CURRICULUM

CURRICULUM

Curriculum is the crux of the whole educational process. Curriculum is an important element of education. Aims of education are reflected in the curriculum. In other words, the curriculum is determined by the aims of life and society.

THE CONCEPT OF CURRICULUM

Ø The term curriculum has been derived from a Latin word“Currere” which means a “race course”or a runway on which one runs to reach a goal.

Ø If the teacher is the guide, the curriculum is the path.

Ø The concept if Curriculum is dynamic as the changes that occur in society.

Ø Curriculum is the total structure of ideas and activities.

Ø Curriculum should be considered as a broad-based term encompassing every aspect concerning the study of the course.

Ø It is now considered as the totality of experiences to which a pupil is exposed within the boundaries of the school and outside.

DEFINITIONS

 Arthur Cunningham - “Curriculum is a tool in the hands of the artist (teacher) to mould his material (pupils) according to his ideas (aims and objectives) in his studio (school)”.

Morroe - “Curriculum includes all those activities which are utilized by the school to attain the aims of education.

Crow and Crow - The curriculum includes all the learners’ experience in or outside school that are included in a programme which has been devised to help him developmentally, emotionally, socially, spiritually and morally”.

The Secondary Education Commission :- Curriculum is the totality of experiences that pupils receive through the manifoldactivities that go in the school, in the classroom, library, laboratory, workshop, playground and in the numerous informal contacts between the teachers and pupils.

It includes all those experiences, activities and environmental influences to which the student is exposed during his educational career, for the purpose of realizing of anticipated goals.

CHARACTERISTICS

Ø Fulfillment of objectives

Ø Determined by factors - social, human development, nature of learning and nature of knowledge

Ø Cater individual differences

Ø Pre- planned but can be changed

Ø It is a blue print

Ø It is a tool in hands of a teacher

Ø More than teaching and learning

Ø All learning inside and outside school

CURRICULUM IS IMPORTANT FOR MULTIPLE REASONS:

ü To avoid being overwhelmed by or unfocused in curriculum planning

ü To help you assess students' readiness for and receptiveness to a particular curriculum

ü To help you collaborate with families and other teachers to make sure students are having a coherent, meaningful experience with learning

ü Fulfillment of objectives

ü Determined by factors - social, human development, nature of learning and nature of knowledge

ü Cater individual differences

ü Pre- planned but can be changed

ü It is a blue print

ü It is a tool in hands of a teacher

ü More than teaching and learning

ü Describe environment in motion

ü All learning inside and outside school

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF A SOCIAL SCIENCE CURRICULUM

Ø To ensure successful experiences in solving problems and finally enable them to face and solve future problems.

Ø To create opportunities to make the students better citizens of a country.

Ø To develop the scope for developing good social contacts and a sense of cooperation with others.

Ø To enhance the scope for an innocent child to develop into a person endowed with a well-integrated personality.

Ø To develop qualities of mind, body, spirit, feeling and imagination.

Ø To develop qualities such as integrity, honesty, judgment, cooperation, friendliness and goodwill among the students.    

PROCESS OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Step 1: Diagnosis of needs.

Step 2: Formulation of objectives.

Step 3: Selection of content.   

Step 4: Organization of content.

Step 5: Selection of learning experiences.

Step 6: Organization of learning experiences.

Step 7: Determination of what to evaluate and of the ways and means of doing it.

CURRICULUM AND SYLLABUS

A curriculum is set guidelines that have been established to help the educators to decide on the content of a course. It is the curriculum that gives out the course objectives, the contents, and methods that will be used to teach.

Syllabus places more stress on the specific learning materials to be internalized. On the other hand, the scope of curriculum is much broader and deeper, for it comprehends every aspect of the educand’s life, seeks to satisfy all his requirements and aspires to develop every aspect of his personality.

KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEENSYLLABUS AND CURRICULUM

The basic differences between syllabus and curriculum are explained in the point given below:

                                                             i.      The syllabus is described as the summary of the topics covered or units to be taught in the particular subject. Curriculum refers to the overall content, taught in an educational system or a course.

                                                           ii.      Syllabus varies from teacher to teacher while the curriculum is same for all teachers.

