Chapter 2

Curriculum Planning: A Multi-level,

Multi-sector Process
• Curriculum development is a collaborative
effort.
• Planning can take place on five levels:
classroom, team/grade/department,
individual school, school district, and state.
• From the state to the classroom, each level
exercise authority over levels below it.
• Teachers and curriculum specialist find
opportunities to participate actively in
curriculum development at the first four
levels.
• Some curriculum workers are asked by the
state to serve on curriculum projects.
 Decisions -Curriculum
(Planning)
• 1. Course requirements (ie technology
credit)
• 2. Interdisciplinary
• 3. Bringing diversity into the classroom
• 4. Character education/sex education
• 5. Critical thinking
• 6. Bilingual education
• Reading
• Gifted/Talented
 Five Levels of Curriculum
• 1st level: Classroom
– Goals/objectives
– Select subject matter
– Select materials
– Identify resources
• 2nd Level: Team (Grade/Dept.)
– Cooperative planning
– Determine Content
– Sequencing of subject matter
• 3rd Level: School Level
– Curriculum deficiencies
– Planning for accreditation
– Choosing textbooks
– Library/Learning centers
– Compliance with the state & federal mandates
– Reducing absenteeism
• 4th Level: School District Level
– Adding new program/deleting programs
– Reviewing achievements
– Writing/Reviewing grants
– Evaluating and articulating programs
• 5th Level: State Level
– Responsibility of curriculum
– Provides leadership to schools
– Interprets, enforces and monitor legislated
regulations
– Disburses monies
– Accredits and monitors
– Standards for graduation
 ``
– Participation on the regional, national and
international level sectors is usually a voluntary
activity
 Chapter 4

Curriculum Planning: The Human

Dimension
• There are various roles played by persons
and groups involved in curriculum
development at an individual school.
• Principals that perceive themselves as
instructional leaders take an active part in
curriculum development. Others may
delegate the responsibility of curriculum
development.
• Students, parents, and other community
persons may participate in curriculum
improvement by providing data about their
own learning, serving on committees,
answering surveys, and serving as resource
persons.
• Teachers and specialist share the greatest
responsibility for curriculum development
 Part of Curriculum
• Principal
• Curriculum leader
• Teacher
• Students
• Parents/citizens
 The Curriculum Coordinator
Must:
• Possess a good general education
• Have a good knowledge of both general and
specific curricula
• Be knowledgeable about resources for
curriculum development
• Be skilled in research and knowledgeable
about locating pertinent research studies
• Be knowledgeable about the needs of
learners, the community, and the society
• Be a bit of a philosopher, sociologist, and
psychologist
• Know and appreciate the individual
characteristics of participating colleagues
 Chapter 5

Models for Curriculum Development

• There are various models of curriculum
development.
• Four models are presented
• Models can be in the forms of lists, diagrams,
linear, deductive, inductive, prescriptive, and
descriptive
• Curriculum developers should become
familiar with the various models and
– Develop one that is understandable and suitable
for the school they are working with.
 Curriculum Models
• All meet the criteria for curriculum model;
one cannot be considered better than the
others
• “Deductive” - starting with generalization
and leading to actual development
• “Inductive” - is starting with actual
development and leading to generalization
• “Linear” - propose a certain order or
sequence of progression through the various
steps
• “Non-linear” - permit planners to enter at
various points, skip components, reverse the
order, work on two more components at the
same time
• “Prescriptive” - what ought to be done
• “Descriptive” - platform, deliberation and
design