Hawassa University College of Education

    School of Teacher Education

      School of Teacher Education

TERM PAPER fo MA curriculum and Instruction

course: curriculum development and design

1. What is curriculum design? Read different articles that will help you to understand the practice of
curriculum design. Finally, write a term paper that clearly shows the concept of curriculum design,
its major components and the procedures followed under each component.
concept of curriculum design

Curriculum design is the process of taking a subject and creating a plan for teaching that subject.
This includes deciding what materials to use, how those materials will be organized, and how they
will be used in the classroom to develop students’ knowledge and skills.

Curriculum design refers to the ways in which we position the curriculum components.Regardless
of the supporting curriculum model, all curriculum designs endeavour to address four curriculum
components why do we initiate instruction or aims What should we teach to realize our set aims
and objectives How can we interconnect
target learning experiences What have we realized and what actions should we take accordingly in
relation to the instructional program, learners, and teachers Although most,
if not all, curriculum designs include these four components, they significantly differ in how they
address these elements, because of the curriculum philosophy and model on which a design is
based. For example, subject-matter-based designs, which overplaying the logical organization of
content, and the learner-centered ones, which focus on the learners and their needs, entail different
treatments of the four curriculum components. The following sections very briefly highlight the
process of curriculum design. This will involve general overviews of major related sources,
curriculum conceptualization and curriculum design stages, in addition to modern issues of
classroom-level teacher curriculum design and class/room-level teacher professional development.

Curriculum Design- it is a deliberate process of devising, planning and selecting the

elements,techniques and procedures that constitute the planning process. It is a blue print, which
sets thestrategies for the implementation of those things, put in the blue print. It is a structural
arrangement(Nicoholls and Nicholla, 1972).

John Biggs and his colleagues believe that

“Curriculum design is a very important part of creating a contextually relevant and responsive
teaching and learning environment for both lecturers and students. The curriculum contains the
knowledge, skills and competencies that students need to master in order to move to the next level
in their studies, and academic lecturers and tutors who are tasked with teaching this curriculum
should, therefore, ensure that the curriculum is up to date, relevant, interesting and stimulating for
students”

Types of Curriculum Design

There are three basic types of curriculum design:
1. Subject-centered design:
In subject-centered design, the curriculum is centered around a particular discipline. Just imagine if
you could go to school and only take science classes! That’s the idea behind this type of curriculum
design: to provide a complete experience in one specific field of study. It involves using a specific
subject as the focal point of learning.
2. Learner-centered design:
In a learner-centered curriculum design, students take charge of their own learning by setting goals
for themselves, developing plans for reaching those goals, tracking their progress toward those
goals, assessing their performance against those goals, and reflecting on how they can improve their
performance against those goals. Learner-centered curriculum designs give students some control
over what they’re learning so they can pursue topics that excite them.
3. Problem-centered design:
problem-centered curriculum design focuses on real-world problems that students can solve
together. Students develop critical thinking skills as they learn to solve problems collaboratively. For
example, if the community wanted students to be able to conduct research about environmental
problems so they could participate in solving them after graduation, this would be an example of
problem-centered curriculum design
Principles of Curriculum Design
The principles of curriculum design are broad guidelines that can inform how a curriculum is built.
They are based on research and theory about learning, teaching, and how people learn. These
principles offer insight into what makes curricula effective in terms of achieving the desired
learning outcomes for students.
When designing a curriculum, educators can refer to these principles to create an effective and
engaging learning experience that meets students’ needs and helps them achieve their goals.
Here are some principles of curriculum design:
1. Develop a curriculum that is based on the needs of the students, not the teacher or school.
2. Determine what topics and skills need to be taught, and what should be the order in which they
are taught.
3. Create an assessment plan that matches up with the content and skills that students learned.
How to Design a Curriculum
The curriculum design process involves many different components, including:
 Selecting learning objectives:
The first step in designing a curriculum is to choose the learning objectives or outcomes that
students should achieve by the end of the course. These objectives should be related to skills,
knowledge, competencies, and attitudes.
 Choosing assessments:
The next step in designing a curriculum is choosing how to assess whether students have met the
learning objectives. Different assessments may be appropriate for different kinds of learning
objectives. For example, an objective that requires students to master a skill might be assessed by
watching them perform the skill, whereas an objective that requires students to acquire factual
knowledge might be assessed through a short-answer test.
 Creating lesson plans and learning activities:
The final step in designing a curriculum is creating lesson plans that will help students meet the
learning objectives. Lesson plans can include instructional materials such as handouts, readings,
and videos; group discussions or lectures; and hands-on activities.
Establishing a timeline for completion: At this point, you’ll need to map out when each unit should
be completed, along with any other details such as holidays or special events that may impact your
schedule.

2. Write a brief term paper that discusses about the different curriculum
development approaches, elements included in the curriculum development, the
different models and the steps followed in the different models.

According to Ornstein and Hunkins (1993) the main curriculum approaches are the following:

 Behavioral
 Managerial
 Systems
 Academic
 Humanist
 Reconceptualists

The behavioral approach

The behavioral approach is the oldest and still the reference approach to curriculum. Behaviorism is
primarily concerned with observable and measurable aspects of human behavior
(Standridge,2002:1). According to Power (1982:168), the basic principle of behaviorism is:

Whatever can be known about human beings must come from an observation of behavior,
moreover, must be conducted according to the strict methods of scientific procedure that is
used in the physical sciences.

So, the behavioral approach is logical and prescriptive and grounded on technical and scientific
principles. It comprises paradigms or models as well as gradual and detailed strategies for
formulating curriculum. This approach is generally underpinned by a plan specifying goals and
objectives, contents and sequenced, structured activities, methodologies, and learning outcomes
with corresponding criteria and evaluation forms, taking into account the established curriculum
goals and objectives.

