Characteristics of A Good Curriculum

Characteristics of a Good
Curriculum
Reference : Curriculum Development
Emerita Reyes, Ed.D.
Erlinda Dizon, Ed.D.
Danilo Villena, Ph.D
• From the works of the curriculum experts, it can be derived that the nature
of curriculum includes its inherent characteristics and features which makes
it relevant and usable in the society that uses it.
• As such, the points below tell us the characteristics of a good curriculum.

The curriculum is continuously evolving.
• It evolves from one period to another, to the present. For a curriculum to be

effective, it must have continuous monitoring and evaluation.
• Curriculum must adapt its educational activities and services to meet the
needs of a modern and dynamic community.
The curriculum is based on the needs of the
people.
• A good curriculum reflects the needs of the individual and the society as a
whole.
• The curriculum is in proper shape in order to meet the challenges of the
times and make education more responsive to the clientele it serves.
• We plan the curriculum with people.
The curriculum is democratically conceived
• A good curriculum is developed through the efforts of a group of individuals

from different sectors in the society who are knowledgeable about the
interests, needs and resources of the learner and the society as a whole. It is
the product of many minds and energies.
The curriculum is the result of a long term
effort
• A good curriculum is a product of long and tedious process. It takes a long

period of time in the planning, management, evaluation and development
of a good curriculum.
The curriculum is a complex of details
• A good curriculum provides the proper instructional equipment and meeting

places that are often most conductive to learning.
• It includes the student-teacher relationship, guidance and counseling

program, health services, school and community projects, library and
laboratories, and other school related work experiences.
The curriculum provides for the logical
sequence of the subject matter.
• Learning is developmental.
• Classes and activities should be planned.
• A good curriculum provides continuity of experiences.
The curriculum complements and cooperates
with other programs of the community.
• The curriculum is responsive to the needs of the community.

• The school offers it’s courses in the improvement and realization of ongoing
programs of the community.
• There is cooperative effort between the school and the community towards
greater productivity.
The curriculum has educational quality
• Quality education comes through the situation of the individual’s

intellectual and creative capacities for social welfare and development.
The curriculum has administrative flexibility
• A good curriculum must be ready to incorporate changes whenever

necessary. The curriculum is open to revision and development to meet the
demands of globalization and the digital age.
• Hence, the purpose of the curriculum is encapsulated in the four capacities –
to enable each child or young person to be a successful learner, a confident
individual, a responsible citizen an effective contributor.
• The attributes and capabilities can be used by establishments as a guide to
check whether the curriculum for any individual child or young person
sufficiently reflects the purposes of the curriculum.
Distinction between curriculum and other
related terminologies
Curriculum and Syllabus
• Most often, people tend to equate the word “syllabus” with “curriculum”. This
should not be so.
• As can be understood from explanations already given, curriculum is wider in scope
that “syllabus”.
• A syllabus is a part of a curriculum but is not the curriculum.
• Syllabus is the content of the school subjects offered in the school, and it is a sub-
set of the curriculum.
• Such subjects include English, Mathematics, Biology, and so on.
• A syllabus normally contains what students will learn in the various school subjects
in a year or for longer period of schooling leading to certification.
Curriculum and Scheme of Work
• Again, the curriculum of a school is not the scheme of work. As the name
implies, a scheme of work is a breakdown of the contents of what students
are expected to learn in a given period.
• In other words, a scheme of work is the systematic arrangement of subject
matter and activities within a given period of time such as a term or a
semester.
Curriculum and Course of Study
• A course of study is an educational programme leading to the award of a
certificate at the end of the programme for a particular set of learners.
• B.S.Ed. / Bachelor of Secondary Education or Bachelor of Arts in English
Language are considered examples of a Course of Study.
• A course of study therefore refers mainly to a programme of learning that
are offered to students – with various course contents – at the end of which
they are awarded a certificate indicating the type of course of study they
had undergone.
Curriculum and Lesson Note
• A lesson note is a guide for teachers to assist them in the orderly

presentation of a lesson to the learners in order to facilitate learning.
• Teachers draw the plan for teaching a particular lesson from the scheme of
work. That is, just as the scheme or work is a breakdown of the syllabus so
the lesson note is a breakdown of the scheme of work into daily lessons,
which are planned by the teacher.
Nature of Curriculum in School
• Ralph Tyler(1949) was among the first to suggest four fundamental questions
which must be answered when talking about the nature of curriculum in schools:
These are:
• 1. What educational purpose should the school seek to attain? (OBJECTIVES)
• 2. What educational experiences can be provided to attain these purposes? (THE
ACTIVITIES & THE SUBJECT MATTER)
• 3. How can these educational experiences be organized effectively to achieve
these purposes? ( TEACHER CENTERED OR CHILD-CENTERED LEARNING)
• How can we determine whether or not the expected objectives have been
achieved? (BY USING TESTS, PERFORMANCE OBSERVATIONS AND OTHER
FORMS OF EVALUATION).
Importance of Curriculum in Schools
• It is clear from what has been written that curriculum is the very heart of the
school system. There can be no school if there is no curriculum. Curriculum
is the reason for existence of the school.
• Plans used by the school to implement its educational program, curriculum
is the very vital software without which building and other facilities, ( as well
as teachers too) will have nothing to do in the school.
Curriculum as a Process and as a Product
• Curriculum processes are the procedures involved in creating, using, and

evaluating the curricula represented in various documents or products such
as guides, syllabi, and others.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

Characteristics of A Good Curriculum

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Characteristics of A Good Curriculum

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Characteristics of A Good Curriculum

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Characteristics of a Good

• As such, the points below tell us the characteristics of a good curriculum.

• It evolves from one period to another, to the present. For a curriculum to be

• A good curriculum is developed through the efforts of a group of individuals

• A good curriculum is a product of long and tedious process. It takes a long

• A good curriculum provides the proper instructional equipment and meeting

• It includes the student-teacher relationship, guidance and counseling

• The curriculum is responsive to the needs of the community.

• Quality education comes through the situation of the individual’s

• A good curriculum must be ready to incorporate changes whenever

• A lesson note is a guide for teachers to assist them in the orderly

• Curriculum processes are the procedures involved in creating, using, and

You might also like