The Student and the School Curriculum

(EDUC 105)

Jennifer P. Adriano, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor II
 THE STUDENT AND THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course introduces prospective secondary and elementary teachers to

effective curriculum design and assessment. The course topics include curriculum
models, principles and approaches in designing, delivering and enhancing the
curriculum. Development of curriculum will systemically address technology integration,
evidenced-based practices, innovative and collaborative learning experiences, and the
impact of social, political, psychological, and economic factors.

COURSE OBJECTIVES AND CONTENTS:

A. Curriculum Essentials
1. Discussed the different curricula that exist in schools;
2. Enhanced understanding of the role of the teacher as a curricularist;
3. Analyzed the significance of curriculum & curriculum development in the
teacher’s classroom;
4. Enhanced knowledge on role of the teacher as a curricularist in the
classroom & school.

B. Crafting the Curriculum

1. Identified the fundamentals of curriculum designing;
2. Appreciated the task of designing a curriculum.
3. Identified some familiar curriculum designs and approaches to the designs;
4. Analyzed the approaches in the light of how these are applied in the school
setting.
5. Defined curriculum mapping as part of curriculum designing;
6. Identified the purposes of curriculum maps;

C. Implementing the Curriculum

1. Analyzed what is change process in curriculum implementation;
2. Explained the process of curriculum implementation.
3. Reviewed the components of a daily plan for teaching;
4. Matched learning outcomes with appropriate teaching methods.
5. Understood the role of technology in curriculum application;
6. Enhanced the application of outcomes-based learning with technology both
as an aid and platform for learning.
7. Identified the stakeholders and enumerated the roles of each stakeholder.

D. Teacher as a Curriculum Evaluator

1. Acquired clear understanding of what is curriculum evaluation;
2. Explained the need to evaluate the curriculum and how it’s being done;
3. Expanded knowledge about different curriculum evaluation models.
4. Understood how the curriculum can be evaluated by the assessment of
learning outcome;
5. Identified the levels of learning outcomes and levels of assessment;
 6. Matched the levels of outcomes w/ the appropriate assessment tools;
7. Explained and understood the connection between planning and
implementing and evaluating in the curriculum process.

E. Curriculum Development Reforms and Enhancement

1. Articulate what culture means;
2. Evaluate the strength and weaknesses of cultural relativism;
3. Analyzed crucial qualities of Filipino moral identity in their own moral
experiences.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING:

Minimum Average for

Cos Assessment Tasks Weight in Percent
Satisfactory Rating

CO 0 Activities 2.0 60%

CO 1 Activities 3.0 60%

Activities 5.0 60%

CO 2 Quiz 5.0 60%

Exam 15.0 60%

CO 3 Activities 5.0 60%

CO 4 Activities 5.0 60%

Quiz 5.0 60%

Quiz 5.0 60%

CO 5 Activities 5.0 60%

Exam 15.0 60%

TOTAL 100.0 60%

Passing Percentage 60%

Exam + Project + Quiz + Activities = Total

30 % + 25 % + 15 % + 30% = 100 %

The final grades will correspond to the weighted average scores shown below:

97-100 1.0 85-87 2.00 75 3.0

94-96 1.25 82-84 2.25 74 4.0
91-93 1.5 79-81 2.5 73 below 5.0
88-90 1.75 76-78 2.75
 Introduction

Curriculum is considered as blue print of an educational programme on which the

teaching learning process is planned & implemented. Curriculum in literal sense is a
pathway towards goal. If the teacher is the guide, curriculum is the path. Curriculum is all
planned learning for which the school is responsible. It is all the experiences, learners
have under the guidance of the school. John Delnay (2001) DEFINITION

The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction, or to a

view of the student's experiences in terms of the educator's or school's instructional
goals. In a 2003 study, Reys, Reys, Lapan, Holliday, and Wasman refer to curriculum as
a set of learning goals articulated across grades that outline the intended mathematics
content and process goals at particular points in time throughout the K–12 school
program. Curriculum may incorporate the planned interaction of pupils with instructional
content, materials, resources, and processes for evaluating the attainment of
educational objectives.

Students are the clients for whom curriculum is developed; they are the most
affected persons by the curriculum. Hence there is dire need to actively involve them in
the development and implementation as well.

Students should accept the changes on curriculum. Prepare themselves for

innovation. Clarify the doubts regularly. Utilize the changes for the professional
development. They need to realize the valuable insight they offer to teachers & the way
this can benefit future students. .

Curriculum is a device used by teachers, administrators, stakeholders & various

statutory bodies for welfare of students (learners) in schools/collages & universities. And
they all play different important roles in the development & implementation of this
device.

