Unit II
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
At the end of the unit, students must be able to:
1. Explain the cognitive processes of experts and systems;
2. Discuss the historical perspectives of curriculum development.
3. Employ analogical processes and transfer of learning;
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
To understand better the lesson, use the following questions as guide to
process the bits of information in the following section:
1. What are the three focus points of curriculum decision?
2. How are the curricula differ from each historical emphasis?
3. How is education administered in the different historical emphasis in the
Philippine Setting?
EXPLORING CONTENT
To fully understand the content of the lesson, read fully the explanation.
Three focus points for Curriculum Decisions
1. The Nature of Subject Matter
Content of the curriculum, and what subject matter to include in the curriculum.
The subject matter of history should be based on evens that actually happened
in the past.
2. The Nature of the Society
If the curriculum is to have utilitarian values, then it must lead the student not
only to knowledge of the external world for its own sake, but also to knowledge
that can be applied in the world.
3. The Nature of the Individuals
The third basic focal point around which decisions about curricula can be made
is the nature of the individual.
The curriculum is also a set of suggestions to the teacher about how to take
advantage of the present opportunities worthwhile, growth for each student in
the long run.
The History of Curricula of American School during the 20th century is, therefore,
a history of these three focal points for deciding on content and making other
curriculum decisions.
A. Different Emphasis
1. Emphasis upon subject matter for the mind, with priority in value given to
literature, intellectual history, ideas of religion, philosophy, and related
studies. This is based on the belief that by seeing ideas the learner develops
as a finite personality, an absolute self. The role of the teacher is to bring the
learner into harmony with the superior life.
2. Another curricular emphasis is the school which defends its purpose through
the tenets of scholasticism. It believes that the rational nature of man provides
a measure for what is good and what is bad, this measure deals with the whole
man, body and soul, intellect and will. It emphasizes being reason and
intuition.
3. A curricular emphasis that is worth mentioning is that school which stresses
the importance of experience process. The school believes that knowledge
exists within experience. The method is to allow the learner to participate in
this culture, develop needed skills, contrast the new method and the old,
discover new truths, changing ideas, analyze them and try them.
4. Another curricular emphasis is that of existing choice. The learner must learn
skills, acquire knowledge, and make decisions. , to develop to his fullest
potential because he wants to find out and know. He must be personally
involved. The curricular goals are personal awareness, personal choice,
personal responsibility and personal commitment.
B. Curriculum development in the Philippines
A similar phenomenon happened with regard to curriculum development. The
religious, political, economic and social influences and events that took place in the
country affected and sometimes dictated the kind of curriculum developed in that
particular epoch of Philippine History. Colonial rule in the country tailored the
curriculum to serve colonial goals and objectives.
1. Pre-Spanish Curriculum
• They did not have an organized system of education as we have now.
• They however possessed them as expressed in their ways of life and as shown in
the rule of the barangay, their code of laws- the code of kalantiao and Maragtas-
their belief in Bathala, their solidarity of family, the modesty of the women, the
children’s obedience and respect for their elders and the valor of men. There was
no direct teaching, no formal method of instruction.
• The youngsters learned their trade through experience.
2. The Spanish-devised Curriculum
• The Spanish curriculum consisted of the three R’s- reading, writing and religion.
The curricular goals were acceptance of Catholicism and the acceptance of
Spanish rule.
• The schools were parochial or convent schools.
• The main reading materials were the cartilla, the caton and the catecismo.
• The schools were ungraded and the curriculum organization was separately
subject organization.
• The method of instruction was predominantly individual memorization.
• According to Fr. Modesto de Castro the author of Urbana and Felisa, the
curriculum for the boys and girls was aimed to 1.) teach the young boys and girls
to serve and love God, 2) discover what is good and proper for one’s self, and 3.)
enable the individual to get along well with his neighbors.
3. The American- devised Curriculum
• It was dominated with the motive of conquering the Filipinos not only physically
but also intellectually.
• The curriculum was based on the ideals and traditions of America and her
hierarchy of values.
• English was the medium of instruction.
• The primary curriculum prescribed in 1904 by the Americans for the Filipinos
consisted of three grades which provide training in two aspects.
a. Body training-singing, drawing, handwork and physical education.
b. Mental training- English, nature study, and Arithmetic. In grade III geography
and civic were added to the list of the subjects.
• The intermediate curriculum consisted of subjects such as arithmetic,
geography, science and English, Science included plant life, physiology and
sanitation.
• In the collegiate level, normal schools were opened with a teacher’s training
curriculum appropriate for elementary mentors. It’s aim was to replace the
soldiers and the Thomasites
• The curriculum organization remained separate-subject. Group method of
teaching was adopted. A significant aspect of the American-devised curriculum
was the prohibition of compulsory religious instruction in the public schools.
4. The Curriculum During the Commonwealth
• The period of commonwealth (1935-1946) may be considered as the period of
expansion and reform in Philippine curriculum. American –trained Filipino
teachers applied in the Philippines the educational reforms they learned from the
United States.
• These educational leaders expanded the curriculum by introducing courses in
farming trade, business, domestic science, etc.
• The curriculum for the training of elementary school teachers was expanded by
the Bureau of Education by elevating it from the secondary normal schools which
started operating in 1939 were two years training beyond the high school.
