FACT SHEET FOR EDUC 106
Chapter 1: Curriculum Essentials
Module 2: The Teacher as a Knower of Curriculum
Lesson 2.1: The School Curriculum: Definition, Nature
and Scope
Curriculum
• the word originates from the Latin word currere
referring to the oval track upon which Roman
chariots raced.
• 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
courses taught in schools or universities.
Some Definitions of Curriculum
1. Daniel Tanner, 1980 - A planned and guided set of
learning experiences and intended outcomes,
formulated through the systematic reconstruction
of knowledge and experiences.
2. Pratt, 1980 - It is a written document that
systematically describes goals planned,
objectives, content, learning activities, evaluation
procedures and so forth.
3. Schubert, 1987 - The contents of a subject,
concepts and tasks to be acquired, planned
activities, the desired learning outcomes and
experiences, product of culture and an agenda to
reform society.
4. Hass, 1987 - All the 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 a
framework of theory and research or past and
present professional practice.
5. Grundy, 1987 - It is a 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.
6. Goodland and Su, 1992 - 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.
7. Cronbeth, 1992 - It provides answers to three
questions:
• What knowledge, skills and values are
most worthwhile?
• Why are they most worthwhile?
• How should the young acquire them?
Curriculum from Traditional Points of View
1. Robert M. Hutchins - A "permanent studies" where
rules of grammar, reading, rhetoric, logic and
mathematics for basic education are emphasized.
The 3Rs (Reading, Writing, 'rithmetic) should be
emphasized in basic education while liberal
education should be the emphasis in college.
2. Arthur Bestor - Focus on the fundamental
intellectual disciplines of grammar, literature and
writing. It should include mathematics, science,
history and foreign language.
3. Joseph Schwab - The sole source of curriculum is
a discipline, thus the subject areas such as
Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, English
and many
more. He coined the word discipline as a ruling
doctrine for curriculum development.
4. Phillip Phenix - Consist entirely of knowledge
which comes from various disciplines.
Curriculum from Progressive Points 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
- A sequence of potential experiences, set up in
schools for the purpose of disciplining children and
youth in group ways of thinking and acting.
4. Colin Marsh and George Willis - All the
experiences in the classroom which are planned
and enacted by the teacher and also learned by
the students.
FACT SHEET FOR EDUC 106
Chapter 1: Curriculum Essentials
Module 2: The Teacher as a Knower of
Curriculum Lesson 2.2: Approaches to the
School Curriculum
Three Ways of Approaching a Curriculum
1. Content
2. Process
3. Outcome
Curriculum as a Content or Body of Knowledge Four
ways of presenting the content in the curriculum: 1.
Topical Approach - content is based on knowledge, and
experiences are included.
2. Concept Approach - with fewer topics in clusters
around major and sub-concepts.
3. Thematic Approach - as a combination of concepts
that develop conceptual structures.
4. Modular Approach - leads to complete units of
instruction.
Criteria in the Selection of Content
1. Significance - Content should contribute to ideas,
concepts, principles and generalization that
should attain the overall purpose of the
curriculum.
2. Validity - The authenticity of the subject matter
forms its validity. Knowledge becomes obsolete
with the fast changing times.
3. Utility - Usefulness of the content in the curriculum
is relative to the learners who are going to use
these. Utility can be relative to time.
4. Learnability - The complexity of the content should
be within the range of experiences of the learners. 5.
Feasibility - The subject content should be learned
within the time allowed, resources available,
expertise of the teachers and the nature of the
learners.
