This article describes the seven types of curriculum and classroom implications. Upon reading this article, you will realize the complexity of the term “curriculum” as I discuss each type, along with the examples. Read on and find out the different types.
Allan Grathon (2000), as cited by Bilbao et al. (2008), describes the seven types of the curriculum in the following section.
Table of Contents
Seven Types of Curriculum
1. Recommended Curriculum
Perhaps you have asked these questions: Why should I take all these subjects and follow the course flow religiously? Why is there a need to implement the K to 12? The answer is simple! The Ministry of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, or any professional organization can recommend and implement a curriculum.
For example, in the Philippines, the curriculum being implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd) or the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) is an example of a recommended curriculum. In some cases, a law-making body like the congress and the senate, or a university or a school can recommend a subject, a course, or any academic program deemed necessary for national identity and security, for environmental protection and sustainable development, among others.
2. Written Curriculum
The written curriculum refers to a lesson plan or syllabus written by teachers. Another example is the one written by curriculum experts with the help of subject teachers. This kind of written curriculum needs to be pilot tested or tried out in sample schools to determine its effectiveness.
Read more: Development and Examples of a Written Curriculum
3. Taught Curriculum
This is about the implementation of the written curriculum. Whatever is being taught or an activity being done in the classroom is a taught curriculum. So, when teachers give a lecture, initiate group work, or ask students to do a laboratory experiment with the their guidance, the taught curriculum is demonstrated. This curriculum contains different teaching and learning styles to address the students’ needs and interests.
4. Supported Curriculum
The supported curriculum is about the implementation of the written curriculum. Whatever is being taught or activity being done in the classroom is a taught curriculum. So, when teachers give a lecture, initiate group work, or ask students to do a laboratory experiment with their guidance, the taught curriculum is demonstrated. This curriculum contains different teaching styles or strategies and learning styles to address the students’ needs and interests.
5. Assessed Curriculum
When students take a quiz or the mid-term and final exams, these evaluations are the so-called assessed curriculum. Teachers may use the pencil and paper tests and authentic assessments like portfolio assessment and performance-based assessments to know if the students are progressing or not.
6. Learned Curriculum
This type of curriculum indicates what the students have learned. The capability that students should demonstrate at the end of the lesson can be measured through learning outcomes. A learning outcome can be manifested by what students can perform or do either in their cognitive, affective, or psychomotor domains. The test results can determine the learning outcome, and the students can achieve it through learning objectives.
Read More: Learning Outcomes 101: A Comprehensive Guide
7. Hidden Curriculum
The hidden curriculum refers to the unplanned or unintended curriculum but plays a vital role in learning. It consists of norms, values, and procedures. See the three-minute video below for more details.
Classroom Implications of the Different Types of Curriculum
Now, let’s discuss some classroom implications of the different curriculum types by taking the following situation as an example.
Let’s assume that you are a college student taking up Bachelor of Secondary Education, major in English. Your course or degree program is a recommended curriculum prescribed by CHED. The syllabi given to you by your teachers are the written curriculum. When your teachers start to teach, that is a taught curriculum. And when they ask you to use the internet and search for information about future-oriented topics like regenerative medicine as a very effective but noninvasive approach to better health, this is a supported curriculum.
Furthermore, teachers need to evaluate your performance. So, when you are given a test or exam, that is the assessed curriculum. The assessed curriculum results will determine what you have learned—and that is the so-called learned curriculum. However, the hidden curriculum can affect what will be taught and assessed by your teachers and eventually affect what you will learn.
To sum it up, the curriculum is not only about a course or a simple listing of subjects, but it is the total learning experience of students as indicated by the seven types of curriculum.
Recent Advances in Curriculum Development
As advances in curriculum development occur, there emerged a transformative approach to teaching and learning that has been gaining momentum in recent years—the creative curriculum. This approach paved the way for the design of a curriculum that integrates traditional academic disciplines with real-world applications, tapping into students’ inherent curiosity to foster an engaging and collaborative learning environment.
Since ChatGPT came into being in November 2022, software-based curriculum applications that use artificial intelligence emerged as the best way forward in designing an appropriate curriculum for learners of varied needs. Innovative, responsive, and up-to-date curriculum powered by the so-called curriculum engine can be designed quickly and more reliably with efficient use of digital resources.
Suggested Related Readings
An Introduction to Curriculum Engine
Creative Curriculum: Concepts and Examples
Reference
Bilbao, P. P., Lucido, P. I., Iringan, T. C., and R. B. Javier (2008). Curriculum development. Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.
© 2015 January 7 M. G. Alvior | 3rd Revision: 5 January 2024
hi Mary hope you good. can u please help me in identifying the relationship that exist among the different types of curricular
Hi, Mulamata. I think the relationship is more on how we connect the lesson or degree program to assessment and what are the other variables that affect the teaching and learning process. The bottomline is how can we achieve the optimum learning of students in a successful manner.
thanks for this amazing site it really help me a Lot . 🙂
You are welcome, Celine.
