PED 104 FIRST LESSON

 DEFINITIONS OF CURRICULUM BY DIFFERENT AUTHORS AND SCHOLARS

The following Curriculum definitions collection mentioned below is collected from the notes by Dr.
Robert Sweetland's Ali Abidi. Thanks to them.

1.According to A. Bestor (1956), the curriculum must consist essentially of disciplined study in five
great areas: 1) command of mother tongue and the systematic study of grammar, literature, and
writing. 2) mathematics, 3) sciences, 4) history, 5) foreign language.

2.Albert Oliver (1977) says, "Curriculum is the educational program of the school" and divided into
four basic elements: 1) program of studies, 2) program of experiences, 3) program of service, 4)
hidden curriculum."

3. B. Othanel Smith (1957) defines, "A sequence of potential experiences is set up in the school for the
purpose of disciplining children and youth in group ways of thinking and acting. This set of
experiences is referred to as the curriculum."

4. Bobbit (1918) says, "Curriculum is that series of things which children and youth must do and
experience by way of developing abilities to do the things well that make up the affairs of adult life,
and to be in all respects what adults should be".

5. Caswell and Campbell (1935) define, "Curriculum is composed of all of the experiences children
have under the guidance of the teacher."

6. Daniel Tanner and Laurel N. Tanner (1988) "that reconstruction of knowledge and experience
systematically developed under the auspices of the school (or university), to enable the learner to
increase his or her control of knowledge and experience."

7. According to David G. Armstrong (1989): "Curriculum is a master plan for selecting content and
organizing learning experiences for the purpose of changing and developing learners' behaviors and
insights."

8. Duncan and Frymier (1967) says that curriculum is a set of events, either proposed, occurring, or
having occurred, which has the potential for reconstructing human experience.

9. Goodman (1963) defines, "Curriculum is a set of abstractions from actual industries, arts,
professions, and civic activities, and these abstractions are brought into the school-box and taught."

10. Harnack (1968) describes, "the curriculum embodies all the teaching-learning experiences guided
and directed by the school."
11. Definition of curriculum by Hilda Taba (1962) is "All curricula, no matter what their particular
design, are composed of certain elements. A curriculum usually contains a statement of aims and of
specific objectives; it indicates some selection and organization of content; it either implies or
manifests certain patterns of learning and teaching, whether because the objectives demand them or
because the content organization requires them. Finally, it includes a program of evaluation of the
outcomes."

12. Johnson (1967) defines, "Curriculum is a structural series of intended learning outcomes.
Curriculum prescribes (or at least anticipates) the results of instruction. It does not prescribe the
means... To be used in achieving the results."

13. Krug (1957) definesdefines, "Curriculum consists of all the means of instruction used by the school
to provide opportunities for student learning experiences leading to desired learning outcomes."

14. Ralph Tyler (1957) defines curriculum as "the curriculum is all of the learning of students which is
planned by and directed by the school to attain its educational goals."

15. Robert Hutchins (1936): The curriculum should consist of permanent studies-rules of grammar,
reading, rhetoric and logic, and mathematics (for the elementary and secondary school), and the
greatest books of the western world (beginning at the secondary level of schooling).

16. Ronald C. Doll (1988): "the formal and informal content and process by which learners gain
knowledge and understanding, develop skills, and alter attitudes, appreciations, and values under the
auspices of that school."

17. Ronald Doll (1970) defines "The curriculum is now generally considered to be all of the
experiences that learners have under the auspices of the school."

18. Tanner (1980) defined curriculum as "the planned and guided learning experiences and intended
outcomes, formulated through the systematic reconstruction of knowledge and experiences under the
auspices of the school, for the learners' continuous and wilful growth in personal social competence".

19. Schubert (1987) defines curriculum as the contents of a subject, concepts and tasks to be acquired,
planned activities, the desired learning outcomes and experiences, product of culture and an agenda
to reform society.

20.Pratt (1980) defines curriculum as a written document that systematically

21. Goodlad and Su (1992) define curriculum as a plan that consists of learning opportunities for a
specific time frame and place, a tool that aims to bring about behaviour changes in students as a
result of planned activities and includes all learning experiences received by students with the
guidance of the school.

22. Cronbleth (1992) defines curriculum as answering three questions: what knowledge, skills and
values are most worthwhile? Why are they most worthwhile? How should the young acquire them?

23. Hass (1987) provides a broader definition, stating that a curriculum includes "all of the experiences
that individual learners have in a program of education whose purpose is to achieve broad goals and
related specific objectives, which is planned in terms of a framework of theory and research or past
and present professional practice".

 Etymology (Origin of the Term 'curriculum')

- The word curriculum is derived from the Latin word 'currere'. The Latin word 'currere' means
'curriculum' or 'course of study'. Some of the researchers think it comes from the Latin word
'currer', which means 'horse racing arena'.

