Curriculum Design

Vergel John P. Ercia DDM

 arrangement of the elements of a

curriculum into a substantive entity

COMPONENTS of Design
(Giles)
Objectives

Method
and
Organizati
on

Subject
matter

Evaluation

Sources

Science
Society
Eternal and Divine Sources
Knowledge
Learner

Science as a Source
Scientific method provides meaning for the
curriculum design
Designs that stress learning how to learn
or thinking curricula emphasize scientific
procedures
Coincides with the scientific and rational
world of Western culture

Society as a Source
School is an agent of society, thus the
school should draw its ideas for the
curriculum from the analysis of the social
situation
Curriculum design can only be completely
understood if it is contextualized socially,
economically, and politically

Eternal and Divine Sources

Draw on the past for guidance as to
what is appropriate content
Related to eternal truth revealed
through such sources as the Bible or
other religious documents

Knowledge as a Source
Disciplined Knowledge
has a particular method or methods by
which scholars extend its boundaries

Undisciplined Knowledge
does not have unique content, but has
content that is clustered according to
the focus of the investigation

The Learner as
a Source
Curriculum should
be derived from
what we know
about the learner--how he learns.
Forms attitudes,
generates
interests, and
develops values

Conceptual Framework
Horizontal organization
Concerned with the side by side
arrangement of curriculum components

Vertical organization (sequence or

continuity)
Concerned with the longitudinal
arrangement of curriculum elements

Design Dimension
Considerations

Scope
Sequence
Continuity
Integration
Articulation
Balance

Scope
breath and depth of curriculum
content

Sequence
vertical relationship among curricular
areas
the occurrence and reoccurrence of
content and experiences so that
students will have opportunities to
connect and enrich their
understanding of the curriculum
presented or experienced

Continuity
vertical manipulation or repetition of
curriculum components

Integration
linking of all types of knowledge and
experiences contained within the
curriculum plan
enables the individual to
comprehend knowledge as unified

Articulation
Vertical Articulation
depicts the relationships of certain aspects in
the curriculum sequence to lessons, topics, or
courses appearing later in the programs
sequence

Horizontal Articulation
refers to the association between or among
elements occurring simultaneously

Balance
giving appropriate weight to each
aspect of the design so that
distortions do not occur

Categories of Curriculum Design

Subject-Centered Designs
Learner-Centered Designs
Problem-Centered Designs

Subject-centered Design
Grows from absolutist philosophical
assumptions
Learning is conceived of as a
mechanistic process
The basis for both horizontal and
vertical integration is CONTENT

Subject-Centered Designs

Subject Design
Discipline Design
Broad Fields Design
Correlation Design
Process Design

Subject Design
Oldest and most widely employed design
Organizes curriculum into a variable
number of subjects, each representing a
specialized and homogenous body of
content
Essence is the inherent nature of its
organization. Contents represent
knowledge in its most logical, economical,
useful, real and easily digestible form

Subject Design
Leans heavily on verbal activities
Emphasis on memorization and
information acquisition
Assumes a hierarchy of value
inherent in the subjects, resulting in
the variable availability of subjects to
students (constants, special
education, electives)

Advantages of the Subject

Design
Systematic and effective
organization of information
Acquaint students with cultural heritage
Based on 2 assumptions:
Logic of the subject corresponds to process
of learning
Organization facilitates storage and retrieval
for use in life situations

Advantages of the Subject

Design
Practical Advantages
Teachers are familiar with design
Textbooks and other materials are
organized by subjects
Organization is tight and content is
rigidly sequenced
Efficient
Supported by tradition
Easy to administer

Weaknesses of the Subject

Design
Compartmentalizes learning
Neglects students needs, interests,
experiences
Detachment from the concerns and
events of the real world
Fosters passivity

Discipline Design
Based on the inherent organization of content
Discipline: an autonomous community of discourses
marked by the following isomorphic features:
Community of persons
Expression of human imagination
Domain
Tradition
Mode of inquiry
Conceptual structure
Specialized language or system of symbols
Heritage of literature and system of communication
Valuative and affective stance
Instructive community

Discipline Design
Planning is controlled by content
disciplinarians
Stress is on understanding of
disciplinary elements. Students are
encouraged to see the basic
structure of the discipline.
Replaces expository procedures and
passive memorization with the
discovery approach

Advantage of the Discipline

Design
Systematic and effective
organization
Presents information as concepts,
relationships and intellectual
processes

Weaknesses of the Discipline Design

Knowledge is fragmented
Does not address the relationship
between school and life
Interests and experiences of students
are inadequately considered
Inefficient organization for learning
and use
Limited in scope to goals which are
narrowly academic and intellectual

Broad Fields Design

(Interdisciplinary)
Attempts to overcome fragmentation and
compartmentalization by combining two or
more related subjects into a broad field of
study
Rationale: provide students a
comprehensive view for the purpose of
general education

Advantages of the Broad Fields

Design
Provides an orderly and systematic
exposure to cultural heritage
Integrates separate subjects thereby
enabling learners to see relationships
among various elements
Teachers remain comfortable in their use
Materials are readily available
Acceptable to traditionalists
Easy to administer

