Chapter 2

Designing the
Curriculum
 THE TEACHER AS A
CURRICULUM DESIGNER
•A curriculum as a planned sequence of learning
experiences should be at the heart and mind of every
teacher. Every teacher as curricularist should be involved
in designing a curriculum. In fact, it is one of the teachers'
roles as a curricularist. As such, you will be a pan of the
intellectual journey of your learners. You will be providing
them the necessary experiences that will enable the
learner what you intend them learn.
•As a curriculum designer this task was not given much
attention in the past. Every single day, a teacher
designs a lesson or utilizes a curriculum that has been
made and was previously written. Designing a
curriculum is a very challenging task. It is here where
the style and creativity of the teacher come in. Thus this
module will provide the necessary concepts and
activities that you as a teacher can refer to as you
prepare yourself to be a curriculum designer.
Lesson 3.1 FUNDAMENTALS OF
CURRICULUM DESIGN
Learning Objectives:

➤ Identify the fundamentals of

curriculum designing
➤ Appreciate the task of designing a
curriculum
 TEN AXIOMS ABOUT CURRICULUM THAT
TEACHERS NEED AS REMINDERS
1. Curriculum change is inevitable, necessary, and
desirable.
2. Curriculum is a product of its time.
3. Curriculum changes made earlier can exist
concurrently with newer curriculum changes.
4. Curriculum change depends on people who will
implement the change.
5. Curriculum development is a cooperative group
activity.
6. Curriculum development is a decision-
making process made from choices of
alternatives.
7. Curriculum development is an ongoing
process.
8. Curriculum development is more effective if
it is a comprehensive process, rather than a
"piecemeal".
9.Curriculum development is more effective
when it follows a systematic process.
10.Curriculum development starts from where
the curriculum is.
For most curricula the major components or element
are answers to the following questions:

1. What learning outcomes ne to be achieved? (Intended

Learning Outcomes)
2. What content should be included to achieve the
learning outcomes? (Subject Matter)
3. What leaming experiences and resources should be
employed? (Teaching-Learning Methods)
4. How will the achieved learning outcomes be
measure? (Assessment of Achieved Learning
I. Intended Learning Outcomes or Behavioral
ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS OF A
Objectives
CURRICULUM DESIGN
•Begin with the end in view. The objectives
88% or intended
learning outcomes are the reasons for undertaking
Title the
56%
learning lesson from the
Enter your
72%student's point of view; it is
ElemEnter
text here,your
or paste
text here,
your text
or paste
here.your text here.
Ele E
54%
desired learning outcomes that is to be accomplished in
a particular learning episode, engaged in by the learners
under the guidance of the teacher. As a curriculum
designer, the beginning of the learning journey is the
learning outcomes to be achieved. In this way, both the
learner and the teacher are guided by what to
accomplish.
•The behavioral objectives, intended learning
outcomes or desired learning outcomes are
expressed in action words found in the
revised Bloom's Taxonomy of Objectives
(Andersen and Krathwohl, 2003) for the
development of the cognitive skills, For the
affective skills, refer to the taxonomy made by
Krathwohl and for the psychomotor domain by
Simpson.
•The statement should be SMART: Specific,
Measurable, Attainable, Result-oriented and Time-
bound. For a beginner, it would help if you provide the
Condition, Performance and Extent or Level of
Performance in the statement of the intended earning
outcomes.

•For example, if a lesson intends the students to identify

the parts of a simple flower as stated in the desired
learning outcomes, then students should have identified
the parts of a simple flower, at the end of the
Sometimes the phrase intended learning outcomes is
used to refer to the anticipated results after completing
the planned activity or lesson. In framing learning
outcomes, it is good practice to:

•Express each outcome in terms of what successful

students will be able to do. For example, rather than
stating Students will be able to explain the reason why...
it should be: 'Students must have explained the reasons
why...' This helps students to focus on what they have to
achieve as learning. It will also help curricularists devise
appropriate assessment tasks.
•Include different kinds of outcomes. The
most common are cognitive objectives (learning
facts, theories, formulae, principles etc.) and
performance outcomes (learning how to carry
out procedures, calculations and processes,
which typically include gathering information and
communicating results). In some contexts,
affective outcomes are important too (for
developing attitudes or values, e.g, those
required as a person and for a particular
profession).
II. Content/Subject Matter

The content of the lesson or unit is the topic

or subject matter that will be covered. In
selecting content, you should bear in mind
the following principles in addition to those
mentioned about the content in previous
lessons:

•Subject matter should be relevant to the

outcomes of the curriculum. An effective
curriculum is purposive and clearly focused
•Subject matter should be appropriate to the level of the
lesson or unit. An effective curriculum is progressive,
leading
students towards building on previous lessons. Contents
which are too basic or too advanced for the
development levels of learners make students either
bored or baffled and affect their motivation to learn.