A curriculum is considered the ―heart‖ of any learning institution which means that
schools or universities cannot exist without a curriculum. With its importance in formal
education, the curriculum has become a dynamic process due to the changes that occur
in our society. Therefore, in its broadest sense, curriculum refers to the ―total learning
experiences of individuals not only in school but society as well‖ (Bilbao et al., 2008).

The Course has a broad scope because it is not only about the school, the
learners, and the teachers. It is also about the development of society in general.

TRADITIONAL DEFINITION OF CURRICULUM - If the word curriculum is

defined as a written document or a plan of action to accomplish goals; a body of subjects
or a subject matter prepared by teachers in order for the students to learn; a course of
study; syllabus, lesson plan, or a field of study – then these definitions come from the
traditional point of view (Bilbao et al., 2008).
 Robert M. Hutchins believes that college education must be grounded on liberal
education while basic education should emphasize the rules of grammar, reading,
rhetoric, logic and mathematics. For him, curriculum is viewed as permanent studies
which explain why some subjects are repeated from elementary to college, such as
grammar, reading, and mathematics.

Joseph Schwab views that discipline is the sole source of curriculum, and so, the
curriculum is divided into chunks of knowledge which are called subject areas like
English, mathematics, social studies, science, humanities, languages, and others. As a
leading curriculum theorist, Schwab used the term discipline as the ruling doctrine for
curriculum development. Therefore, curriculum is viewed as a field of study and it should
only consist of knowledge that comes from the disciplines; for example, linguistics,
economics, chemistry, among others.

In a traditional point of view, teachers are required to write lesson plans and
syllabi.

PROGRESSIVE DEFINITION - The progressivists disagree with the

way curriculum is defined by the traditionalists (Compare this with the definition of the
curriculum from a traditional viewpoint.) For them, if the lesson plans or syllabi are not
actualized or learned by the students, it is not considered as a curriculum. So, curriculum
is defined as the total learning experiences of individuals which means that students be
given all the opportunities to apply what they learn.

John Dewey is a famous proponent of progressivism. He argues that reflective

thinking is important. It is a tool to unify all the curricular elements, such as aims, goals,
and objectives; subject matter/content; learning experiences; and evaluation
approaches. For him, it is important to test the knowledge or thought through application,
or the learning by doing, which became influential in education. His famous philosophy is
pragmatism.

Hollis Caswell and Doak Campbell define curriculum as ―all experiences children
have under the guidance of the teachers.‖ In this regard, curriculum should contain all
the experiences needed by the children to learn, and a teacher should only act as a
guide or facilitator.

Progressivism comes from the word progress, which means making changes,
reforms, or improvements toward better conditions. In the way curriculum is defined and
implemented from the progressivists’ perspective, the people mentioned above have
contributed much in educational reforms. They all believe that teachers must provide
sets of experiences that are planned and facilitated by the teachers in order for the
students to actualize what they have learned within or outside the classrooms.
 Curriculum Essentials

Teachers need to plan and assess student learning using a large number of
diverse curricular concepts that are organized in somewhat different ways. These
resources present the essentials–the big ideas, the foundational processes,
practices and skills–in a consistent visual format that still respects the unique nature
of each discipline.

Lesson 1

Curriculum and the Teacher

Teachers are the ones who do most of the work in developing and planning a
curriculum, and such work requires professionalism and deliberation – lots of it.
Teacher is the heart of the curriculum & he determines in large measure the actual
learning experiences that go in the classroom & on the playground. A teacher is a
curriculum maker. He writes curriculum daily through a lesson plan, unit plan or
yearly plan. Teacher addresses the goals, needs & interests of the learner by
creating experiences from where the students can learn. Teacher designs, enriches
and modifies the curriculum to suit the learner’s characteristics. Teachers are part of
textbook committee, faculty selection boards, school evaluation committees or
textbook writers themselves. Teachers are architects of school curriculum. Teachers
share their experiences with colleagues & seek feedback on their performance.
Teachers work collaboratively.
Curriculum is the sum total of all learning experiences and the intended
learning outcomes that are offered to the learners in the school. Curriculum is also
the vehicle through which educational goals/objectives/aims are being achieved. A
countries hopes and aspirations are expected to be attained through the use of the
school curriculum while also modifying and educating their youths. In view of the
above explanations, school curriculum must be creatively and painstakingly
incorporated or integrated (Ugwu, 2003), considering the identified needs of the
industry and the globe at large.
It is the teacher that executes these curriculum activities/curriculum
actions/documents and so the teacher and the curriculum moves side by side. This
implies that one cannot discuss elaborately on curriculum without the mention of the
teacher who is the curriculum implementer. As a curriculum implementer it means
that the teacher is the one who brings the curriculum documents to limelight and to
reality. The work of the teacher in curriculum implementation cannot be over-
emphasized
The Current Philippine Educational System

