CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

In general, evaluation is concerned with giving value of making judgments.

Consequently, a person acts as evalator when he or she attributes worth of judgement to an
object, a place, a process, or a behavior. Usually, evaluation is done using a set of criteria.
This enables the evaluation process to be always objective rather than subjective.
various curriculum scholars define curriculum evaluation based on how they view
curriculum, the purposes of curriculum, curriculum influences, and how curriculum is
implemented. Basically, curriculum evaluation is:
• the process of delineating, obtaining, and providing information useful for making
decisions and judgements about curricula ( Davis,1980);
• the process of examining the goals. rationale, and structure of any curriculum
( Marsh, 2004);
• the process of assessing the merit and worth of a program of studies, a course, or a
field of study ( Print, 1993);
• the means of determining whether the program is meeting its goals ( Bruce Tuckman,
1985);
• the broad and continuous effort to inquire into the effects of utilizing ocntent and
processes to meet clearly defined goals (Doll, 1992); and
• the process of delineating, obtaining, and providing useful information for judging
decision lternatives (Stufflebeam, 1971).
• In this book, curriculum evaluation is defined as the rocess of making objective
judgement to a curriculum- its philosophy, goals and objectives, contents, learning
experience, and evaluation.

Curriculum evaluation is also concerned about inding out whether the curriculum is
relevant and responsive to the needs of the society and the learners. It is a scientific and
dynamic process of understanding the merit of my curriculum.
Purposes of Curriculum Evaluation

Print (1993) identified several important purposes and functions of evaluation in school
setting:
• Essential in providing feedback to learners- provides useful information in helping
the students improve their performance and helps teachers identify the strenghts and
weaknesses of the learners
• Helpful in determining how will learners have achieved the objectives of the
curriculum- describes whether the students learned or mastered the desired
outcomes and ojectives of the curriculum.
• To improve curriculum- the result of evaluation serves as basis for improving
curriculum and for suggesting innovations to improve learning.
In addition, curriculum evaluation is also useful to administrators and teachers in
many different ways. For example:
• Evaluation helps in making dcisions about improving teachings and learning
processes.
• It helps in shaping academic policies.
• It guides in initiating curricular changes and innovations
• It insures schools align their curriculum to different curriculum souces and
influences.
• It determines the level of success of the school’s vision and mission.
Curriculum Evaluation in the Classroom
Doll (1997) asserted that the classroom in fact could be the first site of gathering
important data that will lead to curriculum evaluation. Within the classroom, teachers and
administrators can collect data using several instruments like:
• test results;
• anecdotal records;
• checklists;
• interview guides;
• observation guides;
• personality inventories;
• rating scales;
• IQ tests; and
• interest inventories.
Teachers play an important role in conducting curriculum evaluation in the classroom
level. They must be guided in gatering data from these instruments and in interpreting the
data. The results of classroom-based evaluation may help in improving instruction and in
the effective implementation of the curriculum.
Curriculum Evaluation at the School System Level

Curriculum evaluation is done mostly at a school system level. This is usually done to
evaluate how to the curriculum goals are attained in the macro leve. At this level, the
following instruments can be used to gather data for the evaluation of the curriculum:
• Opinion polls
• Surveys
• Focus-group discussion
• Follow-up studies ( Graduate tracer studies)
• Standard evaluation instruments
• Results of district or national tests

The schools that gather and analyze data on the implementation of the curriculum
can also do research activities.
Models of Curriculum Evaluation
Curriculum scholars and curriculum workers have identified various models
that can be used for evaluating curriculum. Each of these models is a product of
endless works of curriculum scholars trying to assess the value of a particular
curriculum.

