The Teacher as a Curriculum Designer

Fundamentals of Curriculum Designing

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Identify the fundamentals of curriculum designing
2. Appreciate the task of designing a curriculum

What is Curriculum Designing?

Building on Peter Oliva’s 10 Axioms for Curriculum Designers

Before a teacher designs a curriculum, it would be great importance to connect to the

fundamental concepts and ideas about the curriculum mentioned in Module 1 and 2. Every
curriculum designer, implementer, or evaluator should take in mind the following general
axioms as a guide in curriculum development (Oliva, 2003):

1. Curriculum change is inevitable, necessary, and desirable.

Earlier it was stated that one of the characteristics of curriculum is its being
dynamic. Because of this, teachers should respond to the changes that occur in
schools and in its context. Societal development and knowledge revolution come so
fast that the need to address the changing condition requires new curriculum
designs.
2. Curriculum is a product of its time. A relevant curriculum should respond to
changes brought about by current social forces, philosophical positions ,
psychological principles, new knowledge, and educational reforms. This is also
called timeliness.
3. Curriculum changes made earlier can exist concurrently with newer
curriculum changes. A revision in a curriculum starts and ends slowly. More often,
curriculum is gradually phased in and phased out, thus the changes the occur can
coexist and oftentimes overlap for long periods of time.
4. Curriculum change depends on people who will implement the change.
Teachers who will implement the curriculum should be involved in its
development, hence should know how to design a curriculum. Because the teachers
are the implementers of the curriculum, it is best that they should design and own
the changes. This will ensure an effective and long lasting change.
5. Curriculum development is a cooperative group activity.
Group decisions in some aspects of curriculum development are suggested.
Consultations with stakeholders when possible will add to a sense of ownership.
 Even learners should participate in some aspect of curriculum designing. Any
significant change in the curriculum should involve a broad range of stakeholders to
gain their understanding, support, and input.
6. Curriculum development is a decision-making process made from choices
of alternatives. A curriculum developer or designer must decide what contents
to teach, philosophy or point of view to support, how to provide for multicultural
groups, what methods or strategies, and what type of evaluation to use.
7. Curriculum development is an ongoing process. Continuous monitoring,
examination, evaluation, and improvement of curricula are to be considered in the
design of the curriculum. As the needs of learners change, as society changes, and
as new knowledge and technology appear, the curriculum must change.
8. Curriculum development is more effective if it is a comprehensive process,
rather than a “piecemeal”. A curriculum design should be based on a careful
plan, should clearly establish intended outcomes, support resources and needed
time available and should equip teaching staff pedagogically.
9. Curriculum development is more effective when it follows a systematic
process. A curriculum design is composed of desired outcomes, subject matter
content complemented with references, set of procedures, needed materials and
resources and evaluation procedure which can be placed in a matrix.
10. Curriculum development starts from where the curriculum is. Curriculum
planners and designers should begin with existing curriculum. An existing design
is a good starting point for any teacher who plans to enhance and enrich a
curriculum.

Building upon the ideas of Oliva, let as continue learning how to design a curriculum by
identifying its components. For most curricula the major components or elements are
answers to the following questions:

1. What learning outcomes need to be achieved? (Intended Learning Outcomes)

2. What content should be included to achieve the learning outcomes?
(Subject Matter)
3. What learning experiences and resources should be employed?
(Teaching- Learning Methods)
4. How the achieved learning outcomes be measured? (Assessment of
Achieved Learning Outcomes)

Element or Components of a Curriculum Design

There are many labels or names for curriculum design. Some would call it a syllabus,
or a lesson plan. Some would call it a unit plan or a course design. Whatever is the name of
the design, the common components for all of them are almost the same. However some
schools, institutions or departments may add other minor parts or trimmings to the design.

Let us take the lesson Plan as a miniscule curriculum. A lesson plan or teaching guide
includes (1) Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO) or the Desired Learning Outcome (DLO)
formerly labelled as behavioral objectives, (2) Subject Matter or Content, (3) Teaching and
learning Methods, and (4) Assessment Evaluation. Each of these components or elements is
described below.

