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Curriculum Development

DEFINITION OF CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT
Curriculum development is defined as the
process
of
selecting,
organizing,
executing and evaluating the learning
experiences on the basis of the needs,
abilities, and interest of learners, and on
the basis of the nature of the society or
community.

It is a continuous process for the possibilities

of improving the teaching-learning situation.
Its goals is a positive change; process;
transformation in the lives of the learners
based on schools mission and goals. It
should be produced in coordinated program
of meaningful experiences for learners
development
(2009
Ed.)
Curriculum
development is a decision-making process
that involves a variety of concerns (Bago).

The following are crucial questions to be

asked in developing a curriculum:
What learning objectives should be included?
What will be the bases for the choice of
objectives?
Will the choice be based on the learners
needs and interests, or rather on the needs
of the society?
Will the selection depend on tradition, the
nature of knowledge, or the learners
characteristics?

 What philosophical and psychological

theories regarding the nature of learners as
well as the learning process will underpin
the organization of the content?
Will the choice of methodology be in line
with accepted teaching-learning principles?
Will the evaluation procedure be able to
measure the learning that is taking place?

Curriculum Models
Ralph Tyler Model: Four Basic Principles
This is also popularly known as Tylers
Rationale. He posited four fundamental
questions or principles in examining any
curriculum
in
schools.
These
four
fundamental principles are as follows:

1. What educational purpose should the

school seek to attain?
2. What educational experiences can be
provided that are likely to attain these
purposes?
3. How can these educational purposes be
effectively organized?
4. How can we determine whether these
purposes are being attained or not?

In summary, Tylers Model show that in

curriculum development, the following
considerations should be made:
1. Purposes of the school
2. Educational experiences related to the
purposes
3. Organization of the experiences
4. Evaluation of the experiences

Hilda Taba improved on Tylers Rationale

model. She believed that teachers who
teach or implement the curriculum should
participate in developing it. Her advocacy is
commonly
called
the
grassroots

approach.

She presented seven major

steps to her model where teacher should
have a major input. These steps are:

1. Diagnosis of learners needs and expectations

of the larger society
2. Formulation of learning objectives
3. Selection of learning content
4. Organization of learning content
5. Selection of learning experiences
6. Organization of learning activities
7. Determination of what to evaluate and the
means of doing it

Thus as one looks into curriculum

models, the three interacting processes in
curriculum development are planning,
implementing and evaluating.

Types of Curricula Operating in Schools

1. Recommended curriculum proposed by
scholars and professional organizations. Most
of the school curricula are recommended. The
curriculum may come from a national agency
like the Department of Education (DepEd),
Commission on Higher Education (CHED),
Department of Science and Technology (DOST)
or any professional organization who has stake
in education for example the Philippine
Association for Teacher Education (PAFTE) or
the Biology Teacher Education (BIOTA) may
recommend a curriculum to be implemented in
the elementary or secondary education.

2. Written curriculum appears in school,

district, division or country documents. This
includes documents, course of study or
syllabi handed down to the schools,
districts, division, departments or colleges
for implementation. Most of the written
curricula are made by curriculum experts
with participation of teachers. These were
pilot-tested or tried out in sample schools or
population. Example of this is the Basic
Education
Curriculum
(BEC).
Another
example is the written lesson plan of each
classroom teacher made up of objectives
and planned activities of the teacher.

3.

Taught curriculum what teachers

implement or deliver in the classrooms and
schools. The different planned activities
which are put into action in the classroom
compose the taught curriculum. These are
varied activities that are implemented in
order to arrive at the objectives or purposes
of the written curriculum. These are used by
the learners with the guidance of teachers.
Taught curriculum varies according to the
learning styles of students and the teaching
styles of teachers.

4.

Supported
curriculum

resources,
textbooks, computers, audio-visual aids
which
support
and
help
in
the
implementation of the curriculum. In order to
have successful teaching, other than the
teacher, there must be materials which
should support or help in the implementation
of a written curriculum. These refer to the
support curriculum that includes material
resources such as textbooks, audio-visual
materials,
laboratory
equipment,
playgrounds, zoos, and other facilities.
Support curriculum should enable each
learner to achieve real and lifelong learning.

5. Assessed curriculum that which is tested

and evaluated. This refers to a tested or
evaluated curriculum. At the duration and
end of the teaching episodes, a series of
evaluations are being done by the teachers
to determine the extent of teaching or to tell
if the students are progressing. This refers to
the assessed curriculum. Assessment tools
like
paper-and-pencil
tests,
authentic
instruments like portfolio are being utilized.

6. Learned curriculum what the students

actually learn and what is measured. This
refers to the learning outcomes achieved by
the students. Learning outcomes are
indicated by the results of the tests and
changes in behavior which can either be
cognitive, affective or psychomotor.

7.

