What is curriculum

1
What is curriculum?

• Curriculum is said to be a very ill-defined term
  (Huang, 1991).
• It may carry different meanings when used by
  teachers, schools and academics. What makes the
  matter worse is that it is used interchangably
  with terms like syllabus, examination syllabus
  and instruction (Chang, 1998).
• In this session, we would try to clarify what it
  is.

2
Syllabus and Curriculum

• "A syllabus is typically a list of content areas
  which are to be assessed. (Print, 1993)
• "A curriculum shows by what kind of educational
  activities the teacher will fulfill the
  requirements of the syllabus.... The curriculum
  is primarily concerned with method and therefore
  with education it is made up of pedagogical
  directives, intended to provide assistance,
  advice, suggestions and information to assist the
  teachers in carrying out his task successfully.."
  (Dottrens, 1962).

3

• "The curriculum usually contains a statement of
  aims of specific objectives, it indicates some
  selection and organization of content, it either
  implies or manifest certain patterns of learning
  and teaching, whether because the objectives
  demand them or because the content organization
  require them. Finally it induces a program of
  evaluation of the outcomes." (Taba, 1952)

4

• "...learning takes place through the experiences
  the learner has ... 'learning experience' is not
  the same as the content with which a course
  deals... The curriculum consists of ... all of
  the learning of students which is planned by and
  directed by the school to attain its educational
  goals." (Tyler, 1949)

5

• "Some claim that a curriculum is the content or
  objectives for which schools hold students
  accountable. Others claim that a curriculum is
  the set of instructional strategies teaches plan
  to use." (Posner, 1995, p.5)

6
Reflection

• What are the major elements of curriculum?

7
Elements of a curriculum
Objectives
Content
Methods
Evaluation
8
Curriculum Dimensions

• 1) Platform
• 2) Objectives
• 3) Student entry behaviours
• 4) Assessment tools procedures
• 5) Instructional materials
• 6) Learning experiences
• 7) Teaching strategies
• 8) Content
• 9) Time

9
Curriculum and Instruction

• "Curriculum is 'a system of planned actions for
  instruction' and instruction is the 'system for
  putting the plans into action. (MacDonald, 1965)
• "Basically the curriculum is what happens to
  children in school as a result of what teachers
  do." (Kansas, 1958)

10

• "By 'curriculum' we mean the planned experiences
  offered to the learner under the guidance of the
  school. (Wheeler, 1967)
• "Instruction is the delivery of information and
  activities learners' attainment of intended,
  specific learning goals. In other words,
  instruction is the conduct of activities that we
  focused on learners learning specific things."
  (Smith Ragan, 1993, p.2)

11

• "A curriculum consists of all those learnings
  intended for a group of student or group of
  students." (Goodlad, 1963)
• "When people speak of 'the school curriculum'...
  they include not only the available subject
  curricular but also all the other educational
  encounters -- relating to personal relationships,
  moral attitudes, social habits and so forth --
  offered by the school. In this sense, in fact,
  the curriculum is as wide as the entire set of
  chosen activities by which the school seeks to
  achieve its educating purposes..."
• (Becher Maclure, 1978)

12
Reflection

• Which of the above definition is more appropriate?

13

• School curriculum and subject curriculum
• Formal, informal and hidden curriculum
• Learning experiences

14
Reflection

• What is hidden curriculum?
• Is there anything wrong with the term?
• Have you considered the importance of informal
  and hidden curriculum?
• Could you quote some examples of hidden
  curriculum in your school?

15
Hidden curriculum

• unstudied curriculum
• implicit curriculum
• invisible curriculum
• unwritten curriculum
• covert curriculum
• latent curriculum
• silent curriculum
• the by-products of schooling
• what schooling does to people

16
Major meanings of hidden curriculum

• The unofficial expectations, implicit but
  expected messages
• unintended learning outcomes
• implicit messages arising from the structure of
  schooling
• created by the students
• Portelli, 1993

17
School edu. institution which provides educative
experience

• What knowledge is most worthwhile?
• Why is it worthwhile?
• How is it acquired or created?
• Where should it be taught?
• When should it be taught?
• For whom?
• Schubert, 1986

18
Basic questions underlying curriculum work

• 1) Who should be educated?
• 2) What should be the goals of education?
• 3) What should be the content of education?
• 4) Should the content be organized as
  child-centered, society-centered,
  subject-centered, or some variations such as
  child-in-society?
• 5) How should objectives be formulated and
  evaluated?
• 6) Should there be multiple organizations and
  alternative forms of school programs?

19

• 7) What systems and materials need to be
  developed to achieve successful and efficient
  experiences for children?
• 8) Who should be responsible for designing and
  developing the curriculum?
• 9) Who should be responsible for instructional
  methodology?
• 10) Who should be responsible for evaluation?
• Longstreet Shane, 1993, p.41

20

• No single definition of curriculum is accepted
  among practitioners of the field.
• Longstreet Shane, 1993, p.47