I.

TITLE:

MEANING OF CURRICULUM (B. Rudyard & H. Henry and Cunninghous)

II. INTRODUCTION

Curriculum is a standards-based sequence of planned experiences where

students practice and achieve proficiency in content and applied learning
skills. Curriculum is the central guide for all educators as to what is essential
for teaching and learning, so that every student has access to rigorous
academic experiences. The structure, organization, and considerations in a
curriculum are created in order to enhance student learning and facilitate
instruction. Curriculum must include the necessary goals, methods, materials
and assessments to effectively support instruction and learning.

The word ‘curriculum’ is derived from the Latin word “Currere”. Currere means
to run/ to proceed. The word refers to the ‘course of deeds and experiences
through which children grow to become mature adults’ (Hlebowitsh, 2004).
Curriculum is thus, well -defined and prescribed course of studies which
students must complete for them to pass a given level of education. It is
predetermined subject matter in a planned sequence of experiences leading
to certifiable completion. Curriculum is the base for the learning outcomes and
activities through which the teaching and learning process moves in advance.

The concept of curriculum is a dynamic as the changes that occur in society.

In its narrow sense, curriculum is viewed merely as a listing of subject to be
taught in school. In broader sense, it refers to the total learning experiences of
individuals not only in schools but in society as well.

III. OBJECTIVES
 Define Curriculum
 Describe various concepts of curriculum
 State the Nature and Scope of Curriculum
 Explain the relationship between curriculum and syllabi

IV. DISCUSSION

DEFINITIONS OF CURRICULUM

 According to B.Rudyand and H.Henry – Curriculum in its broadest

sense includes the complete school environment , involving all the
course, activities, reading and associations furnished to the pupils in
school.

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  According to Cunninghous – It(curriculum) is a tool the hands of the
artist (teacher) to mold his material (pupil) according to his ideal
(objective) in his studio (school.
 Curriculum is the “what” of teaching.
 Curriculum listings of subjects to be taught in school.
 Curriculum is a document which describes a structured series of
learning objectives and outcomes for a given subject matter area.
 Curriculum includes specification of what should be learned, how it
should be taught, and the plan for implementing/assessing the
learning.

TRADITIONAL CONCEPT OF CURRICULUM

The traditional system of education used curriculum exactly in a

similar sense when it insisted on the acquisition of mastery over
certain skills and certain areas of knowledge, as the sole aim of
education. The teacher was expected to train his pupils for
realizing the aim of education ‘by leading them through the
curriculum, prescribed in the purpose’. So, the term ‘curriculum’
came to signify a group of subjects or courses of study arranged in
a particular sequence, for instructional purposes in schools. In
olden days life was simple and the needs of the society were also
not very complicated and numerous. So only a few subjects in the
curriculum were considered synonymous with academic subjects
of instruction.

MODERN CONCEPT OF CURRICULUM

Modern curriculum covers all the wider areas of individual and

group life. It encompasses all the meaning and desirable activities
outside the school provided that these are planned, organized and
used educationally. As such, curriculum is something more than
textbooks, more than the subject matter, and even more than the
courses of study. It is now viewed as a pursuit with no rigidly fixed
goal, rather a ‘race’ in which the goal and the course, leading to
that goal, are both fixed in advance.

NARROW AND BROADER MEANING OF CURRICULUM

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 In its narrow sense, curriculum means the plan reach the aims and
objectives of education. It is restricted to classroom activities
concentrating on the study of a few subjects in a major field of
study. It is just a tool to achieve the aim of teaching a subject.
• It is limited to classroom activity;
• It emphasis teaching subjects;
• It works to produce certificate and degree;
• It develops only mental ability; and
• It is more under teacher and administrative control.
In its broader sense, curriculum means not only the study of
academic subjects traditionally taught in schools, but also includes
the sum total of all experiences that a pupil receives through the
manifold activities in a school.
• It includes total experiences given by manifold activities;
• Includes both curricular and co-curricular activities; • It works to
develop the personality of the child;
• It has a more creative and forward outlook; and
• It is child-centered

Teaching-learning process does not operate in a vacuum. Certain

planned experiences have to be providing in school so that
optimum human development according the, needs of a particular
country is possible. Curriculum is the crux of the whole educational
process. Without curriculum, cannot conceive any educational
endeavor. School curriculum of a country, like its constitution,
reflexes the ethos of the country. In the since curriculum is the
path through which the student has to go forward in order to reach
the goal envisaged by education. Usually the term curriculum is
understood as a group of subject prescribed for study in a
particular course.