I. Behavioral Objectives or Intended Learning Outcomes

Begin with the end in view. The objective or intended learning outcomes are the
reasons for undertaking the learning lesson from the students’ point of view; it is desired
learning outcome that is to be accomplished in a particular learning episode, engaged in by
the learners under the guidance of the teacher. As a curriculum designer, the beginning of the
learning journey is the learning outcomes to be achieved. In this way, both the learner and
the teacher are guided by what to accomplish.

The behavioral objectives, intended learning outcomes or desired learning outcomes

are expressed in action words found in revised Bloom’s Taxonomy of Objectives (Andersen
and Krathwohl, 2003) for the development of the cognitive skills. For the affective skills,
the taxonomy made by Krathwohl and for the psychomotor domain by Simpson.

The statement should be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, Result oriented

and time bound. For a beginner, it would help if you provide the condition, Performance and
Extent or Level of Performance in the statement of the intended earning outcomes.

For example, if a lesson intends the student to identify the parts of a simple flower as
stated in the desired learning outcomes, then students should have identified the parts of a
simple flower, at the end of the lesson.

Sometimes the phrase intended learning outcomes is used to refer to the anticipated
results after completing the planned activity or lesson. In framing learning outcomes, it is
good practice to:

 Express each outcome in terms of what successful students will be able to do.
For example, rather than stating Students will be able to explain the reason
why… it should be: ‘Students must have explained the reason why…’ This helps
students to focus on what they have to achieve as learning. It will also help
curricularist devise appropriate assessment tasks.
 Include different kinds of outcomes. The most common are cognitive objectives
(learning facts, theories, formulae, principles etc.) and performance outcomes
(learning how to carry out procedures, calculations and processes, which
typically include gathering information and communicating results). In some
contexts, affective outcomes are important too (for developing attitudes or values,
e.g. those required as a person and for a particular profession).

II. Content/Subject Matter

The content of the lesson or unit is the topic or subject matter that will be covered. In
selecting content, you should bear in mind the following principles in addition to those
mentioned about the content in previous lessons:
  Subject matter should be relevant to the outcomes of the curriculum. An
effective curriculum is purposive and clearly focused on the planned learning
outcomes.
 Subject matter should be appropriate to the level of the lesson or unit. An affective
curriculum is progressive, leading students towards building on previous lessons.
Contents which are too basic or too advanced for the development levels of
learners make students either bored or baffled, and effect their motivation to learn.
 Subject matter should be up to date and, if possible should reflect current
knowledge and concepts.

III. References

The reference follows the content. It tells where the content or subject matter has been
taken. The reference may be a book, a module, or any publication. It must bear the author of
the material below and if possible, the publications. Some examples are given below.

1. Project Wild (1992) K to 12 Activity guide, An Interdisciplinary, Supplementary

Conversation and Environmental Education Program. Council of Environmental
Education, Bethesda, MD

2. Shipman, James and Jerry Wilson, et al (2009). An Introduction to

Physical Science. Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston MA

3. Romo, Salvador B. (2013). Horticulture an Exploratory Course. Lorimar

Publishing Inc. Quezon City

4. Bilbao, Purita P. and Corpuz, Brenda B. et al (2012). The Teaching Professsion

nd
2 Ed. Lorimar Publishing Inc. Quezon City

IV. Teaching and Learning Methods

These are the activities where the learners derive experiences. It is always good to
keep in mind the teaching strategies that students will experience (lectures, laboratory
classes, fieldwork etc.)and make them learn. The teaching-learning methods should allow
cooperation, competition as well as individualism or independent learning among the
students. For example:

 Cooperative learning activities allow students to work together. Students are guided
to learn on their own to find solutions to their problems. The role of the teachers is to
guide the learners. Democratic process is encouraged, and each one contributes to the
success of learning. Students learn from each other in ways. Group projects and
activities considerably enhance the curriculum.
 Independent learning activities allow learners to develop personal responsibility.
The degree of independence to learn how to learn is enhanced. This strategy is more
appropriate for fast learners.
 Competitive activities, where students will test their competences against another in
a healthy manner allow learners to perform to their maximum. Most successful
 individuals in their adult life are competitive, even in early schooling. They mostly
become the survivors in a very competitive world.
 The use of various delivery modes to provide learning experience is recommended.
Online learning and similar modes are increasingly important in many curricula,
but these need to be planned carefully to be effective.

