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Abstract
Introduction
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Curriculum is connected to learning . Learning is planned and guided, therefore
there is a great need to identify in advance what one is seeking in order to accomplish and
know how to go about it. Aside from that, the definitions of curriculum refer to
schooling , therefore, it is vital to distinguish that the recent approval of curriculum
approaches and theories as far as practise materialized in connection with schooling ideas,
including subject and lesson.
Thus, one of the challenges academic faces identifying or designing curricula is
how best to articulate one’s own positionalities regarding the different ways of curriculum
approaches and theories . This research highlights some approaches and theories that have
been emerged over years. Also, it emphasizes the necessity of formulating an indigenous
curriculum approaches and theories to serve as a guide for curriculum planners and text
book compliers of the country.
Approaches of Curriculum
An approach is a set of beliefs and values about curriculum and curriculum work,
other synonyms for approach : image, orientation, perspective, or a belief ; so , any
curriculum developer should have :
The technical-scientific approach states that the aims of education can be made
known, stated precisely, and addressed in a linear fashion. This approach exemplifies the
belief in modernism, a view that praises rationality, objectivity, and certainty(ibid.:208)
Successively , Ornstein and Hunkins (1998:203) argue that this approach views
the world as a complex machine, but a machine that can be observed and manipulated. The
main ideas of the technical-scientific approach to curriculum development as postulated by
its advocates (Macnold, Bobbitt, Charters, Taba, Tyler and others) are the following:
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4. Planning curricula , structuring the learning environment , and coordinating the
elements of personnel, materials, and equipment to optimize students' learning and
to increase their output.
5. Promoting curriculum developers to:
a. use a rational approach to tasks accomplishing.
b. believe in the possibility of outlining systematically the procedures that will
facilitate the creation of curricula.
c. Employ a means-end paradigm that suggests the more rigorous the means, the
more likely the desired results.
d. indicate that a systematically designed program can be evaluated.
To Ornstein and Hunkins (1988:68 - 97). "A curriculum approach reflects a holistic
position, encompassing the foundations of curriculum, domains of curriculum, and the
theoretical and practical principles of curriculum , in this respect , some of curriculum
approaches are cited such as :(a) behavioral-rational approach, (b) systems approaches, (c)
managerial approach, (d) intellectual-academic approach, (e) humanistic-aesthetic
approach, and (i) re-conceptual approach."
The ‘Objectives approach’ is so named because the very first step in this
approach is the defining of objectives of the course/ program/lesson. (Tyler 1949) In this
approach the school is viewed as a ‘factory’. Tyler states three important sources that must
be looked at in order to contextualize and make curriculum development more
relevant. These are:
a- The learners and their backgrounds,
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b- Present and future society, and
c- Knowledge of the major disciplines, especially Philosophy, Psychology and
Sociology.
Tyler (1949: 45) adds that if these are considered that good citizens
can be determined. The more specific the specification of objectives, the easier it will
be to determine the sorts of activities that students can be engaged in. Tyler’s approach is
seen as the linear model as well as the ‘ends-means’ model .
2- The Classical/Rational Approach
The classical/rational approach to curriculum development follows an
"objectivist", product-oriented paradigm. The aims and objectives of the curriculum are set
by professionals and experts who believe that they have sufficient technical knowledge to
produce the desired product. It assumes that there is agreement by all interested groups
(teachers, students, communities, employers) on common educational goals and, therefore,
dialogue and consensus building among groups are not required(Van Crowder, 1997:23).
Obviously, the principal is the curriculum leader and at the same time instructional
leader who is supposed to be the general manager. The general manager sets the policies
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and priorities, establishes the direction of change and innovation, planning, organizing
curriculum, and instruction. School administrators are less concerned about the content
than about organization and implementation. They are less concerned about subject matter,
methods and materials than improving the curriculum. Curriculum managers look at
curriculum changes and innovations as they administer the resources and restructure the
schools. (Ornstein and Hunkins, 1988:77 - 80).
It identifies three fundamental factors - - the learner, the society, and the organized
subject matter. It advocates that these three factors should be viewed as a whole, and not in
isolation from one another. This approach has the following three sources of the
curriculum: - studies of the learner; - studies of contemporary life and its needs; and -
suggestions from subject experts. It also emphasizes the importance of cognitive theories
and principles in curriculum planning. Finally , This approach is influenced by the
philosophy of John Dewey. It emphasizes on the importance of theories and principles in
curriculum planning. (Ornstein and Hunkins ,1988:86).