•Subject matter should be up-to-date and, if possible,

show reflect current knowledge and concepts.

•Subject matter should follow the principle of

BASICS
III. References

The reference follows the content. It tells where the

content subject matter has been taken. The
reference may be a book, a module any publication.
It must bear the author of the material and possible,
the publications. Some examples are given below.

1. Project Wild (1992) K to 12 Activity Guide, An

Interdisciplinar Supplementary Conservation and
Environmental Education Program. Council of
Environmental Education, Bethesda, MD
2. Shipman, James and Jerry Wilson, et al
(2009). An Introduction to Physical Science.
Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston MA

3. Romo, Salvador B. (2013). Horticulture an

Exploratory Course Lorimar Publishing Inc.
Quezon City

4. Bilbao, Purita P. and Corpuz, Brenda B. et

al (2012). The Teaching Profession 2nd Ed.
IV. Teaching and Learning Methods

These are the activities where the

learners derive experiences. is always
good to keep in mind the teaching
strategies that students will experience
(lectures, laboratory classes, fieldwork
etc.) and make them learn. The teaching-
learning methods should allow
cooperation. competition as well as
EXAMPLES:

• Cooperative learning activities allow

students to work together Students are
guided to learn on their own to find solutions
to their problems. The role of the teachers is
to guide the learners Democratic process is
encouraged, and each one contributes to the
success of learning. Students learn from each
other in ways. Group projects and activities
• Independent learning activities allow learners to
develop personal responsibility. The degree of
independence to learn how to learn is enhanced.
This strategy is more appropriate for fast learners.

• Competitive activities, where students will test their

competencies against another in a healthy manner,
allow learners to perform to their maximum. Most
successful individuals in their adult life are
competitive, even in early schooling. They mostly
become the survivors in a very competitive world.
•The use of various delivery modes
to provide learning experiences is
recommended. Online learning and
similar modes are increasingly
important in many curricula, but
these need to be planned carefully to
be effective.
 Some Behaviorist Teaching Learning
Methods

A. Direct Instruction: Barak Rosenshine Model

(in Ornstien & Hunkins, 2018)
Detailed steps:

1. State Learning Objectives/ Outcomes:

Begin lesson with a short statement of objective
or desired lesson learning outcomes.
2. Review: Introduce short review of previous or
3. Present new materials: Present materials in
small, sequenced manner.
4. Explain: Give clear and detailed instructions
and explanations.
5. Practice: Provide active practice for all
students.
6. Guide. Guide students during initial practice;
or provide seatwork activities.
7. Check for understanding. Ask several
questions, assess students comprehension.
 9. Assess performance. Obtain student success rate of 80
percent or more during practice session.
10. Review and test. Provide for spaced review and
testing.
B. Guided Instruction: Madeline Hunter Model (in
Ornstein & Hunkins, 2018)

1. Review. Focus on previous lesson, ask students to

summarize main points.
2. Anticipatory set. Focus student's attention on new
lesson. Stimulate interest in the new materials
3. Objective. State explicitly what is to be learned,
state rationale or how it will be useful.
4. Input. Identify needed knowledge and skills for
learning new lesson; present materials in sequenced
steps.
5. Modeling. Provide several examples or
demonstrations throughout the lesson.
6. Check for understanding. Monitor students work
before they become involved in lesson activities, check
to see they understand directions or tasks.
7. Guided practice. Periodically ask students questions
and check their answers. Again monitor understanding
8. Independent practice. Assign independent work or
practice when it is reasonably sure that students can
C. Mastery Learning; JH Block and Lorin
Anderson Model (in Ornstein & Hunkins, 2018)

