Lesson 4 – Foundations of

Curriculum Development
 Desired Learning Outcomes

• Describe the foundations of curriculum

development
• Explain how each foundation influences
curriculum development
 Take off Activity

Curriculum development, considered to be a new discipline

is anchored on a very solid foundations. Today the
significance of curriculum development is widely
acknowledged. What philosophical, historical,
psychological and sociological influences inform the
current school curriculum? How do these foundations
reflect the development of curriculum in the 21st century
classrooms and learning environment? Who are the
identified curricularists with these foundations? Let us find
out.
Foundations of Curriculum
 1. PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS
Every educator must have a philosophy or strong
belief about education and schooling and the kind
of curriculum in the classrooms. Philosophy of thr
curriculum answers questions like: What are
schools for? What subjects are important? How
should students learn? What methods should be
used? What outcomes should be achieved? Why?
 1. PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS
• The various activities in school are
influenced in one way or another by a
philosophy. For example, John Dewey’s
philosophy of pragmatism influenced the use
of “learning by doing.”
1. PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS
What are the philosophies that have
influenced school curriculum? There are many
philosophies but we will include only those
presented by Ornstein and Hunkins (2004)
 A. PERENNIALISM
• Aim: To educate the rational person; cultivate
intellect
• Role: Teachers assist students to think with reason
(emphasis on HOTS)
• Focus: Classical subjects, literary analysis, curriculum is
enduring.
• Trends: Use of Great Books (Bible. Koran, Classics) and
Liberal Arts (The Trivium (3) and the
Quadrivium (4) of the seven (7) Liberal Arts
 B. ESSENTIALISM
• Aim: To promote intellectual growth of
learners to become competent
• Role: Teachers are sole authorities in the subject
area
• Focus: Essential skills of the 4Rs
(Reading,Writing,Arithmetic, Right Conduct)
• Trends: Back to basics
Excellence in education, cultural literacy
 PROGRESSIVISM
• Aim: Promote democratic social living
• Role: Teacher leads for growth and
development of lifelong learners
• Focus: Interdisciplinary subjects, learner-
centered Outcome-based
• Trends: Equal opportunities for all,
contextualized curriculum, humanistic
education
 D. RECONSTRUCTIONISM
• Aim: Promote democratic social living
• Role: Teacher leads for growth and
development of lifelong learners
• Focus: Interdisciplinary subjects, learner-
centered Outcome-based
• Trends: Equal opportunities for all,
contextualized curriculum, humanistic
education
 2. HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS
Where is curriculum development coming from?
The historical foundations will show to us the
chronological development along a timeline.
 2. HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS
Reading materials would tell us that curriculum
development started when Franklin Bobbit (1876-
1956) wrote the book “The Curriculum.” From the
many, the following have been selected as they
are considered to have great contributions to
curriculum development.
FRANKLIN BOBBIT (1856-1956)
Started the curriculum development
movement
Curriculum is science that emphasizes
students’ needs
Objectives and activities should be grouped
together when tasks are clarified.
B. WERET CHARTERS (1875-1952)

• Like Bobbit, he emphasized that curriculum

is a science that emphasizes students’ needs.
• Objectives and activities should match;
subject matter or content relates to
objectives.
C. WILLIAM KILPATRICK (1871-1965)

 Curricula are purposeful activities which are child-

centered.
The purpose of the curriculum is child development and
growth.
He introduced the project method where teacher and
students plan activities.
Curriculum develops social relationships and small group
D. HAROLD RUGG (1886-1960)

Curriculum should develop the whole child- It is

child-centered.
With the statement of objectives and related
activities, curriculum should produce outcomes.
Emphasized social studies and suggested that
the teacher plans curriculum in advance.
 E. HOLLIS CASWELL (1901-1989)

 Curriculum is organized around social

functions of themes, organized knowledge
and learner’s interest.
 Curriculum, instruction and earning are
interrelated.
 Curriculum is a set of experiences. Subject
matter is developed around social functions
and learners’ interests.
 F. RALPH TYLER (1902-1994)

 Curriculum is a science and an extension of school

philosophy. It is based on students’ needs and
interests.
 Curriculum (what/content) is always related to instruction
(the method/strategies of teaching). Subject matter is
organized I terms of KSAV (Cognitive, psychomotor, and
affective domains).
The process emphasizes problem solving. Curriculum
aims to educate generalists and not specialists.
 G. HILDA TABA (1902-1967)

She contributed to the theoretical and pedagogical

foundations of concept development and critical
thinking in social studies.
She helped lay the foundation for diverse student
population (diversity in the classroom)
 H. PETER OLIVA (1992-2012)

He described how curriculum change is a

cooperative process.
Teachers and curriculum specialists constitute
the professional core of planners.
Significant improvement is achieved through
group activity.
3. PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
Psychology provides a basis for understanding the
teaching- learning process. Questions which could be
addressed by psychological foundations of education
are: How should curriculum be organized to enhance
learning? What is the optimal level of student
participation in learning the various contents of the
curriculum? In this module we shall consider three
groups of learning theories: behaviorism or
association theories, cognitive-information processing
theories and humanistic theories.
3. PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS

Psychology provides a basis for understanding

the teaching- learning process.
Questions which could be addressed by
psychological foundations of education are:
3. PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS

How should curriculum be organized to enhance

learning?