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rather the outputs of production, especially through activity-oriented approaches to
teaching and learning.
Thus, advocates of this approach note that not all ends of education can be known
nor, indeed, do they need to be known in all cases. This approach considers the curriculum
evolves rather than being planned precisely (Cornbleth, 1990:34). Here the world is
viewed not as a machine but as a living organism. Individuals cannot objectively view this
organism from outside. Rather individuals are intimately involved in the very phenomena
in which they are participating.
In that sense , individuals who consider themselves postmodern realize that one
cannot separate curriculum development from the people involved in the process or from
those who will experience the curriculum. One cannot decontexualize the process
(ibid:36). Yet , in the Non Technical Scientific Approach, there are many different
curriculum approaches , namely :
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Sometimes, it's called Dynamic Approach which takes into consideration the
background and experience of students & teachers. The curriculum elements are seen as
flexible, interactive and modifiable ( Sharma et al., 2004:37-67).
In a brief, the ‘content’ and ‘product’ orientations are more closed, uniform,
predictable and ‘safe’. The ‘process’ orientation results in a more open, varied,
unpredictable and ‘risky’ curriculum which may have an impact upon individuals as
well as on organizations and institutions (Oliva,1982:88).
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assists learners in using their new learning in their lives and work. The focus on the learner
and everyday experience tends to affirm learners and build their confidence, whatever
their background. It also provides the teachers and learners with important ‘ways into’ the
formal ‘school knowledge’ that is to be taught, and later with the basis for applying that
formal knowledge.
2- Performance Curriculum Approach
Performance curriculum is characterized by developing high levels of
understanding, often in particular subjects. As a consequence, the curriculum tends to:
1. be very specific about what content must be learnt, and in what order;
2. focus on depersonalized, formal ‘school knowledge’ rather than on everyday
knowledge and experience;
3. be more vertically organized than a competence curriculum. In other words, it
builds knowledge and understanding in a specific sequence. (Each bit of knowledge
becomes more complex than the previous bit of knowledge). The table 1 below
summarizes what has been intimated above .
Table 1
Competence & Performance Curriculum
Competence Performance
Issue (also called an acquisition competence (also called a transmission performance
approach, or an ‘integrated’ curriculum) approach, or a ‘collection’ curriculum)
∙has control over the selection, sequence, and ∙has little control over the selection, sequence,
pace of learning and pace of learning.
Learner
∙assumption that all learners can learn but will do ∙assumption that not all learners can learn at
so in different ways and at different speeds. all levels; as learning proceeds vertically,
some learners are excluded.
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∙learner-centered. ∙teacher- and subject-centered
1- Herbartian Approach
2- Morrison Approach
3- Evaluation Approach
4- Integrated Approach
To clarify more ,the following paragraphs provide with details for the above
mentioned approaches.
1. Herbartian Approach
The idea of educational teaching is central to Herbart’s theory of education
which is founded on experience and on philosophical reflection. Like practical and
theoretical educationalists before him, Herbart also makes a distinction between
education (Latin: educatio) and teaching (Latin: instructio). ‘Education’ means shaping
the development of character with a view to the improvement of man. ‘Teaching’
represents the world, conveys fresh knowledge, develops existing aptitudes and imparts
useful skills. Herbart’s reforming pedagogics revolutionized the relationship between
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education and teaching. A new paradigm of pedagogical thinking and pedagogical
action is thus created (Hilgenheger,2000: 649-664).
2- Morrison Approach
Morrison's studies posit that genuine learning consists of the student adapting or
responding to a situation through rejecting the notion that learning referring only to the
acquisition of subject matter, Morrison instead concentrates on actual change in the
behavior of the learner, what he calls an adaptation. Thus , the unit is the procedure
used for the teaching of an adaptation based on a stimulus-response psychology. This
concept stems, in part, from Morrison's categorization of learning into a cycle of three
phases: stimulus, assimilation, and reaction (Beck,1962:56-59).
