Dimensions and Principles of

Curriculum Design

Scope Sequence Continuity Integration Articulation Balance

Dimensions of Curriculum Design

All the content, topics, learning experiences,

and organizing threads comprising the educational plan. (Tyler in Ornstein, 2004).

It does not only refers to the cognitive content but also affective and psychomotor.

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

Decision making of the teacher is needed.

1. Scope

Curricular coverage Time Diversity Maturity of the learners Complexity of content Level of education

Considerations in Determination of Scope:

In simple words,

scope is the coverage of the

curriculum.

Units

Sub-units

Chapters

Sub-chapters

Scope of the Curriculum can be divided into chunks:

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: √ Thematic√ Linear√ Logical

Take note:

A particular order in which related events,

movements, or things follow each other.

Vertical relationship among the elements to provide continuous and cumulative learning

Contents and experiences are arrange in hierarchical manner where the basis can either be logic of the subject matter or on the developmental patterns of growth of the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains.

2. Sequence

Simple to Complex Learning – content & experiences

are organized from simple to complex, concrete to abstract, easy to difficult.

Prerequisite Learning- there are fundamental things to be learned ahead.

Whole to Part Learning – overview before the specific content or topics. Related to gestalt principle.

Chronological learning – the order of events is made as a basis of sequencing the content and experiences.

4 Principles for Sequence:(Smith, Stanley and Shore, 1957)

Five Major Principles for Organizing Content in Units:

(Posner and Rudnitsky, 1994)

World-related Sequence

Concept-related Sequence

Inquiry-related Sequence

Learning-related Sequence

Utilization-related Sequence

A. Space – spatial relations will be the basis

for the sequence.

B. Time – from the earliest to the most recent.

C. Physical Attributes – the physical characteristics of the phenomena such as age, shape, size, brightness & others.

World-related Sequence

how ideas are related together in logical

manner.

A. Class relations – group or set of things that share common practices.

B. Propositional relations – a statement that asserts something

Concept-related Sequence

based on the process of generating,

discovering & verifying knowledge, content and experiences are sequenced logically and methodically.

Inquiry-related Sequence

How people learn. A. Empirical Prerequisites – based on

empirical studies where the prerequisite is required before learning the next level

B. Familiarity – prior learning is important in sequence

C. Difficulty – easy content is taken ahead than the difficult one

D. Interest – use interesting contents and experiences to boost their appetite in learning

Learning-related Sequence

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.

3. Continuity

“Spiral Curriculum” – content is organized according to the interrelationship between the structure of the basic ideas of a major discipline. (Gerome Bruner)

“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.

4. Integration

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.

5. Articulation

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.

6. Balance

Pointers: Curriculum design committee should involve teachers,

parents, administrators and even students.

School’s vision, mission, goals and objectives should be reviewed and used as a bases for curriculum design.

The needs and the interests of the learners, in particular, and the society, in general, should be considered.

Guidelines in Curriculum Design

Alternative curriculum design should consider

advantages and disadvantages in terms of cost, scheduling, class size, facilities and persona; required.

The curriculum design should take into account cognitive, affective, psychomotor, concepts and outcomes.

Purita P. Bilbao, Ed.D. http://www.slideshare.net/Darkwind1/

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References:

That’s all folks!

Presented by:

Ella Faith Uy Sergas