Hidden curriculum the unintended

curriculum. This is not deliberately planned
but may modify behavior or influence
learning outcomes. There are lots of hidden
curriculum that transpire in the schools.
Peer
influence,
school
environment,
physical
condition,
teacher-learner
interaction, mood of the teachers and many
other factors make up the hidden
curriculum.

Major Foundations of Curriculum

1. philosophical
2. historical
3. psychological
4. social

Philosophical Foundation
Philosophy

provides
educators,
teachers
and
curriculum makers with framework for
planning, implementing and evaluating
curriculum in schools
helps in answering what schools are for,
what subjects are important, how students
should learn and what materials and
methods should be used
in decision making, philosophy provides
the starting point and will be used for the
succeeding decision making

 philosophy gives direction to curriculum in

terms of goals and objectives,; the schools
underlying beliefs and values have impact
on curriculum content and choice of
appropriate instructional strategies and
learning activities in implementing the
curriculum
some philosophical beliefs that undergird
the curricula of schools are as follows:

Basic
Philosophical
Beliefs

Fundamental Idea(s)

Curricular Implications

Metaphysics

Study of what is beyond

the natural (what is real
is true)

Curriculum must go
beyond its content; must
consider what the
students can become

Epistemology

Truth about the nature of

knowledge

Curriculum should revolve

around the issues on
teaching-learning process

Logic

Focus on logical and

accurate thought
patterns

The goal of all curricula

must be the of the ability
of the students to think
logically

Axiology

Values and ethics

Development of a sense of
right and wrong

Basic Philosophical
Beliefs

Fundamental Idea(s)

Curricular
Implications

Idealism

Importance of mind
and spirit and
developing them in the
learner
Reality is in the ideas
independent of sense
and experience

Subject matter- or
content focused,
Believing that this is
essential to mental and
oral development

Realism (Aristotle)

truth can be
tested/proven
knowledge is derived
from sense experience

Curriculum is subjectcentered, organized

from simple to
complex, and stressing
mastery of facts and
development of process
and objective skills,
critical analysis and
attention to Science
and Math

Basic Philosophical
Beliefs

Fundamental Idea(s)

Curricular
Implications

Pragmatism (W. James,

Dewey, Rousseau)

The world is a world of

change; man can know
anything within his
experience, belief in
learning by doing

Provisions for direct

experiences
Activity/learnercentered
Basis: problems of
democratic society
focus on problem
solving inquiry

Perennialism (Hutchins,
Adler)

Human beings are

rational and their
existence remain the
same throughout
differing environments;
includes knowledge
that has been endured
through the years

Subject-matter consists
of perennial basic
education of rational
men: history, language,
math, logic, classical
literature, science, fine
arts, cultural heritage

Basic Philosophical
Beliefs

Existentialism
(Kierkegaard, Marcel,
Sartre)

Fundamental Idea(s)

Curricular
Implications

Reality is a matter of
individual existence

Curriculum stresses
activity; recognition of
individual differences,
opportunities for
making choices and
awareness of
consequence, of
introspection and self
analysis through
individualized learning
experiences

The meaning of life is

what each individual
makes; focus on
conscious awareness of
choice

Essentialism (Bagley)

There are certain ideas

that men should know
for social stability

Curriculum focused on
assimilation of
prescribed basic
subject matter: 3Rs,
history, science, math,
language

Basic Philosophical
Beliefs

Reconstructionism
(Plato, Augustine,
Dewey, Counts, Rigg)

Fundamental Idea(s)

Curricular
Implications

Societal reforms
needed towards
experiencing the good
life now and in the
future; schools are the
chief means for
building new social
order

Curriculum should
include subjects that
deal with social and
cultural crises to
prepare students to
make become analyzer
and ensure that
democratic principles
are followed

Historical Foundations of Curriculum

Curriculum is not an old field. Majority of
scholars would place its beginning in 1918
with the publication of Franklin Bobbits book
The Curriculum
Philippine education came back about
from various foreign influences. This can be
traced back to our glorious history. Of all the
foreign educational systems, the American
educational system has the greatest
influence on our educational system.
The following are curriculum theorists and
how they view curriculum from historical
prespective.

1.

Franklin Bobbit (1876-1956) Bobbit

presented curriculum as a science that
emphasizes on students need. Curriculum
prepares students for adult life. To Bobbit,
objectives with corresponding activities
should be grouped and sequenced. This
can only be done if instructional activities
and tasks are clarified.

2. Werret Charters (1875-1952) Like Bobbit,

to Charters curriculum is a science. It gives
emphasis on students needs. The listing of
objectives
and
matching
these
with
corresponding activities ensures that the
content or subject matter is related to
objectives. The subject matter and the
activities are planned by the teacher.

3. William Kilpatrick (1871- 1965) Curriculum

are purposeful activities which are childcentered. The purpose of the curriculum is
child development and growth. The project
method was introduced by Kilpatrick where
teacher and student plan the activities. The
curriculum develops social relationships and
small group instruction.

