What does curriculum development involve?

Curriculum development describes all the ways in which a training or teaching organization plans and
guides learning. This learning can take place in groups or with individual learners. It can take place inside
or outside a classroom.

What is included in curriculum development?

Curriculum development should be viewed as a process by which meeting student needs leads to
improvement of student learning. The data should include samples of assessments, lessons from
teachers, assignments, scores on state standardized tests, textbooks currently used, student perception
and feedback from parents.

What is student-cantered learning approach?

Student-cantered learning is personalized, engaging, competency-based and not restricted to the

classroom. Students take greater responsibility for their learning and support each other's progress, so
every student gets the skills he or she needs to succeed and contribute to society.

What is Competency?

Competency represents the combined skills, processes, behaviours and habits of mind that learners use
to make sense of the world.

What is concept?

A concept is a mental construct or idea that organizes a pattern or commonality across a category of
objects, events, or properties

What is Constructivism?

Constructivism is a theory of learning that posits that learning occurs as students are actively involved in
a process of meaning and knowledge construction as opposed to passively receiving information.
Constructivism views learners as actively constructing their own knowledge and understanding of the
world through experience and reflection. Constructivist approaches to instruction include experiential,
inquiry-based, project-based and other forms of active learning.

What is Learning Environment?

A learning environment is the combined social, physical, psychological, and pedagogical contexts within
which learning takes place.

What is learning standard?

A learning standard is an explicit statement of what students are expected know, understand and be
able to do in a given grade and area of learning
What is self-directed learning?

Self-directed learning is an approach to learning in which students select, manage and assess their own
learning activities.

What is subject area?

Subject area is the term used in the IRPs to describe what students are expected to know and be able to
do in a subject.

What is curriculum?

The total set of stimuli deliberately brought to bear during a designated time period, with the intention
of nurturing or producing student learning.

What is curriculum design?

An image of curricular parts and how they fit together.

What is instructional objective?

A precise designation of intended learning outcomes that further clarifies a course objective by
specifying the level(s) of attainment expected.

What is knowledge?

Mental representations stored in long-term memory.

What is learning outcome?

"statements of observable/measurable knowledge, skills and values that learners are to acquire and
develop at specific stages of their schooling"

What is rule?

A statement of a single operation or step to be undertaken in completing a task.

Bobbit (1924), “all the organized and unorganized educational experiences students encounter”. –

Tyler (1957), “all that is planned and directed by teachers to achieve the educational goals”.

- Glatthorn (1987), “plans for guiding teaching and learning”. –

English (1992), “a work plan that includes both content and strategies for teaching and learning
process.”

- Tanner & Tanner (1995), “the reconstruction of knowledge & experience under the guidance of school.
Reinhartz and Beach (1997),

“a flexible plan for teaching to meet needs of students and also provides opportunities for teachable
moments.” –

Schubert (1993),

“The term curriculum is shrouded in definitional controversy; definitions continue to evolve, based upon
educational conditions at a given time in history and our understanding of teaching learning.” –

Ellis (2004), “

Prescriptive curriculum is about what “ought” to happen, it can take the form of a plan, an intended
program, or some kind of expert opinion about what needs to take place in the course of study”

Lecture 2

Lecture 4

Curriculum Theory

Definition: Curriculum Theory is about understanding and explaining what curriculum means and how to
use it effectively. It involves thinking deeply and reflecting on these ideas.

Sources of Curriculum Theory: It comes from different philosophical ideas, including:

 Pragmatism: Focuses on practical solutions and real-life applications.

 Idealism: Emphasizes ideas and ideals that shape education.

 Realism: Concentrates on the real world and observable facts.

  Existentialism: Stresses individual experiences and personal choices in learning.

 Phenomenology: Explores how people experience and understand their world.

 Scholasticism: Involves traditional learning and critical thinking.

 Critical Theory: Analyzes social issues and aims for social change through education.

Functions in Curriculum Design

Curriculum design has two main functions:

1. Analysis

o Purpose: To make sure all parts of the curriculum work well together.

o When It's Done:

 For a whole program (like a school subject).

 For a specific grade level (like 5th grade).

 For a subject area (like math or science).

o Also Done For:

 Individual lessons or units.

