This article explains the four major foundations of curriculum and their importance in education. Examples are provided to stress the importance of curriculum in the academe.
Read on and reflect on some experiences you have had in school. Match it with how philosophy, history, psychology, and sociology influence those experiences of yours.
Table of Contents
The Influence of Philosophy to Curriculum
Educators, curriculum makers, and teachers must have espoused a philosophy or philosophies deemed necessary for planning, implementing, and evaluating a school curriculum. The philosophy they have embraced will help them achieve the following:
- define the school’s purpose,
- identify the essential subjects to be taught,
- design the learning students must have,
- develop approaches or methodologies on how students can gain the knowledge, skills, and attitude,
- produce the instructional materials,
- identify the methods and strategies to be used, and
- determine how teachers will evaluate students.
Likewise, philosophy offers solutions to problems by helping the administrators, curriculum planners, and teachers make sound decisions. A person’s philosophy reflects his/her life experiences, social and economic background, shared beliefs, and education.
When John Dewey proposed that “education is a way of life,” his philosophy is realized when put into practice. Now, particularly in the Philippines, Dewey’s philosophy served as an anchor for the country’s educational system.
History and Its Influence to Curriculum
The history of one’s country can affect its educational system and the curriculum. If we trace the curriculum’s formal beginning, we get back in time to Franklin Bobbit’s book entitled “The Curriculum,” published in 1918.
From Bobbit’s time to Tyler, many developments in the purposes, principles, and contents of the curriculum took place. Please read the Six Famous Curriculum Theorists and their Contributions to Education for more information.
The Influence of Psychology to Curriculum: Four Major Foundations
The curriculum is influenced by psychology. Psychology provides information about the teaching and learning process. It also seeks answers how a curriculum will be organized to achieve students’ learning at the optimum level and what amount of information they can absorb in learning the various contents of the curriculum.
The following are some psychological theories in learning that served as major foundations of curriculum development:
1. Behaviorism
Education in the 20th century was dominated by behaviorism. The mastery of the subject is given more emphasis. So, learning is organized in a step-by-step process. Using drills and repetition are common.
For this reason, many educational psychologists viewed it as mechanical and routine. Though many are skeptical about this theory, we can’t deny the influences it had on our educational system.
2. Cognitivism
Cognitive theorists focus on how individuals process information, monitor and manage their thinking. The basic questions cognitive psychologists zero in on are:
- How do learners process and store information?
- How do they retrieve data and generate conclusions?
- How much information can they absorb?
With their beliefs, they promote the development of problem-solving and thinking skills and popularize reflective thinking, creative thinking, intuitive thinking, discovery learning, and others.
3. Humanism
Humanism is taken from Gestalt’s theory, Abraham Maslow’s theory, and Carl Rogers’ theory. This group of psychologists is concerned with the development of human potential.
In this theory, the curriculum is after the process, not the product; focuses on personal needs, not on the subject; and clarifying psychological meanings and environmental situations. In short, curriculum views founded on humanism posit that learners are human beings who are affected by their biology, culture, and environment. They are neither machines nor animals.
Along this line, curriculum developers must craft a more advanced, more comprehensive curriculum that promotes human potential. Teachers educate not only the minds, but the hearts as well.
4. Sociology and Curriculum
Among the major foundations of curriculum development, the sociological theory emphasizes the influence of society on education. It is founded on the belief that there is a mutual and encompassing relationship between society and curriculum because it exists within the societal context. Though schools are formal institutions that educate the people, other units of society educate or influence the way people think, such as families and friends, and communities.
Since society is dynamic, many developments are difficult to cope with and adjust to. But the schools are made to address and understand the changes not only in one’s country but in the world as well.
Therefore, schools must be relevant by making their curriculum more innovative and interdisciplinary. A curriculum that can address global learners’ diversities, the explosion of knowledge through the internet, and the educational reforms and policies recommended or mandated by the United Nations.
However, it is also imperative that a country must have maintained a curriculum that reflects and preserves its culture and aspirations for national identity. No matter how far people go, it is the country’s responsibility to ensure that the school serves its purpose of educating the citizenry.
Now, it is your time to reflect. Can you think of your experiences in which the major foundation of the curriculum can explain it?
Try to ask yourself the following questions:
- Why should I take history, philosophy, psychology or even PE subjects in college?
- Why is it that the Department of Education is implementing K to 12 and the mother tongue-based curriculum?
- Why is there institutional amalgamation?
- Why is there “One UP” (One University of the Philippines) now in the Philippines?
