Curriculum Development (EDU 217) Traditional Point of View of Curriculum

• Early 20th Century:

TOPIC 1: Introduction to Curriculum
Development o Viewed as a body of subjects
prepared by teachers for student
learning, often referred to as a
"course of study" or "syllabus."
Key Concepts
Curriculum Views
• Curriculum: Derived from the Latin word
1. Robert M. Hutchins:
"curere," meaning "to run." It refers to the
lessons and academic content taught in a o Advocates for "Permanent Studies,"
school or specific course or program. emphasizing grammar, reading,
rhetoric, logic, and mathematics as
Curriculum Definitions
foundational elements of education.
1. Hunkins and Ornstein (2017):
2. Arthur Bestor:
o A plan for achieving educational
goals. o An essentialist who believes the
mission of schools should focus on
o Focuses on the learner's experiences. cognitive training in core subjects:
grammar, literature, math, science,
o Encompasses fields of study with history, and foreign languages.
knowledge domains, research theory,
and principles. 3. Joseph Schwab:
2. Wilson (1990): o Proposes that discipline is the sole
source of curriculum, focusing on
o Encompasses the learned essential knowledge areas in basic
curriculum, including hidden, null, education (e.g., English,
written, political, and societal Mathematics, Science, Social
elements. Studies) and college (e.g.,
3. Bestor (1956): Humanities, Sciences, Languages).

o Consists of five primary disciplines: Progressive Point of View of Curriculum

▪ Command of the mother • Rejects the notion of curriculum as merely a list

tongue of subjects or courses; instead, it is seen as the
totality of experiences an individual has.
Grammar, literature, and
writing 1. John Dewey:

Mathematics o Emphasizes reflective thinking as a

unifying element in the curriculum,
Sciences advocating for "learning by doing."

History 2. Caswell & Campbell:

Foreign language o Define curriculum as all experiences
children have under teacher
4. Bobbit (1918):
guidance.
o A series of experiences necessary for
3. Smith, Stanley & Shores:
children and youth to develop skills
for adult life. o Describe curriculum as a sequence of
potential experiences designed to
5. Daniel Tanner and Laurel N. Tanner (1988):
instill group thinking and acting
o Involves reconstructing knowledge among children and youth.
and experience systematically
4. Marsh & Willis:
developed in school to enhance
learner control over knowledge. o Define curriculum as all experiences
planned and enacted by the teacher
6. Hilda Taba (1962):
and learned by the students.
o Contains statements of aims and
specific objectives.

7. Ralph Tyler (1957):

o Encompasses all learning directed by

the school to achieve educational
goals.

8. Ronald C. Doll (1988):

o Involves both formal and informal

content through which learners gain
knowledge, understanding, skills, and
alter attitudes and values.
 TOPIC 2: Curriculum Planning o Empowerment and Ownership:
Students take responsibility for their
Key Concepts learning.

• Curriculum Planning: o Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

(MTSS): Provides additional
o The process of identifying and support to meet diverse learner
organizing the instructional materials needs.
that a course will follow.
Characteristics of a Curriculum Planner
o It is akin to drawing a roadmap for
education, guiding teachers and • Must be knowledgeable in:
students through the learning
o Curriculum design and development
journey.
o Instructional strategies
Curriculum Stakeholders
o Assessment methods
• Definition:
o Stakeholder engagement
o Diverse contributors essential for the
development and improvement of the Levels of Curriculum Planning
educational system.
• Strategic Level:
• Key Stakeholders in
Curriculum Development: o Involves broad goals and objectives
for the educational institution or
o Learners: Center of the curriculum; system.
their strengths, needs, and
aspirations guide personalized • Tactical Level:
learning experiences. o Focuses on the design and
o Teachers: Act as curriculum implementation of specific curricula
developers and implementers; their and programs.
expertise and dedication significantly • Operational Level:
influence student outcomes.
o Deals with the day-to-day execution
o Parents and Guardians: Provide of the curriculum in classrooms.
emotional support, guidance, and
advocacy; play a crucial role in a Five Major Educational Learning Theories
student’s educational journey.
1. Behaviorism:
o Administrators: Responsible for
policy development, resource o Focuses on observable behaviors and
allocation, and overall management the ways they're learned.
of educational institutions. 2. Cognitivism:
o Community: Ensures the success o Emphasizes mental processes and
of the educational system through how learners process information.
support and involvement.
3. Constructivism:
o Government and Policymakers:
Develop and implement educational o Stresses the learner's active role in
policies that shape the entire system. constructing knowledge through
experiences.
o Higher Education Institutions:
Facilitate a smooth transition from 4. Humanism:
secondary education to college or
university. o Centers on personal growth and self-
actualization as key educational
o NGOs and Advocacy Groups: goals.
Influence educational policies,
promote social justice, and advocate 5. Connectivism:
for marginalized communities.
o Recognizes the role of social and
Learner-Centered Curriculum cultural context in learning in the
digital age.
• Definition:
o Places students at the heart of the
educational journey, acknowledging Characteristics of a Curriculum Planner s Levels of
their individual strengths and needs. Curriculum Planning

