Topic 3a Principles in Curriculum Design

Lecturer: Madam Yee Bee ChooIPGKTHO

Topic 3a

Principles in Curriculum Design

Principles in Curriculum Design

1. • Selection

2. • Grading

3. • Sequencing

4. • Staging

5 • Recycling

1.• Purpose (goals &

objectives)

2. • Content/Subject Matter

(TESL Context)

3. • Methods/ Learning

Experience

4.• Evaluation

(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2014)

Components in Curriculum Design

Curriculum Design

• Curriculum design is deciding about the “shape” or “configuration” of a curriculum plan.

• It involves the selection of content in line with the goals and objectives of the curriculum.

• The selected content will have to be arranged in a form that will help the teacher in choosing and organising appropriate learning experiences for the classroom.

• Curriculum design is also referred to as “curriculum organisation”.

Principle 1: Selection

Objectives (Learning Outcomes)Specific statements indicate either general or specific outcomes; behavioural objectives indicate the specific behaviour the student is to demonstrate to indicate learning. Non-

behavioural objectives use more general words to denote the learning desired, such as to know or understand.

Goals (Standards)Statements of purpose given, which are more specific than aims

AimsGeneral statements provide direction or intent to educational action

Principle 1: SelectionAIMS• The aims of the curriculum are the reasons for undertaking

the learning 'journey' - its overall purpose or rationale from the student's point of view.

• For example, a degree programme may aim, among other things, to prepare students for employment in a particular profession. Likewise a unit within the programme may aim to provide an understanding of descriptive statistics.

• The stated aims of a curriculum tell students what the result of studying it is likely to be.

Principle 1: SelectionGOALS• A goal does indicate what could or should be learned, but it is

much more general than a standard. • Standards are more akin to educational objectives that define

in quite specific terms what students are to learn and what behaviours they are to demonstrate.

• Content standards – what students are to learn.• Performance standards – what behaviours students are to

master.


OBJECTIVES (LEARNING OUTCOMES)• Objectives should be clearly expressed.• When creating objectives, educators should consider

how well they match the stated goals and aims.• Learning outcomes are what students will learn if

they follow the curriculum successfully (i.e. if they complete the programme or unit and pass the assessment).


OBJECTIVES (LEARNING OUTCOMES)In framing learning outcomes it is good practice to:a) Express each outcome in terms of what successful

students will be able to do. For example, rather than stating 'students will understand why....' say 'students will be able to summarise the main reasons why...' This helps students to focus on what you are expecting them to achieve

Principle 1: SelectionOBJECTIVES (LEARNING OUTCOMES)b) Include different kinds of outcome. The most common are

cognitive objectives (learning facts, theories, formulae, principles etc.) and performance outcomes (learning how to carry out procedures, calculations and processes, which typically include gathering information and communicating results). In some contexts, affective outcomes are important too (developing attitudes or values, e.g. those required for a particular profession). Psychomotor objectives has received much less emphasis than the above (responding to a physical stimulus, fundamental movements, physical abilities etc.)

Principle 1: Selection• In selecting content for inclusion, you should

bear the following principles in mind:a) It should be relevant to the outcomes of the

curriculum. An effective curriculum is purposive, clearly focused on the planned learning outcomes. The inclusion of irrelevant topics, however interesting in themselves, acts as a distraction and may confuse students.

Principle 1: Selectionb) It should be appropriate to the level of the programme

or unit. An effective curriculum is progressive, leading students onward and building on what has gone before. Material which is too basic or too advanced for their current stage makes students either bored or baffled, and erodes their motivation to learn.

c) It should be up to date and, if possible, should reflect current research. In some disciplines it is difficult to achieve the latter until students reach postgraduate level, but in many it is possible for even first year undergraduates to be made aware of current research topics.


Criteria for Selecting Content 1. Self-sufficiency - economical2. Significance - contribution3. Validity - authentic4. Interest - meaningful5. Utility - usefulness6. Learnability - appropriateness7. Feasibility - available

(Ornstein & Hunkins, p.204-207, 2014)

Principle 2: Grading• In TESL context, all students will achieve English

Language proficiency while meeting or exceeding content standards identified for the core curriculum.

• They should be able to master all the skills such as listening, speaking, reading and writing in English as well as Language Arts.

• The content standards should be appropriate for each grade level.

• Items in a content are graded largely according to whether they are easy or difficulty.

Principle 2: GradingThe grading of content should be appropriate for the age level of students.

