CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

MODULE 7: FUNDAMENTAL OF CURRICULUM

DESIGNING
FUNDAMENTAL OF CURRICULUM DESIGNING

• A curriculum as a planned sequence of learning

experiences should be at the heart and mind of every
teacher. Every teacher as a curricularist should be
involved in designing a curriculum. As such, you will be a
part of the intellectual journey of your learners. You will be
providing them with the neccessary experiences that will
enable the learner what you intend them learn. Designing
a curriculum is a very challenging task. It is here where
the style and creativity of the teacher come in.
Every curriculum designer, implementer, or evaliator should
take in mind the following axioms as a guide in curriculum
development.
1. Curriculum change is inevitable, necessary, and
desirable.
2. Curriculum is a product of its time.
3. Curriculum changes made can exist concurrently with
newer curriculum change.
4. Curriculum change depends on people who will
implementthe change.
5. Curriculum development is a cooperative group activity.
6. Curriculum development is a decision-making
processmade from choices of alternatives.
7. Curriculum development is an on-going process.
8. Curriculum development is more effective if it is a
comprehensive process, rather than “piecemeal”.
9. Curriculum development is more effective when itfollows
a systematic process.
10. Curriculum starts from where the curriculum is.
Let us continue learning how to design a curriculum by
identifying its components. The major components of most
curricula answer the following question:
1. What learning outcomes need to be achieved? (Intended
Learning Outcome)
2. What content should be included to achieve the learning
outcomes? (Subject Matter)
3. What learning experiences & resources should be
employed? (T-L methods)
4. How will the achieved learning outcomes be measured.
(Assessment of Achieved Learning Outcomes)
ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS OF CURRICUUM
DESIGN
There are many labels or names for curriculum design.
Some would call it a syllabus, or a lesson plan. Some all it a
unit plan or course design. Whatever is the name of the
design, the common components for all them are almost the
same.

Let us take the Lesson Plan as a minisculecurriculum. A

lesson plan or teaching guide includes (1) Intended
Learning Outcomes (ILO) or the Desired Learning
Outcomes (DSO).
formerly labeled as behavioral objectives, (20 SUBJECT
Matter or Content), (3) Teaching and Learning Methods,
and (4) Assessment Evaluation. Each of these components
or element is described below:
1. Behavioral Objectives or Intended Leraning Outcomes
-The objectives or intended outcomes are the reasons for
unertaking the learning lesson from the student’s point of
view; it is desired learning outcome that is to be
accomplished in a particular learning episode, engaged in
by the learners uner the guidance of the teacher.
As a curriculum designer, the beggining 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 are
expressed in acton words found in the revised Bloom’s
Taxonomy of Objectives for the development of cognitive skills.
The statement should be SMART; Specificn Measurable,
Attainable, Result oriented and Time bound. 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 that parts of a simple flower, at the end of
the lesson.
Sometimes the phrase intended learning outcomes is used
to refer to the anticipate results after completing the
planned activity or lesson. In framing learning outcomes:
• Express its 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...”this
helps the students to focus on what they have to achieve
as learning. It will also curricularist devise assessment
tasks.
• Include different kinds of outcomes. The most common
are cognitive objectives (learning facts, the theories,
formulae, principles, etc.) and performance outcomes
(learning how to carry out procedures, calculations,
calculations, and processes, which typically include
gathering information and communicating results). In
some contexts, affective outcomes are important too (for
develoving attitudes or values , e.g. those require 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.
• Subject matter should be relevant to the outcomes of the
curriculum. An effective curriculum is purposive and
clearly focused on the planned learning outcomes.
Subject matters should be appropriate to the level of the
lesson or unit. An effective curriculum is purposive,
leading students towards building of 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,
should reflect current concepts.
• III. References
The reference follows the content. It tells where the content
or subject matter has been taken. The references may be a
book, a module, or any application, or any publication. It
must bear the author of the material, and the publication.
Examples are:
1. Project Wild (1992) Kto 12 Activity Guide. An
Interdisciplinary, 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 Miffin Co.
Boston. MA
3. Romo, Salvador B. (2013) Horticulture an Exploratory
Course. Lorimar Inc. Quezon City
IV. Teaching and Learning Methods
These are the activities where the learners derive experiences. It is
always good to keep in mind the teaching strategies that students
will experiences (lectures, laboratory, classes, fieldwork, etc. ) and
make them learn. The teaching-learning methods should allow allow
cooperation, competion as well as individualism or independent
learning among the students. For example:
1. Cooperative learning activities allow students to work together,
Students are guided to learn on their own to find solution to their
problems. The role of the teacher to guide the learners. Democratic
process is encouraged and each one contributes to the success of
learning. Students learn from each other in ways. Giving project and
activities considerably enhance the curriculum.
2. Independent learning activities allow learners to develop personal
responsibility. The degree independence to learn how to learn is
enhanced. The strategy is more appropriate for fast learners.
3. Competitive activities where student will test their competencies
against another in a healthy manner allow learners to perform to
their maximum. Most succesful individuals in their adult life are
competitive even in early schooling. They mostly become the
survivors in a very competitive work.
4. 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.
V. Assessment Evaluation
Learning occurs most effectively when students receive feedback.
The process by which this information is generated is assessment. It
has three functions:
1. Self assessment, through which students learn to monitor and
evaluate their own learning. This should be a significant element in
the curriculum because we aim to produce graduates who are
appropriately reflective and self-critical.
2. Peer assessment in which student provide feedback on each
other’s learning. This can be viewed as an extension of self
assessment and presupposes trust and mutual respect.
3. Teacher assessment in which the teacher prepares and
administers tests and gives feedback on the student’s performance.
Assessment may be formative or summative. Many
assessment tasks involved an element of both, e.g. an
assignment that is returned to the students wd comments.
Summative assessment usually involves the allocation of
marks or grades. This helps the teacher makes decision
about the progress or performance of the students.
Student usually learn more by understanding the strengths
and weaknesses of their work by knowing the marks or
grades given to it. For this reason, summative assessment
tasks should include an element of formative feedback, if
possible.
 Application of the Fundamental Components to other Curriculum
Designs
While our example refers only to designing a lesson plan which is a
mini curriculum, similar components will also be used in making a
syllabus for teaching in higher education courses or other curricular
projects. Based on the curriculum models we have learned, the
fundamental components include the following: Major components
of a Course Design or Syllabus:
1. Intended Learning Outcomes (or objectives)
2. Content/Subject Matter (with references)
3. Methods/Strategies (with needed resources)
4. Evaluation (means of assessment)
• All other additional components are trimming that each
designer may place. This additional part may be an
institutional template, suggested by other curriculum
experts and as required by educational agencies like the
Department of Education, Commission on HIger
Education, Accrediting Agencies, professional
Organizations that would serve the purpose they intent to
achieve.