1. Clarify. Explain to students what they are

expected to learn.
2. Inform. Teach the lesson, relying on the whole
group instruction.
3. Pretest. Give a formative quiz on a no fault-
basis, students can check their own paper.
4. Group. Based on results, divide the class into
mastery and non- mastery groups (80% is
5. Enrich and correct. Give enrichment instruction to
mastery group. Give corrective (practice/drill) to non-
mastery group.
6. Monitor. Monitor student progress; vary amount of
teacher time and support for each group based on
group size and performance.
7. Posttest. Give a summary test for non-mastery
group.
8. Assess performance. At least 75% of the students
should achieve mastery by the summative test.
9. Reteach. If not, repeat procedures; starting with
D. Systematic Instruction: Thomas Good and
Jere Brophy (in Ornstein and Hunkins, 2018)

1. Review. Review concepts and skills related

to homework. provide review exercises.
2. Development. Promote students
understanding, provide controlled practice.
3. Assess comprehension. Ask questions,
provide controlled practice.
4. Seatwork. Provide uninterrupted seatwork;
5. Accountability. Check the students work.
6. Homework. Assign homework regularly,
provide
review
7. Special reviews. Provide weekly reviews to
check and further Environment
Teaching-Learning maintain and enhance learning.

In the choice of the teaching learning methods, equally

important is the teaching learning environment. Brian
Castaldi in 1987 suggested four criteria in the provision
of the environment or learning spaces in designing a
 FOUR CRITERIA IN THE PROVISION OF THE
ENVIRONMENT IN DESIGNING A CURRICULUM
1. Adequacy- This refers to the actual learning space
or classrooms.
2. Suitability- This relates to planned activities.
Suitability should consider chronological and
developmental ages of learners. Also to be
considered will be the socio-cultural, economic even
religious background of the learners.
3. Efficiency- This refers to operational and
instructional effectiveness.
VI. Assessment/Evaluation

Learning occurs most effectively when students

receive feedback, i.e. when they receive
information on what they have already (and have
not) learned. The process by which this
information is generated is assessment.

THREE MAIN FORMS:

•Self assessment, through which students learn to
monitor and evaluate their own learning. This should
be a significant element in the curriculum because we
•Peer assessment, in which students provide
feedback on each other's learning. This can be
viewed as an extension of self- assessment and
presupposes trust and mutual respect. Research
suggests that students can learn to judge each
other's work as reliably as staff.

•Teacher assessment, in which the teacher

prepares
and administers tests and gives feedback on the
Assessment may be formative (providing
feedback to help the student learn more) or
summative (expressing a judgment on the
student's achievement by reference to stated
criteria), Many assessment tasks involve an
element of both, e.g. an assignment that is
marked and returned to the student with detailed
comments.

Summative assessment usually involves the

 Application of the Fundamental
Components to Other Curriculum Designs

Major components of a Course Design or

Syllabus

1. Intended Outcomes (or Objectives)

2. Content/Subject Matter (with references)

3. Methods/Strategies (with needed resources)

Lesson 3.2 APPROACHES TO
CURRICULUM DESIGNING

Learning objectives:

