Models of Curriculum
Models of Curriculum
Models of Curriculum
MODELS OF CURRICULUM
The term curriculum model refers to a conceptual framework and organizational structure for decision making
about educational priorities, administrative policies, instructional methods, and evaluation criteria.
-Goffin, Stacie G.
and a teacher educator Taba Model is an inductive model, starting with specifics and building up to general design. Taba
believed that there is a definite logical and sequential order in creating a curriculum. The main concept of this approach
to curriculum development is that teachers must be involved in the development of the curriculum.
Taba’s grassroots model has seven steps as listed below, advocating a major role for teachers.
1. Diagnosis of Learners’ Needs. The teacher who is also the curriculum designer starts the process by identifying the
needs of the students for whom curriculum is to be planned. For example; Majority of students are unable to think
critically.
2. Formulation of Objectives. After the teacher has identified the needs of learners that require attention, he or she
specifies the objectives by which needs will be fulfilled.
3. Selection of the Content. The objectives selected or created suggest the subject matter or content of the curriculum. Not
only objectives and content should match, but also the validity and significance of the chosen content need to be
determined. i.e. the relevance and significance of the content.
4. Organization of the Content. A teacher cannot just select content but must organize it in a Particular Sequence taking
into consideration the maturity of learners, their academic achievement and their interests.
5. Selection of Learning Experiences. Content must be presented to students and they must be engaged with the content.
At this point teacher should select appropriate instructional methodology that will involve the students with the content.
6. Organization of Learning Activities. The learning activities be organized in a sequence depending both on content
sequence and learners’ characteristics. The teacher needs to keep in mind the students he or she will be teaching.
7. Evaluation. The curriculum planner i.e. the teacher must determine what objectives have been accomplished. To assess
the achievement of learning objectives, evaluation procedures need to be designed.
VALUES
His inclusion of values in the curriculum-development chart reflects his belief that educational systems must be driven by
goals or values. He believed that education has a moral dimension, and those who teach are “moral agents.”
FUNDED KNOWLEDGE
Funded knowledge is knowledge which is gained from research. Generally, research is heavily funded by various
organizations. Information from research is used to inform educational practice in all aspects, particularly in curriculum
design.
CONVENTIONAL WISDOM
Conventional wisdom includes specialized knowledge within the society, for example from experts in various walks of
life and ‘older’ people with life experiences.
STUDENTS’ NEEDS and INTERESTS
Students’ needs and interests are also considered in the design process.
AIMS – GOALS
-Integrate cultural perspective within the curriculum
-Reinforce, support and strength on student skills in science and math.
-Validate, affirm and build upon ‘funds of knowledge’ that students bring with them
-Develop ties to students’ family/community
-Help facilitate a sense of effective ‘situated-ness’ of what is learned in the lives and culture of students. Empower
students to take ownership for their education. Finding face, heart and foundation through what they are learning.
-Address standards for science and math education in relevant and creative ways.
CONTENT
-Native Perspectives of Science and Math
-Western Science and Math Principles
-Themes and Topics based on Science and Math Scope and Sequence
-Interdisciplinary perspective through art, social science, literature and philosophy
LEARNING ACTIVITY
-Brain Patterned Methodologist -Multi-sensory Learning
-Experiential and Service Learning -High Context Learning
-Community-Based Research
EVALUATION
-Science and Math Learning Assessment
-Teacher Assessment -Administrative Assessment
-Student Assessment -Community Assessment
-Culturally-Based Assessment
EPISTEMOLOGY
-Epistemology is the ‘guiding’ philosophy of a curriculum. It describes how a culture views knowledge. It forms a
philosophical foundation for how teacher and learner may approach an educational process.
-It includes kinds of ‘embedded’ knowledge, symbols, metaphor and orientations that are cultural in nature.
SOCIETY
-Who is the ‘audience’ of the curriculum?
-What are the social and cultural factors that affect the students, teachers, community and school in which the curriculum
will be administered?
-Native societal/community needs and expectations
THE LEARNER
-Native cultural personality configurations
-Field-Sensitive Learner
-Participatory, Collaborative, Experiential Learning Orientations
-Affective Learning Methodologies
-Student Peer Psychology
LEARNING THEORY
-Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence
-Creative Learning Theories
-High/Low Context Communication
-Visual Philosophy
-Critical Pedagogy
-Indigenous Education: An Evolving Theory
-Science/Math Learning Theories
“The model curriculum guides you by expanding on the standards, but you have a lot of freedom with it in how you
teach. It gives you a goal, but how you get there is based on whatever you think will work best for your students.”
-Michele Elliot