VI. Assessment/ Evaluation

Learning occurs most effectively when students receive feedback, i.e when they
receive information on what they have already (and have not) learned. The process by which
his information is generated is assessment. It has three main forms:

 Self-assessment, through which students learn to monitor and evaluate their own
learning. This should be a significant element in the curriculum because we aim
to produce graduates who are appropriately reflective and self-critical.
 Peer assessment, in which students provide feedback on each other’s learning.
This can be viewed as an extension of self-assessment and presupposes trust and
mutual respect. Research suggest that students can learn to judge each other’s
work as reliable as staff.
 The teacher assessment , in which the teacher prepares and administers tests and
gives feedback on the student’s performance.

Assessment may be formative (providing feedback to help the student learn more) or
summative (expressing a judgement on the student’s achievement by reference to stated
criteria). Many assessment tasks involve an element of both, e.g. an example that is marked
and returned to the student with detailed comments.

Summative assessment usually involves the allocation of marks or grades. This helps
the teacher make decisions about the progress or performance of the students.

Students usually learn more by understanding the strengths and the weakness of their
work than by knowing the mark or grade given to it. For this reason, summative assessment
tasks (including unseen examinations) should include an element of formative feedback, if
possible.

Application of the Fundamental Components to Other Curriculum Designs

While our example refers only to designing a lesson plan which is a mini curriculum,
similar components will also be used in making a syllabus for teaching in higher education
courses or other curricular projects. Based on the curriculum models we have learned, the
fundamental components include the following:

Major components of a Course Design or Syllabus

1. Intended Outcomes (or Objectives)

2. Content/Subject Matter(with reference)
3. Methods/Strategies (with needed resources)
 4. Evaluation (means of assessment)

All other tradition components are trimming that each designer may place. This
traditional part may be an institutional template, suggested by other curriculum experts and
as required by educational agencies like the Department of Education, Commission on
Higher Education, Accrediting Agencies, Professional Organization that would serve the
purpose they intend to achieve.
Approaches to Curriculum Designing

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Identify some familiar curriculum designs and approaches to the design.
2. Analyse the approaches in the light of how these are applied in the school.

K to 12 Curriculum: What Design?

Get hold of materials about the K to 12 and answer the following:

What kind of curriculum design influence mostly the K to 12 Curriculum? (A)

Subject-Centered? (B) Learner-Centered (C) Problem-Centered? (You may have more than
one answer) Why?

Types of Curriculum Design Models

There are many ways of looking at curriculum and designing one. For own purposes,
let us focus on the most widely used examples.

1. Subject-Centered Design

This is a curriculum design that focuses on the content of the curriculum. The subject-
centered design corresponds mostly to the textbook because textbooks are usually written
based the specific subject of course. Henry Morrison and William Harris are the few
curicularists who firmly believed in this design. As practiced, school hours are allocated to
different school subjects such as Science, Mathematics, Language, Social Studies, Physical
Education, and other. This is also practiced in the Philippines, because a school day is
divided into the class period, a school year into quarters or semester. Most of the schools
using this kind of structure and curriculum design aim for excellence in the specific subject
discipline content.

Subject-centered curriculum design has also some variations which are focused on the
individual subject, specific discipline and a combination of subjects or disciplines which
are a broad field or interdisciplinary.

1.1. Subject design. What subject are you teaching? What subject are you taking? These are
two simple questions that the teacher and the learner can easily answer. It is because they are
familiar with the subject design curriculum.

Subject design curriculum is the oldest and so far the most familiar design for
teachers, parents and other laymen, according to the advocates, subject design has an
advantage because it is easy to deliver. Textbooks are written and support instructional
materials are commercially available. Teachers are familiar with the format, because they
were educated using also the design. In the Philippine education system, the number of
subjects in the elementary education is fewer than in the secondary level. In college, the
number of subject also differs according to the degree programs being pursued. For each
subject, a curriculum is being designed.