Weaknesses of the Broad Fields

Design
Issue of breadth vs depth
Remains fragmented with little integration
between fields of study
Inadequately handles the experiences and
interest of students
Does not account for the psychological
organization of learning
Stresses goals of content coverage and
acquisition of information

Correlation Design
Allows for some linkage of separate
subjects in order to reduce
fragmentation of the curricular
content

Correlation Design
STRENGTH
Allows linkage of
some subjects to
reduce
fragmentation

WEAKNESSES
Requires
alternative forms of
scheduling
Requires teachers
to plan differently
(cooperatively)

Process Design
Gives attention to the procedures and
processes by which individuals advance
knowledge, either in specific disciplines or
in general
Process Learning - INQUIRY

Process Design
STRENGTH
Teaches how to
learn and think
critically

WEAKNESSES
Lacks emphasis on
content

Learner-Centered Designs
Man-centered philosophy, society viewed
as democratic, individual is naturally
good
Emphasizes individual development with
organization growing out of the needs,
purposes and interest of the students
More common in literature than practice
Demands on teacher competence
Conventional rejection of philosophical
foundation

Learner-Centered Designs
Differences with subject-centered
designs:
Organizational cues come from
individual students and not content
Not pre-planned

Limitless number of variations

Learner-Centered Designs

Child Centered Designs

Activity/Experience-Centered Designs
Romantic (Radical) Designs
Humanistic Designs

Child Centered Designs

Students must be active in their
environments if we are to optimize
learning
Curriculum should be based on
students lives, needs, and interests

Child-Centered Design
STRENGTH
Empowers students
through ownership
of knowledge
WEAKNESSES
Allows for
Content not
constructivist
specific
learning

Activity/Experience Centered
Designs
Design based on learners interests
Important task of the teacher:
1. Discover interest of the students
2. Help students select the most significant of
these for study

Resulted in research into child and

adolescent growth and development

Activity/Experience Centered
Designs
People learn only what they experience.

Only that learning that is related to active

purposes and rooted in experience
translates itself into behavioral changes.
Children learn best those things that are
attached to solving actual problems, that
help them in meeting real needs or that
connect with some active interest. Learning
in its true sense is an active transaction
Taba, 1962

Activity/Experience Centered
Designs
Structure is not pre-planned
Structure takes shape only with the
cooperation of teacher and studentsteacher-pupil planning
Absence of advance planning does not
imply absence of preparation

Activity/Experience Centered
Designs
Rationale
Curriculum structure is based on
learners needs and interests
Not pre-planned like a subject-centered
curriculum
Focuses on problem-solving for learning

Activity/Experience Centered
Designs
Focus on problem-solving
Provides relevance to student learning
Knowledge is a means rather than ends
in itself
Learning activities take precedence over
subject organization
Emphasis is on process objectives rather
than content objectives

Strengths of the Activity/Experience

Centered Designs
Motivation is intrinsic
Provides for individual student
differences
Problem solving process equip
students with skills needed to cope
effectively with life outside school

Weaknesses of the
Activity/Experience Centered Designs
Learning is based on students needs and
interests may result in omission of vital
knowledge and information
Neglects the social gal of education
Lack of definite horizontal structure
Lack of continuity (sequence)
Design demands an extraordinarily
competent teacher
Textbooks are not geared to its requirements
Contradicts the entire academic structure

Romantic/Radical Designs
Emancipation is the goal of education
Individuals should gain those awarenesses,
competencies, and attitudes to enable them to
take control of their lives
Learning results from the interaction among
people; by challenging content and permitting
different views about the content, as well as from
critiquing the purposes of the information
presented

Romantic/Radical Designs
STRENGTH
Emancipates the
learner
WEAKNESS
Threatens status
quo

Humanistic Designs
The focus of attention should be on the
subject nature of human existence; there
is a relationship between learning and
feeling
Empowering individuals
Stress the development of positive selfconcept and interpersonal skills

Humanistic Designs
STRENGTH
Promotes self
esteem
Empowers
individuals

WEAKNESSES
Inadequate consideration
of methods in light of
consequences for learners
Inconsistent emphasis on
uniqueness of individuals
and activities that all
students experience
Too much emphasis on the
needs of the individual
over the overall society
Does not integrate what is
known about human
learning and development

Problem-Centered Designs
Designs are focused on the problems
of living
Chief criterion for comparison of
variation of different designs is the
relative degree of emphasis placed
on individual as opposed to social
needs.

Problem-Centered Designs
Essentially pre-planned activities
Horizontal organization is dependent
on scope and classification of
problem areas to be studied
Sequence is based on needs ad
concern of students
Stress both content and
development of learners

Problem-Centered Designs
Life-Situations/Areas of living
Design
Core Curriculum
Social problems and
Reconstructionist Designs

Life Situation/Areas of Living

Design
Involve preparation of students in the
major categories of life:
Civic
Responsibility and competence
Economic understanding
Family relationships
Intelligent consumer action
Appreciation of beauty
Language proficiency

Life Situation/Areas of Living

Design
Focuses on problem-solving for
learning
Utilizes the experiences and
immediate situation of learners as
gateways to learning

Advantages of Life Situation/Areas

of Living Design
Subject matter is integrated
Encourages problem-solving
procedures for learning
Subject matter is presented in a
relevant form
Content is presented in a functional
form
Motivation is intrinsic

Problems with the Life

Situation/Areas of Living Design
Problems in determining the scope
and sequence of essential areas of
living
Arbitrary specification of a schema
for organization of lifes activities
suggests an artificiality that may
lead to lack of integration and
continuity
Does not provide an adequate
exposure to cultural heritage

Problems with the Life

Situation/Areas of Living Design
Tendency to indoctrinate youth to existing
conditions and perpetuate the status quo
Problem with the need for specialization
issue
Practical issues
Teachers are not prepared to function within
the design
Textbooks and other materials are not readily
available
Not readily acceptable to traditionalists

Life Situations Strengths &

Weaknesses
Presents subject
matter in an
integrated manner
Encourages
students to learn
and apply problem
solving procedures
Relevant

How to determine
scope and
sequence of
essential areas of
learning
Does not expose
student adequately
to their cultural
heritage
Nontraditional

Core Design
Core intended to provide common
learnings or general education for all
students important characteristic of
the core curriculum is its body its
administrative framework, the block
time class

Core Design
Originated from a reaction to
piecemeal learning accumulated
from separate subjects
Unifying core of studies was
proposed around which other
subjects would be related and
subordinated

Types of Core Design

Separate subjects core

Correlated core
Fused core
Activity/experience core
Areas-of-living core
Social problems core

Core Curriculum
Separate Subjects Core
Most commonly encountered
Consists of a series of required
individual subjects separately taught
by subject matter specialist
No provisions for integration of
subjects
Represents a variant of the subjectcentered curriculum

Core Curriculum
Correlated Core
Firmly planted in subject-centered tradition
Attempts to provide common learnings by
showing relationships between two or more
subjects contained within the core
Two forms have emerged:
Related subjects taught by subject matter
specialists were brought together and taught
concurrently
Overarching scheme basic contents of
subjects are retained but selected and organized
into broad themes, problems or units

Core Curriculum
Correlated Core
Scope and content remains
dependent on content of subject
matter
Represents a variation of the broad
fields curriculum

Core Curriculum
Fused Core
Rooted in subject-centered tradition
Represents a fusion or total
integration of two or more separate
subjects
Rarely represents the entirety of
common learning due to difficulty in
fusing subjects that are tenuously
related
Represents a variant of the broad
fields design

Core Curriculum
Activity/Experience Core
Product of the learner-centered
tradition
unstructured core defines general
education in terms of immediate felt
needs and interest of learners
Eschew preplanning and formal
structure. Utilizes teacher-pupil
planning

Core Curriculum
Activity/Experience Core
Less frequently encountered
Regarded merely an
activity/experience curriculum
scheduled in a block time classprimarily learner-centered rather
than problem centered

Core Curriculum
Areas-of-living Core
Rooted in the progressive tradition
social functions core preplanned, required
program of general education based on
problems arising out of common activities of
man in society
Considered an authentic core design because:
Problem centered
Essentially preplanned
Comprised of integrated, required common
learnings
Taught in block time class

Core Curriculum
Areas-of-living Core
Basic orientation is the common needs,
problems and concerns of learners as
participants in their own and societys
development
Makes allowances for student-teacher
planning
Integrates and unifies content, encourages
problem-solving, presents subject matter
in relevant form, fosters intrinsic
motivation

Core Curriculum
Social Problems Core
Breaks down social barrier of subjectcenterd curriculum, adresses the needs and
problems of the youth, fosters democratic
practices in classroom, encourages use of
community as a laboratory for learning
Problems:
Radical departure from tradition
Resource materials are hard to find
Teachers are not trained
Negative views on general education

Core Curriculum
Social Problems Core
Very similar to the areas-of-living
core
Derived from crucial issues that
beset man at every level of
contemporary life
May not be universal in scope
Stimulates the critical examination of
conflicting personal and social value
systems

Core Curriculum
Social Problems Core
Four phases of construction
What is the existing situation?
What is the consequence of the
continuation of this state of affairs?
What is the ideal situation, given certain
accepted values?
If # 3 is different from # 2 , what
individual and group action is needed to
alter the present course of events?

Core Curriculum
Social Problems Core
Social problems categories are not
stable. Curriculum needs constant
revisions over time
Problem is with criteria utilized to
identify crucial social problems
Not popular because of its
controversial nature

Core Design
STRENGTH
Unifies content
Provides relevant
subject matter
Encourages active
processing of
information
Fosters democratic
processes in the
classroom

WEAKNESSES
Nontraditional
Ignores the
fundamentals
Materials are hard
to find
Requires an
exceptional
teacher

Social Problems and

Reconstructionist Design
Curriculum should address
contemporary social problems and
social action projects aimed at
reconstructing society
Educators will effect social change
and create a more just society