Curriculum Development

The Word: Curriculum

• Latin: Running Course
• Scotland 1603: Carriage way, road
• United States 1906: Course of study
• United States, 1940: Plan for learning (study)
 What is curriculum?

Curriculum is a design PLAN for learning that requires the

purposeful and proactive organization, sequencing, and
management of the interactions among the teacher, the
students, and the content knowledge we want students to
acquire.
 What is Curriculum ?
• According to Bandi & Wales (2005), the most common
definition derived from the word Latin root, which means
“racecourse.”. The word curriculum originally came from a
Latin word, which meant a racetrack that horses ran around.
Today, we might call it a racecourse. The words curriculum
and course are closely related.

• Bandi & Wales (2005) also stated that “ for many students, the
school curriculum is a race to be run, a series of obstacles or
hurdles (subjects) to be passed.”
 What is Curriculum ?

• The interpretation of the word curriculum has broaden in the

20th century to include subjects other that the Classics.
Today school documents, newspaper articles, committee
reports, and many academic textbooks refer to any and all
subjects offered are prescribed as the curriculum of the
school.
Some of the components of a comprehensive
curriculum unit

Content Grouping and Pacing

Assessment Products

Introduction/Closure Resources

Teaching Strategies Extension Activities

Learning Activities Differentiation

 What is Curriculum Development ?
• Curriculum development describes all the ways in which
training or teaching organization plans and guides learning.
This learning can take place in groups or with individual
learners. It can take place inside or outside a classroom. It can
take place in an institutional setting like a school, college or
training centre, or in a village or a field. It is central to the
teaching and learning process (Rogers and Taylor 1998).
 What is Curriculum Development ?
• Typically, curriculum development involves four main
elements:

1. Identify what learning is needed and decide on the type of

training you need to provide to meet these learning needs.
2. Plan the training carefully, so that learning is most likely to
take place.
3. Deliver the training so that learning does take place.
4. Evaluate the training so that there is evidence that learning
has taken place.
Points of View on Curriculum Development
From the various definitions and concepts presented, it is
clear that curriculum is a dynamic process. Development connotes
changes which are systematic. A change for the better means any
alteration, modification or improvement of existing condition. To
produce positive changes, development should be purposeful,
planned and progressive. This is how curriculum evolves.
 SYLLABUS VS CURRICULUM

Curriculum
Curriculum is a focus of study, consisting of various courses
all designed to reach a particular proficiency or qualification.

Syllabus
A syllabus is simply an outline and time line of a particular
course. It will typically give a brief overview of the course
objectives, course expectations, list reading assignments,
homework deadlines, and exam dates.
 SYLLABUS VS CURRICULUM

Functionally a ‘Syllabus’ is generally one-dimensional in the

sense it merely presents the content or the subject matter to
be studied.

Curriculum is three dimensional , because it takes into

account: the needs of the students, the content (in terms of
specific performances) and instructional methodology.
The Professional Development Cycle of Change in Five
Developmental Phases:
• Phase l: Initiation of Professional Development sessions with shared
mission, vision & goals for the group. Team-building and trust is important
during this time. The intentional focus is on building a strong community
of practice.
• Phase II: Exploration of new ideas and beginning of Implementation
process. Assessment is taken of individual and group needs and skills. This
is a stage of some frustration and discomfort as new ideas challenge old
ones (assumptions and fixed plans) and organizational norms may be
questioned.
• Phase III: Integration of new ideas and best practices via deeper
exploration of curricular materials & pedagogical methods. Faculty engage
in more “peer reviews” with a greater level of trust & comfort. These
“critical friends” begin to share student outcome data as well as
transformational teaching practices.
• Phase lV: Evaluation stage where new concepts, ideas, and curricula are
examined with what faculty have learned. This is often the phase where
faculty express somewhat of a “paradigm shift” in their understanding.
• Phase V: If all goes well, positive & intended changes in teaching and
learning practices occur. Curricular materials reflect more than a surface
understanding and changes to teaching practices are obvious and
measurable –as validated by the community of practice and evidence of
positive student outcomes.
The Curriculum Development Process
 Design:

• This involves all the preliminary work that is carried out to

ensure that the curriculum is relevant, appropriate and
workable. At this stage, the curriculum is conceptualized and
attention is paid to arrangement of the varied components.
Considerations include the focus on the philosophical
underpinnings, goals, objectives, subject matter, learning
experiences and evaluation ; all established in consultation
with stakeholders. At present, emphasis is being placed on the
learner in curriculum development activities.
 Develop:

• In this stage, curriculum development involves planning,

construction and the logical step-by-step procedures used to
produce written documents, as well as print and non-print
resource materials. These documents may include vision
statements, goals, standards, performance benchmarks,
learning activities and instructional strategies,
interdisciplinary connections, and other integration activities
that guide curriculum implementation.
 Implement:

• This is the stage in which all stakeholders become part of the

process by making their contribution to operate the
curriculum as designed and developed. The process is
managed by the officers of the Curriculum Development
Division. It requires interaction between officers of the
division, principals, teachers, parents, students and the
general public, all key in the education of the child. Since
implementation is a change activity, the Curriculum
Development Division also engages in in-service teacher
education through seminars and workshops to facilitate the
required alteration of individuals' knowledge, skills and
attitude
 Monitor:

