MODULE 1: THE CURRICULUM AND ITS CONTEXT
Introduction
This module will focus on three main areas, the definitions of curriculum, the
nature of Curriculum with the different types of curriculum and Teacher as a
Curricularist.
1.1. SOME DEFINITIONS OF CURRICULUM?
Curriculum is a planned and guided set of learning experiences and intended
outcomes, formulated through the systematic reconstruction of
knowledge and experiences under the auspices of the school, for the learners
continuous and wilful growth in personal social competence.(Daniel
Tanner,1980)
1. Curriculum as a list of subjects - This definition suggests
that curriculum includes the ‘permanent’ or the traditional
subjects offered in the school curriculum such as Mathematics,
Language, Science, Music,Arts,Etc...
2. Curriculum as Learning Experiences -This definition includes
students curricular and non-curricular activities and the learning
experiences encounter inside or outside the school. In formal
education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content,
offered at a school or university.
4. Curriculum as Intended Learning Outcomes-
This definition includes a list of learning competencies or
standards that students should learn in school. It is important to
align the learning outcomes with the learning competencies
prescribed in a course when designing a lesson.
5. Curriculum, derived from Latin,’Currere’, meaning a “race
course” or a runway on which one runs to reach a goal. This
curriculum is the interpretation of lived experiences by learners. In
other words, Curriculum is the total learning experiences of the
learner in the school.
6. Curriculum as Cultural Reproduction- this curriculum reflects
the culture of a society. The curriculum has to pass on knowledge,
skills and values from one generation to the succeeding
generation.
1.2 THE NATURE OF CURRICULUM
The nature of curriculum refers to the goals, principles and
characteristics that define what is taught in schools and how it is
taught. Curriculum encompasses all aspects of the educational
experiences, including the content, instructional methods and
assessment strategies used by teachers.
Types of Curriculum;
1. Recommended Curriculum (Ideological Curriculum);
This type of curriculum is construed by the educational
stakeholders at the national level. For Basic Education, the National
Department of Education (NDoE) which the Curriculum Division
implements the development processes and for higher education,
the Department of Higher Education,Research,Sceince &
Technology (DHERST) that includes technical education and for
vocational education is by VET Curriculum Division.
2 . The “ Written ” Curriculum (Enacted Curriculum)
The Written curriculum is approved for classroom delivery.
It translates the broad goals of the Recommended Curriculum into
specific learning outcomes.
It is specific as well as comprehensive and it indicates the Rationale of
curriculum, the General goals to be realized, The Specific objectives to be
achieved, The sequence of objectives and the kinds of learning activities.
They come in the form of course of study,syllabi,modules,or books or
instructional guides among others and the teacher’s lesson plan.
The Written Curriculum is a practical plan since it balances the ideals
recommended by the experts and the real situations suggested by
teachers, students and parents.
3.Taught Curriculum (Operational Curriculum )
From what has been written or planned, the curriculum has to be
implemented or taught. Teachers are the chief implementers of
the curriculum.
The teacher and the learners will put life to the written curriculum
The skill of the teacher to facilitate learning based on the written
curriculum with the aid of instructional materials and facilities
will be necessary.
The taught curriculum will depend largely on the teaching style
of the teacher and the learning style of the learners.
4 . Supported Curriculum
• Supported curriculum is described as supported materials that
the teacher needs to make learning and teaching meaningful.
• Supported curriculum includes print materials like
books,charts,posters,worksheets,or non-print materials like
Power Point Presentation, movies, slides, models, and other
electrical illustrations.
• It also includes facilities where learning occurs outside or inside
the four-walled building (playground, science laboratory, audio-
visual rooms,zoo,museum,market or the plaza)
5. Assessed Curriculum
Assessed Curriculum is when the Taught and Supported curricula
have to be evaluated to find out if the teacher has succeeded or
not in facilitating learning.
In the process of teaching and at the end of every lesson or
teaching episode, an assessment is made.(formative/summative)
It includes both formative and summative of learners conducted
by teachers,schools,or external organizations. It involves all the
tests, (teacher-made, or standardized) in all formats (such as
portfolio,performance,production,demonstration ,etc.)
6 Learned Curriculum
Learned Curriculum
is when all the changes occurred in the learners due to their
school experience
We always believe that it a student changed behavior ,he/she has
learned.E.g.from a non-reader to a reader or from not knowing to
knowing or from being disobedient to being obedient.
The positive outcome of teaching is an indicator of learning.
Learned curriculum also demonstrates higher order and critical
thinking and lifelong skills.
7 Hidden/Implicit Curriculum
Hidden/Implicit Curriculum are;
Unwritten,unofficial,and often unintended lessons, values, and
perspectives that students learn in school.
Teachers should be sensitive and aware of this hidden in the
written curriculum, in order to bring to the surface what are
hidden.
1.3 Teacher as a Curriculuarist
• A person who is involved in curriculum knowing, writing,
planning, implementing,evaluating,innovating,and initiating
maybe designated as curricularsit.
1. Teacher as a Curricularist- KNOWS THE CURRICULUM
• A teacher as a learner starts with knowing about the curriculum,
the subject matter or the content.
• As a teacher, one has to master what are included in the
curriculum. It is acquiring academic knowledge both formal
(disciplines, logic) or informal (derived from
experiences,vicarious,and unintended)
2. Teacher as a Curricularist-WRITES THE CURRICULUM A classroom
teacher takes record of knowledge concepts, subject matter or
content. These need to be written or preserved. The teacher writes
books,modules,laboratory manuals, instructional guides, and
reference materials in paper or electronic media as a curriculum
writer or reviewer.
3. Teacher as a Curricularist-PLANS THE CURRICULUM
A good curriculum has to be planned. It is the role of the teacher to make a
yearly, monthly or daily plan of the curriculum. This will serve as a guide in
the implementation of the curriculum. The teacher takes into consideration
several factors in planning a curriculum.
4. Teacher as a Curricularist-IMPLEMENTS THE CURRICULUM
The curriculum that remains recommended or written will never service
its purpose. Somebody has to implement. As mentioned previously, at
the heart of schooling is the curriculum.
It is this role where the teacher becomes the curriculum implementer.
5. Teacher as a Curricularist-EVALUATES THE CURRICULUM
How can one determine if the desired learning outcomes have been
achieved? Is the curriculum working? What do outcomes reveal? Are the
learners achieving the desired results? Are there some practices that
should be modified? Should the curriculum be modified, terminated or
continued?
The End
