Running head: CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Curriculum Development
Rogelio Nava Jr.
Concordia University, Texas

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Curriculum Development
In their book, Ornstein and Hunkins dedicate Chapter 7 to the two main approaches to curriculum
development. They start out by explaining that their aim is not to answer the age-old question of whether or not
school contributes or hinders students education. Rather they admit, schools function is to educate; not to mold

students who just regurgitate information or perform mindless tasks, (Ornstein and Hunkins, p. 178). They go on to
clarify the function of education as enabling students to become individuals with intellectual character, (Ornstein
and Hunkins, p. 179). The first approach outlined in the book is the technical-scientific approach, which is
characterized by its systematic outline of the procedures that inform curriculum development. This approach came
about at the turn of the 19th century just as the Industrial Revolution began to pick up steam. The technical-scientific
approach is rooted in essentialist philosophy and is marked by the mechanic, compartmentalized, and scientific
influences that were quickly becoming popular at the time. It is a subject-centered approach and is not particularly
focused on the learner experience. Teachers are positioned as the dispensers of knowledge and students as the
containers charged with storing, accessing, and recalling knowledge and facts. From this approach the Tyler model
thrived. It purports that curricularists determine the schools purposes, identify educational experiences related to
those purposes, ascertain how the experiences are organized, and evaluate the purposes (Ornstein and Hunkins, p
181). This systemic model has been critiqued as being too linear in nature and based on assumptions of cause and
effect but remains the most practiced approach today. While Tylers model was organized in a top-down format, the
Taba model involved teachers in the curriculum development process, as they are the ones who handle the
curriculum day to day. The next technical-scientific approach discussed is the Backward-design model. This model
consists of a 3 stage structure starting out with the end in mind, stage 2 is when those involved in the curriculum
development process determine how the curriculum will be evaluated after it has been set and is in practice. The last
stage of the backward-design model is to plan instructional activities, which involves thinking about the materials
required and which skills should be emphasized. Subject-matter analysis is the approach that identifies the content
deemed necessary for students to study and again reiterates the technical-scientific approach of putting the subject
ahead of the learner. Learning analysis goes a step further into being learner centered than the subject-matter model
in that it is more focused on which learning processes are required for students to learn the selected content
(Ornstein and Hunkins, p. 185). In contrast to the first approach is the nontechnical-nonscientific approach. It is the
learner-centered ying to the technical scientific subject-centered yang. This approach is characterized as subjective,

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
personal, values aesthetics, focuses on the learner, and is constantly evolving alongside student needs. This
approach adopts a humanistic approach with its philosophy firmly rooted in perennialism, progressivism and even
reconstructionism. This holistic approach positions teachers and students as co-learners with the students leading

discussion and teachers acting as facilitators of learning. As a result of this subjective approach, critics assert that it
is difficult to hold students to a standard and measure their growth in knowledge to which proponents argue that
assessments do not measure all student growth. Once the approach has been determined, then the curriculum team,
typically composed of curriculum experts, principals, teachers, and other district personnel, is established and aims,
goals, and objectives are set. The next major endeavor involves selecting the curriculum content. This process at its
basis must enable students to learn the most through supplying information relevant to their concerns. Authors
Ornstein and Hunkins assert, when selecting content, the curriculum planner must take into account how well it
addresses students cognitive, social, and psychological concerns, (p. 199). The all-inclusive nature of curriculum
content lends itself well to being shaped by our world and current times. This adaptability is advantageous as it can
be updated in a relatively timely manner to reflect contemporary goings on.
I agree with the authors of the text that there does seem to be two major approaches to curriculum
development that are widely used. The organization of the text allowed me to easily discern the differences and
even some similarities between the two schools of thought. While reading I was able to clearly determine the stance
the curriculum I was taught in school as being technical-scientific whereas my current approach as an educator leans
more nontechnical-nonscientific.
This chapter changed my views on curriculum in that I now have a better understanding as to the inner
workings that make up the processes, players, and components that contribute to curriculum development. I am also
noticing a consistent duality in the nature of curriculum. It seems as though when starting out with a certain set of
curriculum approaches or philosophies, your curriculum path is clearly outlined. There does not seem to be much
crossover between the two faces of curriculum and the only time it may happen is for example, when a teacher may
teach a rigid, structured curriculum through their personal humanistic lens. After reading this chapter I came to the
realization of just how influential the teacher is on student learning despite the curriculum. I find myself wondering,
should innate personality traits and characteristics be looked at more closely in the hiring process for educators?

References

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Ornstein, A., & Hunkins, F. (2013). Curriculum: Foundations, principles, and issues (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson.