Meaning of Curriculum:

The term curriculum has been derived from a Latin

word Currere which means a race course or a runway
on which one runs to reach a goal. Accordingly, a
curriculum is the instructional and the educative
programme by following which the pupils achieve their
goals, ideals and aspirations of life.
It is curriculum through which the general aims of a
school education receive concrete expression.
Traditional concept-The traditional curriculum was
subject-centered while the modern curriculum is child
and life-centered.
 Modern Concept of Curriculum:

Modern education is the combination of two dynamic

processes. The one is the process of individual

development and the other is the process of socialization,

which is commonly known as adjustment with the social

environment.
Cunningham - Curriculum is a tool in the hands of the

artist (teacher) to mould his material (pupils) according to

his ideas (aims and objectives) in his studio (school).

Morroe - Curriculum includes all those activities which

are utilized by the school to attain the aims of education.

Crow and Crow - The curriculum includes all the learners

experience in or outside school that are included in a

programme which has been devised to help him

developmentally, emotionally, socially, spiritually and

morally.
T.P. Nunn-The curriculum should be viewed as various

forms of activities that are grand expressions of human

sprit and that are of the greatest and most permanent

significance to the wide world.

Explicit curriculum

Extra school-sponsored programs that are

curriculu intended to supplement the academic

m aspect of the school experience

 Scope
Scopeof
ofcurriculum
curriculum
1. Goals: The benchmarks or expectations for teaching
1. Goals: The benchmarks or expectations for teaching
and learning often made explicit in the form of a scope
and learning often made explicit in the form of a scope
and sequence of skills to be addressed;
and sequence of skills to be addressed;
2. Methods: The specific instructional methods for the
2. Methods: The specific instructional methods for the
teacher, often described in a teachers edition;
teacher, often described in a teachers edition;
3. Materials: The media and tools that are used for
3. Materials: The media and tools that are used for
teaching and learning;
teaching and learning;
4. Assessment: The reasons for and methods of
4. Assessment: The reasons for and methods of
measuring student progress.
measuring student progress.
 Nature
Natureof
ofcurriculum
curriculum
1. the instructional programme as indicated by
1. the instructional programme as indicated by
the course offerings to meet the varies
the course offerings to meet the varies
requirements of a vast heterogeneous
requirements of a vast heterogeneous
population
population
2. the courses of study, embodying outlines of
2. the courses of study, embodying outlines of
knowledge to be taught
knowledge to be taught
3. all the experiences provided under the
3. all the experiences provided under the
guidance of the school
guidance of the school
 Nature
Natureof
ofcurriculum
curriculum
Close examination of them reveals the
Close examination of them reveals the
difficulty in deciding
difficulty in deciding
the basic nature of curriculum.
the basic nature of curriculum.
1. Is it thought of as a programme and pattern
1. Is it thought of as a programme and pattern
of offerings?
of offerings?
2. Is thought of to be a content of courses?
2. Is thought of to be a content of courses?
3. Is it thought of to be experiences through
3. Is it thought of to be experiences through
which knowledge is communicated?
which knowledge is communicated?
 Nature of curriculum
Nature of curriculum
Curriculum is that which makes a difference
Curriculum is that which makes a difference
between maturity and immaturity, between
between maturity and immaturity, between
growth and stasis, between literacy and
growth and stasis, between literacy and
illiteracy, between sophistication (intellectual,
illiteracy, between sophistication (intellectual,
moral, social and emotional) and simplicity.
moral, social and emotional) and simplicity.
It is the accumulated heritage of mans
It is the accumulated heritage of mans
knowledge filtered through the prisms of
knowledge filtered through the prisms of
contemporary demands and pressures.
contemporary demands and pressures.
It is that wisdom considered relevant to any
It is that wisdom considered relevant to any
age in any given location.
age in any given location.
It is that we choose from our vast amount of
It is that we choose from our vast amount of
heritage of wisdom to make a difference in the
heritage of wisdom to make a difference in the
life of man.
life of man.
 Some
Someissues
issuesin
incurriculum
curriculum
Some of the issues in curriculum are scope, sequence and integration or balance.
Some of the issues in curriculum are scope, sequence and integration or balance.
Scope relates to what should be taught or
Scope relates to what should be taught or
learned.
learned.
Sequence relates to when different parts
Sequence relates to when different parts
of the curriculum should be learned with
of the curriculum should be learned with
respect to the other parts of the
respect to the other parts of the
curriculum.
curriculum.
Integration relates to how different
Integration relates to how different
strands of a piece of curriculum relate to
strands of a piece of curriculum relate to
other things
other things
Continuity relates to how previous learning
Continuity relates to how previous learning
and future learning relate in terms of
and future learning relate in terms of
cumulative effects of learning.
cumulative effects of learning.
 Scope
Scope
Scope refers to the breadth of the curriculum-
Scope refers to the breadth of the curriculum-
the content, learning experiences and activities
the content, learning experiences and activities
to be included in the curriculum.
to be included in the curriculum.
The scope can be arrived at by answering the
The scope can be arrived at by answering the
following questions:
following questions:
What do young people need in order to succeed
What do young people need in order to succeed
in the society?
in the society?
What are the needs of the locality, society,
What are the needs of the locality, society,
nation and world?
nation and world?
What are the essentials of the discipline?
What are the essentials of the discipline?
 Sequence
Sequence
Sequence relates to when different parts of the
Sequence relates to when different parts of the
curriculum should be learned with respect to the
curriculum should be learned with respect to the
other parts of the curriculum.
other parts of the curriculum.
There are many ways in sequencing:
There are many ways in sequencing:
simple to complex chronological
simple to complex chronological
easy to difficult developmental
easy to difficult developmental
prerequisite learning close at hand to far
prerequisite learning close at hand to far
away
away
whole to parts easy to difficult
whole to parts easy to difficult
parts to whole known to unknown
parts to whole known to unknown
 Balance
Balanceor
orintegration
integration
The curriculum should integrate:
The curriculum should integrate:
1. Cognitive, affective and psychomotor
1. Cognitive, affective and psychomotor
objectives and abilities
objectives and abilities
2. Knowledge and experience
2. Knowledge and experience
3. Objectives and content
3. Objectives and content
4. Childs activity and needs with the society
4. Childs activity and needs with the society
needs and activity.
needs and activity.
It should be related to the social environment of
It should be related to the social environment of
the students
the students
Curriculum development is a comprehensive,
ongoing, cyclical process
to determine the needs of a group of
learners;
to develop aims or objectives for a program
to address those needs;
to determine an appropriate syllabus, course
structure, teaching methods, and materials
 The process of curriculum
development is very essential for the
following reasons:
Assessment of educational needs
Formulation of objectives
Selection and organization of content
Selection and organization of learning
experiences
Evaluation of content and learning
experiences
Determinants of curriculum
The major determinants of curriculum are as
follows:
Individual needs
Cultural change
Social change
Value system
vidual
ividual
ds
eds

The curriculum is determined by the

needs of the learner for physical
development, intellectual
development, social development,
moral development and aesthetic
development.
A holistic development of the learner is
possible through a curriculum.
Therefore the needs of the learner is a
major determinant of the curriculum.
 Culture is the totality of ones customs,
norms, values, beliefs, techniques and
practices that characterize social living.
Culture
Culture
This is an important determinant of
curriculum.
The beliefs, values and norms held by and
propagated by a society is instrumental in
deciding the different aspects of the
curriculum.
Every society tries to preserve and transmit
its culture and education is a potent tool in
this regard.
Curriculum is therefore a very significant
force in deciding the experiences that are to
be included in the curriculum.
A change in the life style of a group, a
Social
Social
community or a society is called social
Change
change. Change

Social change includes technological

changes, economic changes, political
changes and changes in values.
The technological changes cause change in
the style of living and therefore influences
the curriculum accordingly.
Economic changes demand changes in
curriculum by bringing about change in
occupational structure.
Political changes have an impact on
curricula. The policies of the government
decide the core features of a curriculum.
 Value
Value
System
System
Values play a crucial part in the formulation
and implementation of educational
ideologies.
Generally, two kinds of values enter into
curriculum making. They are:
Ultimate values that determine the aims
and purposes of education
Instrumental values that are related to the
means of education.
The ultimate values and instrumental
values of a society decides the type of
curriculum appropriate for it.