• This can be seen as part of the implementation process. It is

at this stage that officers visit schools to verify that classroom
practice is consistent with the established goals and
objectives of the national curriculum. Data is gathered to
inform policy and decision making relative to the curriculum.
The monitoring activities also capture best practices for
generalization and develop the working relationship between
officers of the Curriculum Division and school personnel,
allowing for technical support at the school level to be
provided where needed.
 Evaluate:

• At this stage, officers engage in analyzing data collected on

the field to determine the effectiveness of the curriculum
design and its implementation as they relate to the child. The
process entails comprehensive study of the data with the view
of identifying possible deficiencies and root causes that can
lead to corrective action. It is the findings from this exercise
that directly influence the final stage of review.
 Review:

• The information gained from data analysis is used to guide

appropriate adjustments to the curriculum documents. Such
adjustments incorporate the strengths and address any
apparent weakness of the implemented curriculum. Because
of technological developments and the resulting ease with
which new information can be shared, continuously evolving
curriculum is now possible. Updates, links to resource
material and successful teaching and learning experiences can
be easily incorporated in curricula. These considerations are
all geared towards curriculum improvement and improved
student performance in meeting national, developmental and
educational goals.
 Six steps of Curriculum Development
• Define the objective of the curriculum. The goal may be to help adults prepare for
the General Education Development (GED) exam. In a university program, the
main objective might be to provide specific skills or knowledge necessary for
completion of a degree. Being specific about the curriculum objective will assist
with its development.
• Choose an appropriate title. Depending on the learning objective, titling the
curriculum may be a straightforward process or one that requires greater thought.
A curriculum for GED students can be called "GED Preparation Curriculum." A
program designed to assist adolescents with eating disorders might require a
carefully thought-out title that is attractive to teenagers and sensitive to their
needs.
• Create a scope and sequence. This is an outline of key skills and information that
students need to achieve the main curriculum objective. For a bachelor's degree
curriculum, the scope and sequence might be a list of courses that a student must
complete. The outline for a software training curriculum might be a more detailed
list of software operations, such as creating new records, saving information,
deleting records and merging files.
 Six steps of Curriculum Development
• Determine the teaching approach. Depending on the topic and objective, information might best
be conveyed in a lecture format. In other cases, providing written materials, holding discussion
sessions and offering hands-on practice might be the most appropriate teaching methods.
National or regional development limitations and available teaching staff and graduate fields of
opportunities are considered.
• Include discussion questions. In a curriculum that serves more as a script for teachers, detailed
discussion questions provide greater direction. In a human rights curriculum, for example,
students might be asked to share their understanding of what constitutes fundamental human
rights.
• Allow room for flexibility to meet learners' needs. Curriculum development must prioritize the
needs of learners. Sometimes needs are indiscernible until a teacher has worked closely with a
group of students across a period of time. In some cases, it is better to provide general directions
and allow teachers to fill in the details and revise the curriculum as needed.
• Build in an assessment component. Determining how to assess the knowledge of learners is
dependent on the main curriculum objective. If students are preparing for a standardized exam,
implementing practice tests is an effective way to simultaneously prepare students for the testing
process and identify weaker skills and knowledge areas. If the learning objective is enrichment or
life skills development, assessments may be more informal, consisting of class discussions, essays
or one-on-one meetings.
• Establish a system of curriculum evaluation. When preparing learners for exams, gathering
statistics of passing rates is helpful for gauging overall effectiveness. In more subjective subjects,
such as the arts or personal development, observe patterns of student attendance and
participation. Special attention to participant engagement and empowerment also can reveal
curriculum efficacy.
Components of an Effective Curriculum
Development Process
A. Planning:
– Convening a Curriculum Development Committee
– Identifying Key Issues and Trends in the Specific Content Area
– Assessing Needs and Issues
B. Articulating and Developing:
– Articulating a K-12 Program Philosophy
– Defining K-12 Program, Grade-Level and Course Goals
– Developing and Sequencing of Grade-Level and Course Objectives
– Identifying Resource Materials to Assist with Program Implementation
– Developing and/or Identifying Assessment Items and Instruments
to Measure Student Progress
C. Implementing:
– Putting the New Program into Practice
D. Evaluating:
– Updating the Program
– Determining the Success of the Program
Needs assessment of targeted
learners
 Essential Considerations for
Curriculum Development:

• issue/problem/need is identified (issue  what),

• characteristics and needs of learners (target audience 
who),
• changes intended for learners (intended outcomes/objectives
 what the learners will be able to do),
• the important and relevant content (what),
• methods to accomplish intended outcomes (how),
• evaluation strategies for methods, content, and intended
outcomes (What works?).
 Importance Of Curriculum

• Every successful concept and project in life requires a proper

framework and planning. This relates to all processes,
including education.
• “The Curriculum” as the course of deeds and experiences
through which children grow up into adults and get going for
success in the society.
• It must consider all aspects of the student life, the learning
needs of students, the time available for the sessions and the
teachers’ idea, capability and workload.
 Overall Significance
– Designing a curriculum involves the interaction of several
participants, reaching beyond the academic wall to impact
the entire community. Without an effective curriculum,
students would not be able to understand or meet the
challenges of society. A curriculum prepares an individual
with the knowledge to be successful, confident and
responsible citizens.