unit - i concept of curriculum · aims, objectives or goals as ideals of the teacher classroom...

Dr. S. Arockiasamy, Asst. Professor, SXCE Semester- IV: B.Ed. Study Material

Unit - I

CONCEPT OF CURRICULUM

MEANING OF CURRICULUM

The word ‘curriculum’ is derived from a latin word ‘currere’ that means ‘course to run’.

or ‘course of study’ or ‘training leading to education/reach a goal’. (or) It is a course of subject-

matter studies.

Thus curriculum is the medium to realize the goals and objectives of teaching a particular

course of study.

DEFINITIONS OF CURRICULUM

“Curriculum is a tool in the hands of the artist (teachers) to mould his material (pupils)

according to his ideals (aims and objectives) in his studies (school)” – Cunningham

This definition contains certain words which have educational overtones as follows:

Teacher as an artist

Pupil as material to be molded

Aims, objectives or goals as ideals of the teacher

Classroom instruction as studies

In other words “Teacher by giving classroom instructions can mould his pupils according

to the aims and objectives of a course of study.

“Curriculum is the total effort of the school to bring about desired outcomes in the

school and out of school situations” - Alexander and Sayler

“Curriculum is a complex of more or less planned and controlled conditions under which

students learn to behave and do behave in their various ways” - Kearney and Cook.

CHANGING CONCEPTS OF CURRICULUM

The concept of curriculum can be viewed in several ways:

a. Curriculum as the subject

Curriculum refers to the “subject-matter” or “the things studied”. This definition

emphasizes teaching of contents such as concepts, facts and theories through textbooks. The


emphasis is placed on the disciplined study such as a) Language, b) Mathematics, c) Science, d)

History and Geography, and e) Physical Education. It can be represented as follows:

Here the teacher is mainly concerned with the problem of the student’s interaction with

the content.

b. Curriculum as student’s learning experiences

Curriculum also refers to “the learning experiences of the students inside and outside

the classroom”.

For example, “Germination of Seeds” may be a curriculum content; but the activities

such as sowing the seed, watering, manuring, and observing the sprouts are the learning

experiences.

Similarly, learning experience may take place outside the classroom. For example, the

field-visit to a historical monument in a village will be a stimulating learning experience to the

students than just learning from the textbook alone.

Here, more emphasis is placed on ‘experience rather than contents. In other words, what

is taught is not more important than how it is taught.

c. Curriculum as intended learning outcomes

Curriculum may be defined as the ends in terms of “a series of intended learning

outcomes”. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO) are usually expressed as behavioural objectives

in terms of cognitive, affective and psychomotor knowledge.

This definition places more emphasis on what the student does rather than what he

knows.

d. Curriculum as transmitter of culture heritage

One of the functions of education is to preserve qualitative culture and transmit it to the

future generation. The curriculum should include the past events of the humankind. It should also

include the arts, literature and political system of the society.

This definition emphasizes that knowledge and experiences related to our cultural

heritage are more meaningful than mere knowledge and experiences.

e. Curriculum as the reflection of social change


The society continually changes due to scientific growth and technological development.

The curriculum is therefore viewed as a means to equip the individuals with new knowledge and

new skills.

This view emphasizes that curriculum should include more vocational and technical skills

and scientific concepts.

f. Curriculum as total life experiences

Curriculum is considered to be the total life-experiences of the student. It views the

curriculum in totality. It emphasizes the formal, non-formal and informal ways of acquiring

knowledge and experiences throughout one’s life time.

COMPONENTS OF CURRICULUM

Curriculum consists of five dimensions or components. They are considered to be the

major elements of a curriculum. They are:

1. The Learner and Society

2. Aims and Objectives

3. Content or Subject-matter

4. Teaching Methodology

5. Evaluation

The five components are interdependent. The structure of the curriculum is compared to

the system of human body such as muscular, respiratory, and circulatory, nervous, etc. Any

alternation in one system (component) affects the structure and functioning of the others.

The structure components of the curriculum are as follows:

1. The Learner and Society

The curriculum in concerned with the learner and the society in which he or she lives.

The curriculum puts emphasis on both individual and the society needs.

2. Aims and Objectives

Aims and objectives are statements that reflect the needs of the learner and society. They

serve as basis for selection of subject matter and student experiences.


3. Content or Subject-matter

Contents or subject matter are facts, concepts or principles intended for developing

knowledge, skills and values among the learners. Contents are organized to achieve the aims and

objectives, the learner’s requirements and the demands of the society. Subject-matter is usually

presented through textbooks.

