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Types of Curriculum Design

There are three main types of curriculum design: subject-centered, learner-centered, and problem-centered. Subject-centered design focuses on specific subjects and is the most common approach used in US public schools. Learner-centered design considers individual student needs and interests but requires more work from teachers. Problem-centered design exposes students to real-world problems to develop skills, though it may not address different learning styles.

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2K views2 pages

Types of Curriculum Design

There are three main types of curriculum design: subject-centered, learner-centered, and problem-centered. Subject-centered design focuses on specific subjects and is the most common approach used in US public schools. Learner-centered design considers individual student needs and interests but requires more work from teachers. Problem-centered design exposes students to real-world problems to develop skills, though it may not address different learning styles.

Uploaded by

M Salman Awan
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Types of Curriculum design

curriculum design is a term used to describe the purposeful, deliberate, and


systematic organization of curriculum (instructional blocks) within a class or
course. In other words, 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.
Purpose of Curriculum Design
Teachers design each curriculum with a specific educational purpose in mind.
The ultimate goal is to improve student learning, but there are other reasons to
employ curriculum design as well. For example, designing a curriculum for
middle school students with both elementary and high school curricula in mind
helps to make sure that learning goals are aligned and complement each other
from one stage to the next. If a middle school curriculum is designed without
taking prior knowledge from elementary school or future learning in high
school into account it can create real problems for the students. 
Types of Curriculum Design
There are three basic types of curriculum design:
 Subject-centered design
 Learner-centered design
 Problem-centered design
Subject-Centered Curriculum Design
Subject-centered curriculum design revolves around a particular subject matter
or discipline. For example, a subject-centered curriculum may focus on math or
biology. This type of curriculum design tends to focus on the subject rather than
the individual. It is the most common type of curriculum used in K-12 public
schools in states and local districts in the United States.
Subject-centered curriculum design describes what needs to be studied and how
it should be studied. Core curriculum is an example of a subject-centered design
that can be standardized across schools, states, and the country as a whole. In
standardized core curricula, teachers are provided a pre-determined list of things
that they need to teach their students, along with specific examples of how these
things should be taught. You can also find subject-centered designs in large
college classes in which teachers focus on a particular subject or discipline. 
The primary drawback of subject-centered curriculum design is that it is not
student-centered. In particular, this form of curriculum design is constructed
without taking into account the specific learning styles of the students. This can
cause problems with student engagement and motivation and may even cause
students to fall behind in class.
Learner-Centered Curriculum Design
In contrast, learner-centered curriculum design takes each individual's needs,
interests, and goals into consideration. In other words, it acknowledges that
students are not uniform and adjust to those student needs. Learner-centered
curriculum design is meant to empower learners and allow them to shape their
education through choices.Instructional plans in a learner-centered curriculum
are differentiated, giving students the opportunity to choose assignments,
learning experiences or activities. This can motivate students and help them stay
engaged in the material that they are learning. 
The drawback to this form of curriculum design is that it is labor-intensive.
Developing differentiated instruction puts pressure on the teacher to create
instruction and/or find materials that are conducive to each student's learning
needs. Teachers may not have the time or may lack the experience or skills to
create such a plan. Learner-centered curriculum design also requires that
teachers balance student wants and interests with student needs and required
outcomes, which is not an easy balance to obtain.
Problem-Centered Curriculum Design
Like learner-centered curriculum design, problem-centered curriculum design is
also a form of student-centered design. Problem-centered curricula focus on
teaching students how to look at a problem and come up with a solution to the
problem. Students are thus exposed to real-life issues, which helps them
develop skills that are transferable to the real world. 
Problem-centered curriculum design increases the relevance of the curriculum
and allows students to be creative and innovate as they are learning. The
drawback to this form of curriculum design is that it does not always take
learning styles into consideration. 

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