Specific Approaches To Curriculum Development

2. Introduction
The curriculum is considered to be everything that transpires
in the course of planning, teaching and learning in an
educational institution
The curriculum development refers to the planning of
educational program which include;
i) the identification and selection of educational
objectives
ii) the selection of learning experiences
iii) the organization of learning experiences
iv) the evaluation of the educational program
Keywords : Identify, Select, Organize, Evaluate

3. Cont.
Approaches to curriculum development are likely to vary
with different kinds of educational institutions.
(i.e. the curriculum used in professional schools are not similar
with those used in liberal arts colleges and might not be feasible in
elementary schools)
The term approach in this context refers to various aspects
of developmental process, including the assumptions, the
purposes, the criteria, procedures and the participants in
curriculum development projects.

4. Cont.
The Nature of Curriculum Development
Curriculum development is a practical enterprise—not a
theoretical study.
The system must be designed to operate effectively
in a society where a number of constrain are present with
human being who all have purposes, preferences and
dynamic mechanisms in operation.
Hence, an essential early step in curriculum development is
to examine and analyze significant conditions that
influence the construction and operation of the curriculum.

5. Procedures in
Curriculum Development
Preliminary Analysis
One important factor
for early analysis is
the need or problem
that has led to the
decision to construct
or reconstruct the
curriculum
Rationale for
Curriculum Building
After identifying the
needs or problem to
which the curriculum
development project
should be responsive
and the constraints
under which the
curriculum must operate.
The curriculum builders
have a clearer picture of
the requirements, then it
is possible to work on the
several components of
the total project.

6. Preliminary Analysis
 The current interest in building new curricula for “career
education” appears to derive from several needs or
problems that have been recognized.
 One problem is the widespread lack of understanding on
the part of children and youth of the modern world of work
 Another is increasing alienation of youth from the adult
society, which includes a lack of plans or planning for their
future occupations.
 Third is the current high level of unemployment of youth
between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one
 Fourth, is the lack of vocational courses in the high school
for job area that are experiencing increasing demand.

7. Four Major Tasks in
Curriculum Construction
Selecting and Defining Objectives
Selecting and Creating
Learning Experiences
Organizing Learning Experiences
Curriculum Evaluation

8. 1st Task - Selecting and Defining Objectives
Curriculum building is not a process based on precise rules, but
rather it involves artistic design as well as critical analysis, human
judgments and empirical testing.
In selecting objectives, curriculum makers need current data and
future estimates/predict the opportunities and problems in various
sectors of society;
Occupational, socio-civic, home, family and recreational
Defining objectives – an objective could be clearly defined in
terms of generalized behavior if the students involved were able
to generalized at that level.
The criteria for selecting objectives particularly for distinguishing
the more important from the less important ones.
The selection and definition of objectives are complex but
necessary and it’s a continuing task

9. 2nd Task - Selecting and Creating
Learning Experiences
Creating learning experiences is an even more artistic
enterprise than the selection of objectives.

10. 3rd Task – Organizing Learning Experiences
The purpose of guiding the task of organizing learning experiences in
the curriculum is that of trying to maximize their combined impact.

11. Curriculum Evaluation
Most of the planning, monitoring and reporting of curriculum activities is guided by
conceptions the participants have about the persons, processes and ejects involved.
The checking process to ensure validity of these notion is called the ‘evaluation’

12. Conclusion
The approach outlined in this chapter is pragmatic. It assumes limited resources for
curriculum development and effective implementation. Therefore, it seeks to utilize
available knowledge and experience at each step.