CHAPTER 3:

Curriculum Planning

Curriculum in an educational context is the collective of lessons and academic content that are
taught in a classroom (or in a course or program).

Curriculum Planning
- Process by whereby the advance arrangement of learning opportunities for a
particular population of learners is created.
- Complex process where faculty define intended learning outcomes, assessments,
content, and pedagogic requirements necessary for students success across an entire
curriculum.

A. Curriculum Sources
Three Major Sources of Curriculum (Tyler 1949)
1. Subject matter- the topic dealt with or the subject represented.
2. Society- people of a particular country, area, time as an organized community.
3. Learners- people who are learning a subject or skill.

SUBJECT MATTER
 It is important to understand the nature of the subject matter in order to provide
knowledge and skills that are essential to the discipline. This also helps in selecting and
designing curriculum contents.

SOCIETY
 Provides a more comprehensive idea of the needs, demands and problem of the society,
and the available resources that can be utilized in the development and implementation of
the curriculum (Tyler1949).
 Provides information about the context in which the curriculum will be used. This is
important to make the curriculum more relevant and response.

LEARNERS
 Includes knowing their needs nature various issues and problems about them.
 Direct subjects of the school curriculum. Hence making the learners as one of the
curriculum sources is important in selecting the learning experiences for the curriculum
(Tyler1949).

SOCIETY AS SOURCE OF CURRICULUM

 Understanding the context is important in developing a relevant and responsive
curriculum (Tyler, 1949; Nicholls& Nicholls, 1978).

It is useful in selecting curriculum goals and objectives, content, and learning experiences (Taba,
1962; Stark & Lattuca, 1997; Oliva, 2005).

LEARNERS AS A SOURCE OF CURRICULUM

 One of the major sources of the curriculum
  They have different cultures, languages, learning style, needs, and types and levels of
motivation
 Different in terms of socio-economic status and educational backgrounds (public or
private).
 Supported by several curriculum scholars and are well-presented in their curriculum
development models (Taba, 1962; Wheeler, 1967; Walker, 1972; Skilbeck, 1976;
Nicholls, 1978; Print, 1993; Stark & Latucca, 1997; Olivia, 2005).

DISCIPLINE OR SUBJECT MATTER AS A SOURCE OF CURRICULUM

 One of the main sources of curriculum, (Tyler, 1949)

 Requires educators to closely analyze the contents prescribed by the Department of
Education especially the K-12 Curriculum. The curriculum framework, curriculum goals,
descriptions, standards, and competencies in different subjects will help educators
understand what should be taught and how to teach the different subjects.
 The Commission on Higher Education also prescribes guidelines in different subjects.
Several curricular innovations and changes set by the government were considered and
strictly followed in designing the official curriculum of a particular school, college, or
university. The curricular requirements that include course title, course credit, and course
descriptions based on the CHED Memorandum Orders (CMOS) which CHED issued for
different courses.
 Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) also prescribes different
contents of the modules offered for each particular subject for vocational or technical
courses. The skills that should be learned including the materials needed and the time that
is required for training are clearly specified in each module.