The document discusses the historical definitions and types of curriculum. It begins by outlining definitions of curriculum from 1957 to 1988, which evolved from focusing on a sequence of experiences to see curriculum as one's life course. It then describes the basic types of curriculum as the official, implicit/hidden, null, operative, and additional. The foundations of curriculum are said to be philosophy, psychology, sociology, and pedagogy. Major educational philosophies and learning theories are also outlined. Finally, it discusses curriculum sources, approaches including subject-centered, teacher-centered and student-centered models.

1. MA. Águeda Castillo

2. Historical definitions of
curriculum:
 •"A sequence of potential experiences is set up in the school
for the purpose of disciplining children and youth in group ways
of thinking and acting. This set of experiences is referred to as
the curriculum." (Smith, et al., 1957)
 •"A general over-all plan of the content or specific materials of
instruction that the school should offer the student by way of
qualifying him for graduation or certification or for entrance into
a professional or vocational field." (Good, 1959)
 •"A curriculum is a plan for learning." (Taba, 1962)

3.  •"All the experiences a learner has under the guidance of the
school." (Foshay, 1969)
 •"The planned and guided learning experiences and intended
outcomes, formulated through the systematic reconstruction of
knowledge and experience, under the auspices of the school,
for the learner's continuous and willful growth in person-social
competence." (Tanner and Tanner, 1975)

4.  •"Curriculum is often taken to mean a course of study.
 A curriculum can become one's life course of action. It can
mean the paths we have followed and the paths we intend to
follow. In this broad sense, curriculum can be viewed as a
person's life experience." (Connelly and Clandinin, 1988)

5. Basic Types of Curriculum
1. Oficial curriculum :
– Appears in documents and teacher´s plans,
programs, guides, standards, objectives, aims.
– It´s written.
– Includes objectives, sequence,and materials.

6. 2. IMPLICIT OR HIDDEN CURRICULUM :
 The hidden curriculum is often learned, understood, and
remembered longer than is the official curriculum.
 What habits of mind, for example, do students learn in a
particular course or program?
 Hidden messages.

7. 3. Null curriculum
When a topic is never taught:
“too unimportant…”
“too controversial…”
“too inappropriate…”
“not worth the time…”
“not essential…”

8. 4. Operative:
That, that is actually taught by the professor.
It has two aspects:
1.What is taught ( time and importance given by the
professor)
2.What is evaluated (tests applied)

9. 5. Aditional curriculum:
Includes all the experiences planned out of the
formal or oficial curriculum
Example:
Sport activities among others

10. Foundations of curriculum
 Philosophy
 Psichology
 Sociology
 Pedagogical

11. Major Educational philosophies
 1. Perennialism. The highest priority in education is the
development of the rational mind and cultivation of the intellect.
Curriculum should focus on classical subjects, great books, and
the great ideas of Western civilization — on knowledge that is
timeless and unchanging.It advocates the permanency of
knowledge.

12. Educational philosophies
 2. Essentialism. The essential skills of the
essential subjects: Languages (English,
Spanish), Science, History and Math is the
focus of the curriculum.
 Students need the basics.

13. Educational philosophies
 3. Progressivism. The curriculum is focused
on students' interest, human problems and
affairs. The subjects are interdisciplinary,
integrative and interactive.
 Curriculum relates to real-life problems and
emphasizes problem solving.

14. Educational philosophies
4. Reconstructionism. The focus of the
curriculum is on present and future trends and
issues of national and international interests.
The curriculum must emphasize social,
economic, and political issues, and the abilities
needed to identify and solve social problems.

15. Major philosophical positions
 Idealism: it is focus on values
 Realism: Realists believe that reality exists
independent of the human mind.
 Pragmatism: promotes critical thinking
 Existentialism:The physical world has no
inherent meaning outside of human
existence.

16. II. Psychological Foundation
 Study of learners
 Physical and mental development
 Process of learning

17. Learning theories:
1. Behaviorists Psychology - consider that
learning should be organized in order that
students can experience success in the
process of mastering the subject matter.

18. 2. Cognitive Psychology
- Focus their attention on how individuals
process information and how they monitor and
manage thinking.
-Reflective thinking, creative thinking, intuitive
thinking, discovery learning, etc.

19. 3. Humanistic Psychology: concerned with
HOW learners can develop their human
potential
Curriculum is concerned with the process not
the products, personal needs not subject
matter.

20. III. Sociological foundations
 Study of society
 Need of society
 Structure of society

21. IV. Pedagogical foundation
 Content
 Methodology
 Techniques
 Teaching and learning approaches

22. Curriculum sources
 Students
 Teachers
 Society
 Communication media
 Learning theories

23. Curriculum Approaches
Subject Centered
Teacher Centered
Student Centered

24. Subject-Centered Curriculum
• Organized on the basis of separate and distinct
subjects.
• Prescribes different and separate subjects into
one broad field
The characteristics of the subject matter, and the
procedures, conceptual structures or relationships
which are found within or among the subject matter,
dictate the kinds of activities that will be selected.

25. Child-Centered Curriculum
The CHILD is the CENTER of the educational process and the
curriculum should be built upon his:
• Interests
• Abilities
• Purposes
• Needs
Begins with understanding the educational
contexts from which a child comes.
Continues with the teacher evaluating the child’s
progress towards learning objectives.
Teachers attempt to maximize
• Student productivity
• Knowledge acquisition

26. Teacher centered curriculum
 Set the scene
 Select the teaching resorces and strategies
– Implements
– Researches
– Adapts
– Develops

27. Conclusions
What is the nature of curriculum?
 Curriculum is something determined by
experts and authorities.
 There is no right curriculum.
 Curriculum should reflect the real world, be
practical, of use.
 There are many curricula we can learn and
negotiate

28. Who owns the curriculum?
 A teacher in a public school is an employee
of the Ministry of Education, which is an
educational entity of the state.
 It is the State, through the Ministry of
Education, which has ultimate responsibility
over the curriculum.

29. What is/are your Teaching Perspectives?
1. Transmission- Effective Delivery of Content.
2. Apprenticeship- Modeling Ways of Being.
3. Developmental-Cultivating Ways of
Thinking.
4. Nurturing- Facilitating Self- Efficacy.
5. Social Reform- Seeking a Better Society.

30. Task
1. Take the TPI ( Teaching Perspective
Inventory) to help you identify your teaching
philosophy.
2. Write and share your teaching philosophy.
 www.teachingperspectives.com