Online Journal Entry No. 1 - definition of curriculumby Ethel Moreno - Tuesday, 11 September 2012, 12:30 AM

Yourself (draft)Activity 1-1

1. List the key words/ideas ...

Following are the key words/ideas from the given definitions:

Learning of students Planned experiences Guidance of the school Goals, objectives, plans, designs Series of planned events to have educational consequences Actualisations of those plans Recorded by an observer Curriculum implemented Factors in implementation of planned curriculum Achieved or learned curriculum

1. Answer the ff questions:2.1   How was curriculum generally conceived in the earlier definitions?

I noticed that the earlier definitions were mostly about plans/designs/objectives reflecting the “what should be taught” in the classrooms. It was in Glathorn’s (1987) definition where the word “actualisation” and the “experiences take place in the learning environment” that first came up.

2.2  In what way/s did the definition change?

I believe the change in the definition took effect in the 1980s where the concept of “implementation”, “actualisation” “experiences” have been given equal focus as that of “plans” “objectives” and  “goals.” In the definitions that were developed in the 1980s the concepts of “learning environment” “recording the learner’s experiences by an observer” also came into the picture. I think these are important concepts that helped in the further development of curriculum.

2.3  List down other observations/impressions you may have on the different definitions.

Online Journal Entry No. 1 - definition of curriculumby Ethel Moreno - Tuesday, 11 September 2012, 12:30 AM

The UNICEF definition, developed more recently, had more variable added to the concept of curriculum. There are the “fluid context of schooling”, “schools can be held accountable”, “school culture”, “learning styles” “instructional resources” came into play.

Activity 1-2

1. Take note of the author’s key ideas on curriculum and compare then with the concepts you have learned so far.

In the article “The Curriculum” the author presented the concept of curriculum in three parts – definition, the curriculum as a process and new approach to curriculum development.

In the first part the author discussed the evolution of the concept of curriculum, from “a course of studies” to “an existing contract between society, the State, and educational professionals” towards the more complex aspects of curriculum such as the political/technical/professional dimension.  Perhaps what is significant in this article is the introduction of the concept of “hidden curriculum” which paved the way for the awareness of the “existence of a sexist hidden curriculum or a class-based hidden curriculum.”

On the second part the author discussed curriculum as a process, presenting how different countries set/define/approve of their educational curriculum, providing some more terms such as “transversal tendencies”, “decentralized” “national cohesion” “common contents” and so on. It was further stated that the process of formulating curriculum could be “top-down”, “bottom-up.” The socio-cultural aspects have also come into play in the formulation of curriculum.

On the third part, the author discussed the approaches or trends on curricular development. She also introduced “comparative education” as a course/discipline and the concept of “ international evaluated curriculum” to her readers.

In comparison with the concepts presented in Activity 1-1, I have noted similar definitions of the concept of curriculum. In Cecilia Braaslavsky’s article, however, some more concepts have been

Online Journal Entry No. 1 - definition of curriculumby Ethel Moreno - Tuesday, 11 September 2012, 12:30 AM

presented such as the “hidden curriculum.” The separate discussion of curriculum as a process is also more revealing and was clearly presented paving the way for a better understanding.

It is noticeable that the definition of one concept – the curriculum had obviously evolved from simple terms to more complex ones, and that researchhad been a significant factor in this evolution of the concept.

1. Write a reflective paragraph on the question --- What is the significance of curriculum in the teaching-learning experience?

I absolutely believed that curriculum is an integral part of the teaching-learning experience. I think that teaching-learning starts in the preparation for teaching. However, I agree especially with what the audio clip had to say about the factors affecting teaching – that it is the teacher skills/attitude (the teacher factor) that is the most significant factor among all given factors discussed in the concept of curriculum. It is clear in the audio clip how well the interaction was among students and teachers in demo class #2, as compared to the students-teacher interaction in demo class #1. And that the major difference there was the Teacher him/herself.

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