathematics,
science, social studies, and the arts. What about in primary school curriculum in Malaysia?
In this curriculum, each grade level builds upon the previous grade level, with concepts and skills spiraling and deepening over time. For example, students
might learn about ancient civilizations in the early grades, and then revisit this topic in greater depth in later grades, with a focus on different aspects such
as art, culture, or political systems.
The curriculum is also designed to be cyclical, with key concepts and themes recurring across multiple subjects and disciplines. Example, students might
learn about the water cycle in science, then explore how water is used in different cultures in social studies, and finally create artwork inspired by water in
the arts.
Overall, the Core Knowledge Curriculum is an example of how a concentric, cyclical, and spiral model can be used to provide students with a broad and
interconnected understanding of the world around them.


 Curriculum vs instruction - Are they related?
Most educational theorist today appear to agree with the
following:

Curriculum and Instruction are related but different.

Curriculum and Instruction are interlocking and
interdependent
The separation of one from the other would do serious
harm to both
Basic elements of curriculum

Challenges? - Ensuring coherence and congruence between

curriculum policy documents, actual pedagogical process and
learning outcomes.
Curriculum Development Phases
What do you think?

Which of the four phases do you consider the most

crucial? Please provide a critical rationale for your
choice.

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VISION
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