However, the drawback of this is that sometimes, learning is so compartmentalized. It

stresses so much the content and forgets about students’ natural tendencies, interests and
experiences. The teacher becomes the dispenser of knowledge and learners are the simply the
empty vessel too receive the information or content to teaching and learning.

1.2 Discipline design. This curriculum design model is related to the subject design.
However, while subject design centers only on the cluster of content, discipline design
centers only on the cluster of content, discipline design focuses on academic disciplines.
Discipline refers to specific knowledge learned through a method which the scholars use to
study a specific content of their fields. Students in history should learn the subject matter like
historians, students in biology should learn how the biologist learn, and so with students in
mathematics, how should learn how mathematics learn. In the same manner, teachers should
teach how the scholars in the discipline will convey the particular knowledge.

Discipline designed model of curriculum if often used in college but not in the
elementary or secondary levels. So from the subject centered curriculum, curriculum moves
higher to a discipline when the students are more mature and are already moving towards
their career path or disciplines as science, mathematics, psychology, humanities, history and
others.

1.3 Correlation. Coming from a core, correlated curriculum design links separate subject
designs in order to reduce fragmentation. Subjects are related to one another and still
maintain their identity. For example, English literature and social studies correlate well in
the elementary level. In the two subjects, while history is being studied , different literary
pieces during the historical period are also being studied. The same is true when science
becomes the core mathematics is related to it, as they are taken in chemistry, physics and
biology. Another example is literature as the core with art, music, history, geography, related
to it. To use correlated design, teachers should come together and plan their lessons
cooperatively.

1.4 Broad field design/interdisciplinary. Broad field design or interdisciplinary is a

variation of the subject-centered design. This design was made to cure the
compartmentalization of the separate subjects and integrate the contents that are related to
one another. Thus subjects such as geography, economics, political science,
anthropology, sociology and history are fused into one subject called social studies.
Language arts will include grammar, literature, linguistics, spelling, and composition.

Sometimes called holistic curriculum, broad fields draw around themes and
integration. Interdisciplinary design is similar to thematic design, where a specific theme is
identified, and all other subject areas involve around the theme.

2. Learner-Centered Design
 Among the progressive educational psychological, the learner is the center of the
education process. This emphasis is very strong in the elementary level, however; more
concern has been placed on the secondary and even the tertiary levels. Although in high
school, the subject or content has become the focus and in the college level, the discipline is
the center, both levels still recognize the importance of the learner in the curriculum.

Here are some examples of curriculum designs which are learner-centered.

2.1 Child-centered design. This design is often attributed to the influence of john
Dewey, Rouseau, Pestallozi and Froebel. This curriculum designed is anchored on
the needs and interests of the child. The learner is not considered a passive individual
but one who engages with his/her environment one learns by doing. Learners actively
create, construct meanings and understanding as viewed by the constructivist. In the
child-centered design, learners interact with the teachers and the environment, thus
there is a collaborative effort on both sides to plan lessons, select content and do
activities together. Learning is a product of the child’s interaction with the
environment.

2.2 Experience-centered design. This design is similar to the child-centered design.

Although the focus remains to be the child, experience-centered design believes that
the interests needs of learners cannot be pre-planned. Instead, experiences of the
learners become the starting point of the curriculum, thus the school environment is
left open and free. Learners are made to choose from various activities that the
teacher provides. The learners are empowered to shape their own learning from the
different opportunities given by the teacher. In a school where experience-centered
curriculum is provided, different learning centers are found, time is flexible and
children are free to make options. Activities revolve around different emphasis such
as touching, feeling, imagining, constructing, relating and others. The emergence of
multiple intelligence theory blends well with experience-centered design curriculum.

2.3 Humanistic design. The key influence in this curriculum design is Abraham
Maslow and Carl Rogers. Maslow’s theory of self-actualization explains that a
person who achieves this level is accepting of self, others and nature; is simple,
spontaneous and natural; is open to different experiences; possesses empathy and
sympathy towards the less fortunate among many others. The person can achieve this
state of self-actualization later in life but has to start the process while still in school.
Carl Rogers, on the other hand, believed that a person can enhanced self-directed
learning by improving self-understanding, the basic attitude to guide behavior.

