GRACE MISSION COLLEGE

Catiningan, Socorro, Oriental Mindoro

e-Mail: [Link]@[Link]

Module 2: The Teacher as a Knower of Curriculum

Introduction In this Module, challenge yourself to attain

Module 2 describes the school curriculum in
the following learning Outcomes:
terms of its definition, its nature and scope, which are
needed by the teacher as a knower. This module 1. Define curriculum from different
provides a wider perspective for the teachers about the perspective
curriculum, in terms of curriculum approach, curriculum 2. Describe the nature and scope of
development process, some curriculum models and the curriculum
foundations upon which curriculum is anchored.

Lesson 1.1 The School Curriculum: Definition, Nature and Scope

What can you say of these headlines? Do these reflect what are going on in our schools? Should the
public know and be involved in the schooling of their citizens? What are the implications of each headline to
the classroom curriculum? Each member of society seems to view school curriculum differently, hence there
are varied demands on what schools should do and what curriculum should be taught. Some would demand
reducing content and shifting emphasis to development of lifelong skills. Others feel that development of
character has been placed at the back seat of some schools. More debates are emerging on the use of
languages in the classroom. Should it be mother tongue, the national language or the global language? There
seems to be confusion about what curriculum should really be. To have a common understanding of what
curriculum really is, this lesson will present some definitions as given by authors. Likewise, you will find in this
lesson the description of the nature and scope of curriculum from several points of view. This lesson will also
explain how curriculum is being approached. It further shows a development process as a concept and as a
process as applied to school curriculum.

Abstraction/Generalization
Oftentimes curriculum is taken in its narrow view as a listing of subjects to be taught in schools or
sometimes it is understood broadly as all learning experiences that individuals undergo while in school. We
cannot deny the fact that curriculum should be clarified by teachers and other stakeholders. Curriculum affects
all teachers, students, parents, politicians, businessmen, professionals, government officials or even the
common people. Like many concepts in education, there seems to be no common definition of 'curriculum' .
Because of this, the concept of curriculum 1s sometimes characterized as fragmentary, elusive and confusing.
However, the word originates from the Latin word currere referring to the oval track upon which Roman
chariots raced. The New International Dictionary defines curriculum as the whole body of a course in an
educational institution or by a department while the Oxford English Dictionary defines curriculum as courses
taught in schools or universities. Curriculum means different things to different people. Sometimes educators
equate curriculum with the syllabus while a few regard it as all the teaching-learning experiences which the
student encounters while in school. Numerous definitions indicate dynamism which connotes diverse
interpretations as influenced by modes of thoughts, pedagogies, philosophies, political as well as cultural
perspectives. Here are some of them.

Some Definitions of Curriculum

1. Curriculum is a planned and guided set of learning experiences and intended outcomes, formulated
through the systematic reconstruction of knowledge and experiences under the auspices of the school,
for the learners' continuous and willful growth in personal social competence." (Daniel Tanner, 1980)
2. It is a written document that systematically describes goals planned, objectives, content, learning
activities, evaluation procedures and so forth. (Pratt, 1980)
3. The contents of a subject, concepts and tasks to be acquired, planned activities, the desired learning
outcomes and experiences, product of culture and an agenda to reform society make up a curriculum.
(Schubert, 1987)
4. A curriculum includes "all of the experiences that individual learners have in a program of education
whose purpose is to achieve broad goals and related specific objectives, which is planned in terms of
a framework of theory and research or past and present professional practice." (Hass, 1987)
5. It is a programme of activities (by teachers and pupils) designed so that pupils will attain so far as
possible certain educational and other schooling ends or objectives. (Grundy, 1987)

1 – TtatSC – Gabriel T. Cruz (Instructor)

 6. It is a plan that consists of learning opportunities for a specific time frame and place, a tool that aims
to bring about behavior changes in students as a result of planned activities and includes all learning
experiences received by students with the guidance of the school. (Goodland and Su, 1992)
7. It provides answers to three questions: 1. What knowledge, skills and values are most worthwhile? 2.
Why are they most worthwhile? 3. How should the young acquire them? (Cronbeth, 1992)

Some Points of View of Other Curricularists

Since the concept and meaning of curriculum are shaped by a person's point of view, this has added
to fragmentation, and some confusion. However when put together, the different definitions from diverse points
of view, would describe curriculum as dynamic and perhaps ever changing.
Points of view about the curriculum can either be traditional or progressive according to the person's
philosophical, psychological and even psychological orientations. These views can also define what a
curriculum is all about.

