Module 3: The Teacher as a Curriculum Designer

Module Overview:
A curriculum as a planned sequence of learning experiences should be at the heart
and mind of every teacher. Every teacher as a curricularist should be involved in designing a
curriculum. In fact, it is one of the teacher’s roles as a curricularists. As such, you will be a
part of the intellectual journey of your learners. You will be providing them the necessary
experiences that will enable the learner what you intend them to learn.
As a curriculum designer this task was not given much attention in the past. Every
single day, a teacher designs a lesson or utilizes a curriculum that has been made and was
previously written. Designing a curriculum is a very challenging task. It is here where the
style and creativity of the teacher come in. Thus this module will provide the necessary
concepts and activities that you as a teacher can refer to as you prepare yourself to be a
curriculum designer.

Lesson 1: Fundamentals of Curriculum Designing

Intended Learning Outcomes:

 Identify the fundamentals of curriculum designing
 Appreciate the task of designing a curriculum

Take Off

Content Focus
Building on Peter Olivia’s 10 Axioms for Curriculum Designers
Every curriculum designer, implementer, or evaluator should take in mind the
following general axioms as a guide in curriculum development.

1. Curriculum change is inevitable, necessary and desirable. Earlier it was stated that
one of the characteristics of curriculum is its being dynamic. Because of this, teachers
should respond to the changes that occur in schools and in its context. Societal
development and knowledge revolution come so fast that the need to address the
changing condition requires new curriculum designs.

2. Curriculum is a product of its time. A relevant curriculum should respond to changes

brought about by current social forces, philosophical positions, psychological principles,
new knowledge and educational reforms. This is also called timeliness.

3. Curriculum changes made earlier can exist concurrently with newer curriculum
changes. A revision in a curriculum starts and ends slowly. More often, curriculum is
gradually phased in phased out, thus the changes that occur can coexist and oftentimes
overlap for long periods of time.

4. Curriculum change depends on people who will implement the change. Teachers
who will implement the curriculum should be involved in its development, hence should
know how to design a curriculum. Because the teachers are the implementer of the
curriculum, it is best that they should design and own the changes. This will ensure an
effective and long lasting change.

5. Curriculum development is a cooperative group activity. Group decisions in some

aspects of curriculum development are suggested. Consultations with stakeholders when
possible will add to a sense of ownership. Even learners should participate in some
aspect of curriculum designing. Any significant change in the curriculum should involve a
broad range of stakeholders to gain their understanding, support and input.

6. Curriculum development is a decision-making process made from choices of

alternative. A curriculum developer or designers must decide must decide what contents
 to teach, philosophy or point of view to support, how to provide for multicultural groups,
what methods or strategies and what type of evaluation to use.

7. Curriculum development is an ongoing process. Continuous monitoring, examination,

evaluation and improvement of curricula, examination, evaluation and improvement of
curricula are to be considered in the design of the curriculum. As needs of learners
change, as society changes and as new knowledge and technology appear, the
curriculum must change.

8. Curriculum development is more effective it is comprehensive process, rather than

a “piecemeal”. A curriculum design should be based on a careful plan, should clearly
establish intended outcomes, support resources and needed time available and should
equip teaching staff pedagogically.
9. Curriculum development is more effective when it follow a systematic process. A
curriculum design is composed of desired outcomes, subject matter content
complemented with references, set of procedures, needed materials and resources and
evaluation procedure which can be placed in a matrix.
10. Curriculum development starts from where the curriculum is. Curriculum planners
and designers should begin with existing curriculum. An existing design is a good starting
point for any teacher who plans to enhance and enrich a curriculum.

For most curricula the major components or element are answers to the following
questions:
1. What learning outcomes ne to be achieved? (Intended Learning Outcomes)
2. What content should be included to achieve the learning outcomes? (Subject Matter)
3. What learning experiences and resources should be employed? (Teaching-Learning
Methods)
4. How will the achieved learning outcomes be measure? (Assessment of Achieved Learning
Outcomes)

Elements or Components of a Curriculum Design

Let us take the Lesson Plan as a miniscule curriculum. A lesson plan or teaching guide
includes 1. Intended Learning Outcomes, 2. Subject matter or Content, 3. Teaching and
Learning Methods, and 4. Assessment Evaluation. Each of these components or
elements is described below.