➤ Identify some familiar curriculum designs

and approaches to the designs

➤ Analyze the approaches in the light of how

these are applied in the school setting
 Types of Curriculum Design
Models Design
1. Subject-Centered
➤This is a curriculum design that focuses on the content
of the curriculum. The subject-centered design
corresponds mostly to the textbook because textbooks
are usually written based the specific subject or course.
Henry Morrison and William Harris are the few
curricularists who firmly believed in this design.
➤Subject-centered curriculum design has also some
variations which are focused on the individual subject,
specific discipline and a combination of subjects or
disciplines which are a broad field of interdisciplinary.
1.1. Subject design. What subject are you
teaching? What subject are you taking? These
are two simple questions that the teacher and
the learner can easily answer. It is because
they are familiar with the subject design
curriculum.
➤Subject design curriculum is the oldest and so
far the mostfamiliar design for teachers, parents
and other laymen. According to the advocates,
subject design has an advantage because it is
 ➤ However, the drawback of this design is that
sometimes, learning is so compartmentalized. It stresses
so much the content and forgets about students' natural
tendencies, interests and experiences. The teacher
becomes the dispenser of knowledge and the learners
are the simply the empty vessel to receive the
information or content from the teacher. This is a
1.2traditional
Disciplineapproach to teaching
design. and learning.
This curriculum design
model is related to the subject design. However,
while subject design centers only on the cluster
of content, discipline design focuses on academic
disciplines.
➤Discipline design model of curriculum is often used in
college, but not in the elementary or secondary levels. So
from the subject-centered curriculum, curriculum moves
higher to a discipline when the students are more mature
and are already moving towards their career path or
disciplines as science, mathematics, psychology,
humanities, history and others.
1.3 Correlation design. Coming from a core,
correlated curriculum design links separate
subject designs in order to reduce fragmentation.
Subjects are related to one another and still
1.4 Broad field design/interdisciplinary. Broad
field design or interdisciplinary is a variation of the
subject-centered design This design was made to
cure the compartmentalization of the separate
subjects and integrate the contents that are related
to one another. Thus subjects such as geography,
economies
➤Sometimes called holistic curriculum, broad fields
draw around themes and integration.
Interdisciplinary design is similar to thematic design,
where a specific theme is identified, and all other
1. Learner-Centered Design
Here are some examples of curriculum designs which
are learner- centered.
1.1 Child-centered design. This design is often
attributed to the influence of John Dewey, Rouseau,
Pestallozi and Froebel. This curriculum design is
anchored on the needs and interests of the child.
➤ In the child-centered design, learners interact with
the teachers and the environment, thus there is a
collaborative effort on both sides to plan lessons,
select content and do activities together. Learning is a
product of the child's interaction with the environment.
1.2 Experience-centered design. This design is
similar to the child centered design. Although the focus
remains to be the child. experience-centered design
believes that the interests and needs of learners cannot
be pre-planned. Instead, experiences of the learners
become the starting point of the curriculum, thus the
school environment is left open and free.

1.3 Humanistic design. The key influence in this

curriculum design is Abraham Maslow and Carl
Rogers. Maslow's theory of self- actualization explains
that a person who achieves this level is accepting of
2. Problem-Centered Design

Generally, problem-centered design draws on

social problems, needs, interest and abilities
of the learners. Various problems are given
emphasis. There are those that center on life
situations, contemporary life problems, areas
of living and many others. In this curriculum,
content cuts across subject boundaries and
must be based on the needs, concerns and
2.1 Life-situations design. What makes the design
unique is that the contents are organized in ways that
allow students to clearly view problem areas. It uses
the past and the present experiences of learners as a
means to analyze the basic areas of living. As a
starting point, the pressing immediate problems of the
society and the students' existing concerns are utilized.
Based on Herbert Spencer's curriculum writing, his
emphases were activities that sustain life, enhance life,
aid in rearing children, maintain the individual's social
and political relations and enhance leisure, tasks and
feelings. The connection of subject matter to real
1.1 Core problem design. Another example of problem-
centered design is core design. It centers on general
education and problems are based on the common
human activities. The central focus of the core design
includes common need problems, and concerns of the
learners. Popularized by Faune and Bossing in 1959, it
presented ways on how to proces using core design of a
curriculum. These are the steps.

Step 1. Make group consensus on important problems,

Step 2. Develop criteria for selection of important
Step 4. Decide on areas of study, including
class grouping.
Step 5. List the needed information for
resources.
Step 6. Obtain and organize information.
Step 7. Analyze and interpret the information.
Step 8. State the tentative conclusions.
Step 9. Present a report to the class
individually or by group.
Step 10. Evaluate the conclusions.
Step 11. Explore other avenues for further
 APPROACHES TO CURRICULUM DESIGN
MODELS
Child or Learner-Centered Approach. This
approach to curriculum design is based on
the underlying philosophy that the child or the
learner is the center of the educational
process. It means that the curriculum is
constructed based on the needs, interest,
purposes and abilities of the learners. The
curriculum is also built upon the learners'
Principles of Child-Centered Curriculum Approach

