Philosophical Bases of Curriculum

Philosophical bases of curricu
Philosophy is the end and education is

the means to achieve that end
Philosophy determines the goal of life and

education tries to achieve the goal
The contents of curriculum change to suit

the prevalent ideologies and social ways of
thinking
Curriculum is positively correlated with the

needs and requirements of the society
Philosophy provides curriculum specialists with a framework for broad issues and
tasks, in general what experiences and activities to stress in schools and
classrooms.
Relationship between Education and
Philosophy in the modern world
The basic relationship between philosophy and education
•It is philosophy, that provides the purpose or the aim and it is education
which makes it practical.
•Philosophy shows the way and education moves on in that direction.
•Education is the modification of behaviour, the direction in which,

modification to be carried out is determined by philosophy.
•Education is a laboratory where philosophic theories and speculations

are tested and made concrete. Education may, therefore, be rightly
called applied philosophy.
•Philosophy is wisdom; education transmits that wisdom from one

generation to the other.
•Philosophy is in reality the theory of education.
Philosophy formulates the method, education its process.

Metaphysics or the discussion about
the nature of ultimate reality and the
cosmos
Epistemology or the theory of

knowledge
Ethics, the theory of morality
Aesthetics or the discussion of beauty
Logic or the study of ideal method of

thought and reasoning
of
• The focus in the curriculum is classical
Perennialism subjects, literary analysis and considers
curriculum as constant
bases
• The essential skills of the 3 R's and

Essentialism essential subjects of English, Science,
History, Math and Foreign Language is the
focus of the curriculum
Philosophical
• The curriculum is focused on students'

interest, human problems and affairs.
Progressivism
curriculum
• The subjects are interdisciplinary,

integrative and interactive
Reconstructionis • The focus of the curriculum is on present

and future trends and issues of national
m and international interests
Schools of Philosophy and their impact on education
Mind or spirit is
Books are considered as treasure the essential
house of knowledge world
Science and mathematics too find place to Promoting

stimulate intellectual development the
intellectual
growth and
subjects called ‘Humanities’ like the self
History, Literature, Philosophy, realization
Culture and region and various
fine arts and physical education
are included
Subject centred
curriculum
Teacher is considered to
be an authority and serves
as a living ideal Should
attain
mastery
Realism
Matter is everything
Sense organs are gateways of knowledge
Philosophy of life and philosophy of education both are

determined by the interaction between man and his
environment
Values remain unchanged
Developing the rational person
Subjects are chosen based on their characteristics
Physical sciences and mathematics are given priority
Study of literature
All components of general education
including language study, physical education,
music, drawing, paintings etc.
Vocational education for higher classes
Advocates
scientific
method to No
Change, solve man’s knowledge
growth and problems is final or
developme
eternal
nt - goals
of life
Human
Aim of Pragmatism experience
education is alone is
not to real
prepare the
child for any
future life
Man
life centred creates his
curriculum own values
Naturalism
Reality is ‘Nature’
•It recommends for
itself
Self expression
Our senses are the
gateways of Succeed in the struggle for
existence
knowledge
‘learning by doing’ is  Autonomous development of
individuality
given precedence
Sensory training
Basically all organisms Redirection and sublimation of

are innately pure and natural instincts
good Education in accordance with the

nature of the child
Science subjects with
nature are given
The society influences the school curriculum
Every society expects its schools:
•To preserve the culture and transmit it to the

young children (socialization)
•To help learners to meet the pressing social

needs’
•To prepare the learners for the future society
only those subjects and activities should be

included in the curriculum which is useful from the
point of view of society.
Leisure
Culture
Home
Membership
Occupation
Skills
School curriculum is expected to put emphasis
on:
•Training and research
•Specialized skills for new work culture
•Discovery and encouragement of creativity
•Preparation of the environment for the future
•Peace Education
•Computer Education
Population growth emphasizes the
following in school curriculum Human Ecology
•Small family norm, delayed marriage, responsible
parenthood, status of women attitudes towards family
planning
•Environmental concepts should also find a place in

school curriculum.
•Afforestation and Deforestation
•Conservation of forests and animals
•Conservation of rain and water
•Soil erosion, preservation of green lands
•Water, air and chemical pollutions

Psychological bases of curriculum
Education is for the child and not that child is for

education
Child is the centre of educational process
Child develops through various stages - curriculum should be
so flexible
Each child to develop along his natural path and progress

at his own speed
The curriculum should contain various sports, games,

creative activities
Skinner and Thorndike are the important behavioural psychologists.
Behavioural psychology deals with observable responses or behaviour of
the learners
•Micro Teaching
•Instructional training modules
•Individualized learning’
•Direct instruction’
•Mastery learning
•Computer Assisted Instruction
•Bahavioural objectives
Cognitive Psychology deals with the thinking process of the learners. Piaget,
Bruner, Gagne and Guilford are the chief cognitive psychologists
•Develop divergent thinking, reflective

thinking and critical thinking
•Develop imagination’
•Develop the problem solving skill
•Develop creativity
•Develop proper perception

