Article on curriculum (summary) | FARAH ‘AIFAA BINTI NAZARUDIN

The Meaning and Importance of Curriculum Development

By Dr Mary Alvior
Curriculum Developer & Lecturer in English / Education Courses

Article published on 28 February 2015

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/meaning-importance-curriculum-development-dr-mary-alvior

This article explains the definition of curriculum development, and its importance in school,
country, and society, in general.

Definition

- During ancient times, they were already have curriculum which is called as saber-tooth
curriculum. This type of curriculum refers to a kind of curriculum that existed during the ancient
times in which the purpose of teaching was for survival. It was an informal type of curriculum.

- Nowadays, curriculum development is defined as planned, purposeful, progressive, and

systematic process in order to create positive improvements in the educational system. It is a
formal type of education.

Importance

- Curriculum plays vital role in improving economy of a country.

- Curriculum also provides answers or solutions to the world’s pressing conditions and
problems, such as environment, politics, socio-economics, and other issues on
poverty, climate change and sustainable development.
- For example : in the Philippines, if President Aquino would like the country as the Asia-
Pacific’s tourism hub, then the school curriculum must be developed along that line.
Curricular programs for higher education can be crafted in such a way that it will boost
the tourism industry and work into different models on edu-tourism, eco-tourism,
cultural tourism, medo-tourism, biz-tourism, techno-tourism, agri-tourism, archi-
tourism, among others.