COURSE CODE: NSC 435

COURSE TITLE: PRINCIPLES OF

EDUCATION

GROUP: GROUP 1

PRESENTATION TOPIC:
INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL
 CURRICULUM DESIGN
CURRICULUM THEORY AND
MODEL.
GROUP MEMBERS

NAMES MATRIC SCORE

NUMBER
Adegboye Olayinka MDS/NUR/10901257

Oluwatomiwa

Azimhi Omogho Sophia AHS/NUR/20001655

Ahweyevu-mukoro AHS/NUR/20001651

Beseret

Alfa Aisha AHS/NUR/20001596

ABDULWAHAB MDS/NUR/01901253

MARIAM ABU

Abdulkadiri Sa’abira AHS/NUR/20001648

Itseme

Ahiokhai Vincent AHS/NUR/20001650

Amiewalan Daniella AHS/NUR/20001652

Oseremen

Arebanmen Onomen AHS/NUR/20001653

Gift

Ashade Faith Chidinma AHS/NUR/20001697

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Educational curriculum designs

Types of curriculum designs

Curriculum theories and models

Advantages and disadvantages of curriculum

theories and models
 Summary

 Reference

INTRODUCTION
It is interesting first to note that the root of the word Curriculum is in fact the Latin
verb ‘currere’, meaning ‘to run’. As a noun it meant ‘Racecourse’, so some indication
already of something that has a clear start and endpoint with challenges along the
way. By the mid-19th Century, the word ‘curriculum’ was in regular use in European
Universities to describe not only the total program of study undertaken or offered but
also the individual aspects therein; we all design an aspect of curricular when we plan
a lesson or a learning sequence.

The NCTL (National college for Teaching and Leadership) put it beautifully: “A
school should consider what ingredients are required to make a really outstanding
curriculum that will inspire and challenge all children and prepare them for the
future.”

Howsoever you choose to define or determine curriculum you are doing so in abstract
form; your definition may differ slightly from that of your colleagues but there are
still numerous concrete principles that need to be considered as you plan. Essentially,
your curriculum encapsulates everything you offer that is an opportunity for students
to learn something new, either through direct experience, instruction, practice or by
some form of academic osmosis.

When it comes to educational curriculum designs, there are different approaches

that schools and institutions use. Some common ones include the traditional
curriculum, which focuses on core subjects like math and science, and the progressive
curriculum, which emphasizes hands-on learning and critical thinking. There are also
subject-centered, learner-centered, and problem-centered designs. Each design has its
own goals and methods.

EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM DESIGNS

Educational curriculum designs refer to the plans and frameworks that educators use
to structure and organize the learning experiences of students. These designs outline
the goals, content, methods, and assessments that guide teaching and learning in
schools or educational settings. Different curriculum designs emphasize various
aspects, such as subject-centered approaches, learner-centered approaches, problem-
based learning, or integrated learning. The goal is to create effective and engaging
learning experiences that meet the needs and goals of students.

TYPES OF CURRICULUM DESIGN

There are several ways of designing school curriculum. These include subject-
centered, learner-centered, integrated, or broad fields (which combines two or more
related subjects into one field of study; e.g., language arts combine the separate but
related subjects of reading, writing, speaking, listening, comprehension, and spelling
into a core curriculum).

 Subject-Centered Curriculum Design: This curriculum design refers to

the organization of curriculum in terms of separate subjects, e.g., geography,

math, and history, etc. This has been the oldest school curriculum design and the
most common in the world. It was even practiced by the ancient Greek educators.
The subject-centered design was adapted by many European and African
countries as well as states and districts in the United States. An examination of
the subject-centered curriculum design shows that it is used mainly in the upper
 elementary and secondary schools and colleges. Frequently, laypeople, educators,
and other professionals who support this design received their schooling or
professional training in this type of system. Teachers, for instance, are trained and
specialized to teach one or two subjects at the secondary and sometimes the
elementary school levels. There are advantages and disadvantages of this
approach to curriculum organization. There are reasons why some educators
advocate for it while others criticize this approach.

Advantages of Subject-Centered Curriculum Design

 It is usually required to set minimum standards of performance and

achievement for the knowledge specified in the subject area.
 Almost all textbooks and support materials on the educational market are
organized by subject, although the alignment of the text contents and the standards are
often open for debate.
 Tradition seems to give this design greater support. People have become
familiar and more comfortable with the subject-centered curriculum and view it as
part of the system of the school and education as a whole.
 The subject-centered curriculum is better understood by teachers because their
training was based on this method, i.e., specialization.

