Curriculum Design Theories

Curriculum Design Theories

Alexandra Mendez

GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY

EDU-522: CURRICULUM DESIGN THEORIES

DR. HEATHER HAMTIL Febuary 14, 2024

Curriculum Desgin Theories

Explanation of Curriculum Design models

Overview of the curriculum design process

Summary of curriculum design

Brief summary of each design approach

References

Curriculum Design Process

Curriculum design involves organizing various components of the curriculum, including:

1. Content or subject matter
2. Goals and objectives
3. Teaching methods and materials
4. Learner experiences or activities
5. Evaluation processes

By structuring these elements, curriculum design establishes a framework for shaping the final form of the curriculum once it's developed.(Dodd,2020).

Speaker Notes: Here's a summary of the curriculum design process. Essentially, it serves as a roadmap for crafting lessons.

Summary of Curriculum Design Theory

Curriculum design theory focuses on organizing educational experiences effectively. It emphasizes aligning learning goals, instructional methods, and assessment techniques. Key principles include backward design, constructivism, and differentiation. The goal is to create engaging, meaningful learning experiences that cater to diverse learners and promote continuous improvement. (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2017).

Speaker Notes: Here's an outline of the curriculum design process. Additionally, in each distinct curriculum model or approach, different certified individuals participate in creating, approving, or adjusting the curriculum..

Curriculum Design Models

The ultimate goal when designing a curriculum is to improve student learning. To achieve this goal, it is important to be knowledgeable of all the models available. Most curriculum designs are a modification or interpretation of these three models designs

(Schweitzer, 2019)

Subject-Centered Design

1. Subject Design
2. Discipline Design
3. Broad Field Design
4. Process Design
5. Correlation Design

Learner-Centered Design 1. Child Centered Desgin 2. Expereince-Centered Design 3. Romantic (Radical) Design 4. Humanistic Design

Problem Centered Design

1. Life-Situation Design
2. Reconstructionist Design

Speaker notes: Three distinct curriculum design models exist, each with the primary aim of enhancing student learning. Understanding these models is crucial for achieving this objective. The three curriculum models I will explore are Subject-Centered, Learner-Centered, and Problem-Centered.

Subject Centered Design Model

• The Subject-Centered Design Model emphasizes the subject matter over individual learners, making it the prevailing curriculum model in K-12 public schools nationwide.
• It delineates what subjects to study and prescribes the methods for study. This structured framework prioritizes curriculum content, often determining the course and pace of instruction.
• Despite its popularity and effectiveness in maintaining educational consistency and alignment with academic standards, it may occasionally overlook the unique needs and preferences of individual students.

Theories in Subject Centered Desgin 1. Subject Design 2. Discipline Design 3. Broad Field Design 4. Correlation Design 5. Process Design

Speaker Notes: This represents the initial curriculum design model: the subject-centered model. Within this framework, we will delve into five distinct designs.

Learner Centered Design Model

• The learner-centered approach derives its name from its primary objective: fostering students' self-directed learning by engaging in play and hands-on activities. Under this approach, students are regarded as architects of their own educational journey. Teachers facilitate opportunities for students to cultivate independence, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Learner-Centered Design 1. Child Centered Desgin 2. Expereince-Centered Design 3. Romantic (Radical) Design 4. Humanistic Design

(Schweitzer, 2019)

Speaker Notes: This represents the learner centered model. Within this framework, we will delve into four distinct designs.

Problem-Centered Design Model

• Addresses authentic, real-life issues encountered by individuals and society
• Aims to preserve cultural heritage and meet unfulfilled community and societal needs
• Emphasizes both the substance of the content being taught and the comprehensive development of the learner
• Fosters critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and an understanding of societal context
• Offers a practical and holistic approach to education, preparing students for real-world challenges

Problem Centered Design 1. Life-Situation Design 2. Reconstructionist Design

(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2017).

Speaker Notes: This represents the problem centered model. Within this framework, we will delve into two distinct designs.

Curriculum Design Approaches

• The curriculum approach reflects a teacher's perspectives, values, and expertise. It articulates the curriculum design, delineates the roles of students, teachers, and curriculum developers, and communicates the objectives of the educational program.
• (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2017).

There are six curriculum approaches

1. Behavioral Approach
2. Managerial Approach
3. Systems Approach
4. Academic Approach
5. Humanistic Approach
6. Postmodern Approach

Speaker Notes: Here is a summary of the curriculum design process. Essentially, the curriculum design process serves as a blueprint for crafting lessons.

