EDUC. 6 Module 2

Module 2
Foundations of Curriculum
At the end of this module, the pre- service teacher (PST) are to:
1. Describe the foundation of curriculum Development

2. Explain how each foundation influences the curriculum development
3. Compare and contrast the philosophical beliefs of perennialism, essentialism,
progressivism and reconstructionism
4. Identify the application of behaviorist, cognitivist, constructivist and humanist
principles in the classroom
5. Examine how history and society influenced curriculum
Four Educational Philosophies According to Ornstein and Hunks

(2004) and their relations to curriculum
1. Perennialism
Aims of Education- To educate the rational person; to cultivate the intellect
Role of Education- Teachers help student think with reason. Based on the
Socratic methods of oral exposition or recitation. Explicit or deliberate
teaching of traditional values. Focus in the
Curriculum- Classical subjects, literary analysis and curriculum is constant
Curriculum Trends – Use of great books and return to liberal arts.
2. Essentialism
Aims of Education – To promote the intellectual growth of the individual and

educate a competent person.
Role of Education – The teacher is the sole authority in his or her subject area or
field of specialization.
Focus in the Curriculum – Essential skill of the 3 R’s and essential subjects of
English, Science, History, Math and Foreign Language.
Curriculum Trends – Excellence in education, back to basics and cultural literacy.
3. Progressivism
Aims of Education – To promote democratic and social living
Role of Education – Knowledge leads to growth and development of lifelong

learners who actively learn by doing.
Focus in the Curriculum – Subjects are interdisciplinary, integrative and

interactive. Curriculum is focused on students’ interest, human problems and
affairs.
Curriculum Trends – School reforms, relevant and contextualized curriculum,

humanistic education.
4. Reconstructionism
Aims of Education – To promote and reconstruct society, education for change.
Role of Education - Teachers act as agents of change and reform in various

educational projects including research.
Focus in the Curriculum – Focus on present and future trends and issues of
national and international interest.
Curriculum Trends – Equality of educational opportunities in education, access

to global education.
Historical Foundations of Curriculum
Different curriculum theorist and how they view curriculum from a historical 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.
2. Werret Charters (1875-1952)
Viewed curriculum as 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.
3. William Kilpatrick (1871-1965)
Curricula are purposeful activities which are child-centered. The purpose of

curriculum is child development and growth. The project method was introduced by
Kilpatrick where teacher and student plan the activities.
4. Harold Rugg (1886-1960)

To Rugg, curriculum should develop the whole child. It is child-centered.
With the statement of objectives and related learning activities, curriculum should
produce outcomes.
5. Hollis Caswell (1901-1989)
Sees curriculum as organized around social functions of themes, organized

knowledge and learner’s interest.
6. Ralph Tyler (1902-1994)
Believes that curriculum is a science and an extension of school’s

philosophy. To him curriculum is always related to instruction.
Psychological Foundations of Curriculum.
Three Groups of Learning Theories
1. Behaviorist Psychology
Well-known curricularists are Edward Lee Thorndike, Ralph Tyler, Hilda Taba,
Ivan Pavlov B.F. Skinner, Albert Bandura.
Robert Gagne’ hierarchical learning or sets of behavior and five learning outcomes
became classic examples. These learning outcomes include:
1. intellectual skills or “know how” to categorize and use symbols, forming concepts and
problem solving
2. information or “knowing what” knowledge about facts, dates and names;
3. cognitive strategies or learning skills;
4. motor skills; and
5. attitudes, feelings and emotions learned through experiences.
To the behaviorist, 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
another educational psychologist as simplistic mechanical.
2. Cognitive Psychology
How do learners store information? How do they retrieve data and generate
conclusion?
To the cognitive theorist, 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.
3. Humanistic Psychology
Humanistic psychologists are concerned with how learners can develop their human
potential. They view humanistic psychology as the third force learning theory after
behaviorism and cognitive development.
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 or her perceptions.
Abraham Maslow’s theory of human needs for self-actualizing persons and Carl
Rogers’ non-directive lives, are also fall under the humanistic psychology.
Among the humanistic psychologists, curriculum is concerned with the process not
the products; personal needs not the subject matter; psychological meaning and
environment situations.
In summary, psychology has great influence in the curriculum. Learners are not
machines and the mind are not a computer. Humans are biological beings affected by
their biology and cultures. The psychological foundations will help curriculum makers in
nurturing a more advanced, more comprehensive and complete human beings.
Social Foundation of Education
The schools are the only one of the many institutions that educate the society. The
home, the family, community likewise educate the people in the society. But schools are
formal institutions that address more complex and interrelated societies and world.
In order for the schools to be relevant, school curricula should address diversity,
explosion of knowledge, school reforms and education for all.
Schools and society are persons/symbols that contribute as source of change, as

