Curriculum Development and Its Importance for the Educators

Education and curriculum are essential concepts. When discussing a course or educational journey, curriculum development is the primary thing educators should consider as it is a guiding light for the academic journey.

Defining Curriculum Development

A curriculum comprises the learning experiences of a person throughout their educational journey. Curriculum development spells out a sequential procedure followed to effectively change the courses taught in educational institutions.

The dynamic nature of the global environment also demands changes in academic practices. The changes are pertinent so that students learn what is relevant and essential in the current knowledge climate.

The curriculum development process is a continuous cycle of planning, design, implementation, and evaluation. Curriculum developers work with teachers to create curricula that are aligned to their state standards. They also work with students to improve their skills and understanding of the content they are learning.

Curriculum development is a complex process that requires an in-depth understanding of educational theory and practice. It requires an understanding of the content being taught, how it will be taught, what students should know as a result of instruction, and how this knowledge will be assessed.

Curriculum Planning

One can understand curriculum planning as the beginning of an educational journey where the educators can first decide the subjects and ideas to be taught, why to teach a particular subject and the employment of various pedagogical techniques needed to teach them.

At the school level, curriculum planning also entails the evaluation processes used to check the development in every subject.

Curriculum planning is broader in scope because it includes learning concepts and encapsulates fine planning concerning how the designed course should be taught, including the sequence of individual lessons.

Curriculum Design and its Classifications

Designing a curriculum is an integral part of education. Curriculum designing encompasses the process of systematically creating sequential instructions that would address questions like what should be done in a classroom, who would do those things and the timetable of all of those things.

When creating a curriculum, educators should consider the objective of the course and the overall curriculum.

There are two classifications of curriculum, namely product-based curriculum and process-based curriculum.

The product-based curriculum aims to focus on students achieving high grades. In contrast, the idea behind the process-based curriculum is to focus on student learning and development.

Types of Curriculum Design

The framework of a curriculum should be based on a couple of factors, such as student needs, outcome expectations, and resources.

The instructional strategies should ensure student learning and growth. Based on these factors, the curriculum design can be of the following three types:

Subject-centered curriculum design: This type of curriculum design emphasizes the subject matter, and there is less emphasis on individual student learning.

Learner-centered curriculum design: This type of curriculum design emphasizes concept learning by every student depending on their learning needs. It tries to customize the teaching techniques for different kinds of students, which can be a complex and pressurizing task for the instructors.

Problem-centered curriculum design: This type of curriculum design emphasizes bringing practical solutions to problems presented during the study. It helps students tap into their creativity, encourages innovation, and enhances their collaborative skills while assisting them to gain exposure to issues and solutions for the real world.

Curriculum development helps teachers provide knowledge systematically, keeping in mind various factors like student needs, course objectives, and organizational expectations.

A clear purpose in mind and a guideline to follow to reach the goal effectively would make the academic journey of the students and teachers successful. This is what curriculum development seeks to accomplish. For more information on planning and designing a curriculum, go to Evelyn Learning.