Age Grade Level American School Age Year Malaysian School

5-6 Kindergarten Elementary School

5 Kindergarten

6-7 Grade 1 6 Kindergarten

7-8 Grade 2 7 Year 1 Primary School(Lowe Primary)

8-9 Grade 3 8 Year 2

9-10 Grade 4 9 Year 3

10-11 Grade 5 10 Year 4 (Upper Primary)

11-12 Grade 6 11 Year 5

12-13 Grade7 12 Year 6

13-14 Grade 8

Principle 2: Grading

Age Grade Level American School Age Year Malaysian School

14-15 Grade 9 (Freshmen)

Middle School 13 Form 1 Secondary School (Lower Secondary)

15-16 Grade 10 (Sophomore)

14 Form 2

16-17 Grade 11 (Junior)

High School 15 Form 3

17-18 Grade12 (Senior)

16 Form 4 (Upper Secondary)

17 Form 5

18-19 Form 6 Pre-university Programme


AMEIRCAN CURRICULUM

MALAYSIAN CURRICULUM


General Aim

• The English Language Curriculum for Primary Schools aims to equip pupils with basic language skills to enable them to communicate effectively in a variety of contexts that’s appropriate to the pupils’ level of development

Objectives

• communicate with peers and adults confidently and appropriately in formal and informal situations;• read and comprehend a range of English texts for information and enjoyment;• write a wide range of texts using appropriate language, style and form through a variety of media;• appreciate and demonstrate understanding of English language literary or creative works for enjoyment; and • use correct and appropriate rules of grammar in speech and writing

STRAND 1 STRAND 2Language Focus Language Arts

LEVEL 2(YEARS 4, 5 & 6)

300 MINS PER WEEK – SK180 MINS PER WEEK - SJK

Skills – Listening & Speaking,

Reading and Writing Vocabulary

(includes Science & Maths themes

as well as Grammar )

Readers+

(Contemporary Children’s Literature)

Genres: Short Story, Poems and

Graphic Novel

LEVEL 1(YEARS 1,2 & 3)

300 MINS PER WEEK – SK150 MINS PER WEEK - SJK

Skills – Listening & Speaking,

Reading and WritingVocabulary

Grammar (Year 3)Phonics: SK -Y1 & 2, SJK –

Y1-Y3 Penmanship

Readers- Big Books

-Lady Bird SeriesMusic, Poetry & Drama

MALAYSIAN CURRICULUM MATRIX


Principle 3: Sequencing• Sequencing is the order in which the contents are

organised.• According to Orstein and Hunskins (2014), there are two

basic organisational dimensions:1. Horizontal organisation: blends curriculum elements,

e.g. by combining history, anthropology, and sociology content to create a contemporary studies course or by combining math and science content.

2. Vertical organisation refers to the sequencing of curriculum elements, e.g. “the family” is placed in Grade 1 while “the community” is placed is placed in grade 2 Social Studies.

Principle 3: Sequencing

6 design dimension consideration for sequencing of contents

1. Scope

2. Sequence

3. Continuity

4. Integration

5. Articulation

6. Balance


1. Scope• The breadth and depth of content and includes all

topics, learning experiences and organising threads found in the curriculum plan.

• Scope not only refers to cognitive learning but also affective learning, and some would argue spiritual learning (Goodland & Zhixin Su, 1992).

• Broad, limited, simple, general are the words used to describe the scope.

• Sometimes the scope of a curriculum is narrow, consisting of just a simple listing of key topics and activities.


1. ScopeConsiderations in determination of the Scope:

Curricular coverageTimeDiversityMaturity of the learnersComplexity of contentLevel of education

In simple words, scope is the coverage of the curriculum.

Principle 3: Sequencing1. Scope• Scope of the Curriculum can be divided into chunks:

UnitsSub-unitsChaptersSub-chapter

• Each Chunk is guided by the general curriculum objectives or goals.• Division of the content may use deductive principle.• Arrangement of scope is inductive.• Content Outline of the Curriculum may follow some design:

ThematicLinearLogical


2. Sequence• The organisation of content and the extent to which

it fosters cumulative and continuous learning (referred t as vertical relationship among sections of the curriculum).

• Contents and experiences are arranged in hierarchical manner.

• A particular order in which related events, movements, or things follow each other.

Principle 3: Sequencing2. Sequence4 Principles of Sequence (Smith, Stanley and Shore, 1957)• Simple-to-complex learning indicates the content is optimally

organised in a sequence proceeding from easy (often concrete) to more difficult (often abstract) content.