The managerial approach

The managerial approach entails consideration of the school as a social system, based on organizational
theory, in which the constituent members (e.g. students, teachers, curriculum specialists, and
administrators) interact in harmony with certain norms and behaviors. In this context the managerial
approach focuses on programmes, schedules, space, resources and equipment, as well as personnel,
requiring cooperation among teachers, students and those who are responsible for curriculum
supervision outside of school Ornstein & Hunkins (1993:3) noted that consideration is given to
committee and group processes, human relations, leadership styles and methods, and decision making‖.
That is to say, the managerial approach gives more emphasis on the supervisory and administrative
aspects of curriculum, focusing mainly on the organizational and implementation aspects of the process.

The systems approach

Among other names, the systems approach to designing curriculum is also called instructional systems
design (ISD). In accordance with Clark (1989:3), the system approach or instructional design may be
understood as:a systematic model used to plan, design, develop, and evaluation training, which includes
the following components:

(1) A needs analysis

(2) A task analysis
(3) A definition of learning objectives
(4) The development of an assessment plan
(5) The development of learning material
(6) A plan to try out with revision (pilot) and
(7) The implementation of the final product.
Ornstein & Hunkins (1993) states that the main feature of the systems approach is the
interconnectedness of different programs and content areas included in curriculum, while serving as an
index of how the school is restructuring and reculturing , for example by introducing a monitoring and
assessment system. That is to say, the systems approach involves curriculum integration, relevancy
character to participants, monitoring mechanisms, evaluating procedures and practices forming part of
curriculum implementation (e.g. systematic evaluation).

The academic approach

The academic approach ―attempts to analyze and synthesize major positions, trends, and concepts of
curriculum.‖(Ornstein & Hunkins1993:6). It tends to be grounded on historical and philosophical
curriculum developments and to a lesser extent on social conditions. This approach is concerned with
comprehensive domains of schooling, including the study of education. It is usually scholastic and
theoretical, hence, also referred to as ―traditional, encyclopedic, synoptic, intellectual, or knowledge-
oriented approach‖ (Ornstein & Hunkins 1993:6)

The humanistic approach

According to Ornstein & Hunkins (1993), the humanistic approach is underpinned by child psychology
with a view to coping with the needs and interests of children and by humanistic psychology with
emphasis on valuing, ego identity, psychological health, freedom to learn, and personal fulfilment. The
teacher therefore serves as facilitator and resource person for students. The curriculum mainly focuses
on active interaction among students and teachers, on problem solving, and on inquiry.

The reconceptualists

The reconceptualists represent an approach to curriculum design without a model to guide the design
(or to deal with technical matters), tending rather to focus on larger ideological and moral issues relating
to education (not only curriculum) and economic and political institutions of society (not only of schools)
(Ornstein & Hunkins 1993). This approach is rooted in philosophy as well as social and political contexts.
According to Jackson (1992:35), it is based on three main characteristics:

(1) Dissatisfaction with the Tyler Rationale,

(2) The employment of eclectic traditions to explore curriculum, such as
   psychoanalytic theory, phenomenology, existentialism and
(3) Marxist and neo-Marxist trends.‖         
In the same vein, Pinar (1991:35) noted earlier that:
Reconceptualization is an umbrella term to referring to a diverse group whose common bond was
opposition to the Tyler rationale, to behaviorism in curriculum conceptualization (including behavioral or
performance objectives, quantitative evaluation, mastery learning, time on task), and to the ahistorical
and a theoretical character of the field.
A basic premise of reconceptualism is rooted in the principle that the more students understand
themselves, the more they will understand their world.

Elements of Curriculum Development

There are five key elements of curriculum development , according to Tyler “it is essential as a part of
comprehensive theory of organization to show just what are the elements will serve satisfactory as
organizing elements.” According to Herrick and Tyler, following are the components and elements of
curriculum development

1. Situational analysis

2. Formulation of objectives

3. Selection of content, scope and sequence

4. Activities, strategies and method of teaching

5. Evaluation
The curriculum development models

Curriculum development models are different programmatic plans (various sequences of steps devised
with a view to curriculum effectiveness) which implies continuous monitoring of implementation to
ensure that relevant considerations receive due attention.

An overview of curriculum development models follows:

1, The Taba model

This model is most commonly used. Taba (1962) argues that curriculum should be designed by
the teachers rather than handed down by higher authority. In this regard she postulates that the
teachers should start the process by creating trial teaching learning units in their schools rather
than engaging from outset in creating a general curriculum design. Unlike the traditional
approach which proceeds from the general to the particular, the approach in this case is
inductive

It consists of five consecutive steps

1. Producing pilot units

This stage proceeds in eight steps:
· Diagnosis of needs
· Formulation of objectives or goals
· Selection of contents
· Organization of content
· Selection of learning experiences
· Organization of learning activities
· Determining what and how to evaluate
· Checking for balance and sequence
2. Testing experimental units

3. Revising and consolidating

4. Developing a framework

5. Installing and disseminating new units

The Tyler model

This model is embodied in Tyler‘s work titled Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction (1949). It
comprises the following stages:
1, the selection of objectives

2, Selection of learning experiences

3, Organization of learning experiences

4. Evaluation of learning experiences

references

.J. Biggs, C. Tang, Teaching for Quality Learning at University (McGraw Hill Education & Open University
Press., Maidenhead, 2007)

Barnett, R., Parry, G. and Coate, K., (2001) ‘Conceptualising Curriculum Change', Teaching in Higher
Education.