CURRICULUM

FOUNDATIONS
PROBLEM CENTERED
DESIGNS

Presentation by:
Norliza Mohamad
 Curriculum Designs:

Problem Centered
Designs
(Robert S. Zais)
 PROBLEM CENTERED DESIGN

Design focused on the problems of living,

individual and social.
Broad and inclusive – large number of
variations on the theme and focusing e.g.
persistent life situations, major social
problems, contemporary social problems,
areas of living, the personal and social
concerns of youth, social action projects for
the reconstruction of society.
 PROBLEM CENTERED DESIGN

Emphasis an individual as opposed to social needs.

Problems centered design curricula determined by:
Scope
Classification of problem
Needs, concern and abilities of students
* Content and the development of learners
Emphasis the major life activities and problems of
mankind
 PROBLEM CENTERED DESIGN

 3 designs in this category:

1. Areas-of-living
2. Core curriculum
3. Personal / social concerns of youth
 Areas-of-living design

• 19th century
• Herbert Spencer’s (1885)
What Knowledge Is Of Most Worth?
• Spencer proposed the curriculum
prepared people to function effectively in
the 5 basic areas of living common to all
societies:
 Areas of living design

1. Direct self preservation

2. Indirect self preservation
(securing food, shelter).
3. Parenthood
4. Citizenship
5. Leisure activities
 Areas of living design

Another statement advocating

Commission on the Recognition of
Secondary Education (1918) proposed
a classification of areas of living – The
Seven Cardinal Principles
 THE 7 CARDINAL PRINCIPLES

1. Health
2. Command of fundamental process
3. Worthy home membership
4. Vocation
5. Citizenship
6. Worthy use of leisure time
7. Ethical character
Areas of living design
Areas of living design
 Areas of living design

b. Situations calling for growth in social

participation : person to person relationships,
group membership and intergroup
memberships.

c. Situations calling for growth in ability to

deal with environmental factors and forces :
Natural phenomena technological
phenomena, economic social political
structure and forces.
 Areas of living design

Tentative Course of Study for Virginia

Public Schools identifies 11 areas of
living constitute the scope of the
curriculum for all grade levels.
 11 AREAS OF LIVING
11. Exploration
11 6. Expression of
1. Protection & conservation of
life, property & natural resources A aesthetic impulsus
RE
7. Expression of
2. Production of goods, AS
aesthetic impulsus
services & distribution of the OF
returns of production
L 8. Education
3. Consumption of good & I
services V
9. Extension of
I
freedom
4. Communication and N
transportation of goods & G
people 10. Integration of
the individual
5. Recreation
THE ADVANTAGES OF AREAS OF
LIVING DESIGN
 FEATURES OF THE AREAS OF
LIVING DESIGN

• Focuses on problem solving

procedures for learning.

• Utilizes the experience immediate

situations of learners – every students
experience is closely realted to the
basic areas of lives.
THE ADVANTAGES OF AREAS OF
LIVING DESIGN
THE DISADVANTAGES OF AREAS
OF LIVING DESIGN
THE DISADVANTAGES OF AREAS
OF LIVING DESIGN
 THE CORE DESIGN

• It centers on general education and the

problems are based on common human
activities.

• The central focus of the core design

includes common needs, problems,
concerns of the learners.
THE CORE DESIGN
 SKELETAL STRUCTURE OF THE
CORE DESIGN

V V-
P- V V VOCATIONAL
COURSE
PREPROFESIONAL
COURSE
P V

P S
CORE
D S
D-
D S S- SPECIAL
ACADEMIC INTEREST
DISCIPLINE D D COURSE
COURSE D
THE SEPARATE SUBJECTS CORE
THE CORRELATED CORE
THE FUSED CORE
THE ACTIVITY / EXPERIENCE CORE
THE AREAS OF LIVING CORE
THE SOCIAL PROBLEMS CORE
 CORE WEAKNESSES & STRENGTHS

S W
• Unifies content • Nontraditional
• Provides relevant • Ignores the
subject matter
fundamentals
• Encourages active
processing of • Materials are hard to
information find
• Fosters democratic
processes in the
classroom
 CONCLUSION

Problem-centered design, or problem

based learning, organizes subject
matter around a problem, real or
hypothetical, that needs to be solved.
 CONCLUSION

The connection of subject matter to

real situation increases the relevance
of the curriculum.
 CONCLUSION

The planner should concern

what outcomes and
experiences all should have
in common.
 REVIEW

What curriculum design(s) do you find?

Do your schools support the problem –

centered curriculum?
Approaches Child or Subject-Centered Problem-
to CD Learner- Centered
Centered
1.Teacher Guide Master Trainer
2. Learners Most Competitors/ Problem-solvers/
important next masters independent
/center of the
educational
process
3. What to What learners Subject matter Practical work
teach want to content which (ex: social
learn/accompl are detached construction
ish from life skills)
4. How to Self-discovery, Intellectual Direct
Teach self-direction practices (ex: participation (ex:
cram reviews) case study)
5. Performance Learner’s Dealing with life
Performance compared to mastery of the and its problems
(measureme learner’s own subject content
nt) set of goals