- Why is there a need for a globalized higher education?
These questions imply that change will take place soon. So, brace yourself for the many changes that will take place in education!
Reference
Bilbao, P. P., Lucido, P. I., Iringan, T. C., and R. B. Javier (2008). Curriculum development. Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.
© 2015 January 9 M. G. Alvior | Updated: 6 December 2020
Good day to Mrs Mary and the poster. i appriciate your effort and how you spelt out what curriculum foundation is all about. you have used simple language in a summary form. Indeed this is the work of Vetran in Curriculum development. keep it up. It has helped me alot in understanding the concept, and in writing my test also. Sincerely speaking I may say that: “This post was meant for me”
Thumbs up.
Thanks so much for your kind words. God bless! You may also contribute an article here particularly the educational system or best practices in your country.
What are Philosophical and Sociological of foundation and give examples where those foundation is present- in the classroom, school and community ?
Please read my article again and my previous answers.
this so nice mary but i have a question
how does curriculum developers being influenced by the psychological foundation in developing the curriculum
Hi, Sarongoh! You have a very good question. Curriculum developers are influenced by the psychological foundation because whatever strategies and/or methodologies they suggest, or even the scheduling and the time of classes are dependent upon the psychological theories they advocate in. For example, if the time scheduling is to help students rest and eat their breakfast before going to school, what psychological theory is that? If you want to have a lot of group works and field trips, you are influenced by the constructivism.
good evening ma’am can you help me how to explaine what is the use of curriculum foundation and the three curriculum foundation which is 1.psychology 2. sociology 3. philosophy .and give me a concrete example each foundation. hope you can help me ma’am I need it for my report.thank you.
Hi Ellen Mae. If I am not mistaken, i have so many answers regarding your question. Please read the previous comments. But I can still answer your question. Curriculum foundation is the basis in making curriculum design. You must include the subjects under each foundation when you make a program. For example, most programs have the four foundations as subjects. Nest, there are actually four major foundation, and not three. For psychology, we have to determine how students learn and study. sociology is more on the interaction, and philosophy will make teachers solve the problems.
It is also important that each degree program must have subjects from each foundation. For example, there are subjects like PE for sociology; Introduction to Psychology, and Logic for Philosophy.
hi,please can you explain the influence of psychology to curriculum.
Psychology can influence curriculum in so many ways. It focuses more on how to understand the learners acquire knowledge and process the information and store it in their long term memory. In short, if the teacher has background in psychology, he/she can easily teach the students learn and become successful someday.
thank alot for ur contribution,it helps me alot.
You are welcome. Please help us share this site to others.
Hi Mary, I’m a curriculum student HONS doing research but struggling to come up with a topic!
Hi, Will! It’s nice to hear that. May I know what HONS mean? As to your topic, just explore anything that you are interested in and it must have many review of related literature and studies.
wonderful presentation … it will help me alot. . thank you so much ma’am
Thanks a lot, Shanayal.
Hi Dr. Mary
I have a questions what are approaches to curriculum design?
Thank you..
From :Mardz
Hi, Mardz. The common are child/learner, subject, problem, and human relation centered approaches.
You are welcome, Rev. Lampu.
TO,
Mary Alvior, PhD in Curriculum Development
I am writing a research paper on “historical development of psychology and its impact on educational curriculum”. Kindly help me how should I frame my research outline.
Thank You
Lampu
Hi, Lampu! I think you must have a list of educational psychologies from a historical viewpoint then, study the effect of each in the curriculum. Thank you so much.
Thank you Mary,
your suggestion has open my mind. When we talk educational psychologies from historical point, it reminds us those school of thoughts, like, structuralism, functionalism, behaviorism, psychoanalysis etc. But as far as my knowledge is concern among these psychological thoughts behaviorism, cognitive, gestalt theory (Humanism) and psychoanalysis has more impact on curriculum.
Thanking you very much
identification of philosophical foundation in secondary schools curriculum?
ma’am help me for knowing the perfect answer..
Hi, Niki Bharatdwaz. Honestly, your question is hard to answer because the it depends on your school and your country. As to your name, it seems you are not from the Philippines. So, better if you ask or interview the adminsitrators in your school particularly in secondary schools. But in my own point of view, read the educational philosophies so that you have a background, and then try to observe a secondary school if the philosophies were applied or implemented. Thank you.
Hi Ma’am Mary
What are trends and issues in our education? How did the government address the issues in our education?
