Salug , Zamboanga del Norte

CURRICULUM Module
DEVELOPMENT
1
ANALYN G. SAUCEJO
Instructor

An Overview

INTRODUCTION

Ever since the term curriculum was added to educators' vocabularies, it has seemed to convey many
things to many people.  To some, curriculum has denoted a specific course, while to others it has
meant the entire educational environment.  Whereas perceptions of the term may vary, it must be
recognized that curriculum encompasses more than a simple definition.  Curriculum is a key element
in the educational process; its scope is extremely broad, and it touches virtually everyone who is
involved with teaching and learning. 

This volume focuses on curriculum within the context of career and technical education.  In no other
area has greater emphasis been placed upon the development of curricula that are relevant in terms
of student and community needs and substantive outcomes.  The career and technical and technical
curriculum focuses not only on the educational process but also on the tangible results of that
process.  This is only one of many reasons why the career and technical and technical curriculum is
distinctive in relation to other curricular areas and why career and technical education curriculum
planners must have a sound understanding of the curriculum development process.

LESSON 1: CURRICULUM: CONCEPTS , NATURE, AND PURPOSES.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Define curriculum
2. Identify types of curriculum operating in schools
3. Trace the historical foundations of curriculum

 THE CONCEPT OF CURRICULUM IS AS DYNAMIC AS THE CHANGES THAT OCCUR

IN SOCIETY. IN IT’S NARROW SENSE, CURRICULUM IS VIEWED MERELY AS A
LISTING OF SUBJECTS TO BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOL.
 IT REFERS ALSO TO THE TOTAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES OF INDIVIDUALS NOT ONLY
IN SCHOOLS BUT IN SOCIETY AS WELL.
 IN THE PHILIPPINES, RECOMMENDATION OF SEVERAL EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES LIKE THE
PHILIPPINES COMMISSION TO SURVEY PHILIPPINES EDUCATION (PCSPE), SURVEY OF THE
OUTCOMES OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION (SOUTELE) AND THE PHILIPPINES COMMISSION FOR
EDUCATIONAL REFORMS (PCER) FOCUSED ON CURRICULAR RENEWAL OR REFORMS.

 THE RECENTLY FORMULATED NATIONAL COMPETENCY-BASED TEACHER STANDARD (NCBTS)

BECAME THE ANCHOR OF REFORMS IN EDUCATION FROM THE BASIC TO THE HIGHER EDUCATION.

CURRICULUM FROM DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW

1. TRADITIONAL POINTS OF VIEW OF CURRICULUM
If the word curriculum is defined as a written document or a plan of action to accomplish
goals; a body of subjects or a subject matter prepared by teachers in order for the students
to learn; a course of study; syllabus, lesson plan, or a field of study – then these definitions
come from the traditional point of view.

The Advocates of Curriculum

ROBERT M. HUTCHINS
Hutchins believes that college education must be grounded on liberal education while basic
education should emphasize the rules of grammar, reading, rhetoric, logic and mathematics. For
him, curriculum is viewed as permanent studies which explain why some subjects are repeated from
elementary to college, such as grammar, reading, and mathematics.

RTHUR BESTOR

Bestor is an essentialist who believes that the mission of the school is to train the intellectual
capacity of learners. Hence, subjects to be offered are grammar, literature, writing, mathematics,
science, history and foreign language.

JOSEPH SCHWAB

Schwab views that discipline is the sole source of curriculum, and so, the curriculum is divided into
chunks of knowledge which are called subject areas like English, mathematics, social studies,
science, humanities, languages, and others. As a leading curriculum theorist, Schwab used the
term discipline  as the ruling doctrine for curriculum development. Therefore, curriculum is viewed
as a field of study and it should only consist of knowledge that comes from the disciplines; for
example, linguistics, economics, chemistry, among others.

HOW THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WORKS USING CURRICULUM AS A BASIS

In a traditional point of view, teachers are required to write lesson plans and syllabi. The subjects
offered in basic education are grammar, literature, writing, mathematics, science, history and
foreign language which help develop the intellectual capacities of learners. However, curriculum is
viewed as a field of study in higher education. So, curriculum refers to the degree programs such as
Bachelor of Secondary Education, major in English, BS in Accountancy, BS in Civil Engineering, MA in
Environmental Science, Ph.D. in Education, major in Curriculum Development, and others.

As a field of study, curriculum consists of domains of knowledge as well as their research theories
and principles, and the foundations (philosophical, historical, psychological, and social) which are
broad in nature. Thus, curriculum is taken as scholarly and theoretical. Would you dare take a Ph.D.
in Education, major in Curriculum Development? What I have discussed is only one of the many
aspects of the curriculum. I will be writing more about this subject. So, stay tuned for more.

2. CURRICULUM FROM PROGRESSIVE POINT OF VIEW

The progressivists disagree with the way curriculum is defined by the traditionalists
(Compare this with the definition of the curriculum from a traditional viewpoint.) For them,
if the lesson plans or syllabi are not actualized or learned by the students, it is not
considered as a curriculum. So, curriculum is defined as the total learning experiences of
individuals which means that students be given all the opportunities to apply what they
learn.

THE ADVOCATES

JOHN DEWEY

John Dewey is a famous proponent of progressivism. He argues that reflective thinking is important.
It is a tool to unify all the curricular elements, such as aims, goals, and objectives; subject
matter/content; learning experiences; and evaluation approaches. For him, it is important to test the
knowledge or thought through application, or the learning by doing, which became influential in
education. His famous philosophy is pragmatism.

HOLLIS CASWELL AND DOAK CAMPBELL

Hollis Caswell and Doak Campbell define curriculum as “all experiences children have under the
guidance of the teachers.”  In this regard, curriculum should contain all the experiences needed by
the children to learn, and a teacher should only act as a guide or facilitator.

B. OTHANEL SMITH, WILLIAM O. STANLEY, AND J. HARLAN SHORES

Smith, Stanley and Shores share the same view that the curriculum, as the way Caswell & Campbell
view it, as “a sequence of potential experiences set up in the schools for the purpose of disciplining
the children and the youth while doing group activities.”

COLIN J. MARSH AND GEORGE WILLIS

Colin J. Marsh and George Willis define curriculum as the “experiences in the classroom which are
planned and enacted by the teacher, and also learned by the students”. In this definition, the
experiences are done in the classrooms.

In a nutshell, progressivism comes from the word progress, which means making changes, reforms,
or improvements toward better conditions. In the way curriculum is defined and implemented from
the progressivists’ perspective, the people mentioned above have contributed much in educational
reforms. They all believe that teachers must provide sets of experiences that are planned and
facilitated by the teachers in order for the students to actualize what they have learned within or
outside the classrooms.
 NAME:______________________________________________________Date:_______________

Subject: Curriculum Development

Let us find how teachers , students and other educators define curriculum
from their own points of view. Interview the following persons : grade school
teacher, school head, college instructor , student -teacher , and non-education
college student. Ask each one this question: In your own perception, what is
curriculum? Record their answers and present the definition using the
template below.

Person interviewed Answer to question: What is curriculum?

Grade school teacher

School head

College instructor

Student -Teacher

Non- education college

student
Warm-Up:
For 2-5 minutes, ponder on
these questions: (You may
write on a sheet of
paper)
(1) What does history mean?
(2) How important is history to
your personal and professional
success?