Curriculum Development

and
Instruction (Code -6503)
(Master of Education)

Prepare by Faisal Mahmood Sulehria Sialkot

Under the Kind Supervision of
Respected Madam Sidra Rizwan
UNIT-06
SITUATIONAL
ANALYSIS AND
CURRICULUM
INTENT
 SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
A situational analysis is an obvious commencement
point for the construction of a curriculum. It is an ideal
opportunity for curriculum developers, aware of the
curriculum presage factors affecting them, to bring a
reasoned, rational approach to the development of
curricula. Above all, it is an opportunity for curriculum
developers to take account of local factors when
developing curriculum to meet students’ needs. The
argument, for undertaking a situational analysis may,
therefore, be summarized as:
 SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
• Identifying local needs of students, parents,
teachers and the community. .
• Understanding the local curriculum content.
• Facilitating planning and subsequent curriculum
development.
• Providing a systematic database for devising
curriculum goals and objectives.
 1-Need Assessment
A useful technique for determining the starting point of a
situational analysis, for collecting data within a situational
analysis, or for undertaking reviews of aspects of curricula
at other times, is the technique known as need
assessment. John McNeil defines need assessment as:
"The process by which one defines educational needs and
decides what their priorities are. In the content of
curriculum, a need is defined as a condition in which there
is a discrepancy between an acceptable state of learner
behavior or attitude and an observed learner state”.
(McNeil, 1985:74)
 2-Phases of Needs-Assessment
While there are numerous ways available for curriculum
developers to undertake a needs-assessment, the following
procedure is straightforward and useful. The algorithm
suggests using a five-phase approach employing a discrepancy
concept to determine needs. It assumes the needs-assessment
activity is being conducted at a school level though it may be
conducted at other levels such as regions and system.
Phase-I: Formulate Goal Statements
Phase-2: Rate Goal-Statements
Phase 3: Rank Goal-Statements
Phase 4: Determine Goal-Statements
 3-Conducting Situational Analysis
While the need for undertaking a situational analysis is
considered beyond dispute in most of the curriculum
literature, uninitiated curriculum developers, who
perceive it as difficult, time-consuming task, may
nevertheless, resist it. Some Curriculum developers may
argue that they do not need a situational analysis to
understand the context of their curriculum. After all, they
have an. intuitive understanding of student needs and
necessary curricula to meet those needs. However, we
should question curriculum developers as to where this
intuitive response comes from and to what degree is it
valid?
 4-Situational Analysis Procedure
A recommended approach to conducting a situational
analysis involves four steps:

• Identify problems in context

• Select appropriate factors.
• Data collection and analysis.
• Make recommendations.
 5-Recommendations from a Situational Analysis

The final step in the situational analysis model requires

curriculum developers to make recommendations
based on the analyzed data. This would typically consist
of a list of recommended actions based on the previous
goal- statements.
 6-Situational Analysis Link
Developers, now armed with valuable data from a
situational analysis, are able to continue with the
effective preparation of the curriculum utilizing
situational analysis data. For example, developers are
better able to address the problematic task of devising a
purposeful curriculum. When considering the curriculum
intent for learners, developers will know about
contextual factors, teaching resources, the nature Of
learners, school facilities, school ethos and so forth. This
information will provide a substantively sound basis for
their future deliberations.
 FORMULATION OF CURRICULUM OBJECTIVES

If the formulation of aims, goals and objectives is undertaken

at this point in the development process, a clear direction is
provided for subsequent development. Instead of relying
upon intuition and experience for the subsequent selection
of content, learning activities and evaluation strategies, the
curriculum developer has a sound foundation for later
decision-making by using the stated goals and objectives to
provide direction. Thus from objectives comes content, form
objectives and content together comes learning activities and
the three elements together then help to direct evaluation
strategies.
 1-The Nature of Aims
Curriculum aims refer to general statements that
describe expected life outcomes based on some value
scheme borrowed form philosophy, consciously or
unconsciously. Their distinctive quality is that they are
not directly related to school or classroom outcomes.
“Human Survival”, “self-realization” and “ethical
character” are examples of a few curriculum aims.
Aims are thus remote and long-range and' have to be
converted into more immediate and specific school
outcomes if they are to be realized in actual practice
(Zains, 1976, p.306).
 2-The Nature of Goals
Curriculum goals refer to school outcomes as a
whole, and they are somewhat removed from
immediate classroom assessment (Zais, 1976,p.306).
They lie in the middle of the “aims-objectives”
continuum and goals actually represent different
aspects or major constituents, of an aim and thus prove
helpful in identifying its principal parts. They clarify and
explain what a particular aim is directed at the intent as
well as the content.
 3-The Nature of Behavioral Objectives
Behavioral objectives go by several names - specific
objectives, performance objectives and instructional
objectives. Increasing interest has been shown in them
during the last two decades. The educational
community is, however, divided with a great many
outstanding scholars like Bloom, Tyler, Gagne and Taba
considering them a virtual renaissance, while other
prominent figures regard them as tool mechanistic and
dehumanizing. The debate continues but with current
rethinking, some sort of compromise may be reached
in the near future.
 4-Taxonomies of Educational Objectives.

A number of writers and teams of experts have

offered several taxonomies of educational objectives.
The ones presented by Bloom, Krathwohl and Harrow
for the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains
respectively are very popular and have been
extensively used by curriculum planners, teachers and
learners. The taxonomies represent classifications of
objectives in hierarchical order in each domain and
thus provide guidance in curriculum development, in
test construction and evaluation and in teaching and
learning.
 5-Writing Behavioral Objectives

Writing behavioral objectives is a highly technical and

complex task. It involves several aspects such as
deciding on the elements of objectives, seeing,
taxonomic relevance, choosing proper language and
sequencing. Each of these requires understanding and
experience. Tyler, Mager, . Michaelis, MaAshan,
Gronlund, Leonard, Utz and several other writers have
developed typical forms, It is neither possible nor
desirable to survey all these different formats
However, a few significant viewpoints are mentioned
for your consideration and use.