History and Theory

behind Curriculum
Design
EDU 4407: Secondary
Curriculum
 Curriculum Defined by
Franklin Bobbitt (1918)

Latin for race-course, or the race

itself,--a place of deeds. As applied to
education, it is that series of things
which children and youth must do
and experience by which of
developing abilities to do the things
well that make up the affairs of adult
life... (p 42)
 Curriculum Defined by
Franklin Bobbitt (1918) contd
The curriculum may, therefore, be defined in
two ways:
(1) it is the entire range of experiences, both
undirected and directed, concerned in
unfolding the abilities of the individual; or
(2) It is the series of consciously directed
training experiences that the schools use
for completing and perfecting the
unfoldment.
 Curriculum Defined by
D. and L. Tanner (1980)
The planned and guided learning
experiences and intended learning
outcomes, formulated through the
systematic reconstruction of
knowledge and experiences, under
the auspices of the school, for the
learners continuous and willful
growth in personal social
competence.
 The Tyler Model of
Curriculum Design
(C) The nature & structure
of knowledge

(A) The needs (B) The needs

of the society of the learner
(A) The Needs of the Society

Literacy
Vocational skills
Social order & morality
Interpersonal skills
Transmission of values
& culture
Creativity & innovation
(B) Needs of the Learner

* Cognitive development
* Linguistic development
* Psycho-social
development
* Moral/affective
development
* Vocational focus
(C) The Nature & Structure
of Knowledge
1. Selection
of subject
matter

2. Organization of subject matter

3. Approaches to Subject Matter

 (C1) Selection of Subject Matter

Criteria: Relevance, importance,

priority
Scope: Amount, depth of coverage,
concentration
Sequence: Hierarchy & progression of
complexity or difficulty
(C2) Organization of Subject Matter

Discrete subjects or courses

Broad fields or disciplines
Core or interdisciplinary
Skills or processes
Projects & activities
(C3) Approaches to Subject Matter

Textual
Experimental
Developmental
Psycho-social
Experiential
 Fundamental Questions in
Developing Curriculum
What educational purposes should
the school seek to attain? (purpose or
objectives)
 Fundamental Questions in
Developing Curriculum
What educational purposes should
the school seek to attain?
What educational experiences can be
provided that are likely to attain
these purposes? (content)
 Fundamental Questions in
Developing Curriculum
What educational purposes should
the school seek to attain?
What educational experiences can be
provided that are likely to attain
these purposes?
How can these educational
experiences be effectively
organized? (teaching strategies)
 Fundamental Questions in
Developing Curriculum
What educational purposes should the
school seek to attain?
What educational experiences can be
provided that are likely to attain these
purposes?
How can these educational experiences be
effectively organized?
How can we determine whether and to what
extent these purposes are being attained?
(assessment and evaluation)
 References
http://curricublog.org/2006/10/22/curriclum-what/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:CurriculumConcept.svg
http://coe.sdsu.edu/people/jmora/MoraModules/TylerCurrMo
del.pps
http://furcs.flinders.edu.au/education/postgrad/clinicaled/HL
ED9005/module01/mod1_sec3.htm
Bobbitt, F. (1918). The curriculum. Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Company.
Tanner, D., & Tanner, L. N. (1980). Curriculum development:
theory into practice (2nd ed.). New York: Macmillan.
Tyler, R. (1949) Basic principles of curriculum and
instruction. Chicago: Chicago University Press.