3- Evaluation Approach
Today teaching is organized by using the evaluation approach . Under this
approach a yearly and a unit plan is prepared . The education process is considered as
tri-polar process . There are three fundamental elements: (1) Education objectives. (2)
learning experiences and (3) Change behaviour of evaluation approach. Teaching and
testing activities are performed side by side, yet, all the activities of teachers and
students are evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively, thus, the evaluation of the
students include cognitive , affective , and psychomotor domains (Narayana et.al. ,
2011 :57-58). In a such context , the teacher has to organize and create learning
situations for providing experiences to the students according to their available
resources. Teacher should behave as philosopher, instructor, and friendlier (Rani ,
2007 :167) .
4- Integration Approach
Integration approach employs group-controlled instruction which must be
actively oriented method of instruction. To be briefed, Narayana etal.(2011:63-66)
mention the main characteristic and limitations of this approach as showing below:
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1- The knowledge of subjects is given in the integrated form .
2- The students learn the various subjects simultaneously.
3- The students' interests are taken in consideration .
4- It is activity oriented and experience – centered .
5- The selection of the subjects are useful in real life.
6- It employs group- controlled instruction , therefore, duties and responsibilities are
assigned to the students.
7- It helps in developing a spirit of team work and feeling of cooperation.
While the major limitations of this approach can be listed as the following :
Curriculum planning can be no more based on single theory than can other
complex decisions such as choosing a spouse, buying a car, or selecting a president. In
order to repair these deficiencies of theory as a basis for curriculum planning, Schwab
offers the "Eclectic" as an approach to curriculum planning. Theory brings certain features
of a phenomenon into focus, helping the curriculum planner to understand better that
aspect of the situation. For example, Piagetian theory helps the planner understand the
student's cognitive development. Curriculum planners trained in the "eclectic arts" not
only can use theory to view phenomena, they also know which aspects of the phenomenon
each theory obscures or blurs (Schwab ,1970:45-50). See App. 2
Theories of Curriculum
The education theorists have founded theories about education by relying on the
overall worldview that governs society. They also got assistance from psychology and
sociology theories. These education theories in turn inspired the curriculum planning
theory-makers. Numerous attempts have been made to classify curriculum theories in
terms of maturity and complexity as well as attempts at categorization. The following
philosophic theories examine curriculum from a broad view that includes all of the
learner’s experiences to the more restricted view that sees it as academic subject matter.
Gutek (1988 :120-122) discusses many sources of educational theory such as;
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are ranked very high. The overriding goal of Idealist education was to encourage
students to be seekers of truth.
2- Realist Curriculum Theory
Aristotle finds Realism. Realist curriculum maintains that the most effective
and efficient way to find out about reality is to study it through systematically
organized subject matter disciplines. Realist curriculum involves instruction in the
areas of reading, writing, and computation. Gaining knowledge through research
methods are stressed.
3- Naturalist Curriculum Theory
The Naturalists view of curriculum differed from the earlier theorists.
Learning should actively involve children in dealing with the environment, using
their senses, and solving problems. Naturalists maintained that genuine education is
based on the readiness and needs of the human being.
4- Pragmatic (Experiential) Curriculum Theory
This curriculum theory approaches learning through experiencing . The
child’s interests, needs and experiences are taken into consideration.
5- Existentialist Curriculum Theory
The curriculum includes the skills and subjects that explain physical and
social reality. “The crucial learning phase is not in the structure of knowledge, nor
in curricular organization but rather in the student’s construction of its meaning”
6- Conservatism Curriculum Theory
The curriculum should transmit the general culture to all and provide
appropriate education to the various strata in society. This curriculum included the
basic skills found in most school programs – reading, writing, and math.
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such as conceptual empiricists and reconceptualists view education more as an existential
experience.
Conceptual empiricists, such as Gagne, are those who derive their research
methodologies from the physical sciences in attempting to produce generalizations that
will enable educators to control and predict what happens in schools.
Whereas, the reconceptualists emphasize subjectivity, existential experience,
and the art of interpretation in order to reveal the class conflict and the unequal power
relationships existing in the larger society.