Curriculum from Traditional Points of View

The traditional points of view of curriculum were advanced by Robert Hutchins, Arthur Bestor, and
Joseph Schwab.
• Robert M. Hutchins views curriculum as "permanent studies" where rules of grammar, reading,
rhetoric, logic and mathematics for basic education are emphasized. The 3Rs (Reading, Writing,
'rithmetic) should be emphasized in basic education while liberal education should be the emphasis in
college.
• Arthur Bestor as 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 include mathematics, science, history and foreign language.
• Joseph Schwab thinks that the sole source of curriculum is a discipline, thus the subject areas such
as Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, English and many more. In college, academic disciplines
are labelled as humanities, sciences, languages, mathematics among others. He coined the word
discipline as a ruling doctrine for curriculum development.
• Phillip Phenix asserts that curriculum should consist entirely of knowledge which comes from various
disciplines.
Collectively from the traditional view of theorists like Hutchins, Schwab, Bestor and Phenix, curriculum
can be defined as a field of study. Curriculum is highly academic and is concerned with broad historical,
philosophical, psychological and social issues. From a traditional view, curriculum is mostly written documents
such syllabus, course of study, books and references where knowledge is found but is used as a means to
accomplish intended goals.

Curriculum from Progressive Points of View

On the other hand, a listing of school subjects, syllabi, course. of study, and specific discipline does
not make a curriculum. In its broadest terms, a progressive view of curriculum is the total learning experiences
of the individual. Let us look into how curriculum is defined from a progressive point of view.
• John Dewey believes that education is experiencing. Reflective thinking is a means that unifies
curricular elements that are tested by application.
• Holin Caswell and Kenn Campbell viewed curriculum as all experiences children have under the
guidance of teachers.
• Othaniel Smith, William Stanley and Harlan Shore likewise 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.
• Colin Marsh and George Willis also viewed curriculum as all the experiences in the classroom which
are planned and enacted by the teacher and also learned by the students.
The nature of curriculum has given rise to many interpretations, depending on a person's philosophical
beliefs. Let us put all of these interpretations in a summary.
CURRICULUM is what is taught in school, a set of subjects, a content, a program of studies, a set of
materials, a sequence of courses, a set of performance objectives, everything that goes within the school. It
is what is taught inside and outside of school directed by the teacher, everything planned by school, a series
of experiences undergone by learners in school or what individual learner experiences as a result of school.
In short, curriculum is the total learning experiences of the learner under the guidance of the teacher.

Take Action
Activity 1: Traditional or Progressive: What is your View of Curriculum?
1. What is your own definition of a curriculum? Write down your answer in the space provided.
2. Do you have a traditional view of a curriculum, a progressive view or both? Explain your view based
on your definition.

Self-Check
Directions: Label the description/definition on the left with either Traditional (T), or Progressive (P).
2 – TtatSC – Gabriel T. Cruz (Instructor)
 No. Description (T) (P)
1 Teachers are required to teach the book from cover to cover.
2 If the learners can memorize the content, then the curriculum is best.
3 Children are given opportunity to play outdoors.
4 Parents send children to a military type school with rigid discipline.
5 Teachers are reluctant to teach beyond the written curriculum.
Prerequisites to promotion for the next grade are skills in reading, writing and arithmetic
6
only.
7 Teachers provide varied experiences for the children.
8 Learning can only be achieved in schools.
9 It is systematic arrangement of contents in the course syllabus.
10 Co-curricular activities are planned for all to participate.

