CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

The Concepts, Nature of Curriculum

by: Christian Bjorn R. Cunanan MaEd-PE

The concept of curriculum is as dynamic as the changes that occur in society. In its narrowest sense, 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 school but in society as well.

 In the Philippines, recommendations of several educational initiatives like the Philippine Commission to Survey Philippine Education (PCSPE),Survey of the Outcomes of Elementary Education ( SOUTELE), and the Philippine Commission for Educational Reforms(PCER) focused on curricular renewal or reforms. The recently formulated National Competency-Based Teacher Standards (NCBTS) became the anchor of reforms in education from the basic to higher education.

What is curriculum?
There are many definitions that are correct. but for our purposes we define curriculum WHAT is taught to students.

How Do We Define Curriculum?

Curriculum is that which is taught at school. Curriculum is a set of subjects. Curriculum is content. Curriculum is a sequence of courses. Curriculum is a set of performance objectives.

To understand the nature and extent of curriculum diversity, it is important at this juncture to examine the prescriptive and descriptive definitions offered by some of the past and present leaders in the field.

 John Dewey (1902) Curriculum is a continuous reconstruction, moving from the childs present experience out into that represented by the organized bodies of truth that we call studies . . . the various studies . . . are themselves experience they are that of the race.
Franklin Bobbitt (1918) Curriculum is the entire range of experiences, both directed and undirected, concerned in unfolding the abilities of the individual.

Harold O. Rugg (1927) The curriculum is a succession of experiences and enterprises having a maximum lifelikeness for the learner . . . giving the learner that development most helpful in meeting and controlling life situations.

 Hollis Caswell in Caswell & Campbell (1935) The curriculum is composed of all the experiences children have under the guidance of teachers. . . . Thus, curriculum considered as a field of study represents no strictly limited body of content, but rather a process or procedure.
Ralph Tyler (1957) [The curriculum is] all the learning experiences planned and directed by the school to attain its educational goals. Robert Gagne (1967) Curriculum is a sequence of content units arranged in such a way that the learning of each unit may be accomplished as a single act, provided the capabilities described by specified prior units (in the sequence) have already been mastered by the learner.

 James Popham & Eva Baker (1970) [Curriculum is] all planned learning outcomes for which the school is responsible. . . . Curriculum refers to the desired consequences of instruction.
J. L. McBrien & R. Brandt (1997) [Curriculum] refers to a written plan outlining what students will be taught (a course of study). Curriculum may refer to all the courses offered at a given school, or all the courses offered at a school in a particular area of study.

The following six curriculum theorists contributed their views on curriculum:

1. Franklin Bobbit (1876-1956)- presented curriculum as a science that emphasizes on students' need.

2. Werret Charters (1875-1952) - considered curriculum also as a science which is based on students' need, and the teachers plan the activities.
3. William Kilpatrick (1871-1965) - viewed curriculum as purposeful activities which are child-centered.

4. Harold Rugg (1886-1960) - emphasized social studies in the curriculum and the teacher plans the lesson in advance.
5. Hollis Caswell (1901-1989) - sees curriculum as organized around social functions of themes, organized knowledge and earner's interests. 6. Ralph Tyler (1902-1994) - believes that curriculum is a science and an extension of school's philosophy. based on students' need and interests. The historical development shows the different changes in the purposes, principles and content of the curriculum.

 The definitions provided for prescriptive and descriptive curricula vary primarily in their breadth and emphasis. It would seem that a useful definition of curriculum should meet two criteria: It should reflect the general understanding of the term as used by educators, and it should be useful to educators in making operational distinctions.

 The interpretation of the word curriculum has broaden in the 20th century to include subjects other that the Classics. Today school documents, newspaper articles, committee reports, and many academic textbooks refer to any and all subjects offered are prescribed as the curriculum of the school.

TYPES OF CURRICULUM OPERATING IN SCHOOLS

It is important to note that the word curriculum (as defined from its early Latin origins) means literally to run a course. If students think of a marathon with mile and direction markers, signposts, water stations, and officials and coaches along the route, they can better understand the concept of types of curriculum (Wilson, 2005)

1. Recommended curriculum- proposed by scholars and professional organizations. 2. Written curriculum- appears in school, district, division or country documents. 3. Taught curriculum- what teachers implement or deliver in the classrooms and schools 4. Supported curriculum- resources textbook computers, audio visual materials which support and help in the implementation of the curriculum. 5. Assessed curriculum, that which is tested and evaluated. 6. Learned curriculum-what the students actually learn and what is measured and 7. Hidden curriculum- the unintended curriculum.

Curriculum from Different Points of View

There are many definitions of curriculum. Because of this, the concept of curriculum is sometimes characterized as fragmentary, elusive and confusing. The definitions are influenced by modes of thoughts, pedagogies, political as well as cultural experiences

1. Traditional Points of View of Curriculum

Curriculum is that body of subjects or subject matter prepared by the teachers for the students to learn. It was synonymous to the course of study and syllabus

 permanent studies where the rules of grammar, reading, rhetoric and logic and mathematics for basic education are emphasized (Robert M. Hutchins). Basic education should emphasize the 3 Rs and college education should be grounded on liberal education.

 the mission of the school should be intellectual training, hence curriculum should focus on the fundamental intellectual disciplines of grammar, literature and writing. It should also include mathematics, science, history and foreign language (Arthur Bestor, an essentialist). discipline is the sole source of curriculum (Joseph Schwab). Thus in our education system, curriculum is divided into chunks of knowledge (English, Math, Science etc.). In college discipline may include humanities, sciences, languages and many more.

 curriculum should consist entirely of knowledge which comes from various disciplines. Most of the traditional ideas view curriculum as written documents or a plan of action in accomplishing goals.

2. Progressive Points of View of Curriculum a listing of school subjects can only be called a curriculum if the written materials are actualized by the learner broadly speaking, curriculum is defined as the total learning experiences of the individual (This definition is anchored on Deweys definition of experience and education. He believed that reflective thinking is a means that unifies curricular elements. Though this is not derived from action but tested by application).

 all experiences children have under the guidance of teachers (Caswell and Campbell) 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 (Smith, Stanley and Shores), all the experiences in the classroom which are planned and enacted by the teacher and also learned by the students

 the learning experiences and intended outcomes formulated through systematic reconstruction of knowledge and experiences, under the auspices of the school for the learners continuous and willful growth in persona-social competence; the cumulative tradition of organized knowledge (Tanner D. & Tanner, L.)

 Islamic concept of curriculum

According to Islam, basic values are permanent. So will be the educational objectives. In traditionalism, sources of values are traditions of their forefathers, While is Islam, pleasure of ALLAH is the source of Value.

Other definitions a plan for learning (Taba, H.); a course of study on a specific topic; includes all the learning experiences of the students as planned and directed by the school to attain its educational goals (Tyler) or for which the school assumes responsibilities (Popham and Baker)

 that what is taught in schools; set of subjects, materials and performance objectives; everything that goes on within the school, including extra-class activities, guidance and interpersonal relationships in the school (Oliva)

 a structured set of learning outcomes that come in the form of knowledge, skills and values; affected by important factors of program of philosophy, goals, objectives and evaluation

7 Common concepts of curriculum

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Scope and Sequence Syllabus Content Outline Standers Textbooks Course of Study Planned Experiences

Quality curriculum Greater depth and less superficial coverage Focus on problem solving Facilities the mastery of essential skill and knowledge Coordinated Articulation multi-level sequence study Emphasize academic and practice Effective integrated curricula Mastery of a limited numbers of objectives

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