The basic difficulty with this tripartite formulation is that it mixes in a confusing
fashion the theorists’ research methodologies and their political stances as bases for
categorizing theorists. Whereas , McNeil (1985:69) sets up what seems to be an
unilluminating dichotomy: soft curricularists and hard curricularists. Soft curricularists,
in his view, are those such as William Pinar and other reconceptualists who draw from the
“soft” fields of religion, philosophy, and literary criticism; hard curricularists, such as
Decker Walker and Mauritz Johnson, follow a rational approach and rely on empirical
data.
The basic error of all three formulations (McNeil; Pinar; Eisner & Vallance) is
that they do not sort out curricular theories in terms of their primary orientation or
emphasis. Here, Huenecke’s (1982 : 290-294 ) analysis of the domains of curricular
inquiry seems the most productive. She postulates three different types of curricular
theorizing: structural, generic, and substantive.
Structural theories, which she claims have dominated the first 50 years of the
field, focus on identifying elements in curriculum and their interrelationships, as
well as the structure of decision making.
Generic theories center their interests on the outcomes of curriculum, concentrating
on the assumptions, beliefs, and perceived truths underlying curriculum decisions. It
sometimes referred to as critical theories, they tend to be highly critical of past and
present conceptions of curriculum. They seek to liberate the individual from the
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constraints of society, using political and sociological frameworks to examine issues
of power, control, and influences.
The substantive theories speculate about what subject matter or content is most
desirable, what knowledge is of the most worth.
To Huenecke’s typology seems very useful, it seems to err in omitting one
major domain—those theories such as Schwab’s that are concerned primarily with the
processes of curricular decision making (Schwab, 1970:1-23). While Huenecke would
probably argue that Schwab’s work is primarily structural in its emphasis, the distinction
between structure and process seems to be one worth maintaining.
It therefore seems most useful to divide curriculum theories into the following
four categories, based upon their domains of inquiry according to Glatthron (1980,78):
Structure-oriented theories are concerned primarily with analyzing the
components of the curriculum and their interrelationships. Structure-oriented
theories tend to be descriptive and explanatory in intent.
Value-oriented theories are concerned primarily with analyzing the values and
assumptions of curriculum makers and their products. Value-oriented theories tend
to be critical in nature.
Content-oriented theories are concerned primarily with determining the content of
the curriculum. Content-oriented theories tend to be prescriptive in nature.
Process-oriented theories are concerned primarily with describing how curricula
are developed or recommending how they should be developed. Some process-
oriented theories are descriptive in nature; others are more prescriptive.
All of those scholars such as Holmes and McLean are well aware of their
investigations toward the education transformation and introduced four types of
curriculum theory which include: Essentialism, Encyclopedism, Polytechnicalism, and
Pragmatism (Holmes and McLean, 1989:87).
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Essentialism. In this model the aim of education is to sustain a just society the main
feature of which is stability.
Encyclopaedism. This model is based on the premise that the content of education
should include all human knowledge.
Polytechnicalism. The fundamental premise on which this is based is that the
content of education should be deliberately interpreted in terms of the productive
life of society.
Pragmatism. The knowledge most worthwhile in this model is that knowledge that
enables young people to tackle problems and prepares them to solve the problems
they are likely to meet as adults in a democratic society.
However, other theorist have considered other bases and standards for
categorizing curriculum theories . Miller & Seller (1990: 205-209). In their book
"Curriculum Curriculum, Perspectives and Practice", they categorize curriculum
theories in to " Subject/Discipline , behaviorism , Cognitive process , Humanistic , Social
Developmental, and Transpersonal.
Other theories have also been offered about curriculums by several other
theorists . A Summary of the most important theories have been offered in app.3.
Although some authors have suggested more than five theories , most of the theories can
be included in the following five major categories: academic, technical, intellectual
processes, social, and personal. From what is said above, it can be concluded that today
discussion about curriculum theory in the education literature of the societies has gained
considerable flow and has opened new research horizons to the curriculum field experts.
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Academic : It tends to focus on a body of knowledge which is grouped into
disciplines, subject matter, or broad fields. It is a familiar pattern of organization
that is evident in the way in which knowledge is organized for course work in most
schools. The academic category carries with it the message that knowledge is
organized into logical categories and that values can be attached to those categories.
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Personal. It is a learner-centered with a focus on the individual needs and interests
of the student. Students help or totally create curriculum by expressing interests and
investigating those interests. Teachers serve as diagnosticians and facilitators for
this effort. It is the teacher's role to help students to identify interests and guide them
to appropriate resources and connections to other knowledge.
