Name: Adediran Nafiu Adedolapo

Course Code: PDE 5105

Matric Number: FCES/PDE/20/626

QUESTION

1. What is curiculum? Support your answer with different definitions.

1b. Explain 3 programmes that a comprehensive curriculum should be made of?

1c. Explain five characteristics of a curriculum.

1-3 course material

2. Define the concept of objective.

2b. Define the rationale for writing behaviour objective.

2c. “Behaviour Objective will be meaningless without inclusion of subject verb,

given conditions and standard” Justify this assertion.

3-12 course material

ANSWERS

1. What is curriculum? Support your answer with different definitions.

The word curriculum is widely used in the educational milieu. It is derived from the
Latin word “Currus” which means “a running course”. Since this word curriculum
attracts diverse definitions and interpretations from various quarters, getting a clear
and comprehensive definition has been a great challenge to educationalists over the
years. Some definitions are criticized for being too narrow and perhaps therefore,
incomplete.

The concept of curriculum has gone through many developmental stages as much as
the area of study itself. A time was when curriculum was used to refer to the
timetable. At another time, it referred to the syllabus or subject matter, we hear people
then talk of the curriculum of Biology, English, and Economics e.t.c. The concept of
curriculum has stayed with us for a quite a long time.

However, since there are no definite or agreed definition among scholars, attempt will
be made to examine few definitions as argued by different authors. The definitions are
as follows:

In a layman’s definition, curriculum can be defined as the guideline by which

different content matters are taught and assessed. Furthermore, according to Goodman
(1963) he defined curriculum as a set of abstractions from actual industries, arts,
professions and civic activities, and these abstractions are brought into the school-box
and taught. Oyekan (1996) observed curriculum as the totality of planned or
organized learning experiences which the learner acquires under the guidance or
supervision of approved or sanctioned educative agencies in order to realize his/her
needs, interests and aspirations for the benefit and growth of the society. Also, in the
words of Harnack (1968) curriculum embodies all the teaching-learning experiences
guided and directed by the school. Adeyinka (2007) defines curriculum as the totality
of experience of each learner under the influence of the school. To Krug (1957)
curriculum consists of all the means of instruction used by the school to provide
opportunities for student learning experiences leading to desired learning outcomes.

In conclusion, the problem of defining curriculum has become very apparent. Not
only does it change from time to time. It also changes according to social conditions,
conceptions of knowledge, the learner, and indeed, of education. Thus, various
definitions reflect the changing socio-philosophic view of philosophers such as
traditionalists which comprises of peremialists, essentialist’s, disciplines, doctrines
advocates and progressivists.

1b. Explain 3 programmes that a comprehensive curriculum should be made

of?

According to Oliver in Dada (2000), he proposes three programmes that a

comprehensive curriculum should be made of which includes a programme of studies;
a programme of activities and a programme of guidance. These three programmes
reflect the essential areas of the teacher’s task in school; teaching children, ‘what is’
(knowledge), teaching children ‘how to’ (skills) and teaching children ‘to become’
(values and attitudes).
 1c. Explain five characteristics of a curriculum.

The following are the five characteristics of a curriculum:

1. A curriculum is an educational proposal. This means that it is a plan of an

educational programme. Most people would see it as as written documents of
some sort.
2. A curriculum contains a programme of stuies. (The syllabus or a list of subject
matter to be learnt such as English language, Economics, Biology etc. and it is a
segment of the curriculum. It contains learning experiences that are academic in
nature; programme of activities. What learners would do in order to acquire
knowledge or develop skills etc.) and a programme of guidance (what teachers
would do to help learners become useful to themselves and the society).
3. A curriculum is rooted in a given society. That means that the learning programme
reflects the needs of the society and many factors in the society have to be
considered in drawing up the programme.
4. A curriculum is the responsibility of the school. This means that although there
can be other agents in the society that contribute to the making of a curriculum,
the school is held responsible for the outcome of the programme.
5. A curriculum takes into account the total environment of the learner-physical,
psychological, social, home etc. also, experiences outside the classroom which is
referred to as co-circular activities now forms parts of the curriculum.

2. Define the concept of objective.

Objectives are short-term and precise statements of educational intentions which
described in specific, activity oriented and behavioural terms those educational
outcomes expected from the learner(s) in the course of exposure to specified learning
experiences.

2b. Define the rationale for writing behaviour objective.

Behavioural objectives describe the activities in measuring observable terms usually

associated with “behaviourism”, and such objectives therefore are often referred to as
“behavioural objectives”. Behavioural objectives are statement of educational
outcomes, which can be measured or observed in the learner. Thus, the rationale for
writing behaviour objective is to define the direction of educational development, that
is teacher require them for use in planning instruction. Writing and using behavioural
objectives also helps teacher to clarify their instructional intent for themselves and for
their students.

2c. “Behaviour Objective will be meaningless without inclusion of subject

verb, given conditions and standard” Justify this assertion.

Behaviour objective will be meaningless without inclusion of subject, verb, given

conditions and standard because a well formed behavioural objective must specify
who is to demonstrate the outcome of instruction in term of the subject, if the answer
to the question “who”? is not the learner, the objective is not well formed. E.g. At the
end of the lesson the students(subject) should be able to . . .

Furthermore, in a well-formed behavioural objective the component is always

emphasized. Behaviour which identifies what the learner will be doing as evidence
that he/she has achieved the objectives. It is therefore introduced by appropriate
action verbs which indicate the required behaviour, such action verb includes: list,
identify, define etc, these elicit observable, measure learner behaviour.

Also, in a well-formed behavioural objective, there are specified “given” in

instruction to which the learner must attend. They indicate what conditions that is to
be imposed on the learner as he demonstrates his learning. It is often expressed in
terms of materials/tools that are to be provided, or merely circumstance under which
the objectives are to be achieved. E.g. without the looking at notes when asked, the
student should be able to define key terms in curriculum.

Consequently, a well-formed behavioural objective must have an acceptable standard,

the degree of specificity could be further strengthened by stating how ell or at what
acceptable level of performance we want the learner to perform the specified tasks. It
indicates tolerance limits for the response. E.g. …with no grammatical or spelling
error, must be completed within 25 minutes, etc

In conclusion, these four criteria are essential to have a well-formed behavioural

objective without them, it will not be termed as well formulated. Also, in stating
behavioural objectives the teacher should state not just the expected behaviour of the
students, but also the conditions and level of expected performance.