Knowledge and curriculum

                Curriculum as an Enacted Process

Introduction

          Curriculum is the basic component of education system. The curriculum is the factor which contributes a lot to the development of learning and teaching activities. As we learned earlier, curriculum is a plan for action, i.e. for learning purpose.

Components of a Curriculum

          There are three components for any set of curriculum.

Þ    Written /intended Curriculum

It is the formal or adopted curriculum constructed by following the policies of state or related bodies, which proposes what students are expected to learn and experience the prescribed academic year or years.

Þ    Received Curriculum

It stands for what students actually learn by indulging the experiences provided by the teachers and going through the intended curriculum. It is the outcome of their communication with the intended curriculum and enacted curriculum.

Þ    Enacted Curriculum

Meaning

It is the implemented or practiced curriculum that is the actual experiences provided to the students, which reflects the decisions and strategies made by the teacher.

Definition

The enacted curriculum comprises the teacher and the students interactions focused on instructional materials and the teacher-intend curriculum.

Factors influencing the enacted curriculum

          The following factors influence the enacted curriculum process;

a.      Policy makers

b.     Curriculum materials

c.      School factor and

d.     Teacher factors.

a)    Policy makers

Policy markers make influence with:

·       Their active influence

·       Effective monitoring

·       Decentralization of power

·       Valid and reliable assessment

·       Timely revision.

b)    Curriculum materials

These influences are as follows

·       The prescribed text books

·       The prescribed workbooks

·       Teacher’s handbook

·       Instructions for extra reading

·       Guidelines for innovations.

c)    School factors

·       The social relationship at school

·       The vision and mission

·       The resources available

·       The institutional planning

·       The survey on curriculum.

d)   Community Factors

·       The active participation of the community

·       The relationship between school and community

·       The cultured variety of the community

·       The economic status of the community

·       The geographical environment.

e)    Teacher Factor

·       Teacher’s vision

·       Teacher’s knowledge on curriculum aims and objectives.

·       Teacher’s pedagogical approach.

·       Teacher’s knowledge on the community of the students

·       Teacher’s own experience

·       Their knowledge on child psychology.

·       Their relationship with the learners.

·       Their content competency

·       Their creativity

·       Their communication skill

·       Their assessment skill

Curriculum as process and practices

                We can approach curriculum in four ways. They are;

       i.          Curriculum as product

     ii.          Curriculum as process

   iii.          Curriculum as practice

   iv.          Curriculum as context.

Þ    Curriculum as product and curriculum content

It is used to be that there were certain skills to master and facts to know. So in this sense knowledge was seen as something similar to a product that is manufactured. Generally one starts with knowing nothing,  is taught and then use the gained knowledge often by transmitting it into action.

Þ    Curriculum as a process

          Lawrence Stenhouse produced one of the best known explorations of a process model of curriculum theory and practice. He defined curriculum as a process as follows:

‘A curriculum is an attempt to communicate the essential principles and features of an educational proposal in such a form that it is open to critical scrutiny and capable of effective translation into practice:

            Stenhouse proposed that curriculum is the process by which the experience of attempting to put an educational proposal into practice.

Þ    Curriculum as practices

We can describe this in three ways. The first one is the nation of curriculum as practices  holds that the practice should not focus  on individuals alone or the group alone but pays careful attention to the way in which individuals and group create understanding and practices, as well as meaning.

Second, one is, we could be looking for a commitment expressed in action to the exploration of educator’s values and their practice.

The third one is, we could expect practitioners committed to practice to be exploring their practice with their pass.

Personnel Participated in the Development of Curriculum

The following personal participated in the development of curriculum,

Curriculum Community

The committee for developing a curriculum may consists of the following personal.

a.      Curriculum policy maker and developer

b.     Curriculum administrators

c.      School or college principles

d.     Communities

e.      Law maker

f.      Educational researchers

g.     Teacher Educators

h.     Publishers and directors

Stakeholders of curriculum

v Learners

v Teachers

v Curriculum managers and administrators

v Parents

v Community members.

Role of Stakeholders in Curriculum Implementations

a . Learners at the centre of the curriculum

          Generally stakeholders are individuals or institutions that are interrelated in the school curriculum. They are the one who put into action and give life to the curriculum.

©     Learners are the very reason for the development of a curriculum.

©     They make and unmake the curriculum by their active and indirect involvement.

©     The way the learners contribute to the implementation of a curriculum would depend on the interaction and internalization of the different learning activities.

b.    Teachers as Curriculum Developers and Implementers

          A   teacher is a curriculum maker hence planning and writing the curriculum are the primary role of the teacher. Actually teachers are writing curriculum daily through their lesson plans or their year plan. They address the goals, needs and interests of the students can learn. They are part of a textbook committee and school evaluation committee. Hence teachers are the architects of school curriculum.

c.     Curriculum Managers and Administrators

          Curriculum manages and administrators supervise curriculum implementcetion, select and recruit new teachers, admit students, and procure equipment and materials for effective learning. They also plan for the improvement of  school facilities.

d.    Parents as Supporters to the Curriculum

          Parents support the curriculum as follows

ü  It means that the parents are the best supporters of the school, especially because they are the one’s paying for their children’s education.

ü  Effective parent involvement in school affairs may be linked to parent’s educational programme which is central to high quality educational experiences of the child.

ü  The parents follow up the lesson of their children.

ü  They provide curriculum materials that are not provided in schools.

ü  They give permission for their children to participate in various activities outside the campus.

e.     Community Members

The Community members may provide materials in the existing local community members are included in the school committee. They can also provide books, materials and facilities to the school.

f.      Other stakeholders of the curriculum

ü  Professional organizations

            These organizations are being asked by the curriculum review because they have experience in curriculum enhancement.

Conclusion

As curriculum is the fundamental factor for the teaching-learning process, we must give proper importance for the curriculum development. That’s why stakeholders are organized to develop the curriculum according to the needs of the learners and society.

Bibliography

Mohan, N.,&  Kamalakannan.R.(2016). Knowledge and curriculum. Darasuram : Thiruvalluvar publications.

Kamalasanan, L. (2005). Curriculum development.  Chennai : Sree Ram Publications.

Hillsdon.M.  (2017).  Enacted  curriculum. Retrieved from: www.researchgate.com.