Conclusion
References
Bhalla, N. (2007). Curriculum Development . New Delhi : Discovery Publishing
House.
Bransford, J., Brown, A., & Cocking, R., (eds.) (2000). How People Learn:
Bridging Research and Practice. The National Academy Press.
(www.nap.edu/openbook/0309065364/html).
Cromley, J. (2000). "Learning with Computers: The theory behind the practice."
Freire, P. (1985). The Politics of Education: Culture, Power, and Liberation. Critical
Studies in Education Series (eds. Freire, P. and Giroux H.). New York:
Bergin and Garvey.
Hirsch, E. D., Jr., (1995). What your Fifth Grader Needs to Know: Fundamentals
of Good Fifth-Grade Education. Los Alamitos, CA: Delta Publishing.
Huenecke, D. (1982). What is curricular theorizing? What are its implications for
practice? Educational Leadership, 39, 290–294.
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Johnston, S. (1999). Introducing and supporting change towards more flexible
teaching approaches. In Tait, A. and Mills, R (Eds.). The convergence of
distance and conventional education: Patterns in flexibility for the
individual learner. London : Routledge.
Knowles, M. (1984). "Introduction: The art and science of helping adults learn."
In M. Knowles and associates (eds.). Andragogy in Action: Applying
Modern Principles of Adult Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
McNeil, J. D. (1988). Curriculum: a Comprehensive Introduction (3rd ed).
Boston: Little, Brown and Company.
Miller, J. P., & Seller, W. (1990). Curriculum, Perspectives and Practice.
Mississauga: Copp Clark Pittman.
Oliva, P. F. (1982). Developing the Curriculum. Boston: Little, Brown & Co.
Peyton, J., Crandall, J. (1995). Philosophies and approaches in adult ESL literacy
instruction. Washington, DC: Office of Educational Research and
Improvement. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. 386 960).
Taylor, M. (1992). The Language Experience Approach and adult learners. National
Center for ESL Literacy Education. (ERIC Document Reproduction
Service No.EDO LE 92 01).
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Curriculum –
underlying assumptions?
What are the Knowledge
Determiners
27
world roles.
Appendix 1
Learner-Driven Approach
Critical Approach
Classroom action
-Drawn from adults' lives in their everyday contexts -Apolitical on the surface -Learners actively build on knowledge and experience
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-Addresses social and community issues of importance -Abandons technician mentality
Assessing learning
-Objective, observable
"scientific" means
Objective
Approaches
Technical – Scientific
-Performance of the
Cycle
student's contextualized
goal
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Scientific Approaches
Non - Technical / Non-
Appendix 2
-Curriculum not set in advance; emerges from "action and interaction of the participants"
Curriculum Approaches
-Portfolios, self-
assessment instruments
Traditional
Approaches
Scientific & Non Scientific
Technical & Non Technical /
Wiles & Bondi
latthron Saylor, Alexander Saylor, Alexander Hunecke Schubert
Ornstein & Holmes,& Miller Hankins Ornstein &
ors
Theories
Commentat
0,78) (1981,78) (1981,78) (1982,290-94) (1984, 45 ) (1986, 58 ) (1998:90) (1989,87) (1990,66) 1998:90
Date
System
Managerial
Subject Matter Subject Matter Matter Subject Subject Subject/ Discipline Administrative
Behavioural- Rational
Liberal Arts
The Intellectual- Academic
Academic
Educational Learning
Tech. Competency Tech. Competency Technology & outcomes & behaviorism Behaviorism
Vocational Discrete task
Technical
Interactive
Procedural
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Process
Language Experience
Humanistic- Atheistic
Intellectual
Social
Reconstruction
cess Social Problem Humanistic social
Activities Social Functions Activities Social Functions Activities & Polytechnicalism Humanistic/ Humanistic
Reconstruction Centered Development
Social
Cultural
Primary Focus of Curriculum Theories
Reproduction
Eclectic
Flexible
Morrison
Person
Integrated
Herbartian
Evaluation
End-product
Competence
Performance
Learner-Driven
Transmission of Information
Theories
Appendix 3
Some of the
Curriculum