4.

Harold Rugg (1886-1960) To Rugg,

curriculum should develop the whole child. It
is child-centered. With the statement of
objectives and related learning activities,
curriculum
should produce outcomes.
Harold Rugg emphasized social studies and
the teacher plans curriculum in advance.

5. Hollis Caswell (1901-1989) Sees

curriculum as organized around social
functions of themes, organized knowledge
and learners interest. Caswell believes that
curriculum is a set of experiences. Subject
matter is developed around social functions
and learners interest.

6.

Ralph Tyler (1902-1994) As one of the

hallmarks of curriculum, Tyler believes that
curriculum is a science and an extension of
schools philosophy. It is based on students
needs and interest. To Tyler, curriculum is
always related to instruction. Subject
matter is organized in terms of knowledge,
skills and values. The process emphasizes
problem solving. The curriculum aims to
educate generalists and not specialists.

 The historical foundation of curriculum

reflects the educational focus prevalent
during a particular period or event in
Philippine history. This focus could be
made basis or model for curriculum
development in recent years.

Period

Characteristics

Curricular Focus

Pre-Spanish

Focused on Practical
training to satisfy basic
needs for survival and to
transmit social ideas,
customs, beliefs, and
traditions
Training done in the
homes

Broad; not defined nor

written
Prescriptive
Reading and writing in
relation to the study of
Koran for the Maguindanao
Moslems

Spanish

Focused on the learning of

the Christian Doctrine

Parochial schools: study of

Doctrina Cristiana,
arithmetic, music, arts and
trades; vernacular was the
medium of instruction

Period
American

Characteristics
Focused on establishing
the public school system,
highly influenced by the
philosophy of John
Dewey

Curricular Focus
Reading, writing,
arithmetic, good manners
and right conduct, civics,
hygiene and sanitation,
domestic science,
American history,
Philippine history English
as medium of instruction

Period
Commonwealth

Characteristics

Curricular Focus

Focused on the
development of moral
character, personal
discipline, civic
consciousness, and
vocational efficiency
as provided in the
1935 constitution

Tagalog and later on

Filipino, as another
medium of instruction
Provided for 6-year
elementary schools;
school entrance age
at 7; compulsory
attendance in Grade
1; introduction of
double single
sessions
Teaching of Filipino
as a subject

Period
Japanese

Characteristics

Curricular Focus

Focused on promoting the

East Asia co-prosperity
sphere educational
objective

Diffusion of elementary
education with the
promotion of vocational
education
Fostering of new Filipino
culture based on the
awareness that Filipinos
are orientals

Third Republic-Patterned after the 1935 Constitution

Period

Characteristics

Curricular Focus

New Society

Focused on national
development goals;
manpower training;
high level professions;
self-actualization

Promotion of Bilingual
Education Policy
Development of moral
character; selfdiscipline; scientific,
technological, and
vocational efficiency;
love of country; good
citizenship

Fourth Republic

Focused on promotion
of the rights of all
citizens to quality
education

Strengthening of the
teaching of values;
return to the basics in
the new elementary
and secondary
curriculum

Psychological Foundations
Psychology
provides a basis for the teaching and
learning process. It unifies elements of the
learning process and some questions which
can be addressed by psychological
foundations of education.
How should curriculum be organized to
enhance learning?
What is the optimum level of students
participation in learning the various contents
of the curriculum?

1. Behavioral Psychology
Learning should be organized in order that
students can experience success in the
process of mastering of the subject matter.
Simplistic and mechanical
Edward Thorndike influenced Tyler and
Taba
Ivan Pavlovs Classical conditioning
Skinners operant conditioning

Robert Gagnes hierarchical learning

1. Intellectual skills or knowing how to
categorize symbols, forming concepts
and problem solving
2. Information or knowing what knowledge
about facts, dates and names
3. Cognitive strategies or learning skills
4. Motor skills
5. Attitude, feelings and emotions learned
through experiences

2. Cognitive Psychology
Learning constitutes a logical method of
organizing and interpreting learning.
Teachers use a lot of problem and thinking
skills in teaching and learning
Advocates of Cognitive Psychology
Jean Piaget for his Cognitive Development
stages
Lev Vygotsky for his Social Constructivism
Howard Gardner for his Multiple Intelligences
Felder and Silverman for their Learning Styles

3. Humanistic Psychology
Concerned with how learners can
develop their human potential
Curriculum is concerned with the
process not the products; personal
needs not the subject matter;
psychological meaning and
environmental situations.

Social Foundations of
Education
Schools exist within the context of the
society. Societal culture affects and shapes
schools and their curricula.
Schools are only one of the many
institutions that educate society.
Schools are made to understand the
changes in the society.

Thank you for listening!