Curriculum Development

Concepts, Nature and Purposes

INTRODUCTION
The concept of curriculum is as dynamic as the
changes that occur in society. In its narrow sense,
the curriculum is viewed merely as a listing of
subjects to be taught in school. In a broader sense,
it refers to the total learning experiences of
individuals not only in schools but in society as
well.
CURRICULUM FROM DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW

1 TRADITIONAL POINTS OF VIEW

• In the early 20th century, the traditional concept held of the ‘curriculum” is
that it is a body of subjects or subject matter prepared by the teachers for
the students to learn
• synonymous to “course of study” and “syllabus”
• Robert Hutchins views curriculum as “permanent studies” - rules of
grammar, reading, logic, mathematics, 3Rs
• Arthur Bestor (an essentialist) believes that the mission of the school should
be intellectual training; hence curriculum should focus on fundamental
intellectual disciplines of grammar, literature, and writing.
• It should include mathematics, science, history and foreign language.
CURRICULUM FROM DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW

1 TRADITIONAL POINTS OF VIEW

• Joseph Schwab defines discipline as the sole source of curriculum
• The curriculum is divided into chunks of knowledge we call subject areas
(English, Math, Science, Social Science); while in college discipline may
include Humanities, Sciences, Languages, etc.
• Joseph Schwab coined the term “discipline” as a ruling doctrine for
curriculum development
• Curriculum should consist of knowledge that comes from disciplines which
is the sole source.
CURRICULUM FROM DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW

1 TRADITIONAL POINTS OF VIEW

• Curriculum can be viewed as a field of study made up of its foundations
(philosophical, historical, psychological, and social foundations) domains of
knowledge as well as its research theories and principles;
• The curriculum is taken as scholarly and theoretical;
• It is concerned with broad historical, philosophical and social issues and
academics
• Most of the traditional ideas view curriculum as written documents or a
plan of action in accomplishing goals
CURRICULUM FROM DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW

2 PROGRESSIVE POINTS OF VIEW

• to a progressivist, a listing of school subjects, syllabi, courses of study, a list
of courses, or specific disciplines does not make a curriculum.
• These can only be called curriculum if the written materials are actualized by
the learner
• Curriculum is defined as the total learning experiences of the individual.
• Anchored on John Dewey’s definition of experience and education. He
believed that reflective thinking is a means that unifies curricular elements.
• Thought is not derived from action but tested by application
CURRICULUM FROM DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW

2 PROGRESSIVE POINTS OF VIEW

• Caswell and Campbell viewed curriculum as “all experiences children have
under the guidance of teachers.
• Stanley, Smith, and Shores -defined “curriculum as a sequence of potential
experiences set up in the schools for the purpose of disciplining children
and youth in group ways of thinking and acting
• Marsh and Willis view curriculum as all the experiences in the classroom
that are planned and enacted by the teacher and also learned by the
students
CURRICULUM
• DYNAMIC PROCESS

DEVELOPMENT
• CHANGES THAT ARE SYSTEMATIC
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
• A change for the better means any alteration, modification or
improvement of existing condition.
• To produce positive changes, development should be
purposeful, planned and progressive.
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT: RALPH TYLER MODEL
• Four Basic Principles: (Tyler’s Rationale - 4 Fundamental Questions)
￭ What educational purposes should the school seek to attain?
￭ What educational experiences can be provided that are likely
to attain these purposes?
￭ How can these educational experiences be effectively
organized?
￭ How can we determine whether these purposes are being
attained or not? (evaluation)
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT: HILDA TABA
• TABA improved Tyler’s Rationale by making a liner model
• She believed that teachers who teach or implement the curriculum
should participate in developing it
• She advocates the grassroots approach
• She has 7 steps where teachers could have a major input
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT: HILDA TABA
• 7 steps
￭ Diagnosis of learners’ needs and expectations of
the larger society
￭ Formulation of learning objectives
PLANNING
￭ Selection of learning content IMPLEMENTING
￭ Organization of learning content EVALUATING
￭ Selection of learning experiences
￭ Organization of learning activities
￭ Determination of what to evaluate and the means
of doing it
TYPES CURRICULUM OPERATING IN SCHOOLS
1 RECOMMENDED CURRICULUM
• Most of the school curricula are recommended
• The curriculum may come from a national agency (DepEd,
CHED, DOST etc
• they are recommended to be implemented in the basic
education, higher education and other levels of education
TYPES CURRICULUM OPERATING IN SCHOOLS
2 WRITTEN CURRICULUM
• includes documents, courses of study or syllabi handed down to the
schools, districts, division, departments or colleges for implementation
• made by curriculum experts with participation of teachers
• It is pilot-tested or tried out in sample schools or population
• Example also is the written lesson plan of teacher
TYPES CURRICULUM OPERATING IN SCHOOLS
3 TAUGHT CURRICULUM
• these are different planned activities that are put Into action
• these are varied activities that are implemented in order to arrive at
the objects or purposes of the written curriculum
• used by learners with the guidance of teachers
• it varies according to the learning styles of students and the teaching
styles of teachers
TYPES CURRICULUM OPERATING IN SCHOOLS
4 SUPPORTED CURRICULUM
• these are materials that support the teacher in the implementation of
a written curriculum
• materials include resources such as textbooks, computers, AVM,
laboratory equipment, playground, zoos and other facilities
• Support Curriculum should enable each learner to achieve real and
lifelong learning
TYPES CURRICULUM OPERATING IN SCHOOLS
5 ASSESSED CURRICULUM
• these are tested or evaluated curriculum
• at the duration and end of the teaching episodes, series of evaluations
are being done by the teachers to determine the extent of teaching or
to tell if the students are progressing
• refers to assessment tools like pencil and paper tests, authentic
instruments like portfolio
TYPES CURRICULUM OPERATING IN SCHOOLS
6 LEARNED CURRICULUM
• these are the learning outcomes achieved by the students.
• learning outcomes are indicated by the results of the tests and
changes in behavior which can either be cognitive affective and
psychomotor
TYPES CURRICULUM OPERATING IN SCHOOLS
7 HIDDEN CURRICULUM
• these are the unintended curriculum which is not deliberately planned
but may modify behavior or influence learning outcomes.
• These can be peer influence, school environment, physical condition of
teacher-learner interaction, mood of the teachers, and many other
factors make up the hidden curriculum,