1. Basic Education. The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years

of basic education (six years of primary education, four years of Junior
High School, and two years of Senior High School [SHS]) to provide
sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners,
and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development,
employment, and entrepreneurship. This is regulate by Department of
Education.
2. Technical Vocational Education. The education system in the Philippines
embraces formal and non-formal education. It is closely related to the
American mode of education but differs in the number of school years as
other countries have 12 years basic education. In the country however,
elementary education is composed of 6 years and secondary education is 4
years which together with the tertiary education comprise the formal education
system. On the other hand, non-formal education includes education
opportunities, even outside school premises, that facilitate achievement of
specific learning objectives for particular clienteles, especially the out-of-
school youths or adult illiterates who cannot avail of formal education. An
example is functional literacy programmes for non-literate and semi-literate
adults which integrate basic literacy with livelihood skills training. This is
taking care of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)
3. Higher Education in the Philippines is offered through various degree
programs (commonly known as courses in the Philippines) includes
Baccalaureate or Bachelor Degrees and the Graduate Degrees by a wide
selection of colleges and universities—also known as higher education
institutions (HEIs). These are administered and regulated by the Commission
on Higher Education (CHED).

The Different Curricula That Exist In Schools:

Since curriculum reflects the models of instructional delivery chosen and

used, some might indicate that curriculum could be categorized according to the
common psychological classifications of the four families of learning theories
―Social, Information Processing, Personalist, and Behavioral.” Longstreet and
Shane have dubbed divisions in curricular orientations as: child-centered, society-
centered, knowledge-centered, or eclectic. Common philosophical orientations of
curriculum parallel those beliefs espoused by different philosophical orientations –
Idealism, Realism, Perennialism, Essentialism, Experimentalism,
Existentialism, Constructivism, Reconstructivism and the like. With all of these
sources it should be obvious that there are lots of types of curriculum.
Allan Grathon (2000), as cited by Bilbao et al. (2008), describes the seven
types of curriculum as follows: (simplyeducate.me)

1. Recommended Curriculum. Perhaps you have asked these questions: Why

should I take all these subjects and follow the course flow religiously? Why is there a
need to implement the K to 12? The answer is simple! The Department of Education,
the Commission on Higher Education, or any professional organization can
recommend and implement a curriculum.
In the Philippines, for example, what is being implemented by the Department
of Education (DepEd) or the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), is an
example of a recommended curriculum. In some cases, a law making body like the
congress and the senate, or a university or a school can recommend a subject, a
course, or any academic program which is deemed necessary for national identity
and security, for environmental protection and sustainable development, among
others.
2. Written Curriculum. This refers to a lesson plan or syllabus written by
teachers. Another example is the one written by curriculum experts with the help of
subject teachers. This kind of written curriculum needs to be pilot tested or tried out
in sample schools to determine its effectiveness.
3. Taught Curriculum. This curriculum contains different teaching styles and
learning styles to address the students’ needs and interests. This is about the
implementation of the written curriculum. Whatever is being taught or an activity
being done in the classroom is a taught curriculum. So, when teachers give a
lecture, initiate group work, or ask students to do a laboratory experiment with the
guidance, the taught curriculum is demonstrated.
4. Supported Curriculum. It is called supported curriculum because it helps
teachers implement a written curriculum thus enables the students to become life-
long learners. Instructional materials, such as textbooks, audio visual materials,
blogs, wikis, and others are examples of support curriculum. Other examples are
playgrounds, zoos, gardens, museums, and real life objects.
5. Assessed Curriculum. Teachers may use the pencil and paper tests, and
authentic assessments like portfolio and performance based assessments in order to
know if the students are progressing or not. When students take a quiz or the mid-
term and final exams, these series of evaluations are the so-called assessed
curriculum.
6. Learned Curriculum. The learning outcome can be determined by the results
of the tests, and it can be achieved by the students through the use of learning
objectives.This type of curriculum indicates what the students have actually learned.
This can be measured through learning outcomes. A learning outcome can be
manifested by what students can perform or do either in their cognitive, affective or
psychomotor domains.
7. Hidden Curriculum. This refers to the unplanned or unintended curriculum
but plays an important role in learning.

Curriculum is not only about a course or a simple listing of subjects but it is the
total learning experience of students as indicated by the seven types of curriculum.
Lesson 2

The Teacher As A Curricularist

Teachers know their students' needs better than others involved in the
curriculum process. Teachers know the needs of all stakeholders of teacher
education. Teachers can understand the psychology of the learner. Teachers are
aware about the teaching methods and teaching strategies. Teachers also play the
role as evaluator for the assessment of learning outcomes.