I. Intended Learning Outcomes or Behavioral Objectives

Begin with the end in view. The objectives or intended learning outcomes are the
reasons for undertaking the learning lesson from the student’s point of view; it is desired
learning outcomes that is to be accomplished in a particular learning episode, engaged in
by the learners under the guidance of the teacher. As a curriculum designer, the
beginning of the learning journey is the learning outcomes to be achieved. In this way,
both the learner and the teacher are guided by what to accomplish.
The behavioral objectives, intended learning outcomes or desired learning outcomes
are expressed in action words found in the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy of Objectives for
the development of the cognitive skills. For the affective skills, the taxonomy made by
Krathwohl and for the psychomotor domain by Simpson.
For example, if the a lesson intends the students to identify the parts of a simple
flower as stated in the desired learning outcomes, then students should have identified
the parts of a simple flower, at the end of the lesson.
Sometimes the phrase intended learning outcomes is used to refer to the anticipated
results after completing the planned activity or lesson. In framing learning outcomes, it is
good practice to:
  Express each outcome in terms of what successful students will be able to do. For
example, rather than stating Students will be able to explain the reason why… it
should be: Students must have explained he reasons why… This helps students to
focus on what they have to achieve as learning. It will also help curricularist devise
appropriate assessment tasks.
 Include different kinds of outcomes. The most common are cognitive objectives
(learning facts, theories, formulae, principles etc.) and performance outcomes
(learning how to carry out procedures, calculations and processes, which typically
include gathering information and communicating results). In some contexts, affective
outcomes are important too (for developing attitudes or values, e.g. those required as
a person and for a particular profession).

II. Content/Subject Matter

The content of the lesson or unit is the topic or subject matter that will be covered. In
selecting content, you should bear in mind the following principles in addition to those
mentioned about the content in previous lessons:
 Subject matter should be relevant to the outcomes of the curriculum. An effective
curriculum is purposive and clearly focused on the planned learning outcomes.
 Subject matter should be appropriate to the level of the lesson or unit. An effective
curriculum is progressive, leading students towards building on previous lessons.
Contents which are too basic or too advanced for the development levels of learners
make students either bored or baffled, and affect their motivation to learn.
 Subject matter should be up to date and if possible, should reflect current knowledge
and concepts.

III. References
The reference follows the content. It tells where the content or subject matter has
been taken. The reference may be a book, a module, or any publication. It must bear the
author of the material and of possible, the publications. Some examples are given below.
1. Project Wild (1992) K to 12 Activity Guide, An Interdisciplinary, Supplementary
Conservation and Environmental Education Program. Council of Environmental
Education, Bethesda, MD.

2. Shipman, James and jerry Wilson, et al (2009). An Introduction to Physical

Science. Houghton Miffin Co. Boston MA

3. Romo, Slavador B. (2013). Horticulture and Exploratory Course. Lorimar

Publishing Inc. Quezon City

4. Bilbao, Purita P. and Corpuz, Brenda B. et al (2012). The Teaching Profession 2nd
Ed. Lorimar Publishing Inc. Quezon City.

IV. Teaching and Learning Methods

These are the activities where the learners derive experiences. It is always good to
keep in mind the teaching strategies that students will experience (lectures, laboratory
classes, field work etc.) and make them learn. The teaching-learning methods should allow
cooperation, competition as well as individualism or independent learning among the
students. For example:
 Cooperative learning activities allow students to work together. Students are guided
to learn on their own to find solutions to their problems. The role of the teachers is to
guide the learners. Democratic process is encouraged, and each one contributes to
the success of learning. Students learn from each other in ways. Group projects and
activities considerably enhance the curriculum.
 Independent learning activities allow learners to develop personal responsibility. The
degree of independence to learn how to learn is enhanced. This strategy is more
appropriate for fast learners.
  Competitive activities, where students will test their competencies against another in
a healthy manner allow learners to perform to their maximum. Most successful
individuals in their adult life are competitive, even in early schooling. They mostly
become the survivors in a very competitive world.
 The use of various delivery modes to provide learning experiences is recommended.
Online learning and similar modes are increasingly important in many curricula, but
these need to be planned carefully to be effective.