4. Teaching Methodology

It refers to the techniques and methods chosen by the teacher to present the subject

matter. Teaching methodology results in learning outcomes. Students acquire knowledge, skills

or attitudes through teaching methodology.

5. Evaluation

Evaluation measures learning outcomes of the learner in terms of the proposed

objectives. Evaluation provides information on student’s learning. It helps the teacher in taking

up the next instructional activities.

COMPONENTS OF SYLLABUS

Syllabus is a document, which derives its contents from the curriculum. It is a summary

or outline of a course of studies; it is a program of lessons.

Syllabus normally contains three components.

1. Aims and objectives

2. Contents

3. Reference

The curriculum is developed for a course, whereas syllabus is developed for a period of

time-say first semester or second semester. Syllabus is an instructional tool to achieve curricular

aims.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CURRICULUM AND SYLLABUS


Sl. No. Curriculum Syllabus

1. It is broad guide line of school

programme.

It is an academic programme of school

teaching subjects.

2. Curriculum is for a course. Syllabus is for a subject / outline.

3. Curriculum is the superset. Syllabus is subset of the curriculum.

Curriculum-- --Syllabus

4. Curriculum consist of five

components namely,

i. The Learner and Society

ii. Aims and Objectives

iii. Content or Subject-matter

iv. Teacher Methodology

v. Evaluation

Syllabus consist of three components,

i. Aims and objectives

ii. Contents

iii. Reference

Sl. No. Curriculum Syllabus

5. It is developed according to

individual, social and national

needs and requirements of a

society.

The syllabi are prepared acc. to local

needs of community and abilities,

interests and previous knowledge of the

students.

6. The nature of curriculum is always

future oriented.

It is present/semester and academic

oriented.

7. The curriculum development is

teacher centered, student centered,

content centered, objective centered

activity centered, and society

centered etc.

The syllabi development is mainly

content centered and objective

centered.

8. The co-curricular activities are the

part of curriculum. The co-curricular activities are not the

part of syllabi.

9. It is made at state, district or

institute level.

It is made by individual teachers.

10. It cannot be easily adjusted. It can be adjusted easily.

11. It is prescriptive / narrow/ rigid in

nature.

It is descriptive / expressive in nature.

12. It is not accessible to students. It is accessible to students.

13. Guideline set for educators that

prescribe what they need to teach to

their students.

Descriptive list of the concepts that will

be taught in particular class.

14. Curriculum is three dimensional Syllabus is generally uni-dimensional


document, because takes into

account,

Needs of the learners,

Content and

Instructional methodology.

document. It merely presents contents

or subject matter to be studied.

15. It is not seen by students unless by

requests.

It is handed out on the first day of the

class.

TYPES OF CURRICULUM

1. Subject centered curriculum / Approach

2. Activity centered curriculum / Approach

3. Broad field curriculum / Approach

4. Society / Problem centered Curriculum / Approach

5. Learner or Child-centered curriculum / Approach

1. SUBJECT CENTERED CURRICULUM

It is the most popular and very old pattern of curriculum organization, which prevails

even today.

The subject-centered curriculum puts emphasis on the organized body of knowledge in a

subject or discipline.

To understand a subject and knowledge, this design is used.

Structure of the Subject Centered Curriculum

1. Objectives

The objectives are often stated in behavioural terms. The objectives determine the content

that the student must learn.

2. Contents

Contents are selected and organized prior to instruction.

Contents may be concepts, generalizations, ideas and processes of skills within the

subject area.

The experts or teachers select contents.

3. Material

The textbook is the most commonly used learning material.


The student has no role in selecting the learning materials.

4. Activities

The traditional verbal activities such as reading, writing and listening are usually

employed for learning the contents.

5. Grouping

Mostly instruction occurs in the whole class or in the large group.

6. Time and space

Time spent in the classroom is viewed as most valuable.

Time is divided into blocks so that each subject is taught at a specific time.

7. Methodology

The teacher chiefly uses lecture and discussion methods to present the contents.

The teacher is considered to be an expert in the subject area.

8. Evaluation

Evaluation is done to know whether the student has achieved the behavioural objectives or

learned the body of the contents.

Periodic evaluation is often done. Marks or grades indicate the degree of achievement.

