1.3.1 CURRICULUM AS CONTENT

Curriculum as content (or product)

This is a classical way of understanding curriculum. In this concept curriculum means a detailed description of contents of teaching (syllabi that teachers should deliver to their pupils through teaching.

This concept derives from the classical Tylerian educational rationale that views teaching and learning process as a linear causal relationship (Tyle 1949). According to this curriculum logic, carefully predeterminat educational objectives lead to appropriate selection of content that will be taught and to choice of relevant teaching methods that fit with the qualities of students and teachers. Evaluation of learning outcomes will then be used to regulate the new input or planning of teaching.

It is a common solution in less developed education systems, especially when there is a shortage of adequately trained teachers in schools. The reasons for the prevalence of this approach are that it is systematic, follows the ideas of industrial management and has therefore considerable organizing power.