1. Curriculum Approaches reflect the following:
Philosophy
View of Reality
History
Psychology
Social Issue
Domains of Knowledge

2. Each Approach Expresses a Perspective About Curriculum Development Which Impact
The design of the curriculum
The role of schools, administrators, teachers, learners, curriculum specialist
Requirements for evaluation and implementation

3. Two Main Contrasting Categories of Curriculum Approaches
TECHNICAL-SCIENTIFIC
NON-TECHNICAL
NON-SCIENTIFIC

4. Curriculum Approaches are Divided in two Categories
Technical-Scientific Category
Non-Technical/Non-Scientific Category
Reflect a traditional orientation about education and formal methods of schooling
Involves a logical step-by-step procedure of problem solving.
Focus on the end product & performance of the student.
Subject centered design. Backward design aligns under the technical category.
Challenge traditional theories and practices and reflect the more progressive views about education.
Focus on the process and personal relevance for the student.
Learner centered & problem centered design.

5. A. Technical Scientific Category
Curriculum development is a plan or blueprint for structuring the learning environments and coordinating the elements of personnel, materials, and equipment.
This category implies a rational approach to creating curricula. More specifically, the aims of education can be made known, can be stated precisely, and can be addressed in a linear fashion.
The approaches in this category are behavioral, systems –managerial and academic as they employ a means-end paradigm that suggests that the more rigorous the means, the more likely the desired ends will be attained.
The Backward Design was adopted from Technical Scientific.

6. Behavioral-Rational Approach By the Taba and Tyler Models, 1969
It is the oldest and still more preferred approach by many educators
Most Recognized Technical
Scientific Models
The Ralph Tyler Model: Four Basic Principles
The Hilda Taba Model: Grass- roots Rationale
The Francis Hunkins Decision- Making Model
It clearly defines the objectives (why), content (what), method (how) sequence (when), scope (how much) of a curriculum

7. Systems or Managerial Approach
This approach considers the major connectedness of inputs, throughputs and outputs that comprise the educational system.
This approach emphasizes the managerial/leadership and supervisory aspects of curriculum especially in the implementation and organization process.
Curriculum is viewed as the major system and the other processes related to it such as supervision (motivation, leadership styles, communication and systems (decision making), instruction and evaluation subsystems.

8. Intellectual-Academic Approach
Studies of Learners
Studies of Contemporary needs
Suggestions from subject experts
Studies of contemporary life
The Academic Approach identifies three fundamental factors. The learner, the society and the organized subject matter. It advocates that these three factors should be viewed as a whole and not in isolation from on another.

9. Non-Technical/Non-Scientific Category
Flexible and less structured without predetermined objectives to guide the teaching-learning process. It considers that the curriculum evolves rather than being planned precisely.
Based on the progressive philosophy where the needs and interests of individual learners and the needs of the society are the main concerns
Give recognition to the importance of music, arts, literature, health education & humanities.
The approaches in this category are humanistic and reconceptualist as this category prefers child centered and problem centered designs

10. Humanistic-Aesthetic Approach
Most Recognized Nontechnical/Nonscientific Models
Allan Glatthorn: Naturalistic Model.
Abraham Harold Maslow, an American Psychologist developed.
Fink’s (2003): Humanistic approach draws on the concept of ‘looking-back’ to design a program.
This approach is rooted in progressive philosophy which promotes the liberation of learners from authoritarian teachers.

11. Reconceptualist Approach
Proponents argue that the education is not to control instruction in order to preserve existing orders.
The purpose of education is to emancipate society from traditional outmoded orders through individual free choice.
The foci of the curriculum are community, national and world problems that need to be addressed through an interdisciplinary approach.
This online Prezi may help you understand the approach

12. Reconstructionism Approach
This curriculum approach is not mentioned in our lecture nor will you find much literature. As a fairly new approach it considers the school as an agent of change which should be at the fore front in creating a new vision of society and of the future. Social reconstruction mp4
While progressivism emphasizes on child –centered curriculum, reconstructionism insists on a social-centered one.

13. Eclectic Models
Often times, educators prefer eclectic models which are a combination of approaches, rather than commit themselves to a particular approach only. However, even for eclectic models, one approach is emphasized over the others.
Eclectic models are not mere patch work but a synthesis where desired features from several models are selected and integrated in to the whole curriculum.
Food for thought, Dewey (1998) argued that education should integrate multiple theories to accommodate a variety of learning situations.

14. References
Dewey J (1998). Experience and education, Kappa Delta Pi, West Lafayette, IN.
Fink, L. D Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. SR See also
Marsh, C., & Willis, G. (1999). Curriculum: Alternative approaches, ongoing issues (2nd ed.). Columbus: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Oliva, P. (2001). Developing the curriculum (5th ed.). New York: Longman.
Ornstein, A., & Hunkins, F. (1998). Curriculum foundations, principles, and issues (3rd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Sowell, E. (2000). Curriculum: An integrative introduction (2nd ed.). Columbus: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Taba, H. (1962). Curriculum development: Theory and practice. New York: Harcourt Brace.
Tyler, R. (1949). Basic principles of curriculum and instruction. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Wiles, J., & Bondi, J. (2002). Curriculum development: A guide to practice (6th ed.).
Columbus: Merrill Prentice Hall
For DQ 2 in week 1 it would serve you well to review this slide show and the references given to understand curriculum approaches.