The School Curriculum

Definition, Nature and Scope

Chazel Mae L.
Ando
Etymology
“Curriculum“ originates from the Latin word currere referring to the oval track
upon which Roman chariots raced.

The New International Dictionary

“Curriculum“ is the whole body of a course in an educational institution or by a department.

Oxford English Dictionary

“Curriculum“ are courses taught in schools or universities.
 SOME DEFINITIONS OF
CURRICULUM
PRATT, 1980
DANIEL
TANNER, 1980 SCHUBERT,
1987

CURRICULU
CRONBETH, M
1992 HASS, 1987

GOODLAND GRUNDY,
and SU, 1992 1987
 DANIEL TANNER, 1980
Curriculum is planned and guided set of learning
experiences and intended outcomes, formulated through
systematic reconstruction of knowledge and experiences
under the auspices (endorsement and guidance) of the
school, for the learners’ continuous and willful growth in
personal social competence.

BACK
 PRATT, 1980
It is a written document that
systematically describe goals planned,
objectives, content, learning activities,
evaluation procedures and so forth.

BACK
 SCHUBERT, 1987
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 make up a
curriculum.
BACK
 HASS, 1987
A curriculum includes “ all 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 framework of theory, and
research or past and present professional
practice”.

BACK
 GRUNDY, 1987
It is a programme of activities (by teachers
and pupils) designed so that pupils will
attain so far as possible certain educational
and other schooling ends or objectives.

BACK
 GOODLAND and SU, 1992
It is a plan that consists of learning opportunities
for a specific time frame and place, a tool that
aims to bring about behavior changes in students
as a result of planned activities and includes all
learning experiences received by students with the
guidance of the school.

BACK
 CRONBETH, 1992
It provides answers to three questions:
1. What knowledge, skills, and values
are most worthwhile?
2. Why are they most worthwhile?
3. How should the young acquire them?
BACK
 SOME POINTS OF VIEW OF
OTHER CURRICULARISTFROM
PROGRESSIV
FROM E POINTS OF
TRADITION VIEW
AL POINTS
OF VIEW
 CURRICULUM FROM
TRADITIONAL POINTS OF VIEW

Arhur Bestor Phillip Phoenix

Robert M.
Joseph Schwab
Hutchkins
 CURRICULUM FROM
TRADITIONAL POINTS OF VIEW
He views curriculum as “permanent
studies” where rules of grammar,
reading , rhetoric (using language
effectively to please or persuade), logic
and mathematics for basic education are
emphasized. The 3Rs (Reading,
writing, ‘rithmetic) should be
emphasized in basic education while
liberal education should be the
emphasis in college.
Robert M. Hutchins
 CURRICULUM FROM
TRADITIONAL POINTS OF VIEW
As an essentialist, he believes
that the mission of the school
should be intellectual training,
hence curriculum should focus on
the fundamental intellectual
disciplines of grammar, literature
and writing. It should include
mathematics, science, history and
foreign language
Arthur Bestor
 CURRICULUM FROM
TRADITIONAL POINTS OF VIEW
Schwab thinks that the sole
source of curriculum is a
discipline, thus the subject areas
such as Science, Mathematics,
Social Studies, English and many
more.
In college, academic disciplines
are labelled as humanities,
sciences, languages, mathematics
Joseph Schwab among others.
 CURRICULUM FROM
TRADITIONAL POINTS OF VIEW

Asserts that curriculum

should consist entirely
of knowledge which
comes from various
disciplines.
Phillip Phoenix
CURRICULUM FROM TRADITIONAL POINTS
OF VIEW

From a traditional
Curriculum is view, curriculum is
mostly written
Curriculum highly academic
documents such as
can be defined and is concerned syllabus, course of
with broad study, books and
as a field of historical, references where
study. philosophical, knowledge is found but
is used as a means to
psychological and accomplish intended
social issues. goals.
 CURRICULUM FROM
PROGRESSIVE POINTS OF VIEW
Holin Caswell Collin Marsh
and And
Kenn Campbell George Willis

John Dewey Othaniel Smith,

William Stanley
and
Harlan Shore
 CURRICULUM FROM
PROGRESSIVE POINTS OF VIEW

He believes that education

is experiencing. Reflective
thinking is a means that
unifies curricular elements
that are tested by
application.
John Dewey
 CURRICULUM FROM
PROGRESSIVE POINTS OF VIEW

They viewed curriculum as

all experiences children
have under the guidance of
teachers.
Holin Caswell and
Kenn Campbell
 CURRICULUM FROM
PROGRESSIVE POINTS OF VIEW
Likewise, they defined
curriculum as a sequence of
potential experiences, set up
in schools for the purpose
of disciplining children and
youth in group ways of
Othaniel Smith,
William Stanley thinking and acting.
and
Harlan Shore
 CURRICULUM FROM
PROGRESSIVE POINTS OF VIEW

They also viewed

curriculum as all the
experiences in the
classroom which planned
and enacted by the teacher
Colin Marsh and also learned by the
and students.
George Willis
C URR I CUL UM
Curriculum is what is It is what is taught
taught in school, a set inside and outside of
of subjects, a content, school directed by the
a program of studies, a teacher, everything
set of materials, a planned by school, a
sequence of courses, a series of experiences
set of performance undergone by learners
objectives, everything in school or what
that goes within the individual learner
school. experiences as a result
In short, Curriculum is of school.
the total learning
experiences of the
learner, under the
guidance of the
teacher.
No. Description (T) (P)
1 Teachers are required to teach the book from cover to cover?

2 If the learners can memorize the content, then the curriculum is best.

3 Children are given opportunity to play outdoors.

4 Parents send children to a military type school with rigid discipline.

5 Teachers are reluctant to teach beyond the written curriculum.

Prerequisites to promotion for the next grade are skills in reading, writing
6
and arithmetic only.

7 Teachers provide varied experiences for the children

?
8 Learning can only be achieved in schools.

9 It is systematic arrangement of contents in the course syllabus. ?

10 Co-curricular activities are planned for all to participate.
 TRADITIONAL OR
PROGRESSIVE: WHAT IS YOUR
?
VIEW OF CURRICULUM?
1. What is your own definition of a
curriculum?
2. Do you have a traditional view of a
?
curriculum, a progressive view or
both? Explain your answer based on
your definition.
If the teacher is the guide, the curriculum is
the path.