Limitations of Subject-centered curriculum

i. Here learner’s interest or needs have no place.

ii. Memorization is mostly encouraged.

iii. Learner is encouraged to learn passively.

iv. No place for personal experience of the learner.

v. More stress is given to content than to the students.

vi. It is difficult to develop intellectual processes.

2. ACTIVITY CENTERED CURRICULUM

In activity centered curriculum, the learner acquires knowledge through activities. The

learner participates physically in the activities. Activity centered curriculum encourages group

activities. For example, the learner attains cognitive, attitudinal and behavioural changes

through:

Role-plays

Games and simulations


Value exercises

Socio-and psycho-drama

Other activities include the use of

Audio visual methods

Art, drama, music, dance and play.

3. BROAD-FIELD CURRICULUM

In the broad-field curriculum, several subjects are combined into one. The boundary of

each subject is not clear.

The best-known example of this plan is the social studies. This subject began by combing

history and geography into a single subject. More recently, other disciplines such as economics,

sociology, political science, law and anthropology have been made into a single combination

known as social science. Similarly, combining zoology with botany and anatomy into a subject

called “biology” is another example of a broad-field curriculum.

4. SOCIETY /PROBLEM / LIFE CENTERED CURRICULUM

The society centered curriculum puts emphasis on the school needs or social problems.

To understand and improve society, this design is used.

Structure of the Society /Problem / Life Centered Curriculum

1. Objectives

The objectives are selected on the basis of community needs. The objectives are not

predetermined by the teacher.

2. Contents

Contents are derived from life in a society or societies.

Any content is related to the social problem is selected.

Problem solving skills, human relation skills and social skills are emphasized rather than

the subject matter.

3. Material

A great variety of materials and resources in the community are used.


Original documents are preferred to textbooks.

4. Activities

Learning activities are placed by both teacher and students.

Students’ active participation is emphasized.

5. Grouping

Group work is essential in this design. Grouping of students is done on the basis of

student needs and desires.

6. Time and Space

Instructional time depends upon the nature of the project undertaken by the students.

Rigid allocation of time is minimized.

Space for learning includes all the resources of the school and community, which are

related to the problem or topic or project under study.

7. Methodology

The teacher is the facilitator of the learning process.

Direct observation, field study and direct experience are the methods used by the teacher.

8. Evaluation

Evaluation is jointly done by the teacher and students.

Evaluation puts emphasis on the performance or actions related to the social problems.

5. STUDENT-CENTERED CURRICULUM/LEARNER CENTERED CURRICULUM

“Students are the center or focus of the program” in the student-centered curriculum.

According to Nisbet, the learner-centered curriculum puts emphasis on the maximum personal

growth of the children. The concerns of the children are the basis for organizing the children’s

school program.

Kelly’s view on leaner-centered curriculum

According to Kelly (1977), a leaner-centered curriculum puts emphasis on

i) Needs of the learner

ii) Growth of the learner


iii) Interests of the learner

John Dewey on learner-centered curriculum

According to John Dewey, learner-centered curriculum puts emphasis on the following

facts:

1. Meaningful learning occurs when the child interacts with the environment.

2. The role of the teacher is to arrange and grade experiences for children according to their

interests and abilities.

3. The child is not an empty vessel to be filled with knowledge. Nor is a child a “little adult”.

Knowledge should be presented to the children according to their stages of growth and

development.

4. Dewey emphasizes that curriculum should be organized around human impulses:

a. The impulse to socialize

b. The impulse to construct

c. The impulse to inquire, to question, to experiment

d. The impulse to express or create artistically.

Nisbet on child-centered or learner centered curriculum aims at “personal growth” and

development of the individuals. Personal growth refers to:

i. Physical development

ii. Aesthetic development

iii. Social development

iv. Spiritual development

v. Intellectual development

vi. Moral development

STRUCTURE OF THE STUDENT-CENTERED / LEARNER CENTERED CURRICULUM

The student-centered curriculum puts emphasis on the learner. It helps to understand and

improve the students.

1. Objectives: Objectives are not pre-determined by the teacher. Instead, the purposes of the

students are used for learning process.

2. Contents: Contents are selected in accordance with the needs, interests, and abilities and past

experiences of the students.


3. Materials: Textbooks are not highly valued since students organize contents by themselves. A

wide variety of materials are used by the students.

4. Activities: Activities for learning are planned and selected by students. Teachers are just

consulted.

5. Grouping: Instructional groups are formed on common interests or needs of students. Groups

are flexible, short-term and spontaneous.

6. Time and space: Instructional time is not fixed but flexible .Students learn whenever time is

available. The space for learn is unstructured .The classroom is only a central meeting place.