Humanistic Psychology
Positive attitude and feelings
Self actualization
Freedom to learn
Value clarification
Becoming a person
Self direction
Humanistic Psychology is considered to be the recent learning theory. Maslow

and Rogers are the important humanistic psychologists
Simple learning experiences are recommended for the nursery
school children, whereas advanced and abstract ideas and concepts
are recommended for high school children.
Instructional objectives
Contents
Teacher methodology’
Evaluation
Curriculum content
Criteria of selection of
content
Self-sufficiency
Significance
Validity
Interest
Utility
Learnability
Feasibility
Orientation of democratic values

Content organization
Principles of organizing the selected content
Sequencing
Continuity
Integration
Logical organization
Psychological organization
Concentric organization
Topical organization
Unit organization
Modular organization
Logical organization
The arrangement of contents in a natural
sequence is called logical organization. The
contents are logically organized in the following
ways
•Sequence from the known to the unknown
•Sequence from the simple to the complex
•Sequence from the concrete to the abstract
•Sequence from observation to reasoning
•Sequence from a whole to a more detailed view

Concentric organization
According to this approach, children in the primary

classes begin to develop simple generalizations and
as they progress through high classes, they work with
difficult arrangement of information.
Limitations
•The same facts are repeated again and again
•Hurried and temporary references will not be helpful

in understanding complex problems.
Topical organization
The nature of the topics varies in accordance with the
age, ability and interests of the children.
It discusses all the aspects of the problem and gives an

overall view of that particular problem.
Merits
•It provides a solution for dealing with vast material in a

logical and rational fashion.
•It helps the pupils to understand the facts
•It can be adapted according to the age, ability and

aptitude of the children.
Unit organization
The ‘unit’ is an organization of various activities,
experiences and types of learning around a central problem
or purpose, developed co-operatively by a group of pupils
under teacher leadership; involves planning, execution of
plans and evaluation of results.
Characteristics of the unit

•It is a purposeful learning experience
•It has significant content
•It is comprehensive enough to have scope and unity
•It involves pupils through active participation
•It develops competent skills.
Advantages
i.The unit method is well suited for the growth and
development of the abilities and skills
ii.The organization of experiences and materials into
units facilitates the child learning significant
relationships, concepts and processes.
iii.The unit, because of its flexibility provides facility in
adopting instruction to individual differences of
children
iv.In a unit, the needs of the learner are given top
consideration.
Modular Organization
The arrangement of the material in ‘modules’ is called
modular organization.
The contents in a module are organized in such a way
that students can study in groups or individually.
There is a sequence in the modules from one year to
the next. Within a year, a student can learn several
modules having different difficulty levels.
In general, modules are well structured self instructional
programme containing self study materials, enrichment
exercises, self tests and remedial exercises.

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Philosophical bases of curricu

Philosophy is the end and education is

Philosophy determines the goal of life and

The contents of curriculum change to suit

Curriculum is positively correlated with the

•Philosophy shows the way and education moves on in that direction.

•Education is the modification of behaviour, the direction in which,

•Education is a laboratory where philosophic theories and speculations

•Philosophy is wisdom; education transmits that wisdom from one

•Philosophy is in reality the theory of education.

Philosophy formulates the method, education its process.

Epistemology or the theory of

Ethics, the theory of morality

Aesthetics or the discussion of beauty

Logic or the study of ideal method of

• The essential skills of the 3 R's and

• The curriculum is focused on students'

• The subjects are interdisciplinary,

Reconstructionis • The focus of the curriculum is on present

Science and mathematics too find place to Promoting

Sense organs are gateways of knowledge

Philosophy of life and philosophy of education both are

Developing the rational person

Subjects are chosen based on their characteristics

Physical sciences and mathematics are given priority

Basically all organisms Redirection and sublimation of

good Education in accordance with the

•To preserve the culture and transmit it to the

•To help learners to meet the pressing social

•To prepare the learners for the future society

only those subjects and activities should be

•Training and research

•Specialized skills for new work culture

•Discovery and encouragement of creativity

•Preparation of the environment for the future

•Environmental concepts should also find a place in

•Afforestation and Deforestation

•Conservation of forests and animals

•Conservation of rain and water

•Soil erosion, preservation of green lands

•Water, air and chemical pollutions

Education is for the child and not that child is for

Each child to develop along his natural path and progress

The curriculum should contain various sports, games,

•Instructional training modules

•Computer Assisted Instruction

•Develop divergent thinking, reflective

•Develop the problem solving skill

•Develop proper perception

Humanistic Psychology is considered to be the recent learning theory. Maslow

Orientation of democratic values

•Sequence from the known to the unknown

•Sequence from the simple to the complex

•Sequence from the concrete to the abstract

•Sequence from observation to reasoning

•Sequence from a whole to a more detailed view

According to this approach, children in the primary

•Hurried and temporary references will not be helpful

It discusses all the aspects of the problem and gives an