Thus the term curriculum in recent years has come to mean all the
planned activities and experiences available to the student under
the direction of the school. Curriculum is dynamic and changes
according to the needs of the pupil and society. The curriculum
offered by a school to students should not be simply a collection of
separate bits of information and unrelated experiences. Schools
need to be concerned with a ‘total curriculum’. There must be
vertical and horizontal organization of the curriculum elements. To
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 achieve the objectives of education teacher need to employ
suitable instructional methods and procedures. But this he can do
only when he knows what efforts he is to make and in what order.
In other words, he should know the aspects of curriculum which
consists of subjects, activities and experiences in the properly
graded form. Curriculum is in fact the warp and woof of the
completely educational process.

CONCEPT OF CURRICULUM

 Curriculum is the base in education on which the teaching-learning

process is planned and implemented.
 Curriculum includes all planned learning experiences organized by
a school based on the educational aims and objectives.
 Curriculum is the sum total of the academic and non-academic
experiences of a school. It is based on educational intended
outcomes to fulfill the personal and social growth of the learners.

Concepts of Curriculum: The concepts of curriculum are described

with the help of following points:

1) Curriculum is experience: It is obvious, that the aim of curriculum is

to provide experience to the educand so that he may achieve
complete development.

2) Curriculum is means or tools: The educator is compared to an

artist and the curriculum as one of the instruments or tools used by
him to develop the educand according to and in conformity with the
aims of education.

3) Curriculum is environment: In modern times, this term is interpreted

in this more liberal sense because there is no questioning the fact
that the child’s education is influenced by not only books, but the
playgrounds, library, laboratory, reading room, extracurricular
programmes the educational environment and a host of other factors.

4) Curriculum involves all activities: In the light of the various

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 definitions of curriculum given above, it is possible to arrive at a
definition of the terms which includes all the points mentioned in
these definitions. Briefly, the curriculum is the means of achieving the
goals of education.

BASES OF CURRICULUM:

1) Aims of education

2) Philosophy of education:

3) Sociological basis:

4) Psychological basis:

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF CURRICULUM:

1) Synthesis of subject and life:

2) Complete development:
3) Development of democratic values 4) Builds confidence of
education.
5) Realization of values:
6) Development of knowledge:
7) Creation of a useful environment:

SCOPE OF CURRICULUM:

Curriculum, is therefore, very comprehensive in its scope. It

touches all aspects of the life of the pupils- the need and interest of
the pupils, environment which should be educationally congenial to
them, ways and manners in which their interests can be handled
and warmed up, the procedures and approaches which cause
effective learning among them, the social efficiency of the
individuals and how they fit in with the community around. It is
intimately related with the individual as a member of the society. It
embodies the educational philosophy, the values which it aims to

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 achieve, the purposed it wants philosophy, the values it aims to
achieve purposes it wants to realise and the specific goals that it
wants to achieve. The emphasis is on the child. In the total
education of the child, all the subjects’ likes history, geography,
science and language are but tools. These are the means, and
therefore, the children must not be made to fit in such study.

NATURE OF CURRICULUM

A curriculum is-
• A sum of the school subjects and other activities;
• A mirror which reflects a school’s curricular and co-curricular
activities; and
• Includes all subjects, which help a child in its cognitive
development.
• Curriculum includes many activities such as classroom lesson,
cultural activities, laboratory activities, workshop, and sports
activities.
• Curriculum is the totality of experiences.
• Curriculum provides experiences to respond, react, and reflect on
various processes of learning. It depends on the learner, and as to
what he experiences.
• Curriculum is based on intended learning outcome.
• Curriculum, in one sense, is cultural reproduction- Concepts of
knowledge and skills such as values, religion, and political system
are incorporated in the curriculum, which in turn reflects belief and
all cultural aspects.
• It is an agenda for social reconstruction- Schools provide an
agenda of knowledge, which is curriculum based, and this guides
students to enrich society and cultural institutions.

IMPORTANCE OF CURRICULUM IN SCHOOL

Curriculum has a broader meaning, and helps in achieving

educational aims and objectives. Curriculum is needed in schools
since it contributes in the following ways:

• Gives necessary constructional frame to achieve educational

aims. It indirectly shows the specific path to achieve educational

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 aims and gives effective learning to students by providing a variety
of learning experiences.
• Curriculum mainly helps in children’s all- round development. It
builds a balanced personality and helps to use of leisure time
constructively.

• Curriculum coordinates the processes of learning-teaching-

evaluation. • It develops creativity and forward outlook
• It contributes to bring equality of education.

