Curriculum Development: A Comprehensive Overview
4.1. Introduction to Curriculum Development
Curriculum is fundamentally the planned content, materials, and processes used to achieve educational goals. It’s more than just a list of subjects; it’s the total learning experience provided to students.
Curriculum Development is a dynamic, continuous process involving the planning, implementation, and evaluation of an educational program. It is a systematic process of determining the overall structure of learning experiences, including:
- Formulating educational objectives.
- Selecting and organizing learning content and experiences.
- Determining the methods of instruction and assessment.
It is a crucial field because a well-developed curriculum ensures that education is relevant, coherent, and meets the needs of students and society.
4.2. Determinants of Curriculum
The curriculum is not created in a vacuum; it is shaped by various internal and external forces, which act as its determinants:
- Basic Needs: The curriculum must equip students with the skills and knowledge to meet personal needs (e.g., health, literacy) and collective needs (e.g., economic stability, citizenship).
- Societal Aspects: Must be responsive to the current structure, issues, and demands of society, preparing students for the labor market and addressing contemporary challenges.
- Cultural Factors: Must reflect and respect the cultural heritage, traditions, values, and languages of the community while also fostering an understanding of diverse cultures.
- Individual Talents: Recognizes the diversity of learners, their varying aptitudes, interests, and potential.
- Ideals (Intellectual, Moral, Aesthetic, Religious, etc.): Educational ideals guide the purpose of learning:
- Intellectual ideals emphasize critical thinking.
- Moral ideals focus on character development and ethics.
- Aesthetic ideals promote an appreciation for art and creativity.
- Tradition: Refers to the established practices and subject matter organization that have historically defined the school system.
4.3. Foundations of Curriculum
Curriculum development is supported by four major philosophical fields that provide the rationale and guiding principles for all decisions:
- Philosophical Foundation: Determines the why of education—the purpose of schooling and the values to be transmitted (e.g., Perennialism, Essentialism, Progressivism).
- Historical Foundation: Examines past trends, successes, and failures in education to provide context for present decisions.
- Psychological Foundation: Determines the how of teaching and learning, drawing on theories of learning, development, and motivation (e.g., Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism).
- Social Foundation: Views the curriculum as a tool for social change and maintenance, requiring it to address social issues and prepare students for effective citizenship.
4.4. Models of Curriculum Development
Curriculum models provide a framework for the systematic design and evaluation of an educational program.
R. W. Tyler’s Rational Model (The Objectives Model)
This is a linear, objective-centered approach based on four fundamental questions:
- What educational purposes should the school seek to attain? (Objectives)
- What educational experiences can be provided? (Selection of Learning Experiences)
- How can these educational experiences be effectively organized? (Organization of Learning Experiences)
- How can we determine whether these purposes are being attained? (Evaluation)
This model is praised for its simplicity and emphasis on clearly defined, behavioral objectives.
Hilda Taba’s Grassroots Model
Taba’s model advocates for a “grassroots” approach developed primarily by teachers. It is more inductive and systematic:
- Diagnosis of Needs
- Formulation of Objectives
- Selection of Content
- Organization of Content
- Selection of Learning Experiences
- Organization of Learning Experiences
- Evaluation and Means of Evaluation
Taba’s model is valued for its teacher involvement and emphasis on diagnosis.
4.5. School Level Curriculum (Subject and Weightage)
A typical K-12 curriculum structure organizes content and allocates time (weightage) as follows:
- Core Academic Subjects (Highest Weightage): Language Arts, Mathematics, Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology), Social Studies (History, Geography, Civics).
- Enrichment and Skill-Based Subjects (Moderate Weightage): Physical Education/Health, Arts Education (Visual Arts, Music), Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
- Elective/Optional Subjects (Variable Weightage): Offered at higher levels for specialization (e.g., advanced sciences, vocational courses).
Weightage is determined by the number of class periods or credit hours assigned, with core subjects receiving the greatest weight.
4.6. Local Curriculum (Concept and Practice in School Education)
Concept of Local Curriculum
The Local Curriculum is the component developed by individual schools or local communities to meet their unique needs, culture, and environment, making learning **more relevant, meaningful, and engaging**.
Practice in School Education
- Contextualization of National Content: Adapting national content (examples, case studies) to reflect local realities (e.g., studying a local market in an economics lesson).
- Integration of Local Knowledge and Skills: Including content unique to the community, such as local history, traditional crafts, or regional dialects.
- Community Involvement: Engaging local elders, artisans, and parents in the curriculum development and instruction.
- Flexibility and Innovation: Using local resources (parks, historical sites) as learning laboratories.
The goal is to foster **local identity** and ensure graduates can contribute positively to their own locality.