Disadvantages of Subject-Centered Curriculum Design

 Subject-centered curriculum tends to bring about a high degree of

fragmentation of knowledge.
 Subject-centered curriculum lacks integration of content. Learning in most
cases tends to be compartmentalized. Subjects or knowledge are broken down into
smaller seemingly unrelated bits of information to be learned.
 This design stresses content and tends to neglect the needs, interests, and
experiences of the students.
 There has always been an assumption that information learned through the
subject-matter curriculum will be transferred for use in everyday life situations. This
claim has been questioned by many scholars who argue that the automatic transfer of
the information already learned does not always occur.
 Learner-Centered/Personalized Curriculum Design: Students who
have varying needs, interests, and abilities may benefit from a personalized
curriculum. Learner-centered curriculum design may take various forms
such as individualized or personalized learning. In this design, the
curriculum is organized around the needs, interests, abilities, and
aspirations of students. Advocates of the design emphasize that attention
is paid to what is known about human growth, development, and
learning. Planning this type of curriculum is done along with the
students after identifying their varied concerns, interests, and priorities
and then developing appropriate topics as per the issues raised. This type
of design requires a lot of resources and manpower to meet a variety of
needs. Hence, the design is more commonly used in the U.S. and other
western countries, while in the developing world the use is more limited.

Advantages of the Learner-Centered Curriculum Design

 The needs and interests of students are considered in the selection and
organization of content.
 Because the needs and interests of students are considered in the
planning of students’ work, the resulting curriculum is relevant to the
student’s world.
 The design allows students to be active and acquire skills and
procedures that apply to the outside world.

Disadvantages of the Learner-Centered Curriculum Design

 The needs and interests of students may not be valid or long lasting.
They are often short-lived.
 The interests and needs of students may not reflect specific areas of
knowledge that could be essential for successful functioning in society.
Quite often, the needs and interests of students have been emphasized and
not those that are important for society in general.
 The nature of the education systems and society in many countries
may not permit learner-centered curriculum design to be implemented
effectively.
 As pointed out earlier, the design is expensive in regard to resources,
both human and fiscal, that are needed to satisfy the needs and interests of
individual students.
 This design is sometimes accused of shallowness. It is argued that
critical analysis and in-depth coverage of subject content is inhibited by the
fact that students’ needs and interests guide the planning process.

 Broad Fields/Integrated Curriculum: In the broad fields/integrated

curriculum design, two, three, or more subjects are unified into one
broad course of study. This organization is a system of combining and
regrouping subjects that are related to the curriculum. This approach
attempts to develop some kind of synthesis or unity for the entire branch
or more branches of knowledge into new fields.

Examples of Broad Fields:

 Language Arts: Incorporates reading, writing, grammar, literature,

speech, drama, and international languages.
 General Science: Includes natural and physical sciences, physics,
chemistry, geology, astronomy, physical geography, zoology, botany,
biology, and physiology
 Other: Include environmental education and family-life education

Advocates of the broad fields/integrated designs believe that the approach

brings about unification and integration of knowledge. However, looking at
the trend of events in curriculum practice in many states and countries, this
may not have materialized effectively. The main reason is that teachers are
usually trained in two subjects at the university level, thus making it difficult
for them to integrate more areas than that. For instance, general science
might require physics, chemistry, biology, and geology, but science teachers
may have only studied two of these areas in depth.

Advantages of Broad Field/Integrated Curriculum Design

 It is based on separate subjects, so it provides for an orderly and

systematic exposure to the cultural heritage.
 It integrates separate subjects into a single course; this enables
learners to see the relationships among various elements in the curriculum.
 It saves time in the school schedule.

Disadvantages of Broad Field/Integrated Curriculum Design

 It lacks depth and cultivates shallowness.

 It provides only bits and pieces of information from a variety of
subjects.
 It does not account for the psychological organization by which
learning takes place.

 Core Curriculum Design: The concept core curriculum is used to

refer to areas of study in the school curriculum or any educational

program that is required by all students. The core curriculum provides
students with “common learning” or general education that is considered
necessary for all. Thus, the core curriculum constitutes the segment of
the curriculum that teaches concepts, skills, and attitudes needed by all
individuals to function effectively within the society.

Characteristics of Core Curriculum Design

The basic features of the core curriculum designs include the following:

 They constitute a section of the curriculum that all students are

required to take.
 They unify or fuse subject matter, especially in subjects such as
English, social studies, etc.
 Their content is planned around problems that cut across the
disciplines. In this approach, the basic method of learning is problem-
solving using all applicable subject matter.
 They are organized into blocks of time, e.g. two or three periods
under a core teacher. Other teachers may be utilized where it is possible.
Types of Core Curriculum Designs

The following types of core curriculum are commonly found in secondary

schools and college curriculums.

Type One: Separate subjects taught separately with little or no effort to relate
them to each other (e.g., mathematics, science, languages, and humanities
may be taught as unrelated core subjects in high schools).