                                                        iii.      The term syllabus is a Greek origin, whereas the term curriculum is a Latin origin.

                                                        iv.      The curriculum has a wider scope than the syllabus.

                                                           v.      The syllabus is provided to the students by the teachers so that they can take an interest in the subject. On the other hand, normally the curriculum is not made available to the students unless specifically asked for.

                                                        vi.      Syllabus is descriptive in nature, but the curriculum is prescriptive.

                                                      vii.      Syllabus is set for a particular subject. Unlike curriculum, this covers a particular course of study or a program.

                                                   viii.      Syllabus is prepared by teachers. Conversely, a curriculum is decided by the government or the school or college administration.

                                                        ix.      The duration of a syllabus is for a year only, but curriculum lasts till the completion of the course.

PRINCIPLES OF DESIGNNING SOCIAL SCIENCE CURRICULUM
                   Curriculum organisation is a scientific process which involves basic principles on which its credibility exists. It is not just collection of topics, because it reflects ethos (philosophy / culture)of the society: themes of the subject and learning variability.

1)    Principle of Child-Centeredness

Curriculum is mainly for the students. So, the age, interest, capability, capacity, aspiration, needs and psychology of the learner should be taken in to an account.

2)    Principle of Community-Centeredness

·        The social needs and the local needs of the learner should be taken in to account while we construct the curriculum.

·        It should be reflect the values of democracy, ethos and main concerns of the country.

3)    Principle of Activity Centeredness

·        Action is the sign of life.

·        Therefore, the curriculum should provide for a variety of activities both physical and mental in which children are naturally interested.

·        Emphasis should be given to ‘learning by doing’ through the activities of hand, head and heart.

4)    Principle of Balance / Integration

It is also called principle of Integration. The curriculum should integrate:

F Cognitive, affective and psychomotor objectives and abilities

F Knowledge and experience

F Objectives and content

F Child’s activity and needs with the society needs and activity.

  It should be related to the social environment of the students. Here the equal/balance importance should be given to the need of the Child and need of the Community.

5)          Principle of Need

·        Curriculum helps in fulfilling the various needs of the learner.

·        Each learner has his needs which are generally related to physical, emotional and social development.

·        A well-planned curriculum provides all such opportunities through many fold activities which satisfies the need of the learner.

·        It should not be merely the academic but it should include all other equally important activities too.

6)          Principle of Utility

·        One of the purposes of education is to prepare the child for living and learning.

·        This is the most important consideration, so that the child can live a fruitful and self-fulfilling life.

·        Curriculum should provide rich experiences, both academic and social to the students.

·        The content, activities and experience of the curriculum at a particular stage / grade are useful to the learner for the further/higher studies.

7)          Principle of Creativity

·        It should place the pupil in the place of the discoverer and provision should be made the creative type of activities.

8)          Principle of Preservation/Conservation

It should help in the preservation /conservation and transmitting the knowledge, traditions, standards of conduct on which the culture and civilization depend.

9)          Principle of Variety

·        In a classroom there are different types of the students on the basis of intelligence, ability, aptitude and attitude.

·        The curriculum should satisfy the variety of knowledge, varying interest, needs of the students.

          10. Principle of Elasticity / Flexibility

·        Flexibility is an important parting curriculum development.

·        It should give enough time and sufficient chance to the students, to search their own examples and experience from the surroundings.

11. Principle of Contemporary Knowledge

·        Curriculum should give the modern or current knowledge and theories to the students.

·        That will give the knowledge of utilization of local resources (salt, plants, soil) to the students.

While organizing the curriculum the following principles also should be followed:

v Principle of Sequencing

v Principle of Continuity

v Principle of Accuracy

v Principle of Adequacy

v Principle of Interest

v Principle of Readiness

v Principle of Meaningfulness

v Principle of Continuous Evaluation

The curriculum is the totality of experiences that the child gains through the multifarious activities in the school. The review of the present curriculum is reveal that it is subject oriented, examination ridden, not in conformity with the aims and objective of the teaching science, rigid and outfits the different age group. So, it is imperative that the present curriculum should be reorganized in the light of the principles mentioned above.