Curriculum Development and The 3 Models Explained

BY AMANDA STUTT • OCTOBER 25, 2018

This article will explain what curriculum development is, why it’s important for an instructor’s pedagogy and
discuss the three different types of curriculum design.

Curriculum development can be defined as the step-by-step process used to create positive improvements in the
courses offered by a school, college or university. The world changes every day and new discoveries have to be
roped into the education curricula. Innovative teaching techniques and strategies (such as active learning
or blended learning) are constantly being devised in order to improve the student learning experience. As a
result, an institution has to have a plan in place for acknowledging these shifts and then be able to implement
them in the school curriculum.

What is curriculum development?

The word curriculum has roots in Latin. It originally meant “racing chariot” and came from the verb currere,
“to run”.

The way we understand and theorize about curriculum nowadays has altered significantly over the years.
Today, the most simple definition of the word “curriculum” is the subjects comprising a course of study at
schools, universities or colleges

Of course differences in course design exist—a math course taken at one university may cover the same
material, but the educator could teach it in a different way—but the core fundamentals of curriculum
development remain the same.

What are the models of curriculum development?

Current curriculum models can be broken down into two broad categories—the product model and the process
model. The product model is results-oriented. Grades are the prime objective, with the focus lying more on the
finished product rather than on the learning process. The process model, however, is more open-ended, and
focuses on how learning develops over a period of time. These two models need to be taken into account when
developing curriculum.

What is curriculum planning?

Curriculum planning involves the implementation of different types of organizational methods that are focused
on achieving optimal student development and student learning outcomes. Instructors might structure their
curriculum around daily lesson plans, a specific assignment, a chunk of coursework, certain units within a class,
or an entire educational program.

During the curriculum planning phase, teachers consider factors that might complement or hinder their lesson
curriculum. These include institutional requirements. Each administrator at a university or college will have
guidelines, principles and a framework that instructors are required to reference as they build out their
curriculums. Educators are responsible for ensuring that their curriculum planning meets the students’
educational needs, and that the materials used are current and comprehensible.

Educators should employ the curriculum process that best incorporates the six components of effective
teaching. These components are applicable at both the undergraduate and graduate level:
 To demonstrate knowledge of content;
 To demonstrate the knowledge of students;
 Select suitable instructional strategy goals;
 To demonstrate knowledge of resources;
 To design coherent instruction;
 Assess student learning.

What is curriculum design?

Now that we’ve gone over curriculum development and planning, let’s
discuss curriculum design. Curriculum design is the deliberate
organization of curriculum within a course or classroom. When
instructors design their curriculums, they identity what will be done,
who will do it and when, as well as what the objective of each course is.
Remember that the curriculum contains the knowledge and skills that a
student needs to master in order to move to the next level. By thinking
about how their curriculum is designed, teachers ensure they’ve covered
all the necessary requirements. From there, they can start exploring
various approaches and teaching methods that can help them achieve
their goals.

What are the types of curriculum design?

There are three basic types of curriculum design—subject-centered,
learner-centered, and problem-centered design.
Subject-centered curriculum design revolves around a particular subject
matter or discipline, such as mathematics, literature or biology. This
type of curriculum design tends to focus on the subject, rather than the
student. It is the most common type of standardized curriculum that can
be found in K-12 public schools.

Teachers compile lists of subjects, and specific examples of how they

should be studied. In higher education, this methodology is typically
found in large university or college classes where teachers focus on a
particular subject or discipline.

Subject-centered curriculum design is not student-centered, and

the model is less concerned with individual learning styles compared to
other forms of curriculum design. This can lead to problems with
student engagement and motivation and may cause students who are not
responsive to this model to fall behind.

Learner-centered curriculum design, by contrast, revolves around

student needs, interests and goals. It acknowledges that students are not
uniform but individuals, and therefore should not, in all cases, be subject
to a standardized curriculum. This approach aims to empower learners
to shape their education through choices.

Differentiated instructional plans provide an opportunity to select

assignments, teaching and learning experiences, or activities. This form
 of curriculum design has been shown to engage and motivate students.
The drawback to this form of curriculum design is that it can create
pressure on the educator to source materials specific to each student’s
learning needs. This can be challenging due to teaching time constraints.
Balancing individual student interests with the institution’s required
outcomes could prove to be a daunting task.

Problem-centered curriculum design teaches students how to look

at a problem and formulate a solution. Considered an authentic form of
learning because students are exposed to real-life issues, this model
helps students develop skills that are transferable to the real world.
Problem-centered curriculum design has been shown to increase the
relevance of the curriculum and encourages creativity, innovation and
collaboration in the classroom. The drawback to this format is that it
does not always consider individual learning styles.

By considering all three types of curriculum design before they begin

planning, instructors can choose the types that are best suited to both
their students and their course.

Conclusion
Developing, designing and implementing an education curriculum is no
easy task. With the rise of educational technology and the diverse types
of students attending higher educational institutions these days,
instructors have their work cut out for them. But by following the
fundamental guidelines and framework of curriculum development,
educators will be setting themselves — and their students — up for
long-term success.

A Curriculum Development Process

The Curriculum Development (CD) process encompasses the design and development of integrated plans for
learning, the design of implementation of the plans, and of the evaluation of the plans, their implementation and
the outcomes of the learning experience.
Curriculum design is a process of critical questioning to frame learning and teaching. The main purpose of the
process is to translate broad statements of intent into specific plans and actions. The intention is to ensure, as far
as possible, alignment between the three states of curriculum: the planned curriculum, the delivered curriculum
and the experienced curriculum [from the students' point of view].
 The three states of the curriculum (see Prideaux, 2003)

The curriculum design process at course level sets the context for topic design and topic design sets the context
for each learning experience. Topics need to be designed to come together in structured combinations to form
coherent major and minor sequences and courses. Parts of the process especially at the course and topic levels
overlap and ideally should occur interactively with course design informing and influencing topic design and
topic design informing and influencing course design.

Interactions of levels of curriculum development

The fundamental purpose of curriculum development is to ensure that students receive integrated, coherent
learning experiences that contribute towards their personal, academic and professional learning and
development.