agents of change, and knowledge as an agent of change. John Dewey considered two
fundamental elements- schools and civil society- to be the major topics needing attention
and reconstruction to encourage experimental intelligence and plurality. Alvin Toffler
wrote the Future Shock and believed that knowledge should prepare students for the
future. He suggested that in the future, parents might have the resources to teach
prescribed curriculum from home as a result of technology, not in spite of it. He also
foresaw schools and students worked creatively, collaboratively, and independent of their
age.
There is a mutual and encompassing relationship between society and curriculum

because the school exists within the societal context. Though schools are formal
institutions that educate the people, there are other units of society that educate or
influence the way people think, such as families and friends as well as communities.
Legal Foundation of
Curriculum The 1987. Philippine
Constitution ARTICLE XIV
Education, Science and
Technology, Arts, Culture, and
Sports
EDUCATION
The State must provide quality education for all and does everything to reach
out the farthest community to educate each citizen of the country for free as much
as possible. Provision for formal and informal education in all kinds of citizen must
be offered to respond to the needs of each individual and the society. All
educational institutions public, private, sectarian or non-sectarian must include the
study of constitutions and religion to promote nationalism, patriotism and inculcate
values. Teaching and non-teaching personnel have their own role to be educator
on their own way. Everybody is free to choose the course to be taken up in
college as long as it is within its ability and capacity.
LANGUAGE
The national language of the Philippines is Filipino and it must be learned

further than other language evolves within the country. English is provided to
facilitate instruction and further communication. Other languages such as Spanish
and Arabic shall be promoted on a voluntary and optional basis. Researches must
lead to development and preservation of Filipino and other languages.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Science and technology are essential for national development and

progress. The State has to give priority to research and development, invention,
innovation, and their utilization; and to science and technology education, training,
and services. It must support indigenous, appropriate, and self- reliant scientific
and technological capabilities, and their application to the country’s productive
systems and national life.

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Module 2

1. Describe the foundation of curriculum Development

Four Educational Philosophies According to Ornstein and Hunks

Aims of Education- To educate the rational person; to cultivate the intellect

Curriculum- Classical subjects, literary analysis and curriculum is constant

Curriculum Trends – Use of great books and return to liberal arts.

Aims of Education – To promote the intellectual growth of the individual and

Aims of Education – To promote democratic and social living

Role of Education – Knowledge leads to growth and development of lifelong

Focus in the Curriculum – Subjects are interdisciplinary, integrative and

Curriculum Trends – School reforms, relevant and contextualized curriculum,

Aims of Education – To promote and reconstruct society, education for change.

Role of Education - Teachers act as agents of change and reform in various

Curriculum Trends – Equality of educational opportunities in education, access

Historical Foundations of Curriculum

1. Franklin Bobbit (1876-1956)

Presented curriculum as a science that emphasizes on students’ need. Curriculum

Viewed curriculum as a science. It gives emphasis on students’ needs. The listing

3. William Kilpatrick (1871-1965)

Curricula are purposeful activities which are child-centered. The purpose of

4. Harold Rugg (1886-1960)

5. Hollis Caswell (1901-1989)

Sees curriculum as organized around social functions of themes, organized

6. Ralph Tyler (1902-1994)

Believes that curriculum is a science and an extension of school’s

Psychological Foundations of Curriculum.

Three Groups of Learning Theories

To the behaviorist, learning should be organized in order that students can

It is built on Gestalt psychology where learning can be explained in terms of the

Social Foundation of Education

Schools and society are persons/symbols that contribute as source of change, as

There is a mutual and encompassing relationship between society and curriculum

The national language of the Philippines is Filipino and it must be learned

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Science and technology are essential for national development and

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