Introduction to Curriculum studies

1. HFED 021 NOTES
SELF MADE NOTES

2. CURRICULUM AS RACECOARSE
 The word ‘curriculum’ derived from the latin word “currer” means to run. In
latin curriculum means “course” so the word is generally used metaphorically
to mean racecourse

3. CURRICULUM AS PRESCRIPTION
 Curriculum as prescription explains what ought to happen
 It is defined as the plan for teaching
 It is prescribed knowledge and methods by which can be communicated.
 NB: caps can play a major role in this as an example as they instructs
teachers what to do, when to do it, so that learners can be successful in their
studies.

4. CURRICULUM AS EXPERIENCE
 It illustrates how things are real in a classroom: experience
 All experience learners have under the guidance of their teachers
 All things that happens in a classroom are taken into consideration whether
good or bad.

5. CURRICULUM AS A SYSTEM
 It comes in a way of showing the control, governance, rules and regulations
 It explains the structure and functions of the curriculum
 It set the framework(core) of everything that is needed in undertaking the
task

6. CURRICULUM AS PLAN
 How school and teacher monitor progress
 How the Department of Education coordinates the curriculum used by teacher
to ensure correct use and understanding.

7. CURRICULUM AS FIELD OF STUDY
 Is the subject of study that is concerned with advancing knowledge about the
curriculum
 Studying curriculum involves philosophising, theorizing and conceptualizing.

8. PRODUCT MODEL
 It is perceived as behavioural objectives( they give you what to do)
 It is viewed as a commodity (meaning that you don’t have much say as a
student)
 The emphasis is on the teacher as the implementor of the curriculum(
meaning that you just have to teach without any question)

9. FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS
 How can these learning experience be organised?
 By giving students course outlines
 By explain to students how the module works and what it requires

10. ADVANTAGES OF PRODUCT MODEL
 Avoidance of vague statements
 It tells you what exactly to do
 Makes assessment more precise(exact)
 It tells you the marks you’re going to get
 It helps to structure and select content
 It students what they are planning and going to do.
 It makes teachers aware of different types of level of learning in different
subject
 It helps teachers to detect the fast and slow learners

11. CRITICISM OF PRODUCT MODEL
 It is too subject and exam bound
 It discourages creativity of leaners and teachers

12. PROCESS MODEL
 It focuses on teacher’s activities, teachers role and teacher as creator not
implementor
 It focuses on student and learner activities
 Meaning it talks of conditions in which learning takes place.
 It focuses on means rather than end
 Students and learners are told what to achieve
 More individualised atmosphere.
 Students are allowed to show their view in the learning process

13. ADVANTAGES OF PROCESS MODEL
 It emphasis on certain activities as important in themselves and for life.
 It emphasis on active roles for teachers and learners
 It emphasis on learning skills

14. CRITICISM OF PROCESS MODEL
 It neglect the appropriate content
 Difficulty in applying the approach in some areas.

15. 7 ADDITIONAL TYPES OF CURRICULUM
1. Written curriculum
2. Observed curriculum
3. Learner-centred curriculum
4. Knowledge- centred curriculum
5. Society –centred curriculum
6. Hidden curriculum
7. Null curriculum

16. WRITTEN CURRICULUM
 A planned course of study
 It may refer to a curriculum document, texts, films, and supportive teaching materials that
are overtly chosen to support the intentional instructional agenda of a school
 Explicitly states the programme of learning
 States intended curriculum content
 Syllabi for implementation
OBSERVED CURRICULUM
 What can be seen taking place in the classroom
LEARNER-CENTRED CURRICULUM
 It helps educators to see that leaners bring viewpoints and ideas
 learner-centered curriculum focuses on the individuals as well as the individual’s dreams,
goals, and interests
 Emphasis on self actualization
 Emphasis on freedom and opportunity

