APPROACHES TO SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Summary

The script discusses various approaches to school curriculum design, focusing on three key perspectives: content, process, and product. It explains how curriculum can be viewed as a body of knowledge, a set of learning outcomes, or as the actual process of teaching in the classroom. Different strategies such as topical, conceptual, thematic, and modular approaches are examined, along with criteria for content selection. The significance of curriculum articulation, sequence, integration, and continuity is highlighted, emphasizing how they shape effective learning and teaching experiences.

Takeaways

• 📚 Curriculum can be approached as content, process, or product.
• 🔍 Viewing curriculum as content involves focusing on knowledge to be transmitted, often seen in traditional subjects like math and science.
• 🧩 The curriculum content can be organized through various approaches such as topical, conceptual, thematic, and modular.
• 🧠 Selecting curriculum content requires consideration of significance, validity, utility, learnability, and feasibility.
• ⚖️ Balance, articulation, sequence, integration, and continuity are fundamental principles for curriculum content selection.
• 🧮 Curriculum as process emphasizes teaching and learning interactions, with the role of methods and strategies being central to achieving learning outcomes.
• 🎯 Curriculum as product focuses on the desired learning outcomes and what students are expected to achieve by the end of their education.
• 🏆 Effective curriculum design considers knowledge, skills, and values that support student development in cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains.
• 📈 Flexibility in the curriculum process and methods helps to tailor education to meet individual learner needs and situational contexts.
• 🔗 Curriculum components should be interconnected, providing continuity and supporting holistic education rather than isolated learning experiences.

Q & A

What are the three main ways of approaching a school curriculum?

The three main ways of approaching a school curriculum are: as content, as a process, and as a product or learning outcomes.

How is 'curriculum as content' typically viewed?

Curriculum as content is viewed as a body of knowledge to be transmitted, often seen in traditional education as a list of topics, concepts, or subject matter that students need to learn. It includes facts, principles, and ideas that are taught in schools.

What are the four methods of presenting content in the curriculum?

The four methods of presenting content in the curriculum are: topical approach, concept approach, thematic approach, and modular approach.

What is the significance of content in a curriculum?

The significance of content refers to its ability to contribute to the overall purpose of education, helping develop cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills. Significant content also considers the cultural context and relevance to learners' lives.

What factors affect the 'learnability' of curriculum content?

Learnability depends on the complexity of the content and its alignment with the learners' prior experiences. It involves proper organization and sequencing of content to match the psychological principles of learning, ensuring students can grasp the material effectively.

What is the role of 'utility' in selecting curriculum content?

Utility refers to the usefulness of the content for learners' future careers, daily lives, and overall personal development. It answers the question of whether the knowledge or skills gained will be practical and applicable to real-world situations.

What is meant by 'curriculum as a process'?

Curriculum as a process refers to the teaching and learning activities that occur in the classroom. It emphasizes the interaction between teachers and students, methods of instruction, and the practical implementation of the curriculum.

How does 'curriculum as a product' differ from the other approaches?

Curriculum as a product focuses on the outcomes of education, including the knowledge, skills, and values that students acquire after completing a course. It is measured by whether the desired learning outcomes have been achieved.

What are some guiding principles when curriculum is approached as a process?

Some guiding principles include: there is no single best method, the process should develop cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills, and methods should be flexible and tailored to the desired learning outcomes.

How does the concept of 'balance' apply to curriculum content design?

Balance refers to the fair distribution of content across different subject areas and over time. It ensures that no subject is overloaded with content while others are neglected, maintaining proportionality based on the number of days spent teaching each topic.