Self-Reflect
Pick up a daily newspaper and read today’s headline. Choose one and reflect on this that relates to
curriculum and to your becoming a curricularist. Write your answer in at least two paragraphs.
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 2.2: Approaches to the School Curriculum

Desired Learning Outcomes
• Describe the different approaches to school curriculum
• Explain by examples how the approaches clarify the definition of curriculum
• Reflect on how the three approaches interrelate with each other

Take Off
From the various definitions, we realize that curriculum is viewed in many ways. Let us look back and
use the definitions as a way of classifying how curriculum is viewed. In this lesson, let us look at the curriculum
as either a Content, a Process or a Product to fully understand the different perspectives of what curriculum
is all about. This can be one way of approaching a curriculum.

Content Focus
Three Ways of Approaching a Curriculum
Curriculum can be approached or seen in three ways. It can be defined as a content, a process or an
outcome. If you examine the definitions provided by the experts in the field, there are three ways of
approaching a curriculum. First, is to approach it as content or a body of knowledge to be transmitted. Second,
is to approach it as a product or the learning outcomes desired of learners. Third, is to approach it as a process
or what actually happens in the classroom when the curriculum is practised.
1. Curriculum as a Content or Body of Knowledge
It is quite common for traditionalists to equate a curriculum to a topic outline, subject matter, or
concepts to be included in the syllabus or a books. For example, a primary school mathematics curriculum
consists of topics on addition, multiplication, subtraction, division, distance, weight and many more. Another
example is in secondary school science that involves the study of biological science, physical science,
environmental science and earth science. Textbooks tend to begin with biological science such are plants and
animals; physical science with the physical elements, force and motion; earth science with the layers of the
earth and environmental science with the interaction of the biological and physical science and earth's
phenomena, climate, vegetation followed by economic activities such as agriculture, mining, industries,
urbanization and so forth.
If curriculum is equated as content, then the focus will be the body of knowledge to be transmitted to
students using appropriate teaching method. There can be a likelihood that teaching will be limited to the
acquisition of facts, concepts and principles of the subject matter, however, the content or subject matter can
also be taken as a means to an end.
All curricula have content regardless of their design or models. The fund of knowledge is the repository
of accumulated discoveries and inventions of man from the explorations of the earth and as products of
research. In most educational setting, curriculum is anchored on a body of knowledge or discipline.
There are four ways of presenting the content in the curriculum.
These are:
1. Topical Approach, where much content is based on knowledge, and experiences are included;
2. Concept Approach with fewer topics in clusters around major and sub-concepts and their interaction,
with relatedness emphasized;
3. Thematic Approach as a combination of concepts that develop conceptual structures, and
3 – TtatSC – Gabriel T. Cruz (Instructor)
 4. Modular Approach that leads to complete units of instruction.

Criteria in the Selection of Content

There are some suggested criteria in the selection of knowledge or subject matter. (Scheffer, 1970 in
Bilbao, et al 2015)
1. Significance. Content should contribute to ideas, concepts, principles and generalization that should
attain the overall purpose of the curriculum. It is significant if content becomes the means of developing
cognitive, affective or psychomotor skills of the learner. As education is a way of preserving culture,
content will be significant when this will address the cultural context of the learners.
2. Validity. The authenticity of the subjéct matter forms its validity.
Knowledge becomes obsolete with the fast changing times. Thus there is a need for validity check and
verification at a regular interval, because content which may be valid in its original form may not
continue to be valid in the current times.
3. Utility. Usefulness of the content in the curriculum is relative to the learners who are going to use
these. Utility can be relative to time. It may have been useful in the past, but may not be useful now or
in the future. Questions like: Will I use this in my future job? Will it add meaning to my life as a lifelong
learner? Or will the subject matter be useful in solving current concerns?
4. Learnability. The complexity of the content should be within the range of experiences of the learners.
This is based on the psychological principles of learning. Appropriate organization of content standards
and sequencing of contents are two basic principles that would influence learnability.
5. Feasibility. Can the subject content be learned within the time allowed, resources available, expertise
of the teachers and the nature of the learners? Are there contents of learning which can be learned
beyond the formal teaching-learning engagement? Are there opportunities provided to learn these?
6. Interest. Will the learners take interest in the content? Why? Are the contents meaningful? What value
will the contents have in the present and future life of the learners? Interest is one of the driving forces
for students to learn better.
The selection of the subject matter or content, aside from the seven criteria mentioned earlier, may
include the following guide.