1. Acknowledge and respect the fundamental rights

of the child.
2. Make all activities revolve around the overall
development of the learner.
3.
4. Consider the uniqueness
Consider using differentiatedofinstruction
every learner in a
or teaching.
multicultural classroom.
5. Provide a motivating supportive learning environment
for all the learners
 Subject-Centered Approach. This is anchored
on a curriculum design which prescribes
separate distinct subjects for every educational
level: basic education, higher education or
vocational-technical
1. education.This
The primary focus is the subject matter. approach
consider
2. the following
The emphasis is on bits principles:
and pieces of information
which may be detached from life.
3. The subject matter serves as a means of identifying
problems of living.
4. Learning means accumulation of content, or
knowledge.
Problem-Centered Approach. This approach is
based on a design which assumes that in the
process of living, children experience problems.
Thus, problem solving enables the learners to
become increasingly able to achieve complete or
This
total approach is characterized
development by the following
as individuals.
views and beliefs:

1. The learners are capable of directing and

guiding themselves in resolving problems, thus
developing every learner to be independent.
2. The learners are prepared to assume their
civic responsibilities through direct
participation in different activities.

3. The curriculum leads the learners in the

recognition of concerns and problems in
seeking solutions. Learners are problem
solvers themselves.
 Lesson 3.3:CURRICULUM MAPPING AND
CURRICULUM QUALITY AUDIT
Learning Objectives:

➤Define curriculum mapping and

curriculum quality audit

➤Explain the benefits of curriculum

mapping and curriculum quality audit

➤ Familiarize oneself of some

Curriculum mapping is a model for designing,
refining, upgrading and reviewing the curriculum
resulting in a framework that provides form, focus and
function (Hale and Dunlap, 2010). It is a reflective
process tat helps teachers understand what has been
taught in class, how it has been taught and how
learning outcomes are assessed. This process was
introduced by Heidi Hayes Jacobs in 2004 in her book
Getting results with Curriculum Mapping (ASCD,
2004). This approach is an ongoing process or "work-
in-progress". It is not a one time initiative but a
Benefits of Curriculum Mapping

1. Curriculum mapping ensures alignment of the

desired learning outcomes, learning activities
and assessment of learning.

2. Curriculum mapping addresses the gaps or

repetitions in the curriculum. It reveals if certain
program goals or learning outcomes are not
adequately covered or overly emphasized in the
3. Curriculum mapping verifies, clarifies and establishes
alignment between what students do in their courses
and what is taught in the classrooms and assessed as
their learning.

4. The curriculum maps visually show important

elements of the curriculum and how they contribute to
student learning.

5. Curriculum mapping connects all initiatives from

instruction. pedagogies, assessment and professional
•Curriculum Mapping Process
There are many ways of doing things, according to
what outcome one needs to produce. This is also
true with curriculum mapping However, whatever
outcome (map) will be made, there are suggested
steps to follow.
•The Curriculum Map
➤Curriculum maps are visual timelines that outline
outcomes to be achieved, contents, skills and values
taught, time, assessment to be used, and the overall
student movement toward the attainment of the intended
outcomes. Curricular maps may be simple or elaborate
➤Curriculum maps provide quality control of what are
taught in schools to maintain excellence, efficiency
and effectiveness. It i intended to improve instruction
and maintain quality of education that all stakeholders
need to be assured of.

➤A curriculum map is always a work in progress, that

enables the teacher or the curriculum review team to
create and recreate the curriculum. It provides a good
information for modification of curriculum, changing of
standards and competencies in order to find ways to
Curriculum Quality Audit

Curriculum Quality Audit (CQA) is a form of

curriculum mapping. It is a process of mapping
the curricular program or syllabus against
established standards. This process is supported
by Susan Rafe when she said that the best
practice in curriculum development and
implementation require that discipline based
standards embody curricular and program scopes
and sequences (Arafeh, 2016, p. 585) The
For those who want to engage in curriculum quality
audit, the following questions are worth considering:

1. Is the curriculum planned, executed, and assessed

in accordance with appropriate standards?

2. How does the school system conform to the

standards of quality in instructional organization like
specificity, quality and scope for teaching, learning and
assessment?

3. Are all students achieving success equally and

Benefits of Curriculum Quality Audit

1. Identify gaps, under and overrepresentation

of the curriculum based on the standards.

2. Ensures alignment of learning outcomes,

activities and assessment to the standards.

3. Achieves an internationally comparable

curriculum as standard become the basis of
THANK YOU
TEMPLATE