Thanks so much, Ayalew Molla. Please pray for me that I would be always healthy and have time to write and answer your questions. I’m getting sick due to some health problems I experienced for the past few months.
hi. Reading this helps me a lot. I just wanted to ask you about, How to implement a curriculum daily In a classroom?
Hi, Marist. If it is a daily implementation of curriculum in the classroom, it means that you have to carry out your lesson plans and syllabus in a daily basis, from the instructional objectives down to assessment in order to find out if the students have learned or not.
Curriculum operating in schools has varied types. Why is this so?
Hi, Rafei Lei. Curriculum in schools are varied due to the complexities of the learning and teaching process, and the changes that may occur in a country and society as well. In addition, there are many issues that need to be addressed by the school and the heart of any learning institution is the curriculum.
wow what’s a wonderful contribution
Thanks a lot, Nzere.
What a site! I m glad I come across this, short and meaningful.
You are welcome, Okon.
hello ma’am.i have a question,,ahm..what is the connection of the Recommended curriculum to Written curriculum??:)
Hi, Aida. Both are written. However, not all written curriculum can be considered as recommended. Recommended curriculum can be prescribed by other bigger institutions or organizations while the written curriculum may refer only to lesson plans or syllabus.
Thanks for the holistic work.
You are welcome, Joshua.
In addition how do the teacher percieve the role as curricularist? Im just really confused of everything and i just want to know such thing about this..
Hi, again. I have already answered this question before. Please look at the previous comments and replies. Perception varies. It is a personal one. So, how do you look at it? But you could not simply state that a teacher is a curricularist because he needs expertise and thorough knowledge. A simple classroom teacher is not an expert in curriculum and cannot be addressed as curricularist. But as to the perception, and if you mean the curricularist as curriculum implementor, it is also hard on the part of the teacher. He may view his role as very important because the success of any curricular program in on the teacher. In short, you may view the role as important or not.
Hi can i asked something how do the teacher enrich the curriculum in every school where they taught?
Hi, Hanna Mae.
The teachers can enrich the curriculum if they are allowed to do so. But if they are allowed, they can give supplementary materials that are related to the topics, that can get the interests of the students, that are appropriate for their level and background.
Congrats its an inspiring site ever found. I appreciate your good work but i have one qn concerning curriculum
What are the issues to consider during curriculum design and development? Your answer is highly in need..
Regards
Dear Franco,
Your question is highly appreciated. There are many issues to consider but the major issues are the legality of the program that you will design and develop. Each country or institution has its own sets of procedures and policies. Just comply with the requirements. Then the financial aspect, the manpower (like the teachers, the staff and consultants). You should also consider the industries. Just make sure that students from the program can find a job.
Hi colleague, I’m happy to find such educative platform, may i some clarifications on multiple intelligence by Howard Gardner
Hello! Thanks so much for the kind words. May I know your specific question regarding multiple intelligences? Which aspect should I clarify about?
Thankyou so much . I’ve learned a lot from this site. Gos bless and more power.
Hello, Jovylen. I’m happy to hear from you. Please share this site to your friends.
It helps me a lot. Thanks 🙂
Hi, Garlyn. You are welcome.
What is the difference between received and learned curriculum?
Hello! I’m so sorry but I am not familiar with the term received curriculum. I only know about learned. Perhaps, received is also related to learned or it could be any form of curriculum that is provided/given to the students, thus the word, received is used.
Hi. What are the importance of these curriculum on the life of a teacher and its implication to the life of the learners?
Those types of curriculum are important to teachers because they are the ones implementing them. If there is no curriculum, the teacher nor the school can’t exist. The most important thing in an educational system is the curriculum because it is the heart. Likewise, it is also important to the life of students. Do you think students can be called students if there is no curriculum? What will they study or learn if there is no curriculum? For more details just read some of my articles about curriculum/education in this site. Thank you so much.
Thanx hey, this is very educative in as much as it is inspirational Dr Mary! Im based in Zimbabwe, teaching a local church owned school.
Thanks for reading my article. Regards to Zimbabwe. What should I address you, Pastor, Minister or Reverend?
Is there any difference between the broad field and integrated curriculum?
Hi, Nana. Yes. However, once you integrate other subject matters to the existing curriculum, it will become broad, and therefore be classified under the broad field curriculum. But the question is, how many subject matters have you integrated in the existing? How broad is broad? If you only integrate less than two and the scope is not the huge, then, it could not be under the broad field curriculum. Thanks.
Awesome. what an inspiration. keep up. Thanks…
Thank you so much, St. Cyril.