TSL3143 Tutorial Questions

Week 1
Concepts and Issues in Curriculum & Forces That Influence Curriculum
Construction

Tutorial Question:
1. Define curriculum.
2. Discuss elements of curriculum.
3. Which curriculum perspective holds that:
 knowledge is personal and subjective?
 knowledge is based on evidence?
 teachers are sources of ideas and information?
 learners must experience knowledge?
4. Consider the subjects offered by your school. Which ones would appeal to
those who have a pragmatic or existential view of the world?
5. Consider the education system in your country. On which curriculum
perspective would you say your system is based?
6. Who decides on the content, methods, purpose and evaluation of your
country’s curriculum?
7. List types of curricula.
8. Differentiate between the types of curricula.
9. Relate the types of curricula to your own work situations. Think of the formal
curriculum offered at your school and list its characteristics to differentiate the
types of curricula.
10. Identify the core curriculum at your school, and explain to explain the
characteristics of each type of curriculum
11. What can students learn from the hidden curriculum?
12. Identify the different stakeholders in the construction of the Malaysian
education curriculum.
13. Identify and specify their roles and contributions.

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Week 2 & 3
Models of Curriculum Design

Tutorial Question:
Why are curriculum models important?

Discuss and analyse the 5 models of curriculum covered in the class: Tyler, Taba,
Wheeler, Walker in terms of:

 its own strengths and weaknesses.

 its similarities and differences (compare models)
 The Malaysian curriculum design is based on which model? Justification.

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Week 4
Principles in Curriculum Design

Tutorial Question:
Why do we need each of the stages of designing a curriculum? Explain one by one:
 Selection
 Grading
 Sequencing

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 Staging
 Recycling

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Week 5
Development of Malaysian Curriculum

Tutorial Question:
1. Which curriculum perspective is our Malaysian curriculum design based on?
Justify by providing 3 examples.
2. Compare the Malaysian curriculum with that of the 3 countries stated below.
3. Highlight on the similarities and differences.
4. The countries are Singapore, Finland and the United Kingdom.
5. You will present your findings.

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Week 6 & 7
Considerations in Designing a Curriculum

Tutorial Question:
1. Identify five considerations that need to be taken into account when designing
a curriculum.
2. Discuss any two elements of needs analysis that have contributed to the design
of the Malaysian curriculum.

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3. Explain the importance of needs analysis in the process of designing a
curriculum.
4. Analyse two factors to consider when designing a curriculum. Provide relevant
examples to support your answer.

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Week 8 & 9
Curriculum and The Teacher

Tutorial Question:
1. Make a list of the different teaching approaches and materials to be used in
the English language classroom
2. Examples; a communicative approach – suitability of materials?
3. Based on your experience in classrooms, what are the preparations an
English language teacher should make;
 before
 during and
 after class

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Week 10, 11 & 12
Current Issue in Curriculum Implementation

Tutorial Question:
1. Describe the role of a teacher as a decision-maker in the implementation of a
curriculum.
2. Critically analyse how the teacher’s beliefs will influence the curriculum
implementation in schools.
3. Describe one of the teacher’s roles in implementing a curriculum.
4. Discuss the effects on the implementation of the syllabus if teachers do not
understand the content of the curriculum.

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Week 13 & 14
Curriculum Evaluation

Tutorial Question:
Read, synthesize and analyze the following curriculum models:
 Stufflebeam’s CIPP Model
 Stake’s Congruence Model
 Illuminative Evaluation Model
 Eisner’s Connoisseurship Model
 Action Research Model

Main Reference: Ornstein and Hunkins (2014)

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Week 15
Curriculum Change and Innovation

Tutorial Question:
1. Identify five forces that drive change in the Malaysian Education System.
2. Discuss four possible factors that can hinder a curriculum change among
teachers.
3. Identify and explain two possible challenges faced by teachers as curriculum
implementers as a consequence of curriculum changes.

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4. There are four major factors involved in the process of change to be
implemented in the curriculum. Examine how these factors interact with change
during the process of innovation.

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