Theories of curriculum design

THEORIES OF CURRICULUM DESIGNSGDC5013 Curriculum & PedagogyGroup B (Presentation 3)Prof. Madya Dr. Abdull Sukor Shaari

By:Mohd Mursyid Alam 814063Ikhsan Bin Megat Halim 814539

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Contents1. Curriculum Design2. Sources of Curriculum Design3. Conceptual Framework4. Guidelines for Curriculum Design5. Three Basic Curriculum Designs

a) Subject-Centered Designsb) Learner-Centered Designsc) Problem-Centered Designs

1. Curriculum DesignIn designing Curriculum, we

must:-◦Consider Philosophical & Learning

Theories◦Determine if

1. Our decision is parallel with basic belief concerning people

2. What & How they should learn3. How they should use their acquired

knowledge

Curriculum Design is concerned with 4 basic parts1. Objectives

What Should be done?

2. Content What Subject Matter should be

included?

3. Learning Experiences What instructional strategies,

resources, & activities should be employed?

4. Evaluation What methods & instruments should

be used to judge the results of the curriculum?

Curriculum Designs draws from:-1.Knowledge Theory2.Social Theory3.Political Theory4.Learning Theory

2. Sources of Curriculum Design

a) SCIENCE as a source◦ Contains only observable,

quantifiable elements◦ Priority: Problem solving & Thinking

strategies◦ Emphasis: Learning How to learn◦ Why?: Knowledge increase so

rapidly, the only constant seems to be the procedures by which we process knowledge. Thus, “Learning How to Learn”.

b) SOCIETY as a source◦ Draw ideas from analysis of the social

situation◦ Operates within social, economic, &

political contexts◦ Priority: Address Students’ unique

needs -> diverse social groups◦ Emphasis: Collaboration among diverse

individuals & groups◦ Why?: School is an agent of society, ->

we must consider current & future society.

c) MORAL DOCTRINE as a source◦ Considering the relationship between

Knowledge & People’s Spirituality.◦ Guided by Religious Texts◦ Priority: Questions about the nature of

the world, the purpose of life, what it means to be human & knowledgeable

◦ Emphasis: Develop empathy & compassion, consider&promote welfare of others, welcome different viewpoints

◦ Why?: Allow for a blending of truth, faith, knowledge, ethics, thought, and action.

d) KNOWLEDGE as a source◦ The Primary source of curriculum◦ “What knowledge is of most worth?”◦ Priority: Rethink:-

What knowledge is of most worth? For whom is this knowledge of value? Is there any knowledge that must be

possessed by the majority? What intellectual skills must be taught?

◦ Challenges: Knowledge is exploding exponentially

◦ Why?: Knowledge should be a discipline, have a particular structure & methods

e) THE LEARNER as a source◦ Curriculum derived from Our

knowledge of Students. How: They learn, form attitudes, generate

interest, develop values

◦ Priority: Seeks to empower Students & foster their individual uniqueness.

◦ Emphasis: Draw ideas from psychological foundations, especially how minds create meaning

◦ Why?: Every learner is unique, educational environment physically affect brain development.

3. Conceptual Framework - Organizations1. Horizontal Organization Combining:-

CREATE A

HISTORY

ANTHROPOLOGY SOCIOLOGY

“Contemporary Studies” Course

2. Vertical Organization Eg: - “Social Studies”

(First Grade)

(Second Grade)

Same topics are addressed in different grades, but increasingly higher difficulty.

Eg:- Mathematical concept of “set”. English concept of

“composition”

“The Family”

“The Community”

5. Guidelines for Curriculum Design

1. Create a curriculum design committee2. Create a schedule meetings to make

curriculum design decisions3. Gather data about educational issues

and suggested solutions4. Process data on available curriculum

designs, compare cost, scheduling, students characteristics and academic strengths, learning environments, whether community accept the design.

5. Schedule time for reflection on the design

6. Schedule time for revision of the design

7. Explain the design to educational colleagues, community members, if appropriate, students.

6. Three Basic Curriculum Designs

A. Subject-Centered DesignsB. Learner-Centered DesignsC. Problem-Centered Designs

A. Subject-Centered Designs1. Subject Designs2. Discipline Designs3. Broad-Fields Designs4. Correlation Designs5. Process Designs

1. Subject DesignsOldest and Best knownRelated to “Textbook treatment” &

“Teachers as SME”Exists whenever there are stress on

standards & accountability to schoolsStrength:-

◦Introduces students to essential knowledge of society

◦Easy to deliver, textbook&materials comercially available

Weaknesses:-◦Disempowers students to choose the

content which is most meaningful to them

◦Presented without consideration of context

◦Fails to foster social, psychological, & physical development

◦Neglects students needs, interest and experiences

◦Foster students passivity

2. Discipline DesignsFocus on the academic disciplines

◦Students would approach history as a historian would

◦ Investigate biological topics by following procedures used by biologists.