A. Provus’ Discrepancy Evaluation Model

This model for curriculum evaluation was developed by Malcolm Provus
(1971) to evaluate projects under the Elementary- Secondary Education Act
in the United States. Using the taxonomy of program content developed by
Robert Stake, Provus identified four major stages of conducting curriculum
evaluation as shown in Figure 16.
 Figure 16. Provus’ Discrepancy Evaluation Model
• Determining whether a discremancy exist between 3
performance and standards
• Determining program performance 2
• Determining program standards 1
 Ronald Doll(1997)noted that the Provus model has been called the discrepancy
model because it compares performance with standards to determine whether there is a
discrepancy between the two. This model enables the curriculum evaluators and
administrators of the school to collect or gather concrete evidence on how the
curriculum satisfies the set standards.
B. Tyler Model of Curriculum Evaluation

Aligned to his model of curriculum development, Ralf Tyler (1950) proposed seven steps for evaluating a
curriculum:

1. Establishment of goals and objectives

2. Classification of the objectives
3. Definition of the objectives in behavioral terms
4. Identification of situaions in which achievement of the objectives could be shown
5. Selection of criterion of measurement procedures
6. Collection of data about pupil performance
7. Comparison of findings with the stated objectives
The completion of the seven stages will lead to the revision of the objectives. This evaluation model is a
cyclical type of model.
 C. Stufflebeam’s CIPP Model
The Phi Delta Kappa National Study Committee on Evaluation, chaired by Daniel L. Stufflebeam,
developed and published a curriculum evaluation model known as the CIPP ( context, input, process) model
(Stufflebeam, 1971). Stufflebeam (2001) defined evaluation as the process of delineating, obtaining, and
providing useful information for judging decision alternatives.

Context Input Process Product

Figure 17. Stufflebeam’s CIPP Evaluation Model

 Context evaluation,according to Stufflebeam, is the most basic kind of evaluation.
Its purpose is to provide a strong rationale for datermining curriculum objectives. At this
point, the curriculum evaluator describes the environment and determines the different
needs of the society, school, and students. If there are unmet needs, the curriculum
evaluator seeks to find reasons for not meeting the needs. The curriculum context also
includes the problems, issues, and challenges that the curriculum seeks to address.
Input evaluation of the curriculum, aims to provide information for determining
how resources are utilized to achieve curriculum objectives. At his level, The resources
of the school and the different designs for implementing the curriculum are considered.
Process evaluation fcuses on providing periodic feedback while the curriculum is
being implemented. This phase aims to detect the problems in the implemention of the
curriculum, provide information for programmed desicions, and maintain a record of the
procedures as it occurs.
.
 Product evaluation aims to gather, interpret, and apprise curricular attainments not
just the end of an implementation of a curriculum.

D. Stakes’ Congruency- Contingency Evaluation Model

Robert Stake (1975) claimed that curriculum evaluation is not complete umless three
categories of data are made available. These categories are:
1. Antecedents- include data on students and teachers, the curriculum to be
evaluated, and the community context.
2. Transactions- include time allotment, sequence of steps, social climate, and
communication flow.
3. Outcomes- encompass students’ learning in the foorm of understanding, skills,
and values or attitudes, as well as the effects of the curriculum on the teachers,
students, and the school
 E. Eisner’s Educational Connoiseurship Model

Using this model calls for thorough and comprehensive observations of classroom
and school activities in relation to curriculum. It tries to capture every aspect of
curriculum activities including the hidden curriculum. The emphasis of this model is
always on the quality rather than on the measurable quantity of learning and interaction.

Overall, curriculum evaluation is important as it is intended to provide meaningful

information in almost every aspect of the curriculum. These information or results of
evaluation provide strong bases for all decisions done about the planning, design,
development, and implementation of the curriculum. Curriculum leaders can utilize the
results of the evaluation in instituting educational reforms and in finding ways to make
Reflections on Curriculum Evaluation

• The purpose of curriculum evaluation is to make judgments on the effectiveness of a

curriculum.
• Curriculum evaluation follows a scientific and logical process. The procedures of
curriculum evaluation are linked with how the curriculum was developed.
• Each curriulum evaluation ,odel is based on a set of principles that embodies a
curriculum theory or education principles.
• Curriculum evaluation could be done in a national level or school-based depending on
the purpose of evaluation.
• Gathering of data for evaluation and analysis is important in curriculum evaluation.
• The results of curriculum evaluation are essential in making curricular decisions.
 Thank you

....GOD Bless....