Lesson 6:

Foundations of
Curriculum
Development
MILAGROS AUREA A. SABIDALAS, LPT, EdD
Desired Learning Outcomes

1. Describe the foundations of curriculum development.

2. Explain how each of these influences the curriculum
Philosophical foundations of Curriculum
Philosophy provides educators,
teachers, and curriculum makers with
framework for planning,
implementing, and evaluating
curriculum in schools. It helps in
answering what schools are for, what
subjects are important, how students
should learn and what materials and
methods should be used. In decision
making, philosophy provides the
starting point and will be used for the
succeeding decision making.
The philosophy of the curriculum
planner, implementer, or evaluator
reflects his/her life experiences,
common beliefs, social and
economic background and
education.
Example:
John Dewey (1916) looks at “education as
the way of life” a laboratory in which
philosophy becomes concrete and is tested.
Ralph Tyler’s framework shows that philosophy is one of the five criteria in
selecting educational purposes as shown in figure2

Figure 2: Tyler’s View of Philosophy in Relation to School Purpose

Four Educational Philosophies and their relation to Curriculum
(Ornstein and Hunkins, 2004)
Educational Philosophy Aim of Education Role of Education Focus in the Curriculum Curriculum Trends

A. Perennialism To educate the Teachers help Classical subjects, Use of great books
  rational person; to students think with literary analysis and and return to liberal
cultivate the reason. Based on the curriculum is arts.
intellect. Socratic methods of constant.
  oral exposition or  
recitation. Explicit or
deliberate teaching of
traditional values.
B. Essentialism To promote the To teacher is the sole Essential skills of the Excellence in
intellectual growth authority in his/her 3R’s and essential education, back to
of the individual and subject area or field subjects of English, basics and cultural
educate a competent of specialization. Science, History, literacy.
person. Math and Foreign
Language.
Educational Aim of Education Role of Education Focus in the Curriculum Trends
Philosophy Curriculum
C. Progressivism To promote Knowledge leads to Subjects are School reforms,
democratic and growth and interdisciplinary, relevant and
social living. development of integrative and contextualized
lifelong learners interactive. curriculum,
who actively learn Curriculum is humanistic
by doing. focused on students’ education.
interest, human
problems and affairs.
D.Reconstructionism To improve and Teachers act as Focus on present and Equality of
reconstruct society. agents of change future trends and educational
Education for and reform in issues of national opportunities in
change. various educational and international education, access to
projects including interests. global education.
research.
 The educational philosophy
lays the strong foundation of any
curriculum. A curriculum planner,
implementer or the teacher,
school administrator or
curriculum evaluator whether
school-based or externally-
based anchors his/her decision
making process on a sound
philosophy.
Historical Foundations of Curriculum

Why is it important to know the historical

foundations of curriculum? Curriculum is
not an old field. Majority of the scholars
would place its beginning in 1918 with the
publication of Franklin Bobbit’s book The
Curriculum. Philippine education came
about from various foreign influences.
Historically speaking, the American
educational system has greatest influence
on our educational system.
Educational theorists and their view of curriculum from a historical perspective
Theorist Period Perspective
1. Franklin Bobbit 1876-1956 Presented curriculum as a science that emphasizes on students’ need. Curriculum
prepares students for adult life. Objectives with corresponding activities should be
grouped and sequenced. This can only be done if instructional activities and tasks are
clarified.
2. Werret Charters 1875-1952 Curriculum is a science. It gives emphasis on students’ needs. The listing of objectives
and matching these with corresponding activities ensures that the content or subject
matter is related to objectives. The subject matter and the activities are planned by the
teacher.
3. William Kilpatrick 1871-195 Curricula are purposeful activities which are child-centered. The purpose of the
curriculum is child development and growth. The project method was introduced
whereby both the teacher and student plan the activities. The curriculum develops
social relationships and small group instructions.
4. Harold Rugg 1886-1960 Curriculum should develop the whole child. It is child-centered. With the statement of
objectives and related learning activities, curriculum should produce outcomes.
Emphasis is on social studies and the teacher plans curriculum in advance.
5. Hollis Coswell 1901-1989 Curriculum is organized around social functions of themes, organized knowledge and
learners’ interest. Curriculum is a set of experiences. Subject matter is developed
around social functions and learners’ interests.
6. Ralph Tyler 1902-1994 Curriculum is a science and extension of school’s philosophy. It is based on students’
needs and interest. Curriculum is always related to instruction. Subject matter is
organized in terms of knowledge, skills and values. The process emphasizes problem
solving. The curriculum aims to educate generalists and not specialists.
 The historical foundation shows the different changes in
the purposes, principles and content of the curriculum. The
different changes are influenced by educational philosophy
and pedagogical theories. This implies that curriculum is
ever changing putting in knowledge and content from many
fields of disciplines.
Psychological Foundations of Education

