EDUC 15.

THE TEACHER AND THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Module 1. Basic Concepts and Nature of the Curriculum

I. COURSE INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES. (Learning Objectives)

At the end of the module, the learner is able to:
1. define curriculum in their own words.
2. compare the different views of curriculum.
3. determine and describe the types and components of curriculum.
4. enumerate and describe the role of a teacher as a curricularist in the school
and classroom.

II. LEARNING CONTENTS/SUBJECT MATTER (Subject Matter Contents)

A. DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW OF CURRICULUM

1. Traditional Point of View.

In the early years of the 20th century, curriculum was viewed as the body of
subjects or subject matter prepared by the teachers for the students to learn.
This is the same as the “course of study” and “prospectus” used in college.
This is commonly known as the academic curriculum.
Robert Hutchins views curriculum as “permanent studies” where rules of
grammar, reading, rhetoric and logic and mathematics for basic education are
emphasized. Basic education should emphasize the 3Rs and tertiary education
should be grounded on liberal education.
Arthur Bestor, an essentialist, believes that the mission of the school should be
intellectual training; hence curriculum should focus on the fundamental
intellectual disciplines of grammar, literature and writing. It should also
include mathematics, science, history and foreign language.
Joseph Schwab believes that discipline is the sole source of curriculum.
He emphasizes that curriculum should consist only of the knowledge which
comes from discipline.
Disciplines are body of knowledge from different fields of study such as
Humanities and Social Sciences (Psychology, sociology, anthropology,
Geology, politics,economics, religion and theology, history, Performance
Arts, etc.); Business (Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Entrepreneur,
Commence); Sciences (Biology, Zoology, Botany, Geology; physics);
Language (English, Filipino French, Spanish, etc.); Mathematics (basic
math, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics,); Engineering (geodetic,
civil, electrical, agriculture, electronics, etc); Medicine of different fields of
specialization, and many more.

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 2. Progressive Points of View

Curriculum is viewed as the total learning experiences of the individual. This view
was grounded on the educational theories of John Dewey on experience and
education. He believed that education is life, a continuous process, and experience
is the sole means of learning. Thus, he advocated that the curriculum content
should suit to the needs and demands of the changing society.
Caswell and Campbell viewed curriculum as “all experiences children have under
the guidance of t teachers.” This definition was supported by Smith, Stanley and
Shores when they defined “curriculum as a sequence of potential experiences set up
in schools for the purpose of disciplining children and youth in group ways of
thinking and acting.”
Likewise, March and Willis defined curriculum as all the “experiences in the
classroom which are planned and enacted by the teacher, and also learned by the
students.”

3. Points of View of Curriculum Development Experts

Curriculum is a dynamic process. Development means changes which are

systematic. Change for the better means alteration, modification or improvement
of existing conditions. To produce positive changes, development should be
purposeful, planned and progressive.

B. DEFINITIONS OF CURRICULUM

Based on the different views of curriculum experts, the following are the various
meanings of curriculum.
1. Curriculum as a list of subjects. This pertains to permanent or traditional
subjects offered in the school such as Mathematics, Language, Science, Music,
Social Studies, and many others. Subjects are used in Basic Education.
2. Curriculum as content or subject matter. This includes content standards and
series of unit of studies and topics under each subject area.
3. Curriculum as learning experiences. This refers to the co-curricular and extra
curricular activities and other learning experiences of the students they encounter
inside and outside the school that are planned and provided by the school.
4. Curriculum as intended learning outcomes. This includes list of performance
standards and learning competencies that the students should learn in school.
5. Curriculum as planned learning experiences. These are documents such
curriculum guide, learning plan/lesson plan, and syllabus that contain contents of
the subject matter, objectives, learning activities, materials/resources, and
assessment tools that the students should accomplish in a specific field of
discipline.

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6. Curriculum as a discipline. These are body of knowledge such as principles,
theories and concepts of a specific field of study.

●The different disciplines are taught in college, and subjects are taught is the
Basic Education. The disciplines are usually the fields of specialization
of students in college and graduate studies that become their degree.

C. CURRICULUM CONCEPTIONS

Curriculum workers have different views about curriculum development. There are
six curriculum conceptions according to McNeil, Eisner and Print.
1. Academic rationalist. It stresses the importance of different bodies of
knowledge, known as disciplines or subject areas, as the focus of the
curriculum.
2. Cognitive processes. Seeks to develop a collection of cognitive skills that are
applicable to a wide range of intellectual problems. The subject matter is just
instruments for developing these cognitive skills that are lasting in the lives
and useful of individuals.
3. Humanistic conception. Stresses the idea that education or curriculum is an
instrument for developing the full potentials of individuals. It seeks to help
individual discover and develop their unique identities. It stresses that
curriculum should focus on the needs and interest of individuals.
4. Social Reconstructionist. Believed that the school is an agency for social
change. It stress that curriculum should respond to the different needs,
issues, problems and demands of the society.
5. Technological conception. It emphasized with the development of means
achieve curriculum or educational goals such as instructional aided
materials, tools, equipment, and the like.
6. Eclectic conception. Curriculum workers find themselves aligning their ideas
with two or more curriculum conceptions. Believes that each of the
curriculum conceptions is to be considered and is influential to a certain extent
in designing the curriculum that best suit the learners and community it
served.

D. TYPES OF SCHOOL CURRICULUM

1. Recommended Curriculum. This refers to what curriculum experts propose as

the most appropriate curriculum for the learners. These are written by
professionals and experts in different disciplines or subject areas to be
recommended to the educational agencies such as DepEd, CHED, DOST and
TESDA.

