CURRICULUM DESIGN
Models
Module
1
Session
2
Curriculum Design Models
Curriculum Design Models answer the question: "How should the
curriculum be organized or structured?"
They focus on the pattern or framework for arranging what is taught —
the overall organization, focus, and integration of content.
Analogy: They are like the architecture of a house.
Types of Curriculum Designs
Most curriculum designs are modifications or interpretations
of three basic designs:
• Subject-centered designs
• Learner-centered designs
• Problem-centered designs
Subject-Centered Design
It is one of the oldest designs.
This curriculum design refers to the organization of curriculum
in terms of separate subjects, e.g., geography, math, and
history, etc.
In subject centered designs, knowledge and content are well
accepted as integral parts of the curriculum.
In this design the teacher takes up an active role. Lecture,
recitation, large group discussion are major instructional
techniques.
Criticism
Advantages
Disadvantages
Appropriate for schools
Fragmentation of knowledge
having centralized
curricula deemphasizes the notion of the
Specifies minimum learner.
standards of Stress on subject matter fails to
performance and foster social, psychological, and
achievement physical development and to some
Curriculum planning is extent fosters a scholarly elite.
easier The design stresses content and
complementary neglects students’ needs, interest
textbooks and support and experiences
materials are
commercially available
Broad Fields Design
• This design attempts to integrate content that appeared to fit
together logically.
• The separate social sciences of geography, economics,
political science, anthropology, sociology and history are
fused into Social Sciences.
• Linguistics, grammar, literature, composition, spelling are
combined to form Language Arts.
• Biology, chemistry, and physics are General Sciences.
Cont..
Broad Field design allows students to discern relationships among the
various aspects of the curriculum content, as well as wholeness of
meaning. E.g. STEM, STEAM
The design focuses on curriculum webs, connection among various
themes or concepts
Such clustering of disciplines can give rise to a thematic curriculum.
But, this can cause problem of depth vs. breadth. For example, how
much in depth knowledge students need to get while working on the
theme of pollution across subject areas?
Learner-Centered Designs
In this design learner is at the centre of programme. These
designs are found quite often in the elementary curriculum
where teachers tend to stress the whole child.
Following the adaptive learning design pathway, it empowers learners
to co-design or influence their path, using personalization, flexibility,
and active participation rather than a fixed syllabus.
E.g. Khan Academy
Criticism
Advantages
Disadvantages
Needs and interests of
students are
considered in the Interests and needs of students may
selection and not reflect specific areas of
organization of knowledge
content. The design is expensive in regard to
Curriculum is relevant resources
to the student’s world. In-depth coverage of subject content
The design allows is inhibited by the fact that students’
students to be active needs and interests guide the
and acquire skills and planning process.
procedures that apply
to the outside world.
Problem-Centered Design
Learning is driven by complex, open-ended real-world problems that
students solve collaboratively. Content and skills emerge from the
problem-solving process rather than being taught upfront.
They are organized to reinforce cultural traditions and also to address
those community and societal needs that are currently unmet.
The content selected must be relevant to the problem under
consideration. For this reason the problem often cuts across subject
areas.
Such designs may focus on contemporary social problems, areas of
living, or reconstruction of society. E.g. Case Studies
Life- situations design
Herbert Spencer advocated a curriculum for complete living;
His curriculum emphasized activities that:
a) sustain life
b) enhance life
c) aid in rearing children
d) maintain an individual’s social and political relations
e) enhance leisure, task and feelings
Life- Situations Design
This model organizes learning around real-life social issues, persistent
problems, or everyday situations students encounter (e.g., health,
community, family, citizenship, or environmental challenges).
It draws from contemporary society and emphasizes practical
improvement, direct involvement, and experiential application to
make education relevant to the real context.
Example:
Students address life situations like local environmental issues, mental
health awareness through projects involving real stakeholders,
reflection, and societal improvement—integrated into core curricula.