History and Theory behind
Curriculum Design
EDU 4407: Secondary Curriculum
Curriculum Defined by
Franklin Bobbitt (1918)
“Latin for race-course, or the race itself,--a
place of deeds. As applied to education, it
is that series of things which children and
youth must do and experience by which of
developing abilities to do the things well
that make up the affairs of adult life...” (p
42)
Curriculum Defined by
Franklin Bobbitt (1918) cont’d
“The curriculum may, therefore, be defined in
two ways:
(1) it is the entire range of experiences, both
undirected and directed, concerned in
unfolding the abilities of the individual; or
(2) It is the series of consciously directed
training experiences that the schools use
for completing and perfecting the
unfoldment.”
Curriculum Defined by
D. and L. Tanner (1980)
“The planned and guided learning
experiences and intended learning
outcomes, formulated through the
systematic reconstruction of knowledge
and experiences, under the auspices of
the school, for the learners’ continuous
and willful growth in personal social
competence.”
The Tyler Model of
Curriculum Design
(C) The nature & structure
of knowledge
(A) The needs
of the society
(B) The needs
of the learner
(A) The Needs of the Society
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Literacy
Vocational skills
Social order &
morality
Interpersonal skills
Transmission of
values & culture
Creativity &
innovation
(B) Needs of the Learner
*
*
*
*
*
Cognitive development
Linguistic development
Psycho-social
development
Moral/affective
development
Vocational focus
(C) The Nature & Structure
of Knowledge
1.
2.
Selection of subject matter
Organization of subject matter
3.
Approaches to Subject Matter
(C1) Selection of Subject Matter

Criteria: Relevance, importance,
priority

Scope: Amount, depth of coverage,
concentration

Sequence: Hierarchy & progression of
complexity or difficulty
(C2) Organization of Subject Matter

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Discrete subjects or courses
Broad fields or disciplines
Core or interdisciplinary
Skills or processes
Projects & activities
(C3) Approaches to Subject Matter

Textual

Experimental

Developmental

Psycho-social

Experiential
Fundamental Questions in
Developing Curriculum

What educational purposes should the
school seek to attain? (purpose or objectives)
Fundamental Questions in
Developing Curriculum
What educational purposes should the
school seek to attain?
 What educational experiences can be
provided that are likely to attain these
purposes? (content)

Fundamental Questions in
Developing Curriculum
What educational purposes should the
school seek to attain?
 What educational experiences can be
provided that are likely to attain these
purposes?
 How can these educational experiences be
effectively organized? (teaching strategies)

Fundamental Questions in
Developing Curriculum
What educational purposes should the
school seek to attain?
 What educational experiences can be
provided that are likely to attain these
purposes?
 How can these educational experiences be
effectively organized?
 How can we determine whether and to
what extent these purposes are being
attained? (assessment and evaluation)

References
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http://curricublog.org/2006/10/22/curriclum-what/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:CurriculumConcept.svg
http://coe.sdsu.edu/people/jmora/MoraModules/TylerCurrModel.pps
http://furcs.flinders.edu.au/education/postgrad/clinicaled/HLED9005
/module01/mod1_sec3.htm
Bobbitt, F. (1918). The curriculum. Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Company.
Tanner, D., & Tanner, L. N. (1980). Curriculum development: theory
into practice (2nd ed.). New York: Macmillan.
Tyler, R. (1949) Basic principles of curriculum and instruction.
Chicago: Chicago University Press.