Edu 321 – Curriculum Studies I 2008

The Curriculum Process

Introduction

1. In our previous lectures (EDU 214) we have examined the meaning of the term ‘curriculum’,
and the changes the term has undergone over time i.e. from its limited perception as the list of
subjects offered to the learners by the school to the more general perceptions of it as a
product, a process and praxis. (For more on the different conceptions of the concept
‘curriculum’ you may follow this link: http://cnx.org/content/m13293/latest)

2. Despite the variations in its conceptions by different schools of thought, in practical terms
curriculum means what is learned and what is taught (content), how it is delivered (teaching-
learning methods), how it is assessed and the resources used to deliver and support the
teaching and learning. (For more on this viewpoint you may follow this link:
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001365/136583e.pdf)

3. In this topic (curriculum process), we shall examine the different stages of constructing a
curriculum and putting it into use. Curriculum is a plan or proposal designed to help societies
meet some educational needs or goals through the agency of their schools. It therefore passes
through the stages of construction (planning) where choices are made as to what to include; it
is then developed, implemented and evaluated to determine the extent to which it has
effectively met the needs it was set to satisfy.

Curriculum Planning

1. A curriculum represents a society’s expectations of what its schools should teach or develop
in the future generations of that society. Therefore each society, through its representatives,
chooses what should be included in or excluded from the experiences to be provided to its
children in schools. What is included is therefore a reflection of the society’s values and
expectations of what is desirable; each society would make these choices taking into account
its demands, culture, aspirations and value system.

2. The process of making these choices and arriving at a plan which captures these societal
expectations is curriculum planning. Curriculum planning is therefore, choice-oriented and
value-oriented because it involves making choices of the learning experiences that are
appropriate and desirable for children of a given society.

3. Curriculum planning is therefore defined as the process of building a programme of learning

experiences expected to lead to the attainment of set goals for a particular people or society.
The main purpose of curriculum planning is to design a programme of education which can
communicate its ideals and values to its upcoming generations, and lead to the attainment its
goals.

4. Because it reflects societal values and ideals, and these ideals are not permanent, curriculum
planning is a continuous process; it is not a one-time affair. It is also a process which takes
place at different levels from the highest level of policy making to the level of classroom
planning. The process of curriculum planning is also a collaborative effort i.e. it is not carried
out by an individual or an organisation in isolation; it involves expert and professionals,
parents and community members, teachers and learners. Each has a role to play in curriculum
planning because at the end of the day, the curriculum and its outcomes affect everybody.

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5. The curriculum that is planned as a result of the collaboration described above is a blueprint
not a fixed sacred document that must implemented in the way it is; it is more like a skeleton
to which some flesh must be added. In the process of adding that flesh, there could be some
modifications and adjustments in line with peculiarities of each school, classroom and setting.

6. The arguments presented above can be found in more details in Uga Onwuka (ed.),
Curriculum Development for Africa, Revised 1996, p.181

Curriculum Development & Implementation

1. Curriculum is a plan, a blueprint which has to be put into use. Curriculum development is a
process of moving from plan to implementation i.e. from theory to practice. It is a process
which involves the development of content, building social relationships and capacities,
developing and utilising learning materials, assessment of outcomes and provision of
feedback for improvements.

2. Curriculum development is therefore defined as the planning of learning opportunities

intended to bring about certain changes in pupils and assessment of the extent to which these
changes have taken place.

3. Like curriculum planning, curriculum development is also a cooperative venture which

requires the input of all those involved. For instance, the classroom teacher is involved in
curriculum development when he plans his lesson, formulate objectives, writes lesson plans,
identifies relevant content to teach, assesses the lesson’s outcomes; at the school level, the
Headmaster is involved in curriculum development when he plays supervisory roles, engages
in administering the school, creating conducive atmosphere for learning; etc.

4. Curriculum development is also an on-going process which takes place in 4 major steps:

a. Selection of aims and objectives;

b. Selection of appropriate learning experiences and content;

c. Organisation of learning experiences; and

d. Evaluation of the extent to which the objectives were attained.

5. These steps are inter-dependent; while some scholars say objectives are the starting point of a
curriculum development, others say there is no definite starting point. Where you start from
depends on where the need arises. We shall look at the different models of curriculum
development later.

Curriculum Evaluation

1. A curriculum is put in place to lead to the attainment of certain goals or objectives; once it is
implemented, it will be worthwhile to find out whether the curriculum has been capable of
achieving those goals which it was set to achieve;

2. Curriculum evaluation is therefore concerned with determining the extent to which the
learning experiences and opportunities provided in the curriculum have led to the
achievement of the goals which the curriculum was set to achieve.

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3. In line with the conception of curriculum as a process, evaluation can come both at the end of
the programme or during the course of the programme. The evaluation that is concerned with
what happens at the end of the programme is called Summative evaluation; while evaluation
that looks at how the curriculum is working during the lifespan of a programme is called
formative evaluation.

For issues raised in curriculum development and evaluation you may refer to Nicholls and
Nicholls, Developing a Curriculum: a practical guide. New Edition, 1978.

Curriculum Planning and Curriculum Development

1. For better understanding of these concepts, look at curriculum more as a cycle than a straight
line. When you do this it will mean none of the process is done once and for all and thrown
away; both planning and development are on-going processes which are related.

2. Even in your everyday teaching, you plan (think of the content, the aims, the methodology,
write lesson plan), and you develop or implement the plan (enter the class teach the content,
using a set of methodologies and materials, assess the learners); use feedback from that
assessment for better planning, and the cycle continues again.

3. The curriculum is therefore not a document locked up in the Head teacher's office which other
teachers do not see; so long as you teach a given content, using a given set of methods and
learning experiences, use some resources and assess the learning, then you operating a
curriculum; whether you have seen it or not.

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Next Topic is Curriculum Development Process

(You may read Onwuka, Curriculum Development in Africa P.221 before we meet

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