In humanistic curriculum design, the development of self is the ultimate

objective of learning. It stresses the whole person and the integration of thinking,
feeling and doing. It considers the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains to
be interconnected and must be addressed in the curriculum. It stresses the
development of positive self-concept and interpersonal skills.

3. Problem-Centered Design
 Generally, problem-centered design draws on social problems, needs, interest and
abilities of the learners. Various problems are given emphasis. There are those that center on
life situations, contemporary life problems, areas of living and many others. In this
curriculum, content cuts across subject boundaries and must be based on the needs, concerns
and abilities of the students. Two examples are given for the problem-centered design
curriculum.

3.1 Life-situations design. What makes the design unique is that the contents are
organized in ways that allow students to clearly view problem areas. It uses the past
and the present experiences of learners as a means to analyze the basic areas of
living. As a starting point, the pressing immediate problems of the society and the
students’ existing concerns are utilized. Based on Herbert Spencer’s curriculum
writing, his emphases were activities that sustain life, enhance life, aid in rearing
children, maintain the individual’s social and political relations and enhance leisure,
tasks and feelings. The connection of subject matter to real situations increases the
relevance of the curriculum.

3.2 Core problem design. Another example of problem-centered design is a core

design. It centers on general education and the problems are based on the common
human activities. The central focus of the core design includes common needs,
problems, and concerns on learners. Popularized by Faunce and Bossing in 1959,
it presented ways on how to proceed using core design of a curriculum. These are
the steps.

Step 1. Make group concensus on important problems.

Step 2. Develop criteria for selection of important

problem. Step 3. State and define the problem.

Step 4. Decide on areas of study, including class grouping.

Step 5. List the needed information for resources.

Step6. Obtain and organize information.

Step 7. Analyse and interpret the information.

Step 8. State the tentative conclusions.

Step 9. Present a report to the class individually or by group.

Step 10. Evaluate the conclusions

Step 11. Explore other avenues for further problem solving.

There are some examples of curriculum designs. There are many more which are
emerging and those that have evolved in the past. The example given may be limited,
however; for our purposes, they can very well represent curriculum designs.
Approaches to Curriculum Design

How will a particular design be approached by the teacher? After writing a curriculum
based on the specific design, let us see how a teacher will approach this. We will find out the
utilization of the example design.

Child or Learner-Centered Approach. This approach to curriculum design is based

on the underlying philosophy that the child or the learner is the center of the educational
process. It means that the curriculum is constructed based on the needs, interest, purposes and
abilities of the learners. The curriculum is also built upon the learners’ knowledge, skills,
previous learning and potentials.

From its design, how should a child-centered curriculum be approached? Let us

consider these principles.

Principles of Child-Centered Curriculum Approach

1. Acknowledge and respect the fundamental rights of the child.

2. Make all activities revolve around the overall development of the learner.
3. Consider the uniqueness of every learner in a multicultural classroom.
4. Consider using differentiated instruction or teaching.
5. Provide a motivating supportive learning environment for all the

learner. The child-centered approach is illustrated in the example below:

School X is anchored on the theory of multiple intelligences in all its curricular and
co- curricular activities. Every classroom provides activity centers where children can learn
on their own with the different learning resource materials. Learners can just choose which
learning center to engage in with different resources. This arrangement allows for the
capacity of every learner to be honed. It also allows learning how to learn, hence will
develop independence. The teacher acts as guide for every learner. The learner sets the goal
that can be done within the frame of time.

Subject-Centered Approach. This is anchored on the curriculum design which

prescribes separate distinct subjects for every educational level: basic education, higher
education or vocational-technical education. This approach considers the following
principles:

1. The primary focus is the subject matter.

2. The emphasis is on bits and pieces of information which may be detached from life.
3. The subject matter serves as a means of identifying problems of living.
4. Learning means accumulation of content or knowledge.
5. Teacher’s role is to dispense the content.

Example of subject-centered approach is given below.

In another setting, School Y aims to produce the best graduates in the school
district. Every learner must excel in all academic subjects to be on top of every academic
 competition. The higher the level of cognitive intelligence is, the better the learner. Hence
the focus of the learning is mastery of the subject matter in terms of content. Every
student is expected to be always on top in terms of mastery of discipline. Memorization,
and drill are important learning skills. The school gives emphasis to intellectual
development, and set aside emotional, psychomotor and even value development. Success
means mastery of the content.