Stress on understanding the conceptual structures & processes of the disciplines

Strength: Students master the content areas & able to independently continue their learning

Weaknesses: A lot of knowledge cannot be classified as “disciplined”.

Eg: aesthetics, humanism, personal-social living

3. Broad-Fields DesignAka interdisciplinary designFocus: Give student a sweeping

understanding of ALL content areas, integrate contents that fit together logically

Eg:-”geography,economics,political science, anthropology, sociology, history”->”social Studies”

Strength: Simple, Students learn wide area of knowledge.

Weaknesses: The depth of knowledge is insufficient.

4. Correlation DesignIn the middle of “Separate Subjects” &

“Total Content Integration”Attempts to identify ways to relate

subjects, but maintain their separate identities.

Eg: (Science&Math) (Literature&History)

Strength: Innovative & AttractiveWeaknesses: Time Consuming,

Teachers often separate departments, Scheduling difficulties

5. Process DesignsUrge students to learn the “process of

obtaining knowledge”Eg: Biological procedures to learn

biology, ethnographic procedures to study culture & society

Strength: SS as a meaning maker, enables to analyze reality, create frameworks by which to arrange derived knowledge.

Weaknesses: Difficult to analyze validity of students’ conclusion individually.

B. Learner-Centered Designs1. Child-Centered Design2. Experience-Centered D

esign3. Romantic (Radical) Desi

gn4. Humanistic Design

1. Child-Centered DesignStudents must be active in their

learning environments.Design based on students lives, needs,

interestBelief: effective learning did not require

strict discipline, child’s innate tendency to become engaged with interesting knowledge

Organized around human impulses: to socialize, to construct, inquire, experiment, express/create.

2. Experience-Centered DesignA curriculum that is not pre-planned,

done “on the spot”Why?: child’s needs and interests cannot

be anticipatedStudents design their own learning,

construct & revise their knowledge through direct participation & active observation

Teachers design potential experiences for students to consider

Search for starting points, interest->linked to formalized knowledge

3. Romantic (Radical) DesignStudents must learn ways of

engaging in a critique of knowledgeLearning is reflective, it is not

externally imposed by someone in power

Radicals view society as deeply flawed & believe that schools used curriculum to control & indoctrinate, not to educate & emancipate

Students must accept responsibility for educating themselves & demand freedom

4. Humanistic DesignEmphasized human potential, empowering

students by actively involving the in their own growth

Teachers must permit students to feel, value, grow

Teacher provide environments that encourages genuineness, empathy, & respect

Students approach problems with flexibility & intelligence, work cooperatively but do not need other’s approval

Mistakes are accepted as part of the learning process

Cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains are interconnected

Weaknesses: ◦Over emphasizes the individual, ignoring

society’s needs◦Require teachers with great skills &

competence in dealing with individuals

C. Problem-Centered DesignsFocuses on real-life problems of

individuals & society1. Life-Situations Designs2. Reconstructionist Design

1. Life-Situations DesignsFocus on problem-solving proceduresThe content is organized in ways that allow

students to clearly view problem areasUses learner’s past & present experiences

to get them to analyze the basic aspects of living

Starting point: Student’s existing concerns, society’s pressing problems

Weaknesses: Tends to indoctrinate youth to accept existing conditions, thus perpetuates the social status quo.

2. Reconstructionist Design Provide students with learning

requisite for altering social, economic, & political realities

Curriculum should foster social action, aimed at reconstructing society

Encourages industrial & political changes

Students should be involved in creating a more equitable society.

Design Curricular Emphasis

Underlying Philosophy

Source Spokespeople

Subject Separate Subjects EssentialismPerennialism

ScienceKnowledge

Harris, Hutchins

Discipline Scholarly disciplines

EssentialismPerennialism

Knowledge, Science

Bruner, Phenix, Schwab, Taba

Broad-Fields Interdisciplinary subjects and scholarly disciplines

EssentialismProgressivism

Knowledge, Society

Broudy, Dewey

Correlation Separate subjects, disciplines linked but identities maintained

EssentialismProgressivism

Knowledge Alberty and Alberty

Process Procedural Knowledge of various disciplines, ways of thinking

Progressivism Psychology, Knowledge

Adams, Dewey, Papert

Child-Centered

Child’s interest & needs

Progressivism Child Dewey, Kilpatrick, Parker

Experience Child Interest & Experiences

Progressivism Child Dewey, Rugg, Schumaker

Radical Child Interest & Experiences

Reconstructionism Child, Society Freire, Habermas, Holt, Illich

Humanistic Experiences, interest, needs of person&group

Reconstructionism, Existentialism

Psychology, Child, Society

Combs, Fantini, Maslow, Rogers

Life-Situations Life(social) Problems

Reconstructionism Society Spencer

Reconstructionist

Focus on society and its problems

Reconstructionism Society, Eternal Truths

Apple, Brameld, Counts, Rugg

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