UNIT 1: Nature of the
Curriculum
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
(I.L.O.)/OBJECTIVES
1.) Define the major conceptions of the
curriculum.
2.) Analyze the nature of the curriculum.
UNIT 1 LESSON A:
Definition of Curriculum
Curriculum is a standards-based sequence of planned
experiences where students practice and achieve
proficiency in content and applied learning skills.
Curriculum is the central guide for all educators as to
what is essential for teaching and learning, so that
every student has access to rigorous academic
experiences.
The structure, organization, and considerations in a
curriculum are created in order to enhance student
learning and facilitate instruction.
Curriculum must include the necessary goals,
methods, materials and assessments to effectively
support instruction and learning.
(https://www.ride.ri.gov/
InstructionAssessment/Curriculum/
CurriculumDefinition.aspx#:~:text=Curriculum
%20is%20a%20standards%2Dbased,access
%20to%20rigorous%20academic
%20experiences.)
UNIT 1 LESSON B:
Major Conceptions of
Curriculum
SUB-TOPIC 1: Types of
Curriculum
1.) Written Curriculum – A written curriculum is what is
formally put down in writing and documented for teaching.
These materials can include an educator’s instruction documents,
films, text and other materials they need.
2.) Taught Curriculum – This type of curriculum refers to how
teachers actually teach. This is a less predictable and less
standardized type of curriculum because how an educator
delivers material can vary from one to the next. It can also
change based on the types of tools a teacher has at their disposal.
3.) Supported Curriculum – A supported curriculum
involves the additional tools, resources and learning
experiences found in and outside a classroom. These
include textbooks, field trips, software and technology,
in addition to other innovative new techniques to
engage students. Teachers and other individuals
involved with the course are also a component of the
supported curriculum.
4.) Assessed Curriculum - An assessed curriculum
is also known as a tested curriculum. It refers to
quizzes, tests and other kinds of methods to measure
students’ success. This can encompass a number of
different assessment techniques, including
presentations, a portfolio, a demonstration as well as
state and federal standardized tests.
5.) Recommended Curriculum - This type of
curriculum stems from what experts in education
suggest. Recommended curriculum can come from a
variety of different sources, including nationally
recognized researchers, policy makers and legislators,
and others. It focuses on the content, skill sets and
tools educators should prioritize in the classroom.
6.) Hidden Curriculum - A hidden curriculum is
not planned, but it has a significant impact on what
students learn. This type of curriculum is not
always communicated or formally written down
and includes implicit rules, unmentioned
expectations, and the norms and values of a
culture.
7.) Excluded Curriculum - The excluded curriculum is also
known as the null curriculum. It refers to what content is not
taught in a course. Often an educator or curriculum specialist
believes that a certain skill or concept is less important or does
not need to be covered. Sometimes what is left out,
intentionally or unintentionally, can shape students as much as
what is included. For example, students might not be taught
about an ongoing debate among experts in the field or not
encouraged to think critically about a text.
8.) Learned Curriculum - A learned curriculum
refers to what students walk away with from a course.
This includes the subject matter and knowledge they
learned from a course, but it can also include
additional changes in attitude and emotional
wellbeing. Teachers need to shrink the gap between
what they expect students to learn and what students
actually do learn.
(https://counseling.education.wm.edu/blog/8-
types-of-curriculum)
SUB-TOPIC 2: Components of
Curriculum
1.) Curriculum Aims, Goals and Objectives
2.) Curriculum Content or Subject Matter
3.) Curriculum Experience
4.) Curriculum Evaluation
Aims, goals, and objectives can be simplified as
“what is to be done”,
the subject matter/content: what subject matter is
to be included,
the learning experience “what instructional strategies,
resources and activities will be employed, and the
evaluation approaches,
while curriculum evaluation is “what methods and
instruments will be used to assess the results of the
curriculum.” (Lindo M. Cayadong)
(http://olga-syscurriculum.blogspot.com/2011/05/4-
components-of-curriculum-cayadong.html)
SUB-TOPIC 3: Purpose of
Curriculum
According to the United States Department of Education
the purpose of having a curriculum is to provide teachers
with an outline for what should be taught in classrooms
(https://www.ed.gov/k-12reforms/standards). The United
States Department of Education wants to ensure that
students are exposed to rigorous curricular goals to
ensure that are prepared for real-world experiences that
will make students college and career ready.
(https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-
oneonta-education106/chapter/4-1-the-purpose-
of-curriculum/)