 Textbooks.

 Teacher guides and lesson plans.

2. Curriculum Creation

o Process: Starts with understanding what we believe (assumptions), what we want to

achieve (purposes and objectives), and then choosing the right content to help reach
those goals.

o Steps Involved:

 Select the content.

 Organize materials and the learning environment.

 Evaluate the curriculum to see if it needs changes.

o Flexibility: You can start making changes at any stage and continue through the process.

Topic 14: Curriculum Studies – Domains2 Lesson No 3 CURRICULUM DOMAINS

Curriculum History is about looking at and understanding how curriculum ideas and practices have
changed over time.

Studying the past helps us to:

 Understand today's curriculum better by knowing where it came from.

 Learn from past experiences to solve similar problems we face now.

 Discover what has helped or hurt changes in curriculum.

 Examine our current situation and make plans for the future.Curriculum development is the
process of figuring out what students should be taught and learned, along with all the things
that need to be considered when making these decisions.

 It requires careful thinking about:

 History

 Society

 Philosophy (the study of ideas and beliefs)

 Culture

 Politics

 Economics (the study of money and resources)

 It also looks at important topics like:

 The goals of education

 The subjects to be taught

 How to organize the lessons

 The methods used to teach

 How to assess and improve the curriculum

Topic 15: Curriculum Studies - Domains 3

Curriculum Development

Curriculum development is the process of figuring out what should be taught and learned. It requires
careful thought about:

 History

 Society

 Philosophy (big ideas about life)

 Culture
  Politics

 Economics (money and resources)

It also involves considering important topics like:

 The goals of education

Curriculum Studies - Domains 4

Curriculum design is a part of curriculum development, but it focuses on specific details. It has four main
parts:

1. Objectives - What we want students to learn.

2. Content - The subjects and information that will be taught.

3. Organization - How the lessons and materials are arranged.

4. Evaluation - How we check if students are learning and if the curriculum is working.

These four parts help in:

 Planning guides for the curriculum.

 Analyzing teaching materials.

 Creating lesson plans.

 Developing computer programs for learning.

 Making educational games and other learning tools.

Topic 18: Curriculum Studies - Domains 5

Curriculum Implementation

1. Delivery Process: This means how the curriculum is put into action in the classroom.

2. System of Engineering: It involves taking the plans for the curriculum and making sure they
reach the teachers and students effectively.

3. Teaching Process: It's about how teachers actually teach the curriculum.

Instead of making the curriculum so strict that it can't be changed, teachers are viewed as creative
individuals who can adapt and modify the curriculum to fit their students' needs.

Curriculum implementation is not just about following rules; it's about creating learning experiences
based on ongoing interactions between teachers and students.
Topic 19: Curriculum Studies - Domains 6

Curriculum Evaluation

Evaluation is the process of checking how well students and teaching methods, materials, or programs
are doing. It can be used for:

 Starting a new program

 Ending a program

 Ongoing checks and updates of the curriculum

Evaluation can focus on:

 Individual students in a classroom

 A larger program

Usually, curriculum evaluation looks at whether the goals set at the beginning are being met using the
methods that were planned.

 What information and skills to include

 How to organize the material

 How to teach it

 How to check if students are learning and how to make changes if needed

Topic 20: Curriculum Studies -Domains 7

Curriculum Change Curriculum revision, innovation, renewal and improvement –

taken as change: 

the careful planning of change, 

the involvement of all concerned, 

analysis of supporting forces, 

analysis of resisting forces, 

The development of both individuals & organizations; all is geared toward the end of improving
(change) curriculum.

Topic 21: Curriculum Studies -Domains 8

Curriculum Inquiry Curriculum inquiry and research can be used synonymously but inquiry is given
broader meaning than research. Inquiry includes:  Logical positivist and objectivist orientation
  Right and Wrong: Students should learn to clearly distinguish between right and wrong, with
specific rules they are expected to follow.

 Major Foundation of Curriculum

 The major foundations of curriculum are:
 • Philosophical
 • Historical
 • Psychological
 • Social (socio-economic)
 philosophical foundations of curriculum refer to the underlying beliefs, values, and principles
that guide educational practices and curriculum development. These foundations influence how
knowledge is perceived, what is considered valuable to learn, and how education is delivered.