Students may learning several resources in the school and community.

7. Teacher Methodology: The teacher is a co-learner and a facilitator in the learning process.

He encourages the student’s natural approach to learning. For example, field trips, project

methods, learning by doing are the teaching methodologies.

8. Evaluation: Both teacher and student jointly evaluate the learning outcome. The student does

self- evaluation. Evaluation is done to determine how the student learns rather than how much he

learns.

Disadvantages of learner- centered curriculum

1. A curriculum based on children’s own needs and interests certainly cannot adequately

prepare those children for future life.

2. Student- centered curriculum lacks definite children’s interests and contents.

3. It lacks continuity of sequencing, because it is based on children’s interests.

4. Commercial teaching materials neither available nor producible.

CURRICULUM DESIGN PROCESS

MEANING OF CURRICULUM DESIGN

Curriculum design is the pattern or structure of a curriculum. It refers to the

arrangement or organization of the components of the curriculum.

It involves the analysis of important social needs and problems of the nature, capacities

and needs of the students and understanding of the behaviour / characteristics of the

students.

The success of a curriculum design process depends mostly on the intensive teacher

involvement and active teacher-participation.


Any curriculum design process involves the following 5 steps,

1. Determination of aims and objectives

2. Selection of content

3. Selection of learning experiences

4. Integration of experiences with content

5. Evaluation

1. DETERMINATION OF AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aims and objectives of giving education to pupils of a particular stage are largely

determined by National goals, Institutional goals and Individuals needs.

National goals are framed for national development.

Institutional goals are framed to serve the community/society in which the institutions are

functioning.

Individual needs expressed in the form of interests and desires.

2. SELECTION OF CONTENT

In practice the selection of subject matter is not easy to achieve.

It requires a high level of co-operation and planning within and between schools.

Principles for the selection of content

i. Social utility

Certain subject matters such as technology, the physical sciences, and mathematics

should be taught because they provide a necessary basis for surviving in a complex,

technological society.

ii. Social Responsibility

Certain subject matters such as politics, sociology, and psychology might be included

because of the importance of social and political awareness in any democratic society.

iii. Common culture

History might be used to provide a common heritage that would serve to promote some

kind of social unity.

iv. Personal satisfaction


Some subjects, especially aesthetic and sporting ones might be selected because they

introduce pupils to activities that give considerable personal satisfaction and in that sense

increase quality life.

v. Cognitive concern

Subjects such as philosophy, archeology might be included for cognitive reasons

through them may not give too much pleasure or may not be two socially relevant.

vi. Parental social pressure

At present the schools are forced to be more accountable to outside groups especially

parents. Therefore subjects who reflect parental wishes should also find a place in the

curriculum.

vii. Mental powers

People believed in the past that certain subjects increasing general (mental) powers of

the mind analytic or logical thinking in particular.

3. SELECTION OF LEARNING EXPERIENCE

i. On the basis of Instructional objectives

In an effective curriculum using instructional objectives, the intended terminal behaviour

are identified with the initial instructional objectives. For example by allowing a student to

observe the boiling of water at 1000C. We can enable him to find out the boiling points of other

liquids using a thermometer.

ii. On the basis of Expressive objectives

In mathematics and science there has been a tendency to give greater attention to

instructional objectives, but in the visual arts the main emphasis has been on the expressive.

E.g. By engaging students in drawing we can help them extend modify & slowly produce

original and imaginative works.

iii. On the basis of Educational objectives

Learning experiences may be selected on the basis of different educational objectives

performing to cognitive, reflective and psychomotor domains.

Bloom’s Cognitive domain include,

Knowledge


Comprehension

Application

Analysis

Synthesis

Evaluation

Affective - Interest, attitudes and values

iv. On the basis of Theories of learning (Gagne 1974)

To promote learning in students, the activities of the teachers should be relevant to

learning theories.

v. On the basis of Environmental conditions

Learning activities structured for the students should be relevant to their life situations.

This would lesson the burden of the teachers and enhance the interest of the students.

vi. On the basis of the Stage of learning

Learning experiences should be designed appropriate to physical and mental stage of the

learners. A very simple or very difficult activity high courts the interest of the learners.

vii. On the basis of the Interest of the learner

Children coming from different family backgrounds may differ in capabilities & interests.

Like wise children interested in manual work may be engaged in learning experiences

which call for a good deal of physical extension.