Guide in the Selection of the Content in the Curriculum

1. Commonly used in the daily life
2. Appropriate to the maturity levels and abilities of the learners
3. Valuable in meeting the needs and competencies of the future career
4. Related to other subject fields or discipline for complementation and integration
5. Important in the transfer of learning to other disciplines

BASICS: Fundamental Principles for Curriculum Contents

Palma in 1952 proposed that the contents in the curriculum should be guided by Balance, Articulation,
Sequence, Integration and Continuity. However, in designing a curriculum contents Hunkins and Ornstein
(2018) added an important element which is Scope, hence from BASIC to BASICS initials of Balance,
Articulation, Sequence, Integration, Continuity.
Balance. Content should be fairly distributed in depth and breadth. This will guarantee that significant
contents should be covered to avoid too much of too little of the contents needed with in the time allocation.
Articulation. As the content complexity progresses with the educational levels, vertically or
horizontally, across the same discipline smooth connections or bridging should be provided. This will assure
no gaps or overlaps in the content. Seamlessness in the content is desired and can be assured if there is
articulation in the curriculum. Thus, there is a need off team among writers and implementers of curriculum.
Sequence. The logical arrangement of the content refers to sequence or order. This can be done
vertically for deepening the content or horizontally for broadening the same content. In both ways, the pattem
usually is from easy to complex, what is known to the unknown, what is current to something in the future.
Integration. Content in the curriculum does not stand alone or in isolation. It has some ways of
relatedness or connectedness to other contents. Contents should be infused in other disciplines whenever
possible. This will provide a wholistic or unified view of curriculum instead of segmentation. Contents which
can be integrated to other disciplines acquire a higher premium than when isolated.
Continuity. Content when viewed as a curriculum should continuously flow as it was before, to where
it is now, and where it will be in the future. It should be perennial. It endures time. Content may not be in the
same form and substance as seen in the past since changes and developments in curriculum occur. Constant
repetition, reinforcement and enhancement of content are all elements of continuity.
Scope. The breadth and depth of the curriculum content are vital in a curriculum. Scope consists of
all the contents, topics, learning experiences comprising the curriculum. In layman's term scope refers to
coverage. The scope shall consider the cognitive level, affective domain and psychomotor skills in identifying
the contents. Other factors will be considered but caution is given to overloading of contents. "More contents
is not always better."

4 – TtatSC – Gabriel T. Cruz (Instructor)