Problem-Centered Approach. This approach is based on a design which assumes that in the
process of living, children experience problems. Thus, problem solving enables the learners
to become increasingly able to achieve complete or total development as individuals.

This approach is characterized by the following views and beli

efs:

1. The learners are capable of directing and guiding themselves in resolving

problems, thus developing every learner to be independent.
2. The learners are prepared to assume their civic responsibilities through direct
participation in different activities.
3. The curriculum leads the learners in the recognition of concerns and problems
in seeking solutions. Learners are problem solvers themselves.

Example of the problem-centered approach is presented below:

School Z believes that a learner should be trained to solve real life problems that
come about because of the needs, interest and abilities of the learners. Problems persistent in
life and society that affect daily living are also considered. Most of the school activities
revolve around finding solutions to problems like poverty, drug problems, climate change,
natural calamities and many more. Since the school is using a problem-based design, the
same approach is used. Case study and practical work are teaching strategies that are utilized.
Problem-centered approach has become popular in many schools.

We have given examples of curriculum design and the corresponding approaches.

Again, the choice of the design is influenced by philosophical and psychological beliefs of
the designer. It is very important that as a curricularist, you will be able to understand the
different design models and how to approach each one.

Evaluation

Choose one statement and reflect on it. What do you think and feel about it?

Statement No. 1 –“Schools that approach the curriculum as subject-centered,

make robots out of the students.”

Statement No. 2 –“In schools where child-centeredness is the approach,

discipline is weak.”

Statement No. 3 –“Students are too young to solve life’s problem, why should
they do problem solving in school?”
Lesson 3: Curriculum Mapping

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Define curriculum mapping as part of curriculum designing.
2. Identify the purposes of curriculum maps
3. Familiarize oneself of some examples of curriculum maps

Engage

A curriculum design is reflected in a written curriculum either as a lesson plan,

syllabus, unit plan or a bigger curriculum like K to 12. Before a teacher shall put this plan or
design into action, he/she must need to do a curriculum map.

Have you ever wondered how pace your lesson, so that it will cover a period of time
like hours, weeks, quarters, semester or the whole year?

This lesson will teach us, curricularists, an important process and tool in curriculum
development which is Curriculum Mapping and Curriculum Maps.

Explain

Curriculum Mapping

Curriculum mapping is a process or procedure that follows curriculum designing. It is

done before curriculum implementation or the operationalization of the written curriculum.
This process was introduced by Heidi Hayes Jacobs in 2004 in her book Getting Results with
Curriculum Mapping (ASCD, 2004). This approach is an ongoing process or “work-in-
progress”. It is not a onetime initiative but a continuing action, which involves the teacher
and other stakeholders, who have common concerns. Curriculum mapping curriculum can be
done by teacher alone, a group of teachers teaching the same subject, the department, the
whole school or district or the whole educational system.

Some curricularist would describe curriculum mapping as a making a map to success.

There are common questions that are asked by different stakeholders, like teachers,
colleagues, parents, school officials and the community as well. These questions may
include:

1. What do may students learn?

2. What do they study in the first quarter?
3. What are they studying in school throughout the year?
4. Do my co-teachers who handle the same subject, cover the same content?
Achieve the same outcomes? Use similar strategies?
5. How do I help my students understand the connections between my subjects
and other subjects within the year? Next year?
 Curriculum mapping, may be able to answer these questions above. Furthermore,
mapping will produce a curriculum map, which is a very functional tool in curriculum
development.

Curriculum Mapping Process

There are many ways of doing things, according to what outcome one needs to
produce. This is also true with curriculum mapping. However, whatever outcome (mao) will
be made, there are suggested steps to follow.

Example A.

1. Make a matrix or a spread sheet.

2. Place a timeline that you need to cover. (one quarter, one semester, one year)
This should be dependent on time frame of a particular curriculum that was
written.
3. Enter the intended learning outcomes, skills needed to be taught or achieved at
the end of the teaching.
4. Enter in the same matrix the content areas/ subject areas to be covered.
5. Align and name each resource available such as textbooks, workbooks,
module next to subject areas.
6. Enter the teaching-learning methods to be used to achieve the outcomes.
7. Align and enter the assessment procedure and tools to the intended learning
outcomes, content areas, and resource.
8. Circulate the map among all involved personnel for their inputs.
9. Revise and refine map based on suggestions and distribute to all concerned.