• Benefits of Learner-Centered
Curriculum Design:
Characteristics of a Curriculum Planner
o Increased Engagement: Students
1. Strong Knowledge Base
are more involved in their learning
process. o Understand different learning
o Higher Retention Rates: theories (constructivism,
Personalized learning experiences behaviorism,
improve knowledge retention. cognitivism,
humanism) to create effective
curricula.
 o Expertise in specific subject areas is o School leaders coordinate the
essential. curriculum to reflect the school’s
goals and mission.
2. Analytical and Critical Thinking Skills
4. School District Level
o Analyze educational needs by
reviewing student performance data. o District leaders make decisions to
align schools under one unified
o Identify learning gaps and understand curriculum.
the educational context.
5. State Level
3. Creativity and Innovation
o State officials set educational
o Innovate by incorporating new standards that guide all schools.
teaching methods, technologies, and
resources.

o Make learning more engaging and

effective.
Five Major Educational Learning Theories
4. Organizational and Planning Skills
1. Cognitivism
o Manage multiple aspects of
curriculum development. o Focuses on how the mind processes,
stores, and retrieves information.
o Create timelines, set milestones, and
organize content logically. o Learning is viewed as an internal
process involving memory,
5. Communication and Collaboration Skills perception, and problem-solving.
o Convey the curriculum's vision, 2. Behaviorism
goals, and content clearly to
stakeholders (teachers, o Emphasizes observable behaviors
administrators, parents). and how they are influenced by
external stimuli.
6. Adaptability and Flexibility
o Learning is seen as a change in
o Be open to change based on feedback behavior shaped by reinforcement or
from teachers, students, and punishment.
administrators.
o Key figures: John B. Watson (father of
o Make real-time adjustments during behaviorism), B.F. Skinner (operant
the implementation phase.
conditioning), Ivan Pavlov
7. Evaluation and Assessment Skills (classical conditioning).

o Develop assessment tools to 3. Constructivism

measure student learning and
o Suggests learners actively construct
curriculum effectiveness.
their own understanding through
8. Ethical and Inclusive Approach experiences and reflection.

o Create culturally responsive curricula o Emphasizes hands-on learning and

that represent diverse perspectives. discovery.

o Ensure equal access to learning 4. Humanism

opportunities for all students.
o Centers on the whole person,
9. Leadership and Decision-Making Ability emphasizing self-actualization and
personal growth.
o Guide the curriculum development
process and make strategic o Values individuality and emotional
decisions. well-being.

o Motivate the team to achieve o Key figures: Abraham Maslow and

educational goals. Carl Rogers (focus on personal
growth).

5. Connectivism

o Views learning as a process of

Levels of Curriculum Planning connecting information across digital
networks.
1. Classroom Level
o Emphasizes learning in a digital age
o Teachers tailor lessons to meet the where knowledge is distributed.
individual needs of their students.
o Key figures: George Siemens and
2. Department Level Stephen Downes (connectivist
theorists).
o Teachers collaborate within
departments to ensure consistent
learning experiences.

3. School Level
TOPIC 3: Educational Philosophies • Key Idea: Learners construct their
understanding and knowledge of the world
and Learning Theories through experiences and reflecting on those
experiences.