 The connection between philosophy and curriculum is essential in shaping educational

practices, goals, and content.
 When making a curriculum, philosophy provides a guiding framework that helps define the
overall purpose, goals, and values of education. It doesn't focus primarily on the specific content
or material of the curriculum, but rather on how the curriculum should be structured, taught,
and approached to reflect educational beliefs and ideals.
 For example, if a curriculum is based on a progressive philosophy, it might emphasize student-
centered learning, critical thinking, and real-world problem-solving, shaping both the structure
and teaching methods. On the other hand, an essentialist philosophy might focus more on
traditional academic knowledge, prioritizing core subjects and standardized content.
 In short, philosophy influences the approach to curriculum development rather than the specific
content, guiding how learning should happen and what educational outcomes are valued.

 There are two types of theories:

 1. Perspective : Prescriptive Theory focuses upon:  What is worthwhile to know?  How do we
know it is worthwhile?  How its worth can be justified
 2. Descriptive ? Descriptive Theory focuses upon: How can ‘reality’ be modeled so that we know
its salient features? As a result we can:  explain  predict and  control curricular activity & 
Behavior

- Perennialism is based on the belief that some ideas have lasted over centuries and are as relevant
today as when they were first conceived. These ideas should be studied in schools. They believe that the
ideas of history's finest thinkers are meaningful even today. - The study of these enduring ideas will
enable students to appreciate learning for its own sake as well as develop their intellectual powers and
moral qualities.

Characteristics of a Perennialist Curriculum

Based on Perennialism, a curriculum should include:

  Philosophy: Students should study philosophy to learn timeless ideas that help them better
understand human nature and life.

 Religious Values or Ethics: Teaching moral and ethical values is important.

Essentialism
Essentialism comes from the word ‘essential’ which means the main things or the basics.

Essentialism is an educational philosophy that focuses on teaching students the core knowledge and
skills they need to become productive members of society. For example , science ,mathematics and so
on

Essentialism placed importance on science and understanding the world through scientific
experimentation. To teach important knowledge about the world, essentialists emphasized instruction
in natural science rather than non scientific disciplines such as philosophy & comparative religion.

Key Characteristics of Essentialism:

 Basic Subjects: Focus on essential subjects like reading, writing, math, science, and history.

 Teacher-Centered Approach: The teacher is the authority, guiding students through structured
lessons.

 Discipline and Hard Work: Students are expected to develop discipline, respect for authority,
and a strong work ethic.

 Knowledge for Life: Emphasis on practical knowledge that students can use in real life.

 Back-to-Basics: Stresses the importance of mastering fundamental skills before moving on to

advanced topics.

This approach ensures students have a strong foundation of knowledge to succeed in both personal and
professional life.

Elementary students receive instruction in skills such as writing, reading & measurement. While learning
art and music (creativity) students are required to master a body of information & basic techniques,
gradually moving from less to more complex skills and detailed knowledge.

Topic 28: Progressivism argues that education must be based on the fact that humans are by nature
social and learn best in real-life activities with other people. The role of education is to transmit society’s
identity by preparing young people for adult life. Education should allow learners to realize their
interests and potential. Learners should learn to work with others because learning in isolation
separates the mind from action. ‘Learning by doing’ is emphasized.

Progressivism in Curriculum
Progressivism is an educational philosophy that focuses on student-centered learning, where students
actively engage in problem-solving and real-world experiences.

Key Characteristics of a Progressive Curriculum:

 Experiential Learning: Students learn through hands-on activities and practical experiences.

 Focus on Problem-Solving: Emphasizes critical thinking and encourages students to find

solutions to real-life challenges.

 Student-Centered Approach: The interests and needs of students guide the learning process.

 Active Learning: Students participate in discussions, projects, and group work instead of just
listening to lectures.

 Flexible Curriculum: Topics are integrated and connected to real-world issues, not limited to
rigid subject boundaries.

 Social Development: Promotes teamwork, communication, and learning to live and work with
others.

 Continuous Growth: Focuses on personal development and lifelong learning, rather than
memorizing facts.

This approach encourages students to think independently and become active participants in their
education.