PDM 332/341– Advanced Curriculum Development and Evaluation in

Mathematics/Science Education

REFLECTION
Lesson No. and Title Lesson 1. CURRICULUM MODELS: PRODUCT versus PROCESS
Name of Students RUDY C. MARIANO JR/ RONY RONCALES
Section PhD Math

Title: CURRICULUM MODELS: PRODUCT versus PROCESS

Rationale:

Curriculum generally refers to the process of achieving the goals of education through the applications
of the knowledge, experiences and skills that make meaningful contributions for the betterment of the
people. It is very obvious that curriculum plays an important role to attain the quality of the educational
system for the sustainable development. If the curriculum structures shut down the educational system
will possibly collapse. Barriers of implementing the designed curriculum should be identified from time
to time since education is dynamics and now a days there are rapid regular changes of the technology.
That’s why effective knowledge, meaningful experiences and developed skills are necessary to achieved
the end goal of education in developing models of curriculum and in identifying the barriers. The
importance of reflection and study the key concepts of curricula and models is so crucial to laydown
suitable concepts that is fitted to the needs of the education for the curriculum. Identifying the reasons
of preventing the effective implementation of the curriculum will provide direction in designing and
implementing it. Curriculum needs to be reviewed and should be subject for critical examination to
avoid failure and it should be cope up to the needs of the school and learners. Models of the curriculum
will help to carefully formulate or designed a curriculum based on the deficiencies identified by the
schools, teachers and learners which can be the benchmark of the designers of the curriculum.
According to Hunkins (2009), curriculum models help designers to systematically and transparently map
out the use of teaching, learning and assessment approaches. He also emphasized that curriculum
development models often overlook the human aspects such as the personal attitudes, feeling and
values involved in making and designing the curriculum. If these are the scenario, therefore dealing and
analysing the curriculum models of every educational system incorporating the human aspects is
essential since curriculum development is useful in structuring the educational system. In this writing,
curriculum models were the major topic specifically “the product and process models” discussing the
outline and its nature. The strength and weaknesses of both approaches are also been discussed which
can perhaps the guide of every curriculum designer that’s why these writings are beneficial and
meaningful for the development of the curriculum.

Main Discussion:
In this paper, two approaches of the curriculum (product and process) are going to examine in relation
to education. There are several definitions of curriculum however in terms of its examples only few are
existed. According to Stenhouse (1975), curriculum is an attempt to communicate the essential
principles and features of an educational proposal in such a form that it is open to critical examination
and capable of effective translation into practice. The curriculum should concentrate on the essentials
principles of education to ensure the effective implementation of it. A curriculum ought to be reviewed
and subjected to critical scrutiny from time to time since education is dynamics process and needs to be
updated. Several research study about the definition of models of curriculum as follows: According to
Page & Thomas (1977) a model is a means of transferring a relationship or process from its actual setting
to one in which it can be more conveniently studied. Fawcett (1984) suggests that the term con capital
model, and synonymous terms such as conceptual framework and conceptual system refer to global
ideas about the individual groups, situations, and events of interest to a discipline. According to Lippett
(1973) conceptual models have existed since people began to think about themselves and their
surroundings that’s why models are influential in shaping the world. Marx’s model related to political,
philosophical, social and economic matters. Einstein’s model of relativity paved the way to the atomic
era. Freud’s model provided a structure for the understanding of man in the context of psychoanalysis.

Models of the Curriculum

According to Further Education Curriculum Review and Development Unit there are seven variants of
curriculum models. Each model is based on assumptions about the students for whom it is designed.

Product Models is concerned more on the outcome of the learning experience. The product model of
curriculum development focuses on end results, with successful completion of things like assessments
and examination that leads to desirable outcome. The following are examples of product models:

Deficiency model- based on the assumption that the students have learning deficiencies which need to
be corrected before progress can be made. The learning deficiencies of the students should need to be
identified first and need to be corrected in pre-requisite to the progress of the students. These
deficiencies may be in the areas of literacy, numeracy, interpersonal or manipulative skills or a lack of
recognition of the learning needs of the students.

Competency model- concerned with the ‘acting’ part of learning in the form of performing specific skills.
Practical skills would be considered in this model.

Information based model- concerned with the acquisition of knowledge that the students needed to
understand a context in a certain area of learning. Knowledge is so important for understanding manner
in this model. This model believes that all education is information based that’s why it focusing on the
acquisition of knowledge is important rather than the process of education.
Socialization- concerned with the initiation of the student into the social milieu. It is characterized by
the development of attitudes and values, and assumptions about the requirements of the world of work,
vocational matters and society.

Process Model is concerned on developing the abilities of the student. Intentions is the emphasis of the
process model in which the curriculum is open ended rather than objective just like the product model.
Just like for example, the process model should identify what are the abilities of the students that needs
to be develop rather than results or output by providing meaningful learning experiences.