 What Is Curriculum? (Definition of Curriculum)

-The term curriculum refers to the academic content and lessons taught in a school or
educational institution or in a specific course or program.

-A well-organized plan for conducting educational activities is called curriculum.

- Curriculum is a set of standards-based experiences in which students practice and master

information and skills.

-John Dewey defines curriculum reconstruction, moving from the as a continuous learner's
present experience out into that represented by the organized bodies of truth that we call
studies... the various studies... are themselves experience-they are that of the race.

-Curriculum serves as a primary guide for all educators in terms of what is required for
effective teaching and learning, ensuring that every student has access to challenging
academic experiences.
 -A curriculum's structure, organization, and concerns are designed to help students learn more
effectively and efficiently. To effectively support instruction and learning, curriculum must
include the required goals, techniques, materials, and assessments.

 The concept of curriculum

-Curriculum was used in a narrow sense at the beginning of the concept of curriculum. Over
time it has gained an overall plan for conducting education and teaching activities.

-Curriculum research has not stopped or stuck within certain boundaries.

-As a result of new research on curriculum, more and more new ideas are being created in this
regard. Individuals involved in the implementation of education must have knowledge of the
concept of curriculum.

 Ancient concept of curriculum

-The term curriculum has been used in different senses at different times and the concept of
curriculum is constantly evolving in the course of change of era. Therefore, no universally
accepted single and definite definition or concept of curriculum has emerged.

-In ancient times the subject of education was the acquisition of human survival skills. As a
result, this aspect has gained importance in the non-formal education of that time. Later, as a
result of people's thinking about continuous education, the concept of formal curriculum
began to take shape.

-Curriculum is the sum of a number of textbooks that are included in a class or level or course
in the ancient concept of curriculum.

-Extensive use of curriculum in America dates back to 1820. Curriculum in the United States at
that time meant the subject matter of a course, which was followed by teaching in the
teacher's class.

-The main goal of the American curriculum at that time was to develop the child's mental and
intellectual development. Therefore, emphasis was laid on acquiring hereditary coherent
knowledge and mental discipline in the curriculum.
 -Conservative educators were of the opinion that in order to develop a child's mental state, a
number of essentials should be included in the school curriculum. These are mother tongue,
mathematics, science, history, philosophy and western ideology. As a result, these subjects
were included in the curriculum at that time.

 Modern Concept of Curriculum Curriculum

-Roughly, the old and narrow concept of curriculum has changed since the 1930's. Most
educators think that the concept of curriculum spread widely after 1930. At that time
curriculum meant the sum of all the learning experiences conducted by the school.

-In 1935, Casswell and Campbell abolished the old notion of curriculum and proposed a new
definition; according to them, curriculum is all the experience gained by the student in the
management of the teacher.

-The curriculum began to be used in a broader sense beyond its narrow conceptual
boundaries, and the curriculum came to be regarded as the sum of all the school-controlled
learning experiences, rather than just the subject matter. But curriculum experts continue to
search for more clear and acceptable concepts of curriculum.

-In 1949, curriculum expert Ruff Tyler came up with an idea to solve the problem of
curriculum. Ruff Tyler was the first to say that curriculum is all the learning experience that is
designed and conducted by the school to achieve the goal of education and the student has
acquired it.

-Ruff Tyler's definition shows that he emphasizes the curriculum to rely on purposeful and
planned learning experiences in all school-run activities.

-The influence of the school was evident in the student life in the mid 1950's. At that time, a
number of educational projects were undertaken in the United States to refine and change
the concept of curriculum. The educators who worked on the American educational project
defined the curriculum as an instructional plan.

-In the late sixties and early seventies, many compared school work to industrial production.
Just as raw materials are processed in industrial factories to produce a variety of products, the
 school's job is to develop illiterate and inexperienced students into skilled, experienced and
literate people. As a result, the question of student's competence and achievement in
curriculum formulation and the question of school accountability are gaining importance. In
order to make the content selection and evaluation system of the curriculum scientific, great
importance was laid on writing behavioral objectives in the curriculum at this time. From this
time onwards, this changed and specific form of curriculum became important in the concept
of curriculum given by various scholars. Thus, over time, new dimensions are added to the
concept of curriculum and old concepts change.

 Importance of Curriculum

An effective curriculum provides a measurable strategy and structure for delivering a quality
education to teachers, students, administrators, and community stakeholders. Students must
demonstrate learning outcomes, criteria, and core competencies before progressing to the
next level, according to the curriculum.

-Teachers are crucial in the development, implementation, assessment, and modification of

the curriculum. A research-based curriculum serves as a roadmap for teachers and students on
their way to academic success.

-The school system is based on a curriculum, and it can never function without recognizing the
value of curriculum. A school cannot function properly without a well-designed curriculum.
Because there would be no clear understanding of what students studying at the school would
be taught. Whatever the purpose of teaching a topic is, the administration must have a clear
vision of what they want the pupils to be capable of by the time they graduate from that
institution.