CHAPTER -3 FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM

Curriculum foundations are those basic forces that influence and shape the content and organization of the curriculum.

Curriculum foundations are the components that influence and control the content and organization of the curriculum (Zais, 1976, p. 101).

Foundations of curriculum:

  • philosophy
  • psychology
  • sociology
  • history

These foundations have been used by curriculum design and development teams to decide on:

  • Goals of curriculum
  • Content
  • Organization of content
  • Teaching process

Foundational Rationale

Theoretical basis of a curriculum

  • It is hard to implement a curriculum if you do not understand or accept why the curriculum was developed,
  • A foundational rationale takes into account philosophical, psychological, sociological, and methodological underpinnings.

They are based upon values one has developed pertaining to knowledge, society, learning, and the individual. Foundations tend to influence the philosophies of those who are developing the curriculum, and these philosophies are, in turn, reflected in the curriculum.