`CHAPTER 2: THE TEACHER AS A KNOWER OF CURRICULUM

Lesson 1 – The School Curriculum: Definition, Nature and Scope

OBJECTIVES

1. Define curriculum from different perspective.

CONTENT FOCUS:

Curriculum originates from the Latin word currere referring to the oval track upon which Roman chariots
raced.
The New International Dictionary defines curriculum as the whole body of a course in an educational
institution or by a department.
Oxford English Dictionary defines curriculum as a course taught in schools or universities.
Curriculum means different things to different people. Sometimes educators equate curriculum with
syllabus while a few regard is as all the teaching experiences which the students encounters while in
school.

SOME DEFINITIONS OF CURRICULUM

1. Curriculum is a planned and guided set of learning experiences and intended outcomes, formulated
through the systematic reconstruction of knowledge and experiences under the auspices of the
school, or the learners’ continuous and willful growth in personal social competence. (Daniel Tanner,
1990)
2. It is a written document that systematically describes goals planned, objectives, content, learning
activities, evaluation procedures and so forth. (Pratt, 1980)
3. The contents of the subject, subject and tasks to be acquired planned activities the desired learning
outcomes and experiences, product o culture and an agenda to reform society make up a curriculum
(Schubert, 1987).
4. A curriculum includes “all experiences that individual learners have in a program of education whose
purpose is to achieve broad goals and related specific objectives, which is planned in terms of
framework of theory and research or past and present professional practice. “ (Hass, 1987)
5. It is programme of activities (by teachers and pupils) designed so that pupils will attain so far as
possible certain educational and other schooling ends or objectives. (Grudy, 1987)
6. It is a plan that consists of learning opportunities for a specific time frame and place, a tool that aims
to bring about behavior changes in students as a result of planned activities and includes all learning
experiences received by students with the guidance of the school. (Goodland and SU, 1992)
7. It provides answers to three questions. 1. What knowledge, skills and values are most worthwhile? 2.
Why are they most worthwhile? 3. How should the young acquire them? (Cronbeth, 1992)
 SOME POINT OF VIEW OF OTHER CURRICULARISTS

TRADITIONAL POINTS OF VIEW

1. Robert Hutchins – Views curriculum as “permanent studies” where rules of grammar, reading
rhetoric, logic and mathematics or basic education are emphasized in basic education while liberal
education should be the emphasis in college.

2. Arthur Bestor as an essentialist believes that the mission of the school should be intellectual training,
hence curriculum should focus on the fundamental intellectual disciplines I grammar, literature and
writing. It should include mathematics, science, history and foreign language.
3. Joseph Schwab thinks that the sole source of curriculum is a discipline, thus the subject areas such as
Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, English and many more. In College, academic disciplines are
labeled as humanities, sciences, languages, mathematics among others. He coined the word
discipline as a ruling doctrine or curriculum development.
4. Phillip Phenix asserts that curriculum should consist entirely of knowledge which comes from various
disciplines.

Collectively from the traditional view of theorists like Hutchins, Schwab, Bestor and Phenix,
curriculum can be defined as a field of study. Curriculum is highly academic and is concerned with broad
historical, philosophical, psychological and social issues. Rom the traditional view, curriculum is mostly
written documents such as syllabus, course of study, books and references where knowledge is found
but is used as a means to accomplish intended goals.

CURRICULUM FROM PROGRESSIVE POINTS OF VIEWS

On the other hand, a listing of school subjects, syllabi, course of study and specific discipline
does not make a curriculum. In its broadest terms, a progressive view of the curriculum is the total
learning experiences of the individual. Let us look into how curriculum is defined from a progressive
point of view.

1. John Dewey believes that education is experiencing. Reflective thinking is a means that unifies
curricular elements that are tested by application
2. Holin Caswell and Kenn Campbell viewed curriculum as all experiences children have under the
guidance of teachers.
3. Othaniel Smith, William Stanley and Harlan Shore likewise defined curriculum as a sequence of
potential experiences, set up in school or the purpose of disciplining children and youth in group
ways of thinking and acting.
4. Colin March and George Willis also viewed curriculum as all the experiences in the classroom which
are planned and enacted by the teacher and also learned by the students.

CURRICULUM is what is taught in school, a set of subjects, a content, a program of studies, a set
of materials, a sequence of courses, a set of performance objectives, everything that goes within the
school. It is what is taught inside and outside of school directed by the teacher, everything planned by
school, a series of experience undergone by learners in school or what individual learner experiences as
 a result of school. In short, Curriculum is the total learning experiences of the learner, under the
guidance of the teacher.

Activity 1.

1. Select one traditional definition of curriculum.

Arthur Bestor as an essentialist believes that the mission of the school should be intellectual training,
hence curriculum should focus on the fundamental intellectual disciplines I grammar, literature and
writing. It should include mathematics, science, history and foreign language.

2. Select a definition of a curriculum from the progressivists point of view.

John Dewey believes that education is experiencing. Reflective thinking is a means that unifies curricular
elements that are tested by application

3. Why did you choose these definitions? What observations can you make as to the significance and
importance of these views on the current course curriculum?

4. Give your own definition of a curriculum. And explain it.