Hi, again. Aren’t you aware that K12 in the Philippines is one of the issues and trends? The government instructed DEPED and CHED to answer the issues. There are trainings, seminars, public fora to address the problems.
There are many issues, Ma’am Rosalin. Perhaps the following articles can help you but you should be the one to answer as to how the government addressed/addresses the issues.
https://simplyeducate.me/wordpress_Y/2015/09/10/innovations/
https://simplyeducate.me/wordpress_Y/2016/05/24/obe-what-why/
https://simplyeducate.me/wordpress_Y/2015/09/06/tips-on-how-to-develop-a-unified-curriculum-for-institutional-amalgamation/
I wish these articles can help you.
Hi Ma’am Mary
Mam can you please help me in my take home exam in curriculum development. 1. If you are the head of the institution what will you do to improve the curriculum? What do you expect that the students, teachers and the stakeholders will do? What are the foundation and legal basis of your curriculum?
I am an AB graduate mam batch 2009, Now in 2. I am going to propose revision on my curriculum base on the K to 12 Curriculum in process. What are the foundation and legal basis of your propose curriculum?
Any help you can extend ma’am is greatly appreciated. God Speed!
Hi, Rosalin. The questions are very practical and personal. Since that is the exam, it must be you who should answer it. But to help you, I will give you my personal answer. One, the head can improve the curriculum by obeying/complying the requirements of CHED/DEPED or other institutions that make policies and regulations for the offering of programs. The head should make it sure that it is well implemented by monitoring and evaluating it. For the 2nd question, students, teachers, and other stakeholders only follow/obey, and cooperate with the schools, particularly if they see that what you are doing is meaningful to them. For the last question, I can’t answer that because I don’t know what you have proposed. It is better to ask your teacher. He/she is teaching that subject, therefore, he/she must be an expert in that field. You must be aware of the foundations, and once you know them, you should relate or connect them to your proposed curriculum. Thank you.
Nice and thanks Mary for those good and nice foundations of curriculum thanks
Hi Enock. You are welcome.
mary Give Me specific examples or situation of Philosophical , historical , psychological and social foundations . Plsss .
Thanks for that good research of foundations of curriculum
Hi, Carla! Please read the thread of the comments because I already gave a lot of examples. Thanks.
Hi, Carla. Please read my previous answers.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MA’AM MARY
You are welcome, Quena.
hi ma’am Mary!
kindly please answer this.
“what will you do in an effort to share the knowledge you gained about the curriculum to your peers?
I need this for my FS.
Hi, Quena. Once you learned something or discovered something about curriculum, particularly on the current trends, I think , it is your responsibility to share it with others. Curriculum is the heart of the school. That’s why it is important to be shared with others. On my part, I share it through this site for free. Thus, I am asking favour from you to help me share this site with others.
hi there ms. Mary
I am a 3rd student from Laguna State Polytechnic University Taking up Bachelor of Elementary Education major in Early Childhood Education.
Regarding to my specialization can you give me a specific example or situation of the four foundation of curriculum. thank you.
hi ma’am Mary!
kindly please answer this.
“what will you do in an effort to share the knowledge you gained about the curriculum to your peers?
I need this for my FS.
Hi, Kenjoe. About your specialization, here are the examples:
Philosophy – talk about common beliefs or about the names of philosophers
History – talk about our national heroes or any cultural or national identities like our national flower, national animal, etc.
Sociology – play, games or field trips
Psychology – ask them questions with WHAT, and try to encourage them to ask questions with WHY. If they could already explain things, you may start asking them with WHY questions.
Please help me popularize this site to Laguna State Polytechnic University.
Regards,
Dr. Mary
philosphy does not really limit on the belief and the naming of the philosophers because it covers the whole aspects of knowledge and even the understanding from the query of human being guided by reason.
Hi, kenjoe. Sorry for a delayed reply. Since your major is Early Childhood, here are the answers:
1. psychology – use of objects with different colors, what they want or not. Another is exposing them to sounds.
2. history – pictures of historical sites or maybe pictures of your countries identity.
3. philosophy – maybe give them situations where they can identify what is good from bad. For example, giving them things which they do not own or possess.
4. sociology – let them play or communicate with others.
Under philosophical foundations of curriculum,what is the difference between subject matter theories and subject philosophies?
Dear Sir Ken,
Hi! As to your question, I would admit that I’m not familiar with the subject matter theories and subject philosophies. Are there subject matter theories and subject philosophies? What are the examples of those? As far as I know, there are educational philosophies and theories, in general. Now, it depends on the educators/administrators or teachers what they would like to apply in