Reflective Model – the main concerned is to develop the student the capacity to look at experience or
data in alternative ways. It is concerned with working out possible relationships between matters being
studied, generalizing and the development of conceptual frameworks by the student. The reflective
model is mainly concerned with the ‘knowing’ aspect of learning, but it is also concerned with the
feeling aspect.

Counselling Model-concerned with the ‘feeling’ aspect of the students. This model is characterized by a
concern with understanding and control of personal behaviour and that of others. Counselling is
sometimes described as a helping relationship that is, helping the person to know himself/herself better.
It allows feelings to be expressed.

Process vs Product

Intentional Behavioural
Open Ended Objective (Closed Ended)
Holistic Approach Outcome/Result Based
Human abilities Assessment based

In a process model, intentions are used, where in a product model, behavioural objectives would be
used. That’s why process approach is more on open ended and the product model is more on closed
ended or objective. The process model is focusing on identifying the abilities of the students that needs
to be develop rather than taking the examinations, assessment, grades. However, since process model is
more on human abilities the drawback or barrier when it is putting into practice is the inhuman abilities
as tendencies such as attitudes, morals, values, skills, communication which sometimes the reason or
difficulty in the implementation process. The implementation phase of the process curriculum is based
on the notion that learning is an active process on the part of the learner, that it is concerned with
solving meaningful problems. In the process model, the individual is helped to develop skills to go out
and explore the world. Moreover, on the product model it is more on the output and the amount of
learning of the students by showing how much they learned through exams, assessment and project
output.
Conclusion
Despite of any curriculum models the learner has more control over and has a big responsibility in
his/her learning. Since there are arguments between the process and product model, McKenzie (1985)
suggest that in the case of basic skills, safety in practice can never be taken for granted and there is a
place for the assessment of skills. He also emphasized that at the start, the manifestation of skills is the
greater part of the aim or purpose of the activity; for the latter, the context in which these skills are
manifested is crucial. Assessment should always be a continuous activity. A project is a student activity
which is designed, planned and carried out by a student. In project work students are given freedom,
with the minimum of guidance. The teacher role should be counsellor and advisor. If there is a project it
should include the activity of planning and organizing the work before it is with a process model. In the
product model, behavioural objectives restrict the teacher from taking advantage of teaching
opportunities. Also, since product model requires measurement of assessment it is somewhat
dehumanizing. While, process model may be criticized because it does not lend itself so readily to
measurement, but in its defence, it can be argued that it is not dehumanizing. Moreover, since
measurability implies accountability; teachers might be judged on their ability to produce results and
thus put the clock back as far as educational practice is concerned. On the other hand, the process
model might be rejected by those who regard measurement highly. These are some of the ‘pros and
cons’ of the two curriculum approaches but which model is chosen will perhaps depend on the values of
the chooser as much as on anything else.

My Reflections/Insights:

In the given article entitled Curriculum Models: Product versus Process is very helpful to the educators
specifically to those curriculum designers and implementers since its content is so informative. The
article discusses the framework of the nature of every curriculum model which are essentials in
designing a curriculum. Another thing that captures my interest to continue reading the articles is the
discussion of the strength and weaknesses of both approaches of curriculum models. The outline and
issues of the two models has been emphasized with a clear explanation of their differences and the
effective implementation of it. The explanation of the authors is more on examples that’s why it is easy
to follow and understand since there are several definitions but in terms of examples only few are
existed. Moreover, what makes this article so interesting is the complete discussion of the different
models of curriculum under the process and product. Before, I don’t have the knowledge about the
process and product specifically on their pros and cons but because of reading this article I found out
that process is more on the development of abilities and the product is more on the outcome. Important
details/ possible problems that needs immediate action has been tackled as a prerequisite to attain the
goal of education. Different variants of curriculum models have also been discussed in detailed to easily
understand by the readers. This article shows the importance of analysing first the distinction of the
curriculum models whether it is in process or product that help the teachers to discover the rationale of
their teaching strategy or approaches. Furthermore, in designing the curriculum essential principles and
features of education is necessary. This statement is so crucial and needs time to reflect because of
several principles needs to be consulted.
Lastly, although there are some arguments about the two approaches of the curriculum the articles cite
some possible barriers (advantages and disadvantages) during the implementation or putting the
curriculum into practice. These are very important to avoid the bias treatment of the two approaches
and it always depends on the curriculum designer.

My insights with regards to the article is although there are clear explanation of product and process
and the different curriculum models’ variants. For me, there is no models that is better or more effective
than the others. Different models of curriculum should incorporate depending on the student’s settings,
performance and skills. Differentiated curriculum or incorporation of others curriculum model is so
important and necessary because when we dealing with the group of the students in a certain classroom
their needs may vary because of different academic levels and performance. There are also other factors
needs to be considered like attitude in home, culture, and emotional needs. All students do not need the
exact same support in order to be successful in a classroom setting, and that is why differentiated
curriculum model should be designed based on the students.