You will find Example A as a component of an OBE-Inspired syllabus for the higher
education to serve the specific purpose as you will see in some maps.

Example B (For degree program in college)*

1. Make a matrix or a spread sheet.

2. Identify the degree or program outcomes (ex. BEEd, or BSED)
3. Identify the subjects along the vertical cells of the matrix in a logical or
chronological order.
4. List the subjects along the vertical cells of the matrix in a logical or
chronological order.
5. List the degree program outcomes along the horizontal cell (use code as PO1,
PO2… if outcomes are too long to fit in the cell) PO means Program
Outcomes
6. Cross the subject and the Outcome, and determine if such subject
accomplishes the outcomes as either Learned (L), Performed (P) or given
Opportunity (O). Place the code in the corresponding cell.
7. Fill up all cells.
 8. After accomplishing the map, use it as a guide for all teachers teaching the
course for students to complete the degree in four years.

The Curriculum Map

Curriculum maps are visual timelines that outline desired learning outcomes to be
achieved, contents, skills and values taught, instructional time, assessment to be used, and the
overall student movement towards the attainment of the intended outcomes. Curricular maps
may be simple or elaborate that can be used by individual teacher, a department, the whole
school or educational system. A map is geared to a school calendar.

Curriculum maps provide quality control of what are taught in schools ta maintain
excellence, efficiency and effectiveness. It is intended to improve instruction and maintain
quality of education that all stakeholders need to be assured.

Sometimes, parents and teachers would ask questions like: “why is my friend’s son
studying decimals in Mr. Bernardo’s class and my own son is not studying the same in
Miss Julia’s class when they are of the same grade level?” or “why do some of my students
recognize the parts of speech while others are totally lost?”

Parents, teachers and the whole educational community can look at the curriculum
map see to that intended outcomes and content are covered. A map can reassure stakeholders
specific information for pacing.

 Based on the CHED OBE Handbook, 2014 and alignment of the subject
horizontally or vertically. It will also avoid redundancy, inconsistencies and
misalignment. Courses that are not correctly aligned will allow teachers to
quickly assess the mastery of the skills in the previous grade, to avoid
unnecessary re-teaching.

Horizontal alignment, called sometimes as “pacing guide”, will make all

teachers, teaching the same subject in a grade level follow the same timeline and
accomplishing the same learning outcomes. This is necessary for state-mandated,
standard-based assessment that we have in schools. Vertical alignment will see to
it that concept development which may be in hierarchy or in spiral form does not
overlap but building from a simple to more complicated concepts and skills.
Alignment, either vertical or horizontal, will also develop interdisciplinary
connections among teacher and students, between and among courses. Teachers
can verify that skills and content are addressed in other courses or to higher levels,
thus making learning more relevant.

A curriculum map is always a work in progress that enables the teacher or the
curriculum review team to create and recreate the curriculum. It provides a good
information for modification of curriculum, changing of standards and
competencies in order to find ways to build connections in the elements of the
curricula.
 Example of a Curriculum Map

Here are two examples of a curriculum map. Sample A is for Basic Education and
Sample B is for a College Level.

Example A: Excerpt from DepEd Curriculum Guide for Science 3 shows a sample of a map
for Quarter 1 and 2.A column for Code was not included.

ELEMENTARY SCIENCE GRADE 3

Note: For Quarter 2, there are still two major content which are 3. Living Things 3.1
Plants and 4. Heredity: Inheritance and Variation.