• Curriculum helps teachers to maintain quality education. It sets

standards, goals, and learning outcomes that enable teachers to
judge whether or not students are able to move onto the next level.
• An effective curriculum provides teachers, students,
administrators, and community stakeholders with a measurable
plan and structure for delivering quality education.

• Curriculum develops discipline to achieve educational aims. It

makes educational aims move in a right path through which
develops discipline.
• It provides opportunity to students to participate in curricular and
co-curricular activities.

• It helps to develop qualities such as friendship, co-operation,

compassion and love for social justice via various social settings.
• It develops democratic values such as liberty and fraternity
among students. Society needs a curriculum, which is functional
and relevant to achieve educational goals.

• A curriculum identifies learning outcomes, standards, and core

competencies that students must demonstrate before advancing to
the next level. An evidenced based curriculum acts as a roadmap
for teachers and students to follow on the path to academic
success. It helps to understand the diverse culture, social system,
and cultural heritage of people living in different parts of the
country.

• A curriculum is needed in carrying successfully educational

programmes.

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 CURRICULUM AND SYLLABUS

Many people still equate a curriculum with a syllabus. An UNESCO

publication entitled Preparing Text Book Manuscripts “(1970)” has
differentiated between the curriculum and syllabus. The curriculum
sets out the subjects to be studied, their order and sequence and
so ensures some balance between humanities and science and
consistency in the study of subjects, thus facilitating inter subject
links. It follows that the curriculum determines the amount of
school times allotted to each subject, the aim of teaching each
subject, the place of the motor skills which take time to acquire and
possibly, the variations between rural and urban school teaching.
The curriculum in the schools of developing countries is often
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 directly related to the requirements for developments. The syllabus
determines the basic content of instructions in a given subject and
the range of knowledge and skills which the pupils must acquire
and establish in detail the themes and individual points to be
studied in each school year. The syllabus is a refined detail of the
curriculum at a particular stage of learning for a particular subject.

CURRICULUM SYLLABUS
Curriculum is based on the philosophy, Syllabus does not take into account these
goals and values of education factors.
Curriculum refers to all educational Syllabus refers to a list of unelaborated
activities of the school in the widest headings or book let.
possible sense.
Curriculum is the sum total of school It is basically concerned with school
subjects, learning experiences and subjects.
activities.
There is prescribed co-curricular and No prescribed co-curricular and extra-
extra-curricular activities in the curriculum. curricular activities in the form of syllabus.
Curriculum includes not only indoor Syllabus is concerned with activities
activities but also out-door activities of the mostly undertaken in the class room
school. (indoor activities)
The curriculum has a countless role to play The syllabus has a limited role to play and
and it is considered as a plan, an has less significance in the educational
experience, a subject matter or content world.
and as a field map.
It is an inclusive concept. It includes It is a part of curriculum.
syllabus also.

V. ASSESSMENT
1. What does the term "curriculum" encompass in the field of education?

a. Only textbooks and instructional materials

b. The physical layout of classrooms
c. The overall plan for learning experiences
d. extracurricular activities only

2. Why is adaptability an essential characteristic of curriculum?

a. To resist change and maintain tradition

b. To align with the preferences of individual teachers

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c. To meet the changing needs of students and society
d. To adhere strictly to a fixed set of objectives

4. Define the term "scope of curriculum" and provide one example of a

component included in the scope.

5. Explain why a student-centered approach is important in curriculum design.

6. Discuss the role of economic and vocational preparedness in the curriculum.

How can educational programs effectively prepare students for the workforce?

7. Provide two examples of interdisciplinary connections in a curriculum and

explain their importance.

8. Explain the role of cultural sensitivity in curriculum development.

9. Discuss the significance of including a global perspective in the curriculum.

How does it contribute to the overall educational experience of students?

10. Explain how a syllabus serves as a bridge between the curriculum and
classroom instruction.

References:
https://ride.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur806/files/Portals/0/Uploads/
Documents/Instruction-and-Assessment-World-Class-Standards/
Curriculum/curriculum-definition_final_format.pdf

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https://rkmsm.org/uploads/ckeditor_files/file/LMS/SB/Meaning,
%20nature%20and%20scope%20of%20curriculum,%20Relationship
%20between%20curriculum%20and%20syllabi.pdf

G28_MAEM 601
Advanced Curriculum Development

Topic:
MEANING OF CURRICULUM
(B. Rudyard & H. Henry and
Cunninghous)

REPORTERS

ABING, RENAVIC C
CABALLA, PATSY D.
CASPE, RONILO

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 MAED-EM

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