Lesson 4 Principles of Curriculum For Understanding

Lesson 4 Principles of Curriculum for Understanding: Knowledge about curriculum
principles, instructional
• Analysis design models
• Design
• Development
• Implementation
• Evaluation
Why This Lesson

This lesson focuses on the principles that guide the development of curriculum and the relevance of curriculum
development and revision to serve the changing needs of both students and society.
Principles of Curriculum Development

Cunningham: - “Curriculum is a tool in the hands of the artist (teacher) to mold his material (pupils) according
to
his ideas (aims and objectives) in his studio (school).
The Curriculum is a standards-based sequence of planned experiences where students practice and achieve
proficiency in content and applied learning skills. Curriculum is the central guide for all educators as to what is
essential for teaching and learning so that every student has access to rigorous academic experiences.
Therefore, the curriculum is an important resource for teachers to refer to in determining the kind of instructional
practices that should be used to bring about excellent student achievement in the classroom. It is also a
source for teachers to refer to when planning appropriate assessments in the classroom for assessing students'
achievement of learning standards as stated in the curriculum.
How do we define curriculum?
• Curriculum is that which is taught at school.

• Curriculum is a set of subjects.
• Curriculum is content.
• Curriculum is a sequence of courses.
• Curriculum is a set of performance objectives
A curriculum will answer:
What outcomes do we want?

What content is therefore needed?
How can the content best be taught/learned?
How do we best assess the content taught?
How do we evaluate our process?
Difference between syllabus and curriculum

Functionally a “Syllabus‟ is generally unidimensional in the sense it merely presents the content or the subject
matter to be studied.
Curriculum is three-dimensional because it takes into account:
• The needs of the students
© UNITAR International University 1 Prepared by: Manoharan A/L Nalliah

• The content (in terms of specific performances)
• Instructional methodology
According to Ralph Tyler, those involved in curriculum inquiry must try to define the four basic components of
the curriculum. They are:
1) Purposes of the school
2) Educational experiences related to the purposes
3) Organisation of these experiences
4) Evaluation of the purposes
Stages of Curriculum Development

Developing an effective curriculum is a core component of providing a successful education. The literature
and philosophy surrounding the concept of curriculum have evolved over the years. Today the term can be
broadly used to encompass the entire plan for a course, including the learning objectives, teaching strategies,
materials, and assessments.
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Identification of students needs and level of

understanding
Defining objectives to be achieved
Selection of the course content and learning

experiences
Organization of the course contents and

learning experiences
Evaluation of the course son ent
The proposed curriculum model is based on Tyler, Taba, and Wheeler.
Read the following article on curriculum development process from the perspective of Tyler, Taba, and
Wheeler. Do you think this is a good way to develop a curriculum?
https://www.europeanjournalofsocialsciences.com/issues/PDF/EJSS_58_1_02.pdf

Further reading: L4-Dev_Implement_n_Evaluation.pdf
Importance of curriculum development for teaching and learning

All curriculums share one goal: to help students learn. No matter what country or district your school is in, student
outcomes start with a solid plan.
But a curriculum does much, much more than guide lessons in math, reading, and history. It can benefit schools
just as much as students, from teachers to administration. And it can help schools connect with parents and the
community around them.
What can a good curriculum do?
1. It both creates and reflects culture and identity.

On a broad level, a curriculum reflects the national culture in which a school operates – different countries
have different expectations of their students, even if teaching practices are similar. But it can also reflect
and define the culture at the school level as well, from the specific needs of the neighborhoods they
serve to the topics where you want to differentiate yourself.
2. It keeps up with a changing world.

A good curriculum is never a one-and-done initiative. Revisiting it regularly allows you to not only review
how things are going, but also make room for new topics that are relevant today. In fact, the World
Economic Forum touts curriculum as a key player in helping educators keep up with the speed of
changing trends, technology, and skills students will need in the future.
3. It makes learning (and teaching) consistent.

Internal consistency happens when students inside your school can expect to walk away with the same
set of skills, whether their teacher is a veteran in the profession or learning the ropes. Consistency should
also stretch across a district, state or province, or country as well – a student in fifth grade should expect
to graduate with the same foundational knowledge and skills, no matter where they learn.
4. It opens the doors for collaboration.

Having regular discussions about curriculum creates opportunities to get all stakeholders involved:
teachers, administration, parents, and communities. Getting input from everyone will help identify where
you’re strong and what gaps you need to address. It also gives teachers a platform over which they can
share best practices, knowledge, and resources with each other.
5. It saves schools money.

Textbooks aren’t cheap, but they’re commonplace because they’re convenient – they provide a pre-
built progression of knowledge that’s hard to ignore for busy teachers. With a strong curriculum in place,
schools can break away from an over-reliance on textbooks and take a more active and dynamic role
in choosing better (and cheaper) texts.

6. It helps teachers align.
A good curriculum also connects teachers from across grade levels and subject areas to look at the big
picture of student learning. Teachers can work together to plan a progression of topics that build off of
ones that came before and connect across disciplines. The result? You reinforce knowledge over time
and make sure that students are prepared for what’s coming next.
7. It provides measurable targets.

Data matters. If you aren’t setting specific goals around how your students are learning, how will you
determine whether your curriculum is successful? That’s why a good curriculum sets measurable
outcomes and tracks progress throughout the year. Teachers get a better view of what’s happening in
the classrooms, students know where they stand, and parents are kept up-to-date.
Source: https://www.chalk.com/resources/7-reasons-why-your-curriculum-matters-more-than-you-think/
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Lesson 4 Principles of Curriculum For Understanding

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Lesson 4 Principles of Curriculum for Understanding: Knowledge about curriculum

Why This Lesson

Principles of Curriculum Development

How do we define curriculum?

• Curriculum is that which is taught at school.

A curriculum will answer:

What outcomes do we want?

Difference between syllabus and curriculum

© UNITAR International University 1 Prepared by: Manoharan A/L Nalliah

Stages of Curriculum Development

Identification of students needs and level of

Defining objectives to be achieved

Selection of the course content and learning

Organization of the course contents and

Evaluation of the course son ent

The proposed curriculum model is based on Tyler, Taba, and Wheeler.

© UNITAR International University 2 Prepared by: Manoharan A/L Nalliah

Importance of curriculum development for teaching and learning

What can a good curriculum do?

1. It both creates and reflects culture and identity.

2. It keeps up with a changing world.

3. It makes learning (and teaching) consistent.

4. It opens the doors for collaboration.

5. It saves schools money.

© UNITAR International University 3 Prepared by: Manoharan A/L Nalliah

7. It provides measurable targets.

© UNITAR International University 4 Prepared by: Manoharan A/L Nalliah

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