CURRICULUM DESIGNS TYPES/Kind

Types of Curriculum Design

Several curriculum design patterns can be identified although few operate in pure form. Most draw elements from several designs and fuse them into a plan for a particular situation. Common organizing elements for all curriculum designs include:

  • Determination of what is important following a study of the learners for whom plan is devised, the societal requirements and goals, and the knowledge required to fulfill these needs and goals. This establishes the context for the curriculum.
  • Broad goals are formulated followed by more specific objectives. Required skills, understanding, attitudes and affects, and abilities are then determined.
  • Appropriate learning experiences are designed and systematized into a logical and hierarchical pattern.
  • Evaluation procedures and techniques are determined for both student progress and curriculum validity.

Some curriculum design patterns will be examined, as follows:

The Subject-Centered Designs

  • Subject Designs
  • Academic discipline designs
  • Broad field Designs

Teacher centered design

Learner centered curriculum designs

  • Activity/Experience designs
  • Humanistic designs

Problem centered design

  • Thematic designs
  • Problem designs

The Core Curriculum Designs

  • Core designs
  • National core designs

Integrated curriculum

Social  Processes and Life Functions Design

The Process-Oriented Curriculum Design

Remember, there are few pure forms but most schools favor certain approaches more than others. Each of these design patterns will be discussed below.