Tag Archives: Curriculum design model

Core Curriculum

A core curriculum is a set of courses that all students are required to take in order to graduate from a particular school or program. These courses are typically considered to be essential for all students, regardless of their intended major or career path.

Core Curriculum :

  • It vary from school to school, but they typically include courses in English, math, science, history, and social studies. Some schools also require courses in foreign languages, arts, or physical education.
  • The purpose of a core curriculum is to provide students with a well-rounded education that will prepare them for college, careers, and civic life. By studying a variety of subjects, students can develop critical thinking skills, learn to communicate effectively and gain a better understanding of the world around them.
  • In addition to the core curriculum, educational institutions may also offer elective courses or specialized tracks that allow students to explore specific interests or career paths. However, this curriculum remains the fundamental basis of education, providing students with essential knowledge and skills that are considered important for their overall intellectual and personal development.
  • It’s worth noting that the specific subjects included in a core curriculum can vary across different educational systems and institutions. Some educational systems prioritize certain subjects more than others, depending on cultural, regional, or national priorities.
  • Additionally, educational policies and curriculum frameworks may evolve over time to adapt to changing societal needs and educational trends.

Benefits of a core curriculum:

  • Provides a well-rounded education
  • Develops critical thinking skills
  • Improves communication skills
  • Increases knowledge of the world
  • Prepares students for college and careers
  • Promotes civic engagement

Features of Core Curriculum :

  1. Essential subjects: This includes fundamental subjects like mathematics, science, social studies, language arts, and foreign languages.
  2. Sequential structure: Subjects are taught in a logical progression, building upon previously learned concepts.
  3. Cross-disciplinary connections: It encourages making connections across different subjects to show their interconnectedness.
  4. Skill development: It focuses on developing essential skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration.
  5. Standards and learning objectives: It is guided by educational standards and learning objectives to ensure consistent and quality education.
  6. Flexibility and adaptability: It allows for flexibility to meet the needs of diverse learners, providing differentiated instruction and support.
  7. Regular assessment: It includes assessments to measure student progress and inform instructional decisions.

Also Read: Role of Teacher as Curriculum Maker

What is Core Curriculum?

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The Implication of Piaget’s and Bruner’s Views on Curriculum Development

Both Piaget and Bruner made significant contributions to the field of education and their views have implications for curriculum development.

Piaget’s theory of cognitive development suggests that children construct knowledge through their experiences and that this construction of knowledge is an active process. Piaget argued that children go through four stages of development and that the curriculum should be designed to meet the needs of children at each stage of development. For example, at the preoperational stage, children are not yet able to think logically, so the curriculum should be designed to help them learn through hands-on experiences and concrete examples.

Bruner’s theory of cognitive development focuses on the role of language and culture in shaping a child’s development. Bruner argued that children learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process and that the curriculum should be designed to help children make connections between what they already know and what they are learning. Bruner also emphasized the importance of scaffolding, which involves providing children with support as they learn new concepts.

Both Piaget’s and Bruner’s views on curriculum development emphasize the importance of designing the curriculum to meet the needs of the child. Both theorists suggest that children should be active participants in the learning process and that the curriculum should be designed to help them construct knowledge through their experiences. In addition, both theorists emphasize the importance of providing children with support as they learn new concepts, whether through scaffolding or through hands-on experiences. Overall, the implications of their views on curriculum development emphasize the importance of creating a curriculum that is developmentally appropriate, engaging, and meaningful for children.