Psychology provides a basis or

the teaching and learning process. It
unifies the elements of the learning
process and some of the questions
which can be answered by
psychological foundations of
education.
Three Groups of Learning Theories
(Ornatein and Hunkins, 2004)
1. Behaviorist Psychology
1.1. Behaviourism dominated the 20th century psychology.
1.2. It includes connectionism of Edward Thorndike which influenced Ralph Tyler and Hilda
Taba who are considered to be one of the well known curricularists.
1.3. Ivan Pavlov’s
classical conditioning
and B.F. Skinner’s
operant conditioning
were all behaviourist
in character.
 1.4. Robert Gagne’s hierarchical learning
or sets of behaviour and five learning
outcomes became classic examples.
These include the following:
1.4.1. Intellectual skills or “knowing how”
to categorize and use symbols, forming
concepts and problem solving.
1.4.2. Information or “knowing what”
knowledge about facts, dates and names
1.4.3. Cognitive strategies or learning
skills
1.4.4. Motor skills
1.4.5. Attitudes, feelings and emotions
learned through experiences.
1.5. The listed learning outcomes overlap with the
domains in the taxonomy of educational objectives
which are cognitive, affective, and psychomotor.

1.6. Learning should be organized in order that

students can experience success in the process of
mastering the subject matter. The method is introduced
in a step by step manner with proper sequencing of
task which is viewed by other educational
psychologists as simplistic and mechanical.
2. Cognitive Psychology

2.1. These psychologists focus their attention on how individuals process

information and how they monitor and manage thinking.
2.2. Among the advocates are:
2.2.1. Jean Piaget for his Cognitive Development stages
2.2.2. Lev Vygotsky for his Social Constructivism
2.2.3. Howard Gardner for his Multiple Intelligences
2.2.4. Felder and Silverman for their Learning Styles
2.2.5. Daniel Goleman for emotional Intelligences
 
2.3. Learning constitutes a logical
method for organizing and
interpreting learning. Learning is
rooted in the tradition of subject
matter and is similar to the cognitive
development theory. Teachers use
a lot of problem and thinking skills
in teaching and learning. These are
exemplified by practices like
reflective thinking, creative thinking,
intuitive thinking, discovery
learning, etc.
3. Humanistic Psychology

3.1. Concerned with how learners develop their human

potential.
3.2. Traditional psychologists do not recognize humanistic
psychology as a school of psychology.
3.3. Observers view humanistic psychology as the third force
learning theory after behaviourism and cognitive development.
3.4. It is built on Gestalt psychology
where learning can be explained in
terms of the wholeness of the
problem and where the
environment is changing and the
learner is continuously recognizing
his/her perceptions.
3.5. Abraham Maslow’s theory of human needs for self-
actualizing persons
3.6. Carl Rogers’ non-directive lives

Rogers believed that all people

possess an inherent need to
grow and achieve their
potential. This need to achieve
self-actualization, he believed,
was one of the primary motives
driving behavior.
 3.7. Curriculum is concerned with the process not the products; personal needs
not subject matter; psychological meaning and environmental situations.
In summary, psychology has a great influence in the curriculum. Learners are
not machines and the mind is not a computer. Humans are biological beings
affected by their biology and their cultures. The psychological foundations will
help curriculum makers in nurturing a more advanced, more comprehensive and
complete human learning.
Schools exist within the social context.
Societal culture affects and shapes
schools and their curricula. The way
school buildings are structures, the way
classrooms and students are organized
reflect the cultural views and values of
the society. Schools are only one of the
many institutions that educate society.
The home, family, community likewise
educate the people in the society but
schools are formal institutions that
address more complex and interrelated
societies and the world.
Society is a source of very fast
changes which are difficult to cope
with and to adjust to. Thus schools
are made to help to understand
these changes. However, to some,
schools are conservative institutions
that lag behind when they are
supposed to be agents of change.
Thus, in order for schools to be
relevant, school curricula should
address diversity, explosion of
knowledge, school reforms and
education for all.
The relationship of curriculum and society is mutual and
encompassing. Hence, to be relevant, the curricula should reflect and
preserve the culture of the society and its aspirations. At the same
time society should also imbibe the changes brought about by the
formal institutions called schools.
 Group Activity: Explore the Web

1. Search one outstanding personality in each of the following who contributed to curriculum
development and write a short biography about him/her.