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 2. Intended, Official or Written Curriculum. This refers to the mandated
curriculum prescribed by the government. It includes subject areas in the Basic
Education and courses in college, and contents of the subject matter.
3. Implemented curriculum. These are planned learning activities that are taught
to the learners in order to achieve the objectives of the written curriculum.
These are learning experiences provided to the students through the guidance of
the teacher.
In many cases, teachers modify and improve their curriculum based on the needs
of the learners or whenever there are new ideas in various disciplines that are
important to teach. This is called academic freedom among faculty members in
college.
4. Achieved or Learned Curriculum. This pertains to the learning outcomes of
what the students actually learned in school. Learning outcomes are the results
of tests, performance and products of learners in their cognitive, attitudes and
skills domain of learning.
5. Assessed curriculum. This refers to tested or evaluated curriculum. The
series of evaluation are done by the teachers to determine the extent of learning
of the students through measurable and observable evaluation tools.
Example:
Measurable evaluation: Written Tests and written works
Observable evaluation: Actual performance and products

6. Supported Curriculum. This refers to the material resources or instructional

materials and learning facilities to help implement the written curriculum. Some
of these are textbooks, workbooks, computer-aided instructional materials,
audio-visual material resources, laboratory equipment, learning areas/centers,
and the like.
7. Hidden Curriculum. These are various skills, knowledge, and attitudes that the
students learn in the school system as result of their interaction with other
students, teachers, staff, and administrators.

Hidden Curriculum is not taught in the classroom but these are established
practices, culture and values of the school that the students may absorb while
studying that is very powerful in developing the personality, competence, and
skills of a student.
Example: Discipline, leadership, commitment, service, communication, etc.

E. THE TEACHER AS A CURRICULARIST

The teacher plays a complex role in the education process. He/she is directly in
charge in the attainment of the goals and objectives of education in general. In the
school and classroom, the teacher acts as the overall all planner, implementer, and
evaluator of the curriculum. But, seldom is the teacher regarded as curricularist.

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 There are different roles of a teacher as a curricularist, namely:
1. Knows the curriculum (Knower). Learning begins by knowing. As a teacher,
one has to master the contents of the subject matter, the primary essence of
teaching.
2. Writes the curriculum (Writer). The teacher writes lesson plans, syllabi,
modules, reference books, workbooks, laboratory manuals, instructional
resource materials, and the like.
3. Plans the curriculum (Planner). The teacher makes yearly, monthly, weekly,
and daily plan of the curriculum that contain the total learning experiences of
the learners in school, inside and outside the classroom.
4. Initiates the curriculum (Initiator). The teacher is open to changes in the
curriculum. When there is a need for change, then he/she is willing to take
actions on reformation or transformation of the curriculum to become more
relevant and responsive in a changing society.
5. Innovates the curriculum (Innovator). Creativity and novelty are the marks
of an excellent teacher. The nature of curriculum is dynamic, hence it keeps
on changing its contents, strategies, focus, ways of implementation, the
learning environment, and the like. Thus, the teacher is always challenged to
do creative and innovative ways on how to cope with the demands of any
change in the curriculum.
6. Implements the curriculum (Implementer). The teacher is the prime mover
and implementer of the curriculum being the direct contact of the learners. It
is here where professional training, skills, talents, passion, creativity, and
dedication are shown by the teacher.
7. Evaluates the curriculum (Evaluator). Effectiveness and efficiency of the
teacher is based on the end results of the teaching-learning process. A good
teacher knows best the kind of assessment tools suited to his/her learners.
The teacher is familiar with the different tools of assessment both measurable
and observable, traditional and authentic.

III. REFERENCES

Bilao P., Lucido, P., et. al. (2014) Curriculum development . Quezon City:
Lorimar Publishing, Inc.
Pawilen, Greg. (2015). Curriculum development. Recto, Manila: Rex Publishing
House, Inc.
DepEd K-12 Basic Education Curriculum Guide
DepE K-12 Teacher’s Guide and Learning Materials

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 EDUC 15. THE TEACHER AND THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM
Module 1. Basic Concepts and Nature of the Curriculum
S.Y. 2023-2024

Complete Name: ________________________________ Course Code:____

Co-Learner, if applicable: ______________________________ Course Code: ____

IV. GRADED LEARNING ACTIVITES

Learning Activity 1. Constructing Own Concepts of Curriculum 10pts

1. Make a gist of the significant concepts of curriculum in your own words.

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Learning Activity 2. Differentiate Views of Curriculum. 10 pts

1. Describe in your own words traditional and progressive curriculum.

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Learning Activity 3. Imagine Your School 25pts

Directions:
1. Remember and imagine the existence of the different types of curriculum at
Northeastern College or in the schools where you studied from Elementary
and High School.

2. Write at least three (3) specific examples or learning situations asked for in
the matrix below.

Types of Curricula Examples of the Type of Curriculum

Operating in School Present in your School
1. Recommended 1.
Curriculum
2.
3.
2. Written Curriculum 1.
2.
3.

3. Taught/Implemented 1.
Curriculum
2.
3.
4. Supported Curriculum 1.
2.
3.
5. Assessed Curriculum 1.
2.
3.
6. Learned Curriculum 1.
2.
3

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 7. Hidden Curriculum 1.
2.
3.

Learning Activity 4. Essay. The Teacher as a Curricuralist. 10pts

1. Is it necessary for teachers to learn about school curriculum? Why?
2. How do you feel based on the different roles of being “the teacher as a
curricularist”.

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Written and Prepared:

LAINE T. TUMAMANG, PH.D.
Professor, Professional Education Courses

Date Fully Accomplished: __________ Signed: __________________________

Laine Tandayu- Tumamang, Ph.D.

Date Submitted: _____________ Signed: __________________________

Laine Tandayu- Tumamang, Ph.D.

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