The document provides an overview of definitions and perspectives on the concept of curriculum from various scholars. It discusses curriculum in its early Latin origins referring to "to run a course". Multiple definitions are presented that view curriculum as everything planned by the school including subjects, content, objectives, and extra-curricular activities. Traditional views see curriculum as disciplines and knowledge to be acquired while progressive views emphasize experiences and applying reflective thinking. Overall, the document aims to describe the diverse ways curriculum has been defined.

1. CURRICULUM
OVERVIEW:
Nature of
the Curriculum

2. WHAT IS A CURRICULUM?
The word “curriculum” as it is defined
from its early Latin origins means literally “to run a
course.” If one thinks of a marathon with mile and
direction markers, signposts, water stations, and
officials and coaches along the route, this
beginning definition is a metaphor for what the
curriculum has become in the education of our
children.
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3. a course. In Latin,
It was, literally,
curriculum was a racing chariot;
“currere” was to run. John Kerr defines
curriculum as, 'All the learning which is
planned and guided by the school,
whether it is carried on in groups or
individually, inside or outside the school.
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4. Oliva (1997)
defined
curriculum
as….
 That which is taught in schools
 A set of subjects.
 Content
 A program of studies.
 A set of materials
 A sequence of courses.
 A set of performance objectives
 A course of study
 Is everything that goes on within the school,
including extra-class activities, guidance, and
interpersonal relationships.
 Everything that is planned by school personnel.
 A series of experiences undergone by learners in
a school.
 That which an individual learner experiences as a
result of schooling
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5. Wilson (1990) defines
curriculum as anything and everything
that teaches a lesson, planned or
otherwise. Since students learn all the
time through exposure and modelled
behaviours, this means that they learn
important social and emotional lessons
from everyone who inhabits a school --
from the janitorial staff, the secretary, the
cafeteria workers, their peers, as well as
from the deportment, conduct and
attitudes expressed and modelled by
their teachers. Many educators are
unaware of the strong lessons imparted
to youth.
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6. Print (1993)
describes the
difference between
`curriculum' and
`syllabus', which are
often confused: a
syllabus forms part of
the overall curriculum
and tends to be a list
of content areas
which will be
assessed.
At a broad level, curriculum is determined
by the educational institution. Some
universities include in their curriculum
certain units that all first-year
undergraduate students must complete.
At the faculty or school level, learning
opportunities, generally in the form of
units, are planned for particular degrees.
Departments and course controllers
decide the content and scope of units.
Finally, teachers plan learning activities
for `contact hours', such as lectures,
tutorials, laboratories and for project work
and practice.
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7. DEFINITIONS OF CURRICULUM BY SCHOLARS IN THE FIELD
TANNER (1980) defined curriculum as “the planned and guided learning
experiences and intended outcomes, formulated through the systematic
reconstruction of knowledge and experiences under the auspices of the
school, for the learners’ continuous and willful growth in personal social
competence”
SCHUBERT (1987) defines curriculum as the contents of a subject, concepts
and tasks to be acquired, planned activities, the desired learning outcomes
and experiences, product of culture and an agenda to reform society.
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8. PRATT (1980) defines curriculum as a written document that
systematically describes goals planned, objectives, content,
learning activities, evaluation procedures and so forth.
GOODLAD AND SU (1992) define curriculum as a plan that
consists of learning opportunities for a specific time frame and
place, a tool that aims to bring about behaviour changes in
students as a result of planned activities and includes all
learning experiences received by students with the guidance of
the school.
CRONBLETH (1992) defines curriculum as answering three
questions: what knowledge, skills and values are most
worthwhile? Why are they most worthwhile? How should the
young acquire them?
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9. GRUNDY (1987) defines curriculum as a program of activities (by
teachers and pupils) designed so that pupils will attain so far as
possible certain educational and other schooling ends or
objectives.
HASS (1987) provides a broader definition, stating that a
curriculum includes “all of the experiences that individual learners
have in a program of education whose purpose is to achieve broad
goals and related specific objectives, which is planned in terms of
a framework of theory and research or past and present
professional practice”
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10. SOME POINTS OF VIEW OF OTHER CURRICULARISTS
Since the concept and meaning of curriculum are
shaped by a person’s point of view, this has added to
fragmentation, and some confusion. However, when put
together, the different definitions from diverse points of
view, would describe curriculum as dynamic and perhaps
ever changing.
Point of view about the curriculum can either be
traditional or progressive according to their philosophical,
psychological and even psychological orientations. These
views can also define what a curriculum is all about.
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11. CURRICULUM FROM TRADITIONAL POINTS OF VIEW
ROBERT M. HUTCHINS views curriculum as “permanent studies” where rules of
grammar, reading, rhetoric, logic and mathematics for basic education are
emphasized. The 3Rs (Reading, Writing, ‘rithmetic) should be emphasized in basic
education while liberal education should be the emphasis in college.
ARTHUR BESTOR as an essentialist believes that the mission of the school should
be intellectual training, hence curriculum should focus on the fundamental
intellectual disciplines of grammar, literature, and writing. It should include
mathematics, science, history and foreign language.
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12. JOSEPH SCWAB thinks that the sole source of
curriculum is a discipline, thus the subject areas such as
Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, English and many
more. In college, academic disciplines are labelled as
humanities, sciences, languages, mathematics and
among others. He coined the word discipline as a ruling
doctrine for curriculum development.
PHILIP PHENIX asserts that curriculum should consist
entirely of knowledge which comes from various
disciplines.
Collectively from the traditional view of the theorists like
Hutchins, Scwab, Bestor and Pheix, curriculum can be
defined as a field of study.
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13. Curriculum is highly academic and is
concerned with broad historical,
philosophical, psychological and social
issues. From the traditional view, curriculum is
mostly written documents such as syllabus,
course of study, books and references where
knowledge is found but is used as a means to
accomplish intended goals.
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14. CURRICULUM FROM PROGRESSIVE
POINTS OF VIEW
JOHN DEWEY believes that education is
experiencing. Reflective thinking is a means
that unifies curricular elements that is tested
by application.
HOLLIN CASWELL AND KENN
CAMPBELL viewed curriculum as all
experiences children have under the
guidance of teachers.
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15. OTHANIEL SMITH, WILLIAM STANLEY AND
HARLAN SHORE likewise defined curriculum as a
sequence of potential experiences, set up in schools for
the purpose of disciplining children and youth in group
ways of thinking and acting.
COLLIN MARSH AND GEORGE WILLIS also viewed
curriculum as all the experiences in the classroom
which are planned and enacted by the teacher and also
learned by the students.
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16. OUTPUT
No. 2
GRAPHIC
ORGANIZER
INVIDUAL OUTPUT: GRAPHICAL
ILLUSTRATION
Instructions: In a short bond paper, or any
available pad, MS Word etc., present the
traditional and progressive views and conceptions
of the different proponents of Curriculum in any
graphical illustration of your choice. Provide a
short description for each.
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19. CREDITS
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