Teachers must implement the curriculum in their own classrooms, sticking to

the plan that has taken so much time, careful planning and effort to create. When a
teacher fails to properly implement a strong curriculum, she risks not covering
standards or failing to implement effective practices in the classroom. That does not
mean a teacher cannot make minor changes. In fact, a strong curriculum is designed
to allow a teacher to be flexible and to insert a few personalized components or
choose from among a selection of activities.

Teachers know the needs of all stakeholders of teacher education.

Teachers can understand the psychology of the learner. Teachers are aware about
the teaching methods and teaching strategies. Teachers also play the role as
evaluator for the assessment of learning outcomes. So teachers must possess
some qualities such as planner, designer, manager, evaluator, researcher,
decision maker and administrator. Teachers play the respective role for the each
step of curriculum development process.

Curriculum planning involves analysis of philosophy, social forces, needs,

goals and Objectives, treatment of knowledge, human development, learning
process & instruction, and decision.

Curriculum preparation involves systematic data, content, selection,

collection, assessment, organization.

Design factors includes school (levels, types, Structures), educational

technology, systemic vocational, social reconstruction, Curriculum design,
analysis of social needs, translating the needs into
Course/general/learning/terminal objectives, splitting the objectives into specific
objectives, grouping the specific objectives into subjects, deriving the subjects from
the above classification, specifying enabling objectives, unitizing each subject
matter, specification of required time, and syllabus formulation.

Curriculum development phases consist of Instructional development,

Materials & media development, Methods of teaching & testing Implementation of
the Curriculum involves Instructional scheme of each subject to be completed in the
semester, Planning the lessons as per the timetable, Using the transactional
strategies, Using the appropriate media, Providing the learning resources, Promoting
classroom learning experiences, Progressive testing Curriculum evaluation
involves, Intra-curricular evaluation, Teacher evaluation of students, Student
 evaluation of teachers, Materials evaluation, Verification of methods, Evaluation
of tests and examinations, Checking the learning outcomes while on the field.

Curriculum review/ improvement/ change/ modification, System revision. After

evaluating the prepared curriculum it is observed that the curriculum is not
satisfactory then developer turns for revising and improving phase.

Knows the curriculum Learning begins with knowing. The teacher

as a learner starts with knowing about the curriculum, the subject
matter or the content. As a teacher, one has to master what are
included in the curriculum. It is the acquiring academic knowledge
about formal (disciplines, logic) or informal (derived from
experiences). It is mastery of the subject matter. KNOWER

Innovates the curriculum • Writes the curriculum • A classroom teacher

Creativity and innovation are
hallmarks of an excellent teacher. A
curriculum is always dynamic, hence
keeps on changing. From the
content strategies, ways of holding,
blocks of time, ways of evaluating,
kinds of students and skills of
teachers, one cannot find a single
eternal curriculum that would
perpetually fit. INNOVATOR
Implements the curriculum • The
curriculum that remains
recommended or written will never
serve its purpose. Somebody has to
implement it. • Heart of schooling is
the curriculum. • It is this role where
the teacher becomes the
implementor of the curriculum. • She
is at the height of an engagement
with the learners , with support
materials in order to achieve the
desired outcome. It is where
teaching, guiding and facilitating
skills of the teacher is expected to
be the highest level.
IMPLEMENTER
takes record of knowledge concepts, subject
matter or content. These need to be written or
preserved. The teacher writes books, modules,
laboratory manuals, instructional guides, and
reference materials in paper or electronic media.
WRITER
Plans the curriculum • A good curriculum has to
be planned. It is the role of the teacher to make a
yearly, monthly or daily plan of the curriculum. •
The teacher takes into consideration several
factors in planning a curriculum. These are:
learners, support material, time, subject matter or
content, desired outcomes , context of the learners
among others. PLANNER
Initiates curriculum • In cases where the
curriculum is recommended to the schools from
DepEd, CHED, TESDA, UNESCO, UNICEF or
other educational agencies for improvement of
quality education, the teacher is obliged to
implement. • Implementation of a new curriculum
requires the open mindedness of the teacher, and
the full belief that the curriculum will enhance
learning. INITIATOR
Evaluates the curriculum • How can one
determine if the desired learning outcomes
have been achieved? • Is the curriculum
working? EVALUATOR

THE TEACHER AS A CURRICULARIST

 Visit the web or consult the dictionary. Write two meaning of
What I have curriculum taken from authoritative sources.
learned?

Meaning of Curriculum References

1

Evolve your own definition of curriculum. Consider all the

meanings you have taken from the sources and from
authoritative sources.

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Reflections and
Insights

1. As future teachers, how important will a curriculum be to you?

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2. What are the implication of the present health situation to the curriculum
as a whole?

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 My Portfolio

(Pieces of Evidence – Records – Documents – Pictures)