EDDHODJ Curriculum
designG
EXAM PREP 2022/2023
, Curriculum Models used for Curriculum Design in Secondary Schools In
Nigeria
By
Utuh, Bethel Ndu
Faculty of Education, Department of Curriculum and Instructional
Technology.
Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, Rivers
State, Nigeri
ABSTRACT
This paper seeks to explore different models of curriculum used in designing curriculum in
education and best model as it suits an individual curriculum planner with reasons. The term
curriculum has no particular definition due to different understanding of different curriculum
experts about the term, but in education specifically, curriculum can be defined as a planned
sequence of instruction, or to a view of the student's experiences in terms of the educator's or
school's instructional goals. The major aim of curriculum design is to improve student learning
although there are other goals for planning a curriculum. Designing a curriculum is usually
complex and at times rigorous, but the use of a particular curriculum development model will
reduce this complexity. This paper discussed the three fundamental groups of curriculum
development models such as objective, process or situational and the interaction models including
the popular and common improved models of their experts such as Tyler, Wheeler, Kerr, Taba,
Stenhouse, and Skilback's Models amongst others. Discussed in this paper also are the pros and
cons of all the models. Based on the discussions of the curriculum models featured in this paper,
it was concluded with 7 reasons that the Ralph Tyler’s Objectives or Rational Planning Model is
the best model of all the models for curriculum development. Reasons be that, Tyler’s model
advocated a broad view of objectives but many of those that followed him supported a more
narrow view. Tyler's model is always compared with other model. Many curriculum experts like
Hilda Taba developed their models by improving or reviewing Tyler’s objective model and
Tyler’s objective model is simple and clear.
Key Words: Curriculum, Curriculum Model, Curriculum Design, Best Curriculum Design
Model
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,INTRODUCTION
In education, a curriculum is broadly defined as the totality of student experiences that occur in
the educational process. The term often refers specifically to a planned sequence of instruction,
or to a view of the student's experiences in terms of the educator's or schools instructional goals.
Different authors and scholars in different fields such as Psychology, Philosophy, Anthropology,
and History amongst others, have different views and definition of curriculum.
Adams, Kathy, Adams and Dale, (2003) states that, curriculum may incorporate the planned
interaction of pupils with instructional content, materials, resources, and processes for evaluating
the attainment of educational objectives
Kelly, (2009) defines curriculum as "All the learning which is planned and guided by the school,
whether it is carried on in groups or individually, inside or outside of school."
Braslavsky,(2003) states that curriculum is an agreement among communities, educational
professionals, and the State on what learners should take on during specific periods of their lives.
Furthermore, the curriculum defines "why, what, when, where, how, and with whom to learn.”
Smith (1996, 2000) says that, "A syllabus will not generally indicate the relative importance of
its topics or the order in which they are to be studied. Where people still equate curriculum with
a syllabus they are likely to limit their planning to a consideration of the content or the body of
knowledge that they wish to transmit."
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, Albeit still very broadly, bit with a little more detail, Grumetstates that "curriculum is the
collective story we tell our children about our past, our present and our future" (Grumet, 1981).
Tanner and Tanner offer a more complex definition when they posture that curriculum is "The
planned and guided learning experiences and intended outcomes, formulated through the
systematic reconstruction of knowledge and experience, under the auspices of the school, for the
learner's continuous and willful growth in person-social competence" (Tanner & Tanner, 1975).
Smith, Stanley and Shores offer the following definition of curriculum: "A sequence of potential
experiences is set up in the school for the purpose of disciplining children and youth in group
ways of thinking and acting. This set of experiences is referred to as the curriculum" (Smith,
Stanley & Shores, 1957).
Finally Connelly and Clandinin, (1988) state that: "Curriculum is often taken to mean a course of
study. When we set our imaginations free from the narrow notion that a course of study is a
series of textbooks or specific outline of topics to be covered and objectives to be attained,
broader more meaningful notions emerge. A curriculum can become one's life course of action. It
can mean the paths we have followed and the paths we intend to follow. In this broad sense,
curriculum can be viewed as a person's life experience" (Connelly & Clandinin, 1988).
This different views of authors and scholars is the major reason the term curriculum, has no
universally accepted definition.
Curriculum Design
Curriculum design is a term used to describe the purposeful, deliberate, and systematic
organization of curriculum (instructional blocks) within a class or course. In other words, it is a
way for teachers to plan instruction. When teachers design curriculum, they identify what will be
done, who will do it, and what schedule to follow.
Purpose of Curriculum Design
Teachers design each curriculum with a specific educational purpose in mind. The ultimate goal
is to improve student learning, but there are other reasons to employ curriculum design as well.
For example, designing a curriculum for middle school students with both elementary and high
school curricula in mind helps to make sure that learning goals are aligned and complement each
other from one stage to the next. If a middle school curriculum is designed without taking prior
knowledge from elementary school or future learning in high school into account it can create
real problems for the students.
Curriculum design is a complex process. Abie, (2019) put it so right when he mused that
“Curriculum design is a complex process but a systematic process. Curriculum design is a
rigorous complex process. To understand and manage the complexity of curriculum design,
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