1. Behaviorism • Explanation: Constructivism posits that

learning is an active, constructive process.
• Key Idea: Learning is a result of changes in Learners build (or construct) their own
behavior due to environmental stimuli understanding based on experiences and prior
(stimulus-response). knowledge.
• Explanation: Behaviorism focuses on • Key Contributor: Lev Vygotsky
observable behaviors rather than internal
mental processes. Learning happens when an o Vygotsky’s concept of the Zone of
individual responds to stimuli in the Proximal Development (ZPD)
environment, often reinforced by rewards or emphasizes the role of social
punishments. Repetition and reinforcement interaction in learning.
are key components.
• Philosopher: Jean Piaget
• Key Contributor: John B. Watson o Also a constructivist, Piaget believed
o Watson is known as the father of that learning is a process of building
behaviorism, focusing on how upon prior knowledge through
behaviors can be learned through experiences.
conditioning.
• Important Information: Constructivism
• Philosopher: B.F. Skinner places the learner at the center of the learning
process. It encourages learners to explore, ask
o Developed the idea of operant questions, and engage in problem-solving.
conditioning, emphasizing
reinforcement and punishment to • Example: In a project-based learning activity,
increase or decrease behaviors. students work in groups to research a topic,
present findings, and reflect on the process,
• Important Information: Behaviorism does constructing their own knowledge.
not consider internal thoughts or feelings as part
of the learning process; it purely focuses on
external actions.
Characteristics of a Good Curriculum (Bilbao, et al.,
• Example: In a classroom, a teacher uses praise 2015)
(positive reinforcement) to encourage students
1. Continuously evolving: A curriculum
to participate. Alternatively, a student might
should adapt to societal changes and
receive detention (punishment) for
evolving educational standards.
inappropriate behavior.
2. Based on the needs of the people: It should
2. Cognitivism
reflect the community's needs, preparing
• Key Idea: Learning is an active process where learners for life and work.
learners process information by receiving,
3. Democratically conceived: All stakeholders
organizing, storing, and retrieving it.
(teachers, parents, students, community)
• Explanation: Cognitivism looks at how should have input.
people understand, process, and remember 4. Result of long-term effort: Creating a
information. It emphasizes the role of mental curriculum takes time and thoughtful planning.
functions like memory and problem-solving.
5. Complex of details: It involves intricate
• Key Contributor: Jean Piaget planning, from content to delivery methods.
o Piaget focused on how children’s 6. Logical sequence of the subject matter:
thinking develops in stages, Learning progresses in a logical order, building
contributing to the understanding of on prior knowledge.
cognitive development in learning.
7. Cooperates with other community
• Philosopher: Jerome Bruner programs: It connects with other educational
o Believed that learning is an active and social programs.
process where learners construct
8. Educational quality: The curriculum
new ideas based on prior knowledge.
should lead to high-quality learning
• Important Information: Cognitivism experiences.
contrasts with behaviorism as it focuses on
9. Administrative flexibility: There should be
internal mental processes. It recognizes that
room for teachers to adapt the curriculum
learners are active participants in their learning,
based on the needs of their learners.
not just passive recipients of stimuli.

• Example: A teacher might help students use

graphic organizers (like concept maps) to Components of Curriculum
organize their thoughts and connect new
information with what they already know. 1. Aims, Goals, and Objectives

3. Constructivism • Key Idea: Statements of what students are

expected to learn and how they will be changed
by the educational process.
 • Explanation: These are explicit formulations of 7 Types of Curriculum by Allan Glatthorn and Jerry
expected outcomes for students. They serve as Jailall (Wilson, 2006)
the foundation for instructional planning and
assessment.
1. Recommended Curriculum
• Key Contributor: Benjamin Bloom
• Key Idea: The curriculum that is proposed or
o Developed Bloom’s Taxonomy,
suggested by professional organizations,
categorizing educational goals into
educational bodies, or curriculum experts.
cognitive, affective, and psychomotor
domains. • Explanation: This type of curriculum is
typically put forward by national education
• Philosopher: Robert Mager
bodies, professional associations, or policy
o Focused on writing specific, makers. It serves as a guide for schools on what
measurable educational objectives. content and skills should be included in their
instructional programs.
• Example: An objective might state, “Students
will be able to apply problem-solving • Example: The Department of Education
techniques to real-world scenarios.” (DepEd) or Commission on Higher
Education (CHED) may recommend
2. Content or Subject Matter guidelines for implementing K-12 programs in
the Philippines.
• Key Idea: What is to be taught; this can be
subject-centered (focusing on knowledge) or • Important Information: The recommended
learner-centered (focusing on the learner’s curriculum acts as a framework that schools
needs). can adapt to their specific needs while
• Explanation: The content represents the maintaining national or regional educational
information and skills students need to learn. standards.

