Curriculum Overview and Definition

Study Notes

Curriculum is the core of the educational process.
Without a curriculum, no educational endeavor is conceivable.
Curriculum acts as a pathway to achieving educational goals.
Curriculum encompasses the practical activities, lectures, demonstrations, and field visits within a course, relating to client interactions.
Curriculum can also be considered a written description of learning experiences.

Aims of education are manifest in the curriculum.
Societal and life goals influence the curriculum.
Societal and life goals change consistently.
Curriculum is derived from the Latin word "currere," meaning "race course" or "runway," symbolizing a path toward a goal.
The teacher acts as a guide, with the curriculum functioning as the guiding pathway.
The curriculum represents the complete structure of ideas and activities.

Curriculum signifies the formal or informal content and process facilitating student acquisition of knowledge, development of skills, and alterations in attitudes, appreciation, and values.
Curriculum encompasses both what is learned (content) and how it is learned (process).
Learning outcomes include knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes, appreciation, and values.

Curriculum is not just a list of courses; it also embodies purposes, content, activities, and organizational aspects within educational programs.
Curriculum development involves teachers, students, and administrators actively shaping educational programs.

Curriculum is dynamic, reflecting societal shifts.
A narrow perspective views curriculum as a list of subjects taught.
A broader perspective views curriculum as the complete learning experiences in and out of the school setting. (Purita P. Bilbo, Ed.D. )

Curriculum development generally involves designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating the curriculum.
The curriculum development process involves a cyclical nature.

Development phase: Involves planning and developing curriculum content.
Implementation phase: Implies management and implementation of the curriculum.
Evaluation phase: Concerned with assessing the teaching and learning process.

Intra-curricular Evaluation: Includes teacher evaluation of students and student evaluation of teachers.
Materials Evaluation: Involves evaluating instructional materials.
Verification of Methods and Evaluation of Tests/Examinations: Assessing methodologies and testing instruments.
Field-Based Evaluation: Assessing learning outcomes during field-based experiences.
Curriculum Review/Improvement/Change/Modification: Review and revising elements within the curriculum.
System Revision: Revision of the overall curriculum system.

Measurement of Objective Achievement: Evaluating curriculum based on achieving intended outcomes.
Decision-Making Tool: Utilizing information to guide decisions regarding educational programs.