Type Two: The integrated or “fused” core design is based on the overall
integration of two or more subjects, for example:

 Physics, chemistry, biology, and zoology may be taught as general

science.
 Environmental education is an area with an interdisciplinary approach
in curriculum planning.
 History, economics, civics, and geography may be combined and
taught as social studies.
 CURRICULUM THEORIES AND MODELS
In education, curriculum theory refers to the study of how curricula are developed,
implemented, and evaluated. It involves examining the underlying principles, beliefs,
and values that shape educational programs.

A curriculum model, on the other hand, is a specific framework or structure that

guides the design and development of a curriculum. It provides a systematic approach
to organizing and delivering educational content.

There are various curriculum theories and models that educators use, such as:

1. Tyler's Model: Developed by Ralph Tyler, this model emphasizes setting clear
objectives, selecting appropriate learning experiences, organizing content, and
assessing student achievement. Four (4) fundamental questions he posed for guiding t
he curriculum design process. They are as follows:

 What educational purposes is the school seeking to attain?

 What educational experiences are potentially provided that are likely to attain the
se purposes?
 How can these educational experiences be effectively organized?
 How can we determine whether these purposes are being attained?
2. Hilda Taba's Model: Hilda Taba was born in Europe and emigrated to the United
States during a tumultuous time in history that had a great effect on her view of
education. She was initially influenced by progressivists: John Dewey and Ralph
Tyler, and one of her goals was to nurture the development of students and encourage
them to actively participate in a democratic society. Taba’s model
was inductive rather than deductive in nature, and it is characterized by being a
continuous process. Taba’s model emphasized concept development in elementary
social studies curriculum and was used by teachers in her workshops. She was able to
make connections between culture, politics, and social change as well as cognition,
experience, and evaluation in curriculum development, particularly in the areas of
teacher preparation and civic education. Taba’s work with teachers in communities
around the United States and in Europe has provided a blueprint for curriculum
development that continues to be used by curriculum developers today. To explore
more information about Taba and her work, you may access Taba’s Bio.

Hilda Taba, on her part, was also influenced by Ralph Tyler. Her conceptual model
follows. The interrelatedness of the curriculum elements from both models suggests
the process is continuous.
3. Hauptschule Model: This model, originating from Germany, emphasizes practical
skills and vocational training, preparing students for specific careers.

4. Montessori Model: Developed by Maria Montessori, this model emphasizes self-

directed learning, hands-on activities, and individualized instruction.

5. Backward Design Model: This model, popularized by Grant Wiggins and Jay
McTighe, starts with identifying desired learning outcomes and then designing
instruction and assessment to achieve those outcomes.

6. John Kerr’s Model: John Kerr, a British Curriculum specialist in the 1960s, was
particularly concerned with the following issues: objectives, knowledge, school
learning experiences, and evaluation. This is reflected in the sketch below.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF

CURRICULUM THEORIES AND MODELS.

ADVANTAGES:
- Clear structure: Curriculum theories and models provide a clear structure for
educators to follow, ensuring that learning objectives and content are well-defined.
- Consistency: With a curriculum model, there is a consistent approach to teaching
and learning, which can promote continuity and coherence in education.
- Alignment with goals: Curriculum theories and models help align educational
programs with specific goals and objectives, ensuring that learning experiences are
purposeful and relevant.
- Effective planning: These models assist educators in planning instructional
strategies, selecting appropriate resources, and designing assessments that support
student learning.
- Accountability: Curriculum models can provide a framework for evaluating student
progress and assessing the effectiveness of educational programs.

DISADVANTAGES:
- Limitations: One-size-fits-all curriculum models may not cater to the diverse needs
and learning styles of all students, potentially leading to gaps or mismatches in
instruction.
- Rigidity: Some curriculum models can be rigid and inflexible, leaving little room for
adaptation or customization based on individual student needs or changing
educational contexts.
- Lack of innovation: Strict adherence to a specific curriculum model may discourage
creativity and innovation in teaching, as educators may feel constrained by the
prescribed structure.
- Time-consuming: Developing and implementing a curriculum model can be time-
consuming, requiring extensive planning, coordination, and ongoing evaluation.
- Potential for gaps: Curriculum models may prioritize certain subjects or skills over
others, potentially leading to gaps in students' learning experiences.

It's important to remember that each curriculum theory and model has its own unique
advantages and disadvantages. Educators often adapt and combine different models to
best meet the needs of their students and educational contexts.
SUMMARY
Curriculum design is central to the development of curriculum, and it can be done in
several ways. Each design has advantages and disadvantages for both learners and
teachers. Educational curriculum designs play a vital role in shaping effective learning
experiences. By understanding the different types of curriculum designs, the
essential components, and considering factors like learner diversity and societal
needs, educators can create engaging and inclusive learning environments.
Incorporating current trends and innovations, along with thoughtful implementation
and evaluation, ensures continuous improvement in curriculum design. Remember, a
well-designed curriculum sets the foundation for meaningful and impactful
education.

REFERENCES