• Philosopher: Jerome Bruner

2. Written Curriculum
o Believed that knowledge is
constructed by learners to give • Key Idea: The formal, documented curriculum
meaning to experiences. that is handed down to schools for
• Example: In a science curriculum, the subject implementation.
matter may include biology, chemistry, • Explanation: This includes all official
physics, etc. documents like lesson plans, syllabi, and
3. Curriculum Experience learning guides provided by education
authorities. It outlines the specific content,
• Key Idea: Teaching methods and strategies goals, and objectives for a course or program.
that provide students with learning
experiences. • Example: A lesson plan created by teachers or
a syllabus prepared by schools that detail what
• Explanation: This includes the approaches will be taught in a given academic period.
teachers use to deliver the content, engage
students, and ensure understanding. • Important Information: Written
curriculum ensures consistency in the
• Important Information: There is no single delivery of educational content across
best teaching method; diverse approaches different schools, divisions, and regions.
should be used based on the learning
objectives.
3. Taught Curriculum
• Example: A teacher might use lectures, group
discussions, hands-on activities, and • Key Idea: The actual implementation of the
multimedia to teach a concept. written curriculum in classrooms.
4. Curriculum Evaluation
• Explanation: This refers to how teachers
• Key Idea: Evaluating the effectiveness and deliver the content outlined in the written
quality of the curriculum. curriculum through various instructional
methods. It reflects the different teaching and
• Explanation: This involves assessing both learning styles that instructors and students
the process and the outcomes of the curriculum bring into the learning process.
to determine if educational goals are being
met. • Example: A teacher using class discussions,
laboratory experiments, or group activities to
• Important Information: Curriculum teach a science lesson.
evaluation should focus on improving both
teaching methods and student learning. • Important Information: Even though the
written curriculum might be standardized, how
• Example: After a semester, a school may it is taught may vary based on the teacher’s
evaluate its curriculum by analyzing student approach, the resources available, and the
test scores and feedback to determine areas of students’ needs.
improvement.

4. Supported Curriculum
 • Key Idea: The resources and materials that include social and behavioral expectations that
help in delivering the written curriculum. are not explicitly taught but are learned through
experience.
• Explanation: These are tools and resources
used by teachers to implement the curriculum. • Example: Students may learn punctuality,
They can include textbooks, multimedia, digital respect, and discipline through daily routines
content, and supplementary materials that or the way teachers and administrators interact
support the teaching process. with them.

• Example: Textbooks, computers, handouts, • Important Information: The hidden

and modules used in a classroom to help curriculum can significantly influence
students understand the lessons. students' behavior and attitudes, sometimes
even more than the formal curriculum.
• Important Information: Without supported
curriculum materials, it may be difficult for
teachers to effectively deliver the curriculum.
These resources play a crucial role in student
engagement and understanding.

5. Assessed Curriculum

• Key Idea: The part of the curriculum that is

tested and evaluated through assessments.

• Explanation: This refers to what is actually

measured through formal assessments, such
as quizzes, exams, and performance-based
tasks. It reflects the extent to which students
have mastered the content and skills of the
taught curriculum.

• Example: Quizzes, exams, rubrics,

portfolios, and performance-based tasks
that evaluate student learning.

• Important Information: The assessed

curriculum helps identify gaps in student
learning and provides feedback on the
effectiveness of the teaching process.

6. Learned Curriculum

• Key Idea: The knowledge, skills, and attitudes

that students actually acquire and retain.

• Explanation: This is the result of the

educational process — what students have
internalized and learned from the taught and
assessed curriculum. It reflects the outcomes
of learning, which could be cognitive
(knowledge), affective (values), or
psychomotor (skills).

• Example: After a lesson, students

demonstrate understanding by applying
concepts in real-life scenarios or showing
improved behavior.

• Important Information: The learned

curriculum may not always perfectly align with
the taught or written curriculum, as learning
depends on various factors, including the
student's engagement and the teaching
method.

7. Hidden Curriculum

• Key Idea: The unintended or unspoken

lessons, values, and norms that students learn
in school.

• Explanation: This includes the implicit

messages that are conveyed to students
through the school environment, teacher
attitudes, and the culture of the school. It can