What is meant by the term curriculum?
The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (2005) succinctly defines curriculum as ‘the courses offered by an educational institution.’ According to Curriculum Improvement: Decision Making and Process, “The curriculum of a school is the formal and informal content and process by which learners gain knowledge and understanding, develop skills, and alter attitudes, appreciations, and values under the auspices of that school” (Doll,1996). Educators have a slightly different meaning for the word. Frequently, teachers use the term curriculum when referring to the content they are responsible for teaching their learners. Teachers will often broaden the definition to also include the activities they utilize to help their students proficiently understand the subject matter, improve skills, and enrich attitudes.
What is the relationship between curriculum & instruction?
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (2005) defines instruction as ‘the action,
practice, or profession of teaching’. The term curriculum designates what
content is to be taught, while the term instruction describes the process or how
the content is to be taught. Instruction is simply the implementation of
activities, which are meticulously planned in order to help the students fully
comprehend, understand, and appreciate the ideas outlined in the
curriculum. For example, a fourth-grade teacher is scheduled to
teach the concept of the Underground Railroad in February. The topic, the
Underground Railroad, is the curriculum. The particular activities the
teacher designs will comprise the instructional methods. Instruction is
completely without value when it is not deliberately and carefully developed
with the curriculum in mind. In order for schools, students, and teachers
to be successful, educators must conscientiously examine the curriculum and,
then carefully develop activities which will most effectively teach the concepts
to the students. Curriculum is customarily delineated by individual
In order to improve individual academic achievement and the school’s performance on state accountability tests, school districts frequently begin by making revisions to their school’s curriculum. When beginning the process of curriculum planning, school personnel should consider the bases for curriculum planning. According to Doll there are primarily two distinctive types of bases for curriculum planning. Naturally institutional bases and those bases that directly and personally affect people. Naturally institutional bases include planning domains, situational circumstances, influential and contemporary educational trends, and strategic planning. Needs of the school community, carefully identified problems within the school’s curriculum, the degree of experience and ability of the curriculum planners, as well as, external and internal influences comprise the bases of curriculum planning that affect people directly (Doll, 1996). All of the previously mentioned bases have a significant effect on the curriculum planning process.
criteria can be used to plan, develop, and implement curricula?
for legitimate educational
Possible Steps for Curriculum Planning
Ascertain state standards and generate
How do values influence curriculum planning?
people have different values that influence their viewpoint, conduct, and
attitude. Values have a tendency to change over periods of time.
Undoubtedly, the values of society influence decisions that affect the
curriculum. As society’s values change, they strongly influence changes in
school curriculums (Metais, 1997). According to Doll (1996), some of
these forces influence change while others favor convention. Although
everyone has values, planners of the curriculum must not allow their personal
values to influence their decisions. Planners must ensure the curriculum
is representative of the entire school community. National, state, and
local issues influence the decisions being made on a school level concerning the
curriculum. Schools must take on particular responsibilities based on the
values and needs of their community. A school located in an area of high
poverty, would have drastically different values than those located in a more
affluent community. Schools are no longer responsible for simply teaching
reading, writing, and arithmetic. Schools have taken on the role of
educator, caregiver, babysitter, nurse, counselor, social worker, and even
protector depending upon the values and needs of the community. National,
local, social, cultural, economical, and political values and issues drastically
impact curriculum planning.
What are some of the strongest challenges in meeting the needs for curriculum and the future?
Although there are numerous challenges currently facing curriculum planners, the greatest is the creation of a curriculum which will prepare students to be competitive, successful, intelligent, productive members of society (Worboys, 2003). How do schools begin to prepare student for unknown futures? How do schools teach students the skills they will need to succeed in a job that has not yet been invented (CAE-500)? Students need to be educated in the basic subjects of reading, writing, and arithmetic, but they also need to develop social skills which will enable them to be an active participant in a team. Because of an increase in childhood obesity and the health problems which accompany this widespread epidemic, students need to have an adequate amount of time to be physically active. Students need to be taught skills which will prepare them for success in college and make them competitive in the job force. What can be said about the need for technology in education? Technology is continuously evolving, improving, and altering the way people live and work. In order to educate students to be successful in tomorrow’s world, today’s schools have to implement rigorous courses in the use of technology (Brown, 2005). The greatest current challenge facing curriculum planners is the imperative duty of creating a curriculum which will prepare our learners for an unknown tomorrow.
Brown, J. (2005). Leadership, technology and schools. Retrieved on January 10, 2005, from
Doll, R. (1996). Curriculum improvement: decision making and process (9th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Eagle Rock School. (2005). Curriculum design. Retrieved on January 12, 2005,
The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. (2005). Retrieved on January 11, 2005, from
Metais, J. (1997, March). Values and aims in curriculum and assessment frameworks. Retrieved on January 10, 2005, from
Worboys, N. (2003, September). The challenges in public education. Retrieved on January 12, 2005, from