Contents Content Standards Performance Learning Learning

Standards Competency Materials
Grade 3-Matter
FIRST QUARTER/FIRST GRADING PERIOD
1. Properties The learners The learners The learners Learning Guide
1.1Characteristic of demonstrate should be able should be able in Science &
solids, liquids, gases understanding to… to…. Health:
of…… Mixtures
Ways of sorting Group common Describe the
materials and objects found at different objects BEAM- grade
describing them as home and in based on their 3 Unit 4
solid, liquid or gas school characteristics Materials LG-
based on according to (e.g., Shape, Science 3
observable solids, liquids Weight, Volume, Materials
properties and gas. Ease o Flow) Module 1
Classify objects
and materials as
solid, liquid, and
gas based on some
observable
characteristics

Describe ways on
the proper use and
handling solid,
liquid and gas
found at home and
in school

Changes that Effects of Investigate the Describe BEAM-G3 Unit

materials temperature on different changes in 3Materials-
undergo Materials changes in materials based Distance
materials as on the effect of Learning
affected by temperature: Module BEAM
 temperature 4.1 Solid to G3 Unit 3
Liquid Materials
4.2 Liquid to Module 44-49
solid
4.3 Liquid to gas
4.4 Solid to gas

Grade 3- Living Things and Their Environment

SECOND QUARTER/SECOND GRADING
PERIOD
1. Living Things The learners The learners The learners
1.1 Humans demonstrate should be able should be able
1.2 A Sense understanding to…. to…..
Organs of…

Parts and Practice 1.describe the

functions of the healthful habits parts and
sense organs of in taking care offunctions of the
the human body the sense organs sense organs of
the human body;
2. enumerate
healthful habits
to protect the
sense organs;
2. Living Things Parts and Enumerate ways 3. described the
2.1 Animals functions of of grouping animals in their BEAM-Grade
animals and animals based on immediate 3- unit 2
importance to their structure surrounding; Animals DLP
Humans and importance Science 3DLP
4. identify the 19
parts and Beam-Grade 3-
function of unit
animal 2 Animals
DLP Science 3
31-32
6. state the Learning Guide
importance of in Science
animals to &Health: The
humans; Body Guards
7. describe ways
of proper
handling of
animals

Sample A1- Science Curriculum Map Showing the Sequence of

Domain for the year per Quarter

Qt G3 G5 G6 G7 G8 G9 G10
r
 Force, Living Earth and
1 Matter Matter Matter Matter Motion, Things and Space
Energy Their
Environment
Living Living Living Living Earth and Force,
2 Things & Things and Things and Things and Space Matter Motion,
Their Their Their Their Energy
Environment Environment Environment Environmen
t
Force, Force, Force, Force, Living
3 Motion, Motion, Motion, Motion, Matter Earth & Things and
Energy Energy Energy Energy Space Their
Environment
Earth and Earth and Earth and Living Force,
4 Earth and Space Space Space Things and Motion & Matter
Space Their Energy
Environment

Sample B- Curriculum Map for Bachelor of Elementary Education

(Professional Education Courses)

Outcomes PO1 PO2 PO3 PO4 PO5 PO6 PO7 PO8

Sample
Subjects

Child Dev P L L O L O O O

Facilitating P P L O L O L O
Human
Learning

Social P L L O O L O
Dimensions

Teaching P P P P O P P
Profession

Principles of P P P P L O P O
Teaching

Assessment of P P P P L O P O
Learning

Educational P P P P L O P O
Technology

Curriculum P P P P O P P
Development

Developmental P P P P O O P O
Reading

Field Study P P O P O P P P

Practice P P P P P P P P
Teaching
Legend:

L- learned outcomes (knowledge, skills, values)/outcomes achieved in the subject

P- Practiced the learned outcomes (knowledge, skills, values)

O- Opportunity to learn and practice (opportunities to learn and practice knowledge, skills, and
values but not taught formally)

Note:

1. Not all professional subjects are entered in the matrix

2. Desired outcomes for the professional courses are:

PO1 – Applied basic and higher 21st century skills

PO2 – Acquired deep understanding of the learning process

PO3- Comprehended knowledge of the content they will teach

PO4- Applied teaching process skills (curriculum designing, materials development,

educational assessment, teaching approaches)

PO5- Facilitated learning of different types of learners in diverse learning environments

PO6- Directed experiences in the field and classrooms (observation, teaching, assistance,

practice teaching)

PO7- Demonstrated professional and ethical standards of the profession.

PO8- Demonstrated creative and innovative thinking and practice of alternative teaching

Approaches