• Commonwealth Act 586, also known as educational Act of 1940, reorganized the
elementary school system by eliminating Grade VII and providing for double –
single session in which elementary pupils attended classes for one –half day only.
This measure ushered the beginning of the decline of the efficiency of elementary
education.
5. The Japanese-devised Curriculum
• The Second World War led to the occupation of the Philippines by the Japanese
Imperial forces (1941-1945).
• Just like the Spaniards and the Americans, they devised a curriculum for the
Filipino to suit their vested interest.
• They introduced many changes in the curriculum by including Nipponggo and
abolishing English as a medium of instruction and as a subject.
• All textbooks were censored and revised.
• The Japanese-devised curriculum caused a blackout in Philippine education and
impeded the educational progress of the Filipinos.
6. The curriculum During the Liberation Period
• In 1945, during the liberation period, steps were taken to improve the curriculum
existing before the war.
• Some steps taken were to restore Grade VII, to abolish the double-single session
and most especially, to adopt the modern trends in education taken from the
United States.
• Some Filipino educational leaders, such as cecilio Putong, Prudencio Langcauon,
esteban Abada, Martin Aguila, Vitaliano Bernardino and others tried to develop a
curriculum based on the characteristics and needs of the Filipino children and on
the needs, problem and resources of the community.
• However, their efforts remained in the ideational stage. The school curriculum
remained basically the same as before and was still subject- centered.
7. The curriculum During the Philippine Republic
• The granting of the independence to the Filipinos led to some educational reforms
in the curriculum.
• Great experiments in the community school idea and the use of the vernacular
in the first two grades of the primary school as a medium of instruction were
some of them.
• Some of the reforms were merely extensions of the educational trends in previous
decades.
• Others were implemented in response to circumstances in the culture. Still
others were results of research and experimentation in education and related
disciplines.
• There was an experiment led by Jose V. Aguilar- that the community school
concept had for its goal the improvement of pupil and community life thru the
curriculum.
• Due to its successful implementation the community school concept was given
official cognizance by the Bureau of Public schools in June1949.
• Another experiment led by Aguilar was the use of the vernacular as a medium of
instruction in the first two grades of the primary school. He believed that the
primary school, would give the pupils a leverage on social, political and economic
forces, and for those who go through these grades, the vernacular base may
promote better learning in English.
• It is also in this period that the teachers started using instructional materials
that are Philippine oriented.
• So there was an order to prioritize the purchase of books for use in schools like
books locally published, books written by local authors, books and library
materials published and approved.
The crucial role of instructional materials in the promotion of nationalism
is now well recognized. There was a great need of instructional materials that gave
emphasis on the following areas:
1. The improvement of home industries so that they will be patronized.
2. The appreciation of the services of great men and women of our country
3. Preservation of our cultural heritage. We have a rich cultural heritage embodied
in our native language, in our folk dances, folk songs, as well as in our customs
and traditions.
• A revision was under taken on the program of curricula and course of study.
• The areas studied include social studies, health and science, language arts,
arithmetic, arts and physical education and work education.
• In the elementary level, vocational education has been introduced as a part of the
educational program of the bureau of Public Schools, vocational education has
been preserved to develop a proper attitude toward work, to develop certain
vocational skills and to enhance the agricultural-industrial development of the
country.
• The major areas are, agricultural education, business education, fishery, home
economics, home industries and trade industrial education, including trade
courses for girls.
• One way of improving our manpower resources of our country was the
establishment of vocational schools.
• The curriculum of these schools provides for general culture and technical
training. The students learn a trade and develop craftsmanship.
8. Curriculum in the New Society
• “To guarantee that the educational system would be relevant and responsive to
the challenges and requirements of national, provincial and local development”.
President F. marcos pursuant to Proclamation No. 1081 issued last Sept. 29,
1972, Decree no. 6 known as the educational Development Decree of 1972,to
take effect immediately--- The presidential decree aims to make schools
responsive to the needs of the New Society. Among its objectives are :
• to provide for a broad general education that will assist each individual in
his development as a whole human being useful to his fellowmen and to
his country,
• to train the nation’s manpower in the middle level in skills required for
national development;
• to develop the high –level professions that will provide leadership for the
nation and advance knowledge through research,
• to respond effectively to the changing needs and conditions of the nation
through a system of educational planning evaluation.
• The emphasis of the curriculum of the New Society are on moral values,relevance,
proper methods of teaching, retraining of teachers, vocational and technical
education, bilingualism, national consciousness and cultural values.
The curricular redirection in the New Society can be briefly summarized as
follows:
1. The curriculum should be redirected to place more stress on development of moral
virtues particularly discipline, honesty, social responsibility, thrift, hard work and
obedience.
2. As a means of integrating education and life, the content of all subject areas at all
levels shall be related to the conditions of the times, to the actual needs of the people
and the country.
3. The curriculum should reflect the urgent needs and problems facing the country
today and should therefore include Pop ed, Nut. F Production, Wise conservation
and utilization of natural resources etc….
4. The curriculum should be viewed not in terms of facts or subject matter to be
mastered but in terms of learnings to be acquired and applied in meeting everyday
situations.
5. All teaching shall seek to develop comprehensive understanding of all the subjects,
their interrelationships and their significance to everyday living.
6. Co- curricular programs shall be restructured and enriched to channel youth
activities to positive and reproductive endeavors.
7. Non formal education or extension services for the community shall be recognized
and credited as part of the school curriculum.