Managerial Approach

Behavioral Approach

• The managerial approach views schools as social systems and emphasizes interactions among students, teachers, curriculum specialists, and administrators.
• Educators using this approach plan curriculum in terms of programs, schedules, resources, and personnel, focusing on organizational and administrative aspects.
• The curriculum specialist or supervisor serves as a practitioner, acting as a change agent, resource person, and facilitator under the school's mission and goals.
• They focused more on organization and implementation rather than content, envisioning curriculum changes while administering resources and restructuring schools.

• It is logical and prescriptive, relying on technical and scientific principles to formulate curriculum.
• Goals, objectives, content, activities, and learning outcomes are specified and evaluated systematically.
• Raymond Callahan termed this approach the "cult of efficiency," aiming to reduce teaching and learning to precise behaviors.
• Ralph Tyler recognized the need for broader behavioral objectives and combined behaviorism with progressivism in curriculum planning.

• Despite changes, the behavioral approach's reliance on technical means for curriculum selection and organization ensures its continued relevance.

(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2017).

(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2017).

Speaker Notes: These are the first two design approaches. Behavioral approach and managerial approach.

Academic Approach

Systems Approach

• The managerial approach to curriculum design emphasizes organizing people and policies within the educational system. It involves systematic structuring of curriculum using organizational diagrams and committee structures.
• Curriculum engineering, synonymous with this approach, encompasses planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating curriculum stages.
• Total Quality Management (TQM) promotes collaboration, communication, and data-driven decision-making to optimize student and teacher participation.

• The academic approach to curriculum, also called the traditional or knowledge-oriented approach, seeks to analyze major curriculum positions, trends, and concepts.
• It entails scholarly, theoretical discussions primarily concerning historical and philosophical aspects of education, occasionally delving into social or practical dimensions.
• While it initially expanded to include new curriculum-related topics, interest in it declined after the 1950s, especially with the shift towards disciplinary structure and qualitative methods.
• Additionally, the academic approach encompasses various areas of study beyond subject matter and pedagogy, such as religion, psychotherapy, literary criticism, and linguistics.

(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2017).

(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2017).

Speaker Notes: These are summaries of two curriculum design approaches. In our district, the systems approach entails a data analyst crafting assessments for our students to excel. Administrators, including the superintendent and curriculum specialist, have access to this data for decision-making purposes. The academic approach ensures that every child receives equivalent education to their peers, emphasizing equal access to learning opportunities without focusing on individual learning styles.

Postmodern Approach

Humanistic Approach

• Curriculum leaders reject technocratic methods, favoring a progressive, child-centered philosophy rooted in humanistic psychology.
• This approach emphasizes holistic child development, integrates diverse educational theories, and values arts, humanities, and health education.
• Advocates promote cooperative learning, small-group activities, and student involvement in curriculum decisions, advocating for a bottom-up approach.

• The postmodern curriculum approach builds on humanistic principles and emphasizes societal change and reform.
• Postmodernists prioritize theoretical discussions over practical applications, advocating for an open and communal approach to curriculum development.
• They focus on the interaction between curriculum and broader social, political, economic, and artistic forces, promoting diversity in discussions and addressing issues of inequality, discrimination, and oppression in education.

(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2017).

(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2017).

Speaker Notes: The humanistic approach to curriculum design emphasizes creating lessons based on students' life experiences, often observed predominantly at the elementary school level.In contrast, the postmodern approach to curriculum design advocates for empowering students to enact societal change by centering the curriculum on broader societal issues such as politics and economics.

References

Dodd, B. J. (2020). Curriculum design processes. J. K. McDonald & R. E. West, Design for Learning: Principles, Processes, and Praxis. EdTech Books. https://edtechbooks.org/id/curriculum_design_process Ornstein, A. C., & Hunkins, F. P. (2017). Curriculum: Foundations, principles, and issues. (7th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. ISBN-13: 9780134060354 Schweitzer, K. (2019). Curriculum design: definition, purpose and types. ThoughtCo.https://www.thoughtco.com/curriculum-design-definition-4154176

• The subject-centered curriculum design, long familiar in education, emphasizes organizing learning around specific subjects like math, science, and history. Advocates argue it promotes literacy and provides a structured framework, often relying on textbooks and computer programs. Critics, however, contend it can hinder individualization, neglect student needs, and promote passive learning. John Dewey advocated for integrating subject matter with students' experiences for a more holistic approach to education.