What is the optimal level of student

participation in learning the various contents of
the curriculum?
3. PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS

Let’s consider three groups of learning theories:

behaviorism or association theories,

cognitive-information processing theories and
 humanistic theories.
3. PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS

Let us review some theories in

learning related to these cluster of
theories.
A. IVAN PAVLOV (1849-1936)

He is the father of Classical Conditioning Theory (S-R

Theory)
The key to learning in early years of life is to train
children what you want them to become.
S-R Theory is the foundation of learning called
indoctrination.
B. EDWARD THORNDIKE (1874-1949)

He championed the Connectionism Theory: Specific

stimulus has a specific response.
He proposed the three laws of learning: Law of
Readiness, Law of Exercise, Law of Effect.
C. ROBERT GAGNE (1916-2002)

Proposed the Hierarchical Learning Theory

Behavior is based on prerequisite condition
Introduced tasking in the formulation of
objectives.
D. JEAN PIAGET (1896-1980)

Individuals undergo four stages of cognitive

development from birth to maturity: Sensorimotor
stage (0-2), preoperational stage (2-7),concrete
operations stage (7-11), formal operations (11-
onwards)
Keys to learning: assimilation (incorporation of new
experience), accommodation (learning modification
and adaptation), equilibration (balance between
previous and later learning)
E. LEV VYGOTSKY (1896-1934)

Cultural transmission and development. Children could,

as a result of their interaction with society, actually
perform certain cognitive actions prior to arriving at
developmental stage.
Learning precedes development
Socio-cultural theory
Keys to learning: Pedagogy creates learning processes
that lead to development and the child is an active
agent in his or her educational process.
F. HOWARD GARDNER

Humans have different ways of processing information

and these ways are relatively independent of one
another.
There are nine intelligences: linguistic, logico-
mathematical, musical/ spatial, bodily-kinesthetic,
interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic and
existential.
G. DANIEL GOLEMAN

Emotion contains the power to affect action. He

called this Emotional Quotient (EQ)
H. GESTALT
Learning is explained in terms of wholesomeness of the
problem.
Human beings do not respond to isolated stimuli but to an
organization or pattern of stimuli.
Keys to learning: Learning is complex and abstract,
learners analyze the problem, discriminate between
essential and nonessential data, and perceive relationships,
learners will perceive something in relation to the whole
and what and how they perceive is related to their
previous experience.
ABRAHAM MASLOW (1908-1979)
Advanced the Self-Actualization Theory and Classic
Theory of Human Needs
A child whose basic needs are not met will not be
interested in acquiring knowledge of the world.
He put importance to human emotions based on love
and trust.
Key to learning: Produce a healthy and happy learner
who can accomplish, grow and actualize his/her human
self.
J. CARL ROGERS (1902-1987)

Non-directive and therapeutic learning: he established

counselling procedures and methods for facilitating
learning; children’s perceptions which are highly
individualistic influence their behavior in class.
Key to learning: Curriculum is concerned with process,
not product; personal needs, not subject matter,
psychological meaning, not cognitive scores.
 The school and society are interrelated. Society is
4. SOCIAL FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM

a source of change and schools and knowledge are

agents of change. There are two famous educators
who emphasized this interrelationships
• Considered two major fundamental elements—school
A. JOHN DEWEY (1859-1952)

and civil society—to be major topics needing attention

and reconstruction to encourage experimental
intelligence and plurality.
Considered two major fundamental elements—school
A. JOHN DEWEY (1859-1952)

and civil society—to be major topics needing attention

and reconstruction to encourage experimental
intelligence and plurality.
 Wrote the book Future Shock
B. Alvin Toffler (1928-2016)

Believed that knowledge should prepare students

for the future.
Suggested that in the future, parents might have
the resources to teach prescribed curriculum from
home as a result of technology (home schooling).—
We are in it now.
 •
In summary, curriculum is
B. Alvin Toffler (1928-2016)

anchored on educational
philosophies, historical
developments, psychological
explanations and societal influences.