CURRICULUM PLANNING

CURRICULUM PLANNING

What is Curriculum?

          Davidson (2005) defined curriculum as a planned school instruction, prior to actual classroom teaching, designed for learners in the form of educational programmes under the guidance of the teacher (implementer) who acts as a catalyst in the reconstruction of the child’s behavior. Tanner and Tanner (1975) in Davidson (2005) have criticized most of the definitions of curriculum for being too broad. They gave their own definition of curriculum. According to them, curriculum is the planned and guided learning experiences and intended learning outcomes, formulated through the systematic reconstruction of knowledge and experience, under the auspices of the school, for the learners continuous and willful growth personal social competence. The above definition of Tanner and Tanner is not comprehensive but also too long. The first mention of the word “curriculum” in university records was in 1582, at the University of Leiden, Holland: “having completed the curriculum of his studies”. However, curriculum theory as a field of study is thought to have been initiated with the publication of The Yale Report on the Defense of the Classics in 1828, which promoted the study of a classical curriculum, including Latin and Greek, by rote memorization.

What is Curriculum Theory?

Curriculum theory (CT) is an academic discipline devoted to examining and shaping educational curricula. There are many interpretations of CT, being as narrow as the dynamics of the learning process of one child in a classroom to the lifelong learning path an individual takes. CT can be approached from the educational, philosophical, psychological and sociological disciplines. James MacDonald states “one central concern of theorists is identifying the fundamental unit of curriculum with which to build conceptual systems. Whether this be rational decisions, action processes, language patterns, or any other potential unit has not been agreed upon by the theorists.” Curriculum theory is fundamentally concerned with values, the historical analysis of curriculum, ways of viewing current educational curriculum and policy decisions, and theorizing about the curricula of the future. Pinar defines the contemporary field of curriculum theory as “the effort to understand curriculum as symbolic representation”.

What is Curriculum Planning?

According to Emeruwa (1984) in Davidson (2005) Curriculum Planning is The process of building a programme of learning experiences calculated to result in the attainment of set goals for a particular people. Curriculum planning is the making of choieces of learning experiences for a group of people which is appropriate and desirable for them.

IMPORTANCE OR ROLES OF CURRICULUM THEORY AND PLANNING OF EDUCATION SYSTEM IN NIGERIA

1.       Curriculum theory and planning help in uplifting and maintaining  the societal values and norms:

In planning a curriculum for a given society, knowledge of societie’s past and present history is very necessary. Knowledge of the past of the society’s history and the extent education has served in it in the past will help the curriculum planners on how to plan and organize the present education in order to meet the society’s future expectation

2.       Curriculum theory and planning helps in the proper education of the child;

Curriculum is planned or organized to provide for the child. The learner who is also regareded as the child is the central conern of the curriculum planning. This implies that no meaningful curriculum can be designed without taking the learner in inherent in curriculum planning. The learner is part of the society and has acquired certain expereicnes in the society, the school is only to direct, guide and broaden the child’s learning experience.

3.       Curriculum theory and planning servers as a yard stick giving direction to teachers and other educational administrators:

This means that the teacher works according to the prescription of the curriculum and try to make emphasis if the need be.

4.       Curriculum theory and planning servers as an object of contract between the school, instructors and Parents:

It forms the basis for a contract among the student, instructor, and institution, identifying the expectations which will serve as the basis of the student’s grade and giving the fundamental required components of the course which the student is guaranteed to receive from the instructor and institution.

5.       It is a document with defined legal standing which is read by many more eyes than just those of the instructor and student.

CONCLUSION

In peroration, curriculum planning and curriculum theory is a sine-quanon  in any educational settings this is because without planning the teachers and the students will be groping blindly into the dark future. Curriculum planning and curriculum theory assists faculty in presenting their courses in a format which accurately reflects the quality instruction they are providing. It states the content and level of rigor for which students – across all sections of the course – will held accountable.

          

REFERENCES

Davidson (2005) The Principles of Curriculum Development in Nigeria. Snap Press ltd.

Lawy A. (1977) Handbook of Curriculum Evaluation UNESCO Paris. Chimex Publishers

Wheeler, A.k (1967) Curriculum Process. London University of London Press.

Tyler, R.W (1949) Basic Principles of curriculum and Instruction. University of Chicago Press.