Also Read : Types of Evaluation

The implication of Piaget’s and Bruner’s Views on Curriculum Development

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Need Assessment Model of Curriculum

The needs assessment model is a model that involves identifying the needs of learners and designing a curriculum that meets those needs. This model is a learner-centered approach to curriculum development, and it involves several key steps:

  1. Needs identification: This involves gathering information on the current situation and determining the gaps between the current situation and the desired situation. This can be done through various methods such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, and observations.
  2. Needs analysis: Once the needs have been identified, the next step is to analyze them in more detail. This involves examining the needs to determine their significance, urgency, and feasibility. This stage also involves analyzing the causes of the identified needs.
  3. Curriculum development: Once the needs have been identified and analyzed, the next step is to develop a curriculum that meets those needs. This involves creating learning objectives, selecting appropriate content and instructional methods, and determining the assessment strategies to evaluate student learning.
  4. Curriculum evaluation: The final stage of the needs assessment model of the curriculum involves evaluating the effectiveness of the curriculum. This is done through various methods such as testing, feedback from students and teachers, and observation. The evaluation results are then used to make necessary adjustments to the curriculum to improve its effectiveness.

Also Read : Demonstration Model

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Learner Centered Design of Curriculum

Learner-centered design of curriculum is an educational approach that focuses on the student . This approach is based on the student-led learning, with the teacher serving as a facilitator rather than a traditional lecturer. The focus is on creating an engaging, personalized and meaningful experience for each student. The curriculum is designed to look into each student’s unique strengths, interests, and needs, and provide opportunities for students to take ownership of their learning. This approach is very helpful and effective as it leads to deeper and more effective learning, as well as increased motivation and engagement for students.

The following are some key features of a learner-centered design of curriculum:

  1. Student focused: The focus is on student and they take the ownership of the learning process which help them in greater engagement and motivation.
  2. Personalization: The curriculum is designed to meet the unique needs, strengths, and interests of each student.
  3. Active learning: The curriculum focuses on experiential learning, encouraging students to be actively engaged in the learning process.
  4. Collaborative learning: Opportunities are provided for students to work together, promoting teamwork, communication skills, and peer-to-peer learning.
  5. Assessment for learning: Assessment is integrated into the curriculum, with a focus on formative assessment which provides feedback to support student learning and help them to improve.
  6. Technology integration: The use of technology is encouraged to support and enhance learning experiences, making the curriculum more accessible and flexible.
  7. Teacher as facilitator: The teacher’s role is to facilitate and guide student learning, rather than just providing information.
  8. Relevance and real-world connections: The curriculum is designed to be relevant and connected to real-world experiences and situations, increasing its relevance and meaningfulness for students.
Learner Centered Design – Curriculum Design Model of Curriculum

Discipline Centered Design | Curriculum Design Model

Disciplined-centered Design (DCD) is a model of curriculum design that prioritizes or give major attention to the disciplines or subjects being taught, as the main structure for the curriculum. The DCD model views each discipline as having its own unique body of knowledge, skills, and ways of thinking, and it aims to ensure that students receive a comprehensive and structured education within each discipline. The curriculum is designed around the essential knowledge, skills, and ways of thinking that define each discipline, and it aims to help students build mastery in these areas over time. The DCD model can be useful for ensuring that students receive effective education and that they are able to apply their knowledge and skills across different disciplines.

Few features of Discipline Centered Design :

  1. Discipline-focused: The DCD model prioritizes the disciplines or subjects being taught as the central structure for the curriculum.
  2. Coherence: Coherence is a state and situation in which all the parts or ideas fit together well so that they form a united whole The curriculum is designed to ensure coherence within each discipline, so that students receive an integrated education.
  3. Essential knowledge and skills: The curriculum focuses on the essential knowledge, skills, and ways of thinking that define each discipline.
  4. Mastery: The curriculum is designed to help students build mastery in each discipline over time.
  5. Integration with real-world applications: The DCD model may incorporate real-world applications and experiences to help students see the relevance of what they are learning and how they can apply it in the world outside of school.
  6. Assessment: This model typically includes ongoing assessment to measure student progress and ensure that they are meeting the goals of the curriculum.
  7. Collaboration: This model may involve collaboration between teachers, subject experts, and other stakeholders to ensure the design and implementation of the curriculum is high-quality and effective.
Discipline Centered Design – Curriculum Design Model