4. INTEGRATION OF EXPERIENCES WITH CONTENT

To evolve a well balanced curriculum, the content and the learning experiences have to

be integrated systematically.

As the content and the learning experience are decided on the basis of educational aims.

It is felt that the integration of experience with content is nothing but integration of

broad aims of content with the broad aims of learning experiences.

Therefore the worth of a curriculum lies in the integration of the objectives of the content

with the objectives of the learning experiences.


5. EVALUATION

The extent to which a curriculum is workable and effective may be estimated by a

systematic means of evaluation.

Formal and informal assessments - five categories of assessment to judge the worth of

a curriculum.

1. Test and Examinations constructed to measure cognitive development.

2. Systematic observation and recording of pupil’s progress made by teachers.

3. Self-Assessment records kept by pupils.

4. Personality assessment and socio-metric techniques carried out by teachers and others.

5. Longitudinal studies of children’s development made by research workers.

CURRICULUM AND CULTURAL HERITAGE

Cultural Heritage

It refers only to a ‘social heritage’ that is all the knowledge, beliefs, customs and skills

that are available to the members of a society. It is the ‘distinctive’ way of life of a group of

people, their complete design for living’. The ‘humanist’ view of culture emphasizes creativity

and excellence. The cultured man in this tradition is sophisticated, sensitive and educated.

Curriculum and Culture

Since culture is regarded as the distinctive ‘Genius’ of a people, all the methods and

techniques adopted by a group of people in their art, music, literature and everyday living are

just products of their cultures. In other words we can say that the culture of a social group is

perpetuated in numerous ‘symbols’ in the social life of that group. Therefore, the curriculum

designed with a view to impact cultural heritage should have a good blend of subjects which are

rich with symbols that sustain personal and group identity’ that are personally meaningful and

that evoke associations. That is why in Shantiniketan, Tagore included music, arts, crafts and

dances of ancient India in the curriculum, besides a study of other subjects. For long it has been

felt that subjects like history, literature, languages, forms of government, art etc. will enable

individuals to gain an acquaintance with their culture. In this age of science and technology a

curriculum consisting of cultural and humanistic studies besides other subjects seems to be more


relevant than a curriculum consisting of only Science Courses. The merit of certain subjects to be

included in the curriculum meant for imparting cultural heritage may be discussed one by one.

History

Until almost the beginning of the 19th century history was not recognized in England as a

fit subject for school curriculum. So history is relatively a new school subject. The value of

historical study is admitted in all quarters. The manner of writing history books as well as the

methods of teaching the subject have received proper attention. The Literary history of former

times has given place to more scholarly and accurate works. Moreover, the view-point of history

itself, has changed. It no longer gives undue prominence to the succession of kings and queens,

or to wars, conquests revolutions and other, spectacular events, but to the evolution of Society. It

is now more concerned with the manner in which the common man has lived in the past.

Therefore history is taught with such bright hopes that if children go through the history of their

country they will understand the embedded cultural elements in their day to day activities and

will begin to love their country all the more. Moreover, by learning about other nations they will

understand them better and wars may never happen again. As an academic discipline intended

for widening the outlook, history has great virtue; it may teach judgement, evaluation of

evidence, sympathy for other civilizations and an understanding of human motives.

Language

For the purpose of understanding culture, two kinds of symbols should be distinguished,

the ‘Referential’ and the ‘Expressive’. Referential symbols are ‘denotative’ in nature. They are

words or objects that have a specific reference. They are instrumental, ‘portable typewriter is a

referential symbol; it is a convenient way of referring to a specific class of objects.

Expressive symbols are ‘connotative’. They evoke associations and are open-ended. The

word ‘Professor’ denotes one who holds a position on a faculty, but the same word cannotes a

wide range of associations suggesting authority, knowledge and wisdom. Therefore the native,

language serves as a powerful medium for expressing ideas, feelings and for communicating

messages. A language which has become the medium of expression for a society is regarded as a

guide to ‘social reality’. Conceptions of time, space and other aspects of the world are rooted in


language. Concealed in the structure of each language is a set of implicit assumptions. For

example, in English, tense is an important aspect of conjugation. Since in English a verb must

have tense the speaker is cognizant of a time dimension wherever he uses the language. It shows

that a language is capable of influencing even the thought ways of people. Therefore, for the

preservation of culture the learning of mother tongue in a systematic way at all stages should be

stressed.

unit - i concept of curriculum · aims, objectives or goals as ideals of the teacher classroom...

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