17. KNOWLEDGE-CENTRED CURRICULUM
 It emphasises on academic education
 The curriculum model strives to provide students with the necessary tools in
order to succeed
 Knowledge is given to the students through the visions of the higher educated
individual – the teacher and textbook.
SOCIETY-CENTRED CURRICULUM
 informal curriculum of family, peer groups, neighborhoods, churches,
organizations, occupations, mass media, and other socializing forces that
“educate” all of us throughout our lives
 Is to explore and solve societal issues
 It is the curriculum that is based on social issues, problem of living.
NULL CURRICULUM
 The curriculum that they do not teach
HIDDEN CURRICULUM
 Refers to the unwritten, unofficial, and often unintended lessons, values, and
perspectives that students learn in school
Contains activities that are not designated part of official curriculum, teachers
interaction with students, environment of the school and peer influence.
 Not recognised and cannot be examined.

18. CURRICULUM APPROACHES
 NB: it means how are u going to approach caps to make learning effective.
 A person approach to curriculum is just their philosophy or believe about how
a curriculum can be created

19. HUMANISTIC APPROACH
 It studies the whole person and the uniqueness of each individual
 The Humanistic curriculum is based on the belief that the education that is good for a
person is also best for well being of a nation.
 People have free will
 A person's behaviour is influenced by his or her environment. Social interactions are
key in the development of a human being
 Human beings have intentional goals and seek to create meaning in life
 PURPOSE : Self-actualization, personal growth and autonomy.
- They are allowed to express
- They are permitted to discover who they are.
 ROLE OF EDUCATOR : Teachers must provide a supportive environment
- Teachers should have input in developing the curriculum
- Teachers should feel some autonomy
- Teachers should have emotional relationship with learners
- Teachers should understand how teaching roles affect them
and their learners
 SELECTING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES : Educator creates an opportunities for
learners to deal with emotional part of life
regardless of learning area
: Enable learners to draw connection and
see completeness

20. SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTIONIST CURRICULUM
 They are interested in relation between curriculum and social, political and economic
development of society.
 Reconstructionist not only aim to educate a generation of problem solvers, but also
try to identify and correct many noteworthy social problems that face our nation
 PURPOSE : To confront learners with severe problems that humankind face.
 ROLES OF EDUCATOR : Helps learners to discover their own interest
: Educator must relate national and world issues to the
learners interest
 SELECTING LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES : Activities must be real
- They must act on an issue not to study it
- They must look at the aspect in their
community which they can change
- They must realise the importance of what
they do

21. TECHNOLOGY AND THE CURRICULUM
 It is concerned with what to teach rather than how to teach
 It focusses on effectiveness programmes, materials and method
 It includes subjects like maths, science, reading and technical field
 It is the analysis of curriculum problems

22. ACADEMIC SUBJECT CURRICULUM
 It is focused of the structure of knowledge
 organisation of subjects matter into subject e.g., language, maths and natural
science.
 PURPOSE : To develop rational minds
: To train students to do research.

23. CURRICULUM DESIGN
 It refers to a process of critical question to frame(plan) learning and teaching,
it involves the various ways in which we arrange curriculum components (parts)
 it is a way for teachers to plan instruction
 When teachers design curriculum, they identify what will be done, who will do
it, and what schedule to follow.
 PURSPOSE
 To improve student learning
SUBJECT –CENTRED CURRICULUM DESIGN
 The teacher focused on the subject rather than individual
 It decides what should be studied and how should it be studied.
 It not focused on learning styles for students
LEARNER-CENTERED CURRICULUM DESIGN
 is meant to empower learners and allow them to shape their education through
choices.
 Students are allowed to choose assignments, test and etc.
 The teacher is focused on students.

24. CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
 It is defined as planned, purposeful, progressive and systematic process to
create a positive improvement in the educational system.
 PURPOSE: is to ensure that students receive integrated, coherent learning
experiences that contribute towards their personal, academic and
professional learning and development.
 DEVELOPING THE CURRICULUM( PERRENIAL QUESTIONS)
1. What do i want my students to learn?
2. How do i deliver the content?
3. How should I know whether students learnt?
 NB: Perennial questions- are questions that appear over.