VI. Assessment/Evaluation
Learning occurs most effectively when students receive feedback, i.e. when they
receive information on what they have already (and have not) learned. The process by which
this information is generated is assessment. It has three main forms:

 Self-assessment, through which students learn to monitor and evaluate their own
learning. This should be a significant element in the curriculum because we aim to
produce graduates who are appropriately reflective and self-critical.
 Peer assessment, in which students provide feedback on each other’s learning. This
can be viewed as an extension of self-assessment and presupposes trust and mutual
respect. Research that students can learn to judge each other’s work as reliably as
staff.
 Teacher assessment, in which the teacher prepares and administers test and gives
feedback on the student’s performance.

Assessment may be formative (providing feedback to help the students learn more)
or summative (expressing a judgement on the student’s achievement by reference to stated
criteria). Many assessment tasks involve an element of both, e.g. an assignment that is
marked and returned to the student with detailed comments.
Summative assessment usually involves the allocation of marks or grades. This
helps the teacher make decisions about the progress or performance of the students.
Students usually learn more by understanding the strengths and weaknesses of their
work than by knowing the mark or grade given to it. For this reason, summative assessment
tasks (including unseen examinations) should include an element of formative feedbacks, if
possible

Application of the Fundamental Components to Other Curriculum Designs

While our example refers only to designing a lesson plan which is a mini curriculum,
similar components will also be used in making a syllabus for teaching in higher education
courses or other curricular projects. Based on the curriculum models we have learned, the
fundamental components include the following:
Major components of a Course Design or Syllabus
1. Intended Outcomes (or Objectives)
2. Content/Subject Matter (with references)
3. Methods/Strategies (With needed resources)
4. Evaluation (means of assessment)

All other additional components are trimmings that each designer may place. This
additional part may be an institutional template, suggested by other curriculum experts and
as required by educational agencies like Department of Education, Commission on Higher
Education, Accrediting Agencies, Professional Organizations that would serve the purpose
they intend to achieve.
Name: _______________________________________ Date: _______
Course & Year: _____________ Score: ______
Name of Instructor: _____________________________

Take Action
Activity 1: Finding an Example
Instructions: With a partner….
1. Secure a copy of a sample Lesson Plan.
2. Using the matrix given below, analyse the sample you secured and give your
suggestions based on the principles and concepts you learned in this module.
Components Copy form the Sample Your comments/suggestions

Title of the Lesson Plan

Intended Learning
Outcomes/Objectives

Content/Subject Matter

Methods/Strategies

Evaluation/Assessment

Answer briefly:
1. Which one principle of Oliva is reflected in the Lesson Plan? Explain briefly.
2. If you were to improve the design, what will you add, or delete or modify? Write your re-
design suggestion.

Self Check: Which of the concepts do you clearly understand? Answer Yes or No

Answer
As a curricularist designer…. Yes or No
1. Do you think, curriculum change is inevitable?
2. Does curriculum change not consider the existing one?
3. Should curriculum be designed only by one person?
4. Should any change in curriculum include an evaluation process?
5. Does curriculum change mean total overhaul?
6. Should learning outcomes be considered first before the content?
7. Should teaching methods consider only the expertise of the teacher?
8. Are time methods like inductive and lecture no longer useful?
9. Should contents be updated and relevant?
10. Is there only one design that a teacher should know?

Self Reflect
Instructions: Provide answers to the incomplete sentences. After reading, this lesson
on fundamentals of curriculum designing or crafting a curriculum,
1. I realize that ………

2. I feel that……….

3. I need to ……….