 2. Curriculum as a Process
We have seen that the curriculum can be approached as content. On the other hand, it can also be
approached as a process. Here, curriculum is not seen as a physical thing or a noun, but as a verb or an
action. It is the interaction among the teachers, students and content. As a process, curriculum happens in
the classroom as the questions asked by the teacher and the learning activities engaged in by the students.
It is an active process with emphasis on the context in which the processes occur. Used in analogy of the
recipe in a cookbook, a recipe is the content while the ways of cooking is the process.
Curriculum as a process is seen as a scheme about the practice of teaching. It is not a package of
materials or a syllabus of content to be covered. The classroom is only part of the learning environment where
the teacher places action using the content to achieve an outcome. Hence the process of teaching and
learning becomes the central concern of teachers to emphasize critical thinking, and heads-on, hands-on
learning and many others.
As a process, curriculum links to the content. While content provides materials on what to teach, the
process provides curriculum on how to teach the content. When accomplished, the process will result to
various curriculum experiences for the learners. The intersection of the content and process is called the
Pedagogical Content Knowledge от PCK. It will address the question: If you have this content, how will you
teach it?
This section will not discuss in detail the different teaching strategies from where learning experiences
are derived. Rather, it will describe how the process as a descriptor of curriculum is understood. The content
is the substance of the curriculum, how the contents will be communicated and learned will be addressed by
the process.
To teachers, the process is very critical. This is the other side of the coin: instruction, implementation,
teaching. These three words connote the process in the curriculum. When educators ask teachers: What
curriculum are you using? Some of the answers will be: 1. Problem-based. 2. Hands-on, Minds-on 3.
Cooperative Learning 4. Blended Curriculum 5. On-line 6. Case-based and many more. These responses
approach curriculum as a Process. These are the ways of teaching, ways of managing the content, guiding
learning, methods of teaching and learning and strategies of teaching or delivery modes. In all of these, there
are activities and actions that every teacher and learner do together or learners are guided by the teacher.
Some of the strategies are time-tested traditional methods while others are emerging delivery modes.
When curriculum is approached as a PROCESS, guiding principles are presented
1. Curriculum process in the form of teaching methods or strategies are means to achieve the end
2. There is no single best process or method. Its effectiveness will depend on the desired learning
outcomes, the learners, support materials and the teacher.
3. Curriculum process should stimulate the learners' desire to develop the cognitive, affective,
psychomotor domains in each individual.
4. In the choice of methods, learning and teaching styles should be considered
5. Every method or process should result to learning outcomes which can be described as cognitive,
affective and psychomotor.
6. Flexibility in the use of the process or methods should be considered. An effective process will always
result to learning outcomes.
7. Both teaching and learning are the two important processes in the implementation of the curriculum.

3. Curriculum as a Product
Besides viewing curriculum as content that is to be transmitted, or process that gives action using the
content, it has also been viewed as a product. In other words, product is what the students desire to achieve
as learning outcomes.
The product from the curriculum is a student equipped with the knowledge, skills and values to function
effectively and efficiently. The real purpose of education is to bring about significant changes in students'
pattern of behavior. It is important that any statement of objectives or intended outcomes of the school should
be a statement of changes to take place in the students. Central to the approach is the formulation of
behavioral objectives stated as intended learning outcomes or desired products so that content and teaching
methods may be organized and the results evaluated. Products of learning are operationalized as knowledge,
skills, and values.
Curriculum product is expressed in the form of outcomes which are referred to as the achieved learning
outcomes. There may be several desired learning outcomes, but if the process is not successful, then no
learning outcomes will be achieved. These learned or achieved learning outcomes are demonstrated by the
person who has meaningful experiences in the curriculum. All of these are result of planning, content and
processes in the curriculum.

Take Action
Activity 1: Making an Inventory of Curriculum Approach as Content, Process and Product
Instruction: Choose a book that is being used in elementary, high school or college. Identify the following:
Content, Process, Product.

5 – TtatSC – Gabriel T. Cruz (Instructor)

Inventory of the Curriculum Content, Process and Product
Title of the Book:
Grade Level: Subject area used:
Process Product/Outcome
Content
Example; Example:
Example:
No. A. Individual research A. Lists of types of curriculum.
A. Type of curriculum in the
B. Interview B. Skill in interview and
classroom
C. Observation observation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Self-Check
Instructions: Match the CONCEPT in Column II with the CHOICES in Column III. Write the letter of your
ANSWER in Column I.
I. Answer II. Concepts III. Choices
1. Curriculum as way of doing A. Content
2. Authenticity of the content B. Process
3. Curriculum as the subject matter C. Product
4. Fair distribution of the content across the subjects D. Validity
5. Curriculum as the outcome of learning E. Balance
6. Seamless flow of content vertically or horizontally in F. Articulation
the curriculum
7. Evidence of successful teaching G. Sequence
8. Enduring and perennial content, from past to future H. Integration
9. Allowing the transfer of content to other fields I. Continuity
10. Arranging of contents from easy to difficult J. Learning outcomes

Self-Reflect
Instruction: After learning from this lesson, how would you prepare yourself to become a teacher, using the
three approaches to curriculum? Write on the space below.
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

Prepared by:

GABRIEL T. CRUZ
Instructor

6 – TtatSC – Gabriel T. Cruz (Instructor)