25. ROLES OF A TEACHER
 Assessor
 Learning mediator
 Subject specialist
 Scholar, researcher and lifelong learner
 Community, citizenship and pastoral role
 Leader, administrator and a manager.
 Interpreter and designer of learning programme and materials

26. ASSESSOR
 You must assess all activities and moderate
 Invent some assessment method
 Keep record of your assessment

27. LEARNING MEDIATOR
 Show sensitivity towards learners differences
 You must be an inspiration to your leaners
 You must stand between your leaners and the content to ensure smooth
communication.

28. SUBJECT SPECIALIST
 A teacher must be well grounded with knowledge about that subject
 A teacher must manage both assessment, summative and formative assessment
and keep record of the students progress.

29. SCHOLAR, RESEARCHER AND A
LIFELONG LEARNER
 As a teacher you are expected to persue your ongoing academic, occupation
and professional growth.
 You must be able to move with updated school’s curriculum.

30. CUMMUNITY, CITIZENSHIP AND
PASTORAL ROLE
 As a teacher you must develop a sense of respect and responsibility towards
others
 You must always keep learners updated about information related to
HIV/AIDS.
 You must have a supportive relationship with the parents.

31. LEADER, ADMINISTARTOR AND
MANAGER
 As a teacher you must have leadership skills which include managing your
classroom.
 As a teacher you must participate in school decision making structures

32. INTERPRETER AND DESIGNER OF
LEARNING PROGRAMME AND MATERIAS
 Teachers must be able to understand and interpret already existing learning
programmes and be able to design and customise their.

33. TEACHING, LEARNING & ASSESSMENT
WITHIN THE APPROACHES TO CURRICULUM
 DEFINITION OF ASSESSMENT
 The act of judging or deciding the amount, value, quality or
importance of something or the judgement or decision that is made.
 E.g. making judgement of the project given to the learners
 Value- how important is it.
 LEARNING CYCLE
 Teaching- provide support for new learning to occur
 Assessment- collect information about the progress of learners,
judge
 Evaluate- what can students do, what does student need to do.
 Planning- plan your assessment, select your approach, grouping
and resources.

34. CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT
 Curriculum and assessment are inseparable
 ( you assess based on curriculum)
 The curriculum must be written in such a manner as to support effective
assessment practice.

35. MAJOR TYPES OF ASSESSMENT
 ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING (FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT)
 is ongoing assessment that allows teachers to monitor students on a day-to-
day basis and modify their teaching based on what the students need to be
successful
 It does not include grading
 It requires teachers to ascertain(know) students' prior knowledge
 Is designed to assist educators and students in improving learning
 It is used to identify students ‘at risk’
 ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING (SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT)
 It is used to alert the teachers, learners and parents about how each student
completed their tasks and activities.
 It provides information about student achievement.
 Checks what has been learned to date
 It include grading.

36. ASSESSMENTS CONTINUES………………..
 ASSESSMENT AS LEARNING
 It develops and support students metacognitive skills.
 metacognitive skills(planning how to approach a learning task,
using appropriate skills and strategies to solve a problem )
 Students learn to make sense of information, relate it to
prior knowledge and use it for new learning.
 Helps students to take more responsibility about their
learning and to monitor their future.
 is used to plan future learning goals

37. PURPOSE OF THE ASSESSMENT
 TEACHING AND LEARNING
 Is used to improve students learning
 Is used to improve teachers teaching
 FOR SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT
 If you don’t assess the government wont know the progress of the school.
 To determine the next teaching and learning steps.
 Parents, families and communities can be kept updated about the progress
being made.
 For parent to play active role.

38. ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING: PRINCIPLE
 Learning to learn
 Teaching students how to learn.
 Building students assessment capability.
 Teaching students to know to be assessed.
 Engagement and motivation.

39. LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR SUCCESS OF
TEACHING AND LEARNING THEORIES
 Accommodates diversity in leaners background and learning styles
 Encourage and foster learners responsibility
 Allows effective and collaborative learning
 Fosters the involvement of learners in learning activities
 Support the effective use of wide range of resources, including technology and
media.

40. TEACHING THEORIES
 THEORY OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE( HOWARD GARDENER)
 Invites a great deal of creativity in learning and teaching
 Departure from traditional theory of Paulo Freire which was called “ Banking
method” where the teacher deposits the knowledge to learners and learners
must receive, memorize and repeat.
 Differentiate learning experience to accommodate multiple modalities
 Multiple intelligence invite limitless possibilities for teaching and learning.

41. TEACHING THEORIES CONTINUES………………..
 BLOOMS TAXONOMY 1956
 Assist in development of goals, objectives and lesson plans
 Systematic process of thinking and learning
 Helps form challenging questions to help students gain knowledge and
critical thinking skills
 EDUCATIONAL CATEGORIES
 Create- students create ideas and information using what they have learned
 Evaluate- students make decisions based of reflective criticism and
assessment
 Analyze- students divide the learned information into parts to make it more
understandable
 Applying- students make use of information learned differ from the one in a
context
 Understanding- students grasp meaning of information by interpreting and
translating of what has learned.
 Remembering- the learner is able to recall, restate and remember the
learned information.

42. ZONE PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT (ZPD) &
SCAFFOLDING ( LEV VYGOSKY)
 ZPD( ZONE PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT)
 ZPD Is the gap between what a students is and is not able to complete
independently. The teacher need to support the leaner to understand or
complete tasks.
 Are range of tasks that an individual cannot do alone but can complete when
assisted by a more skilled teacher.
 SCAFFOLDING
 Scaffolding instruction refers to specialized teaching strategies geared
towards supporting learning when students are first introduced to a new
subject.
 Is the act of adjusting the level of support provided in order to best meet
each child’s abilities.

43. SCHEMA & CONSTRUCTIVISM ( Jean Piaget)
 Individuals create meaning through action and experience
 Invites teachers to ask their students what they already know before the
lesson
 Constructivists classroom learn best by doing rather than absorbing knowledge

44. BEHAVIOURSISM (BF Skinner)
 The leaner needs reinforcement like rewards to keep interest
 The behaviors can be used to measure and record success
 Behavior is a response to an external stimulus

45. SPIRAL CURRICULUM
 Brunner suggest that teachers revisit topics annually and add a bit of
difference every year
 Spiral curriculum can help students to link a topic to a range of concepts as it
is revisited

46. CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT CYCLE.
 Planning
 Development
 Implementation
 Evaluation
 Reflection

47. BASIC ELEMENTS OF CURRICULUM
 Objective/aims/goals
 Content/learning experiences
 Evaluation/it is concerned with assessment
 Methods/strategies or techniques to be followed.

48. FOUR EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHIES
PERENNIALISM
 Perennialism in education is the idea that school must focus of the curricula that is everlasting.
 word perennialism derived from the word “perennial” which means lasting for many years. So
perennialism is focused on things that have lasted for many years.
 AIMS OF EDUCATION
 The aim is to teach ideas that are everlasting
 ROLE OF EDUCATION
 Teachers help students think with reason.
 FOCUS IN THE CURRICULUM
 It focuses on classical subjects and liral analysis.

49. ESSENTIALISM
 Essentialists believe that there is a knowledge that must be transmitted to
students in a systematic, disciplined way.
 AIM OF EDUCATION
 To promote the intellectual(clever) growth of a person
 To educate a competent(skillful) person.
 ROLE OF A TEACHER/EDUCATION
 Teacher is the sole authority in the subject

50. PROGRESSIVISM
 They believe that the education must focus on the whole learner not content
or the teacher
 AIMS OF EDUCATION
 To promote democratic and social living
 ROLES OF EDUCATION/TEACHER