UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS

Course Outline and Teaching Schedule – First
Semester, 2023/2024

EDC 111: The School Curriculum, Social Change and National

Development
CREDITS: 3

LECTURERS: Dr. R. Addai-Mununkum, Mr. Stephen Kwakye

Apau, Ms. Miriam Ogah, Mr. Alex Tetteh

Course Description:
As one of the preparatory teacher education learning areas, this
course is designed to expose students to curriculum as fulcrum
around which formal education revolves. The course examines the
concept of education. Also, key concepts and theories underpinning
the concept of curriculum, its’ components, implementation and
evaluation will be presented. Opportunities will be created for
students to gain insights into emerging curricular related issues in
Ghana and also enable them examine and appreciate the roles they
will play as future teachers. Differentiated interactive techniques
such as lectures, discussion, individual and group presentations will
be employed.
Course Learning Outcomes:
Having completed this course, the student should be able to:
1. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key concepts
and terminologies in curriculum discourse
2. exhibit understanding of curriculum processes, from
development through evaluation
3. show appreciation for their role as future agents of curriculum
implementation
4. demonstrate ability to translate curriculum to instruction
5. argue for the relevance of school curriculum in achieving
national development goals.
Course Schedule:
Un Topic and Work Schedule Wee
it k
1 The concept of education and the nature of 1&2
curriculum
i. Relationship between curriculum and education
ii. Functions of education
iii. Categorization of curricula definitions

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 a. Tamakloe’s (1992) classification- broad,
midway and narrow definitions
iv. Characteristics of a curriculum
2 Curriculum Terminologies 3
i. Official curriculum ii. Actual curriculum iii.
Hidden curriculum
iv. Null/Absent Curriculum v. Informal
curriculum/co-curriculum
vi. Assessed curriculum. vii. Learned
curriculum
viii. Support curriculum ix. Concomitant
curriculum
3 Determinants of the curriculum 4
i. Government policy ii.
Learners
iii. Societal considerations iv.
Teachers
v. Philosophical issues vi.
Examination bodies
vii. Financial priorities and constraints
4 Curriculum Design and its Processes 5&6
i. The four basic components/ elements of the
curriculum-statement of purposes,
content/subject matter, method/ learning
experiences and evaluation
Criteria for selecting components/elements of
the curriculum
ii. Sources and selection of programme objectives
iii. Selection of content
iv. Selection of learning experiences

Mid-Semester Examinations 7
5 Introduction to Curriculum Implementation and 8&9
Evaluation
i. The concept and nature of curriculum
implementation
ii. Factors affecting curriculum
implementation
iii. The concept and nature of curriculum
evaluation
iv. Forms of curriculum evaluation- formative
and summative
6 Emerging curricular reforms 10
Standard-based Curriculum (SBC) & the Common Core

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 Programme
i. Overview of the SBC and the Common Core
(Context, Structure & Organization)
ii. Philosophy, Aims, Goals and Values of the
SBC and the Common Core Programme
7 Core Competencies of the Standards-based 10
Curriculum & the Common Core Programme
i. Critical thinking and Problem solving
ii. Creativity and innovation
iii. Communication and collaboration
iv. Cultural identity and global citizenship
v. Personal development and leadership
vi. Digital literacy
vii. Phase Specific Competences
8 The school curriculum as a tool for social change 11&1
and national development 2
i. The concepts ‘social change’ and ‘national
development’
ii. Forms of change-exogenous and endogenous
iii. Types of change- developmental, transitional
and transformational
iv. Using the curriculum to facilitate social and
cultural change
v. Using the curriculum to facilitate economic
change
vi. Using the curriculum to facilitate political change

Course Assessment Guidelines

Performance in the course will be assessed using:
 Mid-semester Examinations 20%
 Other assessment modes 20%
 End of semester examinations 60%

Reading List
Aboagye, J. K. (2003). Some issues in curriculum development. Accra: City
Publishers
Addai-Mununkum, R (2020). Curriculum studies: Foundational issues.
Accra: Sprint Publications
Abroampa, W.K; Addai-Mununkum R. (2018). Rudiments of curriculum
construction and social change. Accra: Ducer Press
Adentwi, K. I. (2005). Curriculum Development: An Introduction. Kumasi:
Wilas Press Ltd

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Bishop, G. (1985). Curriculum Development: A textbook for Students.
London: Macmillan Publishers
Cobbold, C., Kofie, S., Bordoh, A., & Eshun, I. (2015). Functions and practices of
curriculum supervision in Senior High Schools in Assin North
Municipality of Ghana. American Journal of Social Sciences, 3(4),
120–128.
Dampson, D. G. & Apau, S. K (2019). Introduction to the school curriculum.
Kumasi: Appau Ent.
Eisner, E. (1994). The educational imagination: On the design and
evaluation of school programs. New York: Macmillan College
Publishing Company
Fullan, M., & Pomfret, A. (1977). Research on Curriculum and Instruction
Implementation. Review of Educational Research, 47(2), 335–
397. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543047002335
Glatthorn, A. A., Boschee, F. A., & Witehead, B. M. (2012). Curriculum
leadership: Strategies for development and implementation.
Thousand Oaks, Calif.: SAGE Publications.
Henson, K.T. (2015). Curriculum planning: Integrating multiculturalism,
constructivism, and education reform (5th ed.). Long Grove, IL:
Waveland Press, ISBN
Ministry of Education Youth and Sports (2004). White Paper on the Report
of the Education Reform Review Committee.
Ministry of Education. (2017). National teachers’ standards for Ghana:
Guidelines. TTel.
Ministry of Education. (2018). National pre-tertiary education curriculum
framework. National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.

Ogah, M. (2023). Implementation of Senior High School History

Curriculum: a focus on teaching methodology and resources, Cogent
Education, 10:1, DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2022.2164021

Ornstein, A. C. & Hunkins, F. P. (2018). Curriculum: Foundations, principles

and issues. Harlow: Pearson
Smith, B.O., Stanley, W.O. & Shores, J.H. (1957). Fundamentals of
curriculum development. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World,
Inc.
Stenhouse, L. (1975). An introduction to curriculum research and
development. London: Athenaeum Press Ltd.
Taba, H. (1962). Curriculum development: Theory and practice. New York.
Harcourt Brace and World Inc.
Tanner, D. & Tanner, L. (1995). Curriculum development. Theory into
Practice. New Jersey: Englewood Cliffs
Tyler, R.W. (1949). Basic principles of curriculum and instruction. London:
The University of Chicago Press Ltd.
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Wheeler, D.K. (1980). Curriculum Process. London: Hodder and Stoughton
Ltd.
Yakubu, J.M. (2000). Principles of curriculum design. Accra: Ghana
Universities Press