(Ornstein, A.C. & Hunkins, 2017).

• The discipline design of curriculum emphasizes organizing learning around academic disciplines like science, mathematics, and history. Advocates aim to cultivate critical thinking skills by encouraging students to engage with content in ways that mirror scholarly practices. While proponents argue it provides essential knowledge for all students, critics suggest it may overlook individual learning styles and neglect non-discipline-based knowledge areas.

(Ornstein et al., 2017).

The broad-fields design integrates related subjects into broader fields of study to address the fragmentation caused by the subject-centered approach. For instance, social studies combines various social science disciplines, while language arts merges linguistic and literary elements. This approach aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of interconnected content areas, although challenges like achieving depth within integrated frameworks persist. Despite these challenges, the broad-fields design offers opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and student engagement in constructing knowledge.(Ornstein et al., 2017).

Correlation design aims to connect separate subjects without fully integrating them, allowing students to explore related topics across disciplines. Commonly correlated subjects include English literature and history or language arts and social studies. This approach maintains the distinct identities of each subject while facilitating interdisciplinary connections. However, its implementation faces challenges such as scheduling constraints and the need for collaborative planning among teachers. Despite its potential benefits, correlation design is not widely used in modern education settings due to logistical hurdles and organizational constraints. (Ornstein et al., 2017).

Process designs in education emphasize teaching students general procedures applicable across disciplines, focusing on critical thinking and intellectual character development. While modern designs aim for consensus, postmodern approaches prioritize ongoing inquiry and continual revision of understandings. Students in process-based curricula analyze their information-processing methods, recognizing the role of language in constructing reality. These designs encourage openness to challenge and continual reinterpretation of knowledge, likely becoming increasingly integrated with learner-centered approaches in the future. (Ornstein et al., 2017).

This design's strength lies in its emphasis on problem-solving procedures. Content is structured to provide students with a clear view of problem areas. Learners leverage past and present experiences to analyze fundamental aspects of life. The design integrates subject matter focusing on interconnected categories of life. Challenges include the scope and sequence of life stages, as today's struggles may differ from those in the future.(Ornstein, 2017)

• Reconstructionist design in education advocates for a curriculum that fosters social action to reconstruct society and promote social justice.
• They emphasized critical analysis of society over child-centered approaches, aiming to address societal issues and promote positive change.
• The curriculum aims to engage students in analyzing local, national, and global communities to tackle societal problems.
• Modern educators, while often labeled reconceptualists, share the belief that curricula should address social inequality and empower students to enact change.
• (Ornstein,2017)

• Child-centered design emphasizes active student involvement in learning, integrating learning with students’ lives, needs, and interests.
• Knowledge is constructed from personal experiences, with learners actively shaping their own understandings.

• Francis Parker and William Kilpatrick were key proponents, developing methods like the project method to promote student-centered learning
• Despite challenges, some schools continue to implement child-centered approaches, empowering students through negotiated curriculum and collaborative learning experiences.
• (Ornstein, A.C. & Hunkins, 2017).

• Experience-centered curriculum designs prioritize children's interests and self-direction in learning, similar to child-centered designs.

• Learning in an experience-centered curriculum is seen as a natural by-product of activity and inquiry, with children naturally inclined to explore and learn in stimulating environments.

• Advocates of experience-centered design believe in each student's uniqueness and ability, aiming to create a genial classroom environment that celebrates students' freedom to choose and shape their own learning experiences.(Ornstein, A.C. & Hunkins, 2017).

• Radical school reformers promote learner-centered design, drawing from Rousseau and Pestalozzi's emphasis on individual nature.
• They criticize existing curricula for perpetuating social stratifications and serving the interests of dominant groups.
• They view education as a tool for challenging societal inequalities and empowering students to critique knowledge.
• Radical curricula prioritize reflective learning and dynamic experiences, aiming to challenge preconceptions and foster critical analysis.

• Humanistic curriculum designs emerged to counter the dominance of disciplinary approaches.
• Rooted in progressive philosophy and psychology, they prioritize individual growth and self-realization.
• Humanistic psychology emphasizes subjective experience and the relationship between learning and emotions.

• It integrates the affective and cognitive domains, emphasizing participation and the integration of thinking, feeling, and acting.
• Some designs emphasize intuition, creativity, spirituality, and holistic perception of reality.
• Humanistic curriculum encourages aesthetic pleasure and community participation.