Curriculum Design

Components of Design

Sources of Curriculum Design

Science as a source has only observable and quantifiable elements where problem solving is the priority. The design emphasizes learning how to learn.

Society as a source sees school as a social environment where ideas for curriculum can originate.

The moral doctrine source finds content guided by the Bible or other religious texts. According to James Moffett, spirituality fosters mindfulness, attentiveness, awareness of the outside world, and self-awareness (p153).

Knowledge as a source

The learner as a source uses how students learn and what values they have to develop curriculum. Even brain development plays a major role.

Horizontal and Vertial Organization

Subject-Centered Designs

• Subject design - educators provide the subject matter
• Discipline design - focuses on academic disciplines
• Broad-fields design - offers students a broad understanding of all content areas
• Correlation design - connecting subjects that are closely related
• Process design - learning the process and procedures to the disciplines

Learner-Centered Designs

• Child-centered designs - students learn when connections or relevancy can be made
• Experience-centered design - a child's needs can't be anticipated, therefore, it can't be planned for all children
• Radical design - Individuals must learn to critique knowledge and one must be reflective
• Humanistic design - students must be allowed to feel, value and grow (Berman & Roderick).

Problem-Centered Designs

• Life-situations design - deals with health, family, vocation and ethical character
• Reconstructionist design - curriculum that can change society

References
Louise M. Berman and Jessie A. Roderick, eds., Feeling, Valuing, and the Art of Growing: Insights into the Affective (Washington, DC: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1977).
James Moffett, The Universal Schoolhouse (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1994).
Ornstein, Allan C. and Hunkins, Francis P (2013): Curriculum: Foundations, Principles, and Issues. Upper Saddle River: Pearson.