• Prerequisite learning works on the assumption that bits of information must be grasped before other bits can be comprehended. (fundamental things must be learned ahead)

• Whole-to-part learning is arranged so that the content or experience is first presented in an overview that provides students with a general idea of the information or situation. (an overview before the specific content or topics)

• Chronological learning refers to content whose sequence reflects the times of real-word occurrences. History, political science and world events are organised chronologically. (the order of events)


3. Continuity• Vertical repetition and recurring appearances of the

content provide continuity in the curriculum. • This process enables the learner to strengthen the

permanency of learning and development of skills.• Gerome Bruner calls this “spiral curriculum”. For learners

to develop the ideas, these have to be developed and redeveloped in a spiral fashion in increasing depth and breadth as the learners advance


4. Integration• “Everything is integrated and interconnected. Life is a

series of emerging themes.” This is the essence of integration in the curriculum design.

• Organization is drawn from the world themes from real life concerns.

• Subject matter content or disciplined content lines are erased and isolation is eliminated.


5. Articulation• Can be done either vertically or horizontally.• In vertical articulation, contents are arranged from level

to level or grade to grade so that the content in a lower level is connected to the next level.

• Horizontal articulation happens at the same time like social studies in grade six is related to science in grade six.


6. Balance• Equitable assignment of content, time, experiences and

other elements to establish balance is needed in curriculum design.

• Too much or too little of these elements maybe disastrous to the curriculum.

• Keeping the curriculum “in balance” requires continuous fine tuning and review for its effectiveness and relevance.

Principle 4: Staging• These are the means by which students will engage with the

syllabus, i.e. the kinds of learning experience that the curriculum will entail. Although they will include the teaching that students will experience (lectures, laboratory classes, fieldwork etc.) it is important to keep in mind that the overall emphasis should be on learning and the ways it can be helped to occur. For example:

a) Individual study is an important element in the university curriculum and should be planned with the same care as other forms of learning. In the undergraduate curriculum especially, it is good practice to suggest specific tasks, rather than relying entirely on students to decide how best to use their private study time.

Principle 4: Staging

b) Group learning is also important. Students learn from each other in ways that they cannot learn alone or from staff and the inclusion of group projects and activities can considerably enhance the curriculum.

c) Online learning is increasingly important in many curricula and needs to be planned carefully if it is to make an effective contribution. Online materials can be a valuable support for learning and can be designed to include helpful self-assessment tasks.

Principle 4: Staging• Children and young people should experience

continuous progression in their learning from 3 to 18 within a single curriculum framework.

• Each stage should build upon earlier knowledge and achievements. Children should be able to progress at a rate which meets their needs and aptitudes, and keep options open so that routes are not closed off too early.

• Progression in the experiences and outcomes

Principle 5: Recycling

• A curriculum model and a unit will include the following: a needs assessment, goal setting, selecting and grading of content and then staging the content with instructional objectives, learning experiences, and an ongoing evaluation/recycling of the curriculum

• Learning occurs most effectively when a student receives feedback, i.e. when they receive information on what they have (and have not) already learned. The process by which this information is generated is assessment, and it has three main forms:

Principle 5: Recycling3 Forms of Assessmenta) Self assessment, through which a student learns to monitor and

evaluate their own learning. This should be a significant element in the curriculum because we aim to produce graduates who are appropriately reflective and self-critical.

b) Peer assessment, in which students provide feedback on each other's learning. This can be viewed as an extension of self assessment and presupposes trust and mutual respect. Research suggests that students can learn to judge each other's work as reliably as staff.

c) Tutor assessment, in which a member of staff or teaching assistant provides commentary and feedback on the student's work.


• Assessment may be formative (providing feedback to help the student learn more) or summative (expressing a judgment on the student's achievement by reference to stated criteria).

• Many assessment tasks involve an element of both, e.g. an assignment that is marked and returned to the student with detailed comments.

Principle 5: Recycling• Summative assessment usually involves the allocation of

marks or grades. These help staff to make decisions about the progression of students through a programme and the award of degrees but they have limited educational value.

• Students usually learn more by understanding the strengths and weaknesses of their work than by knowing the mark or grade given to it. For this reason summative assessment tasks (including unseen examinations) should include an element of formative feedback if at all possible.


Procedures in Curriculum Design

1. Analysis of social needs2. Translating the needs into

course/general/learning/terminal objectives3. Splitting the objectives into specific objectives4. Grouping the specific objectives into subjects5. Deriving the subjects from the above classification6. Specifying objectives7. Unitising each subject matter8. Specification of each required time9. Syllabus formulation

References

Ornstein, A.C. & Hunkins, F.P. (2014). Curriculum: Foundations, principles and issues. (6th. ed). Essex: Pearson Edu. Ltd.

• Using a lesson plan, give one example for the teaching of any five components of KSSR English (L, S, R, W, LA).

• Discuss the lesson plan based on the five principles: selection, grading, sequencing, staging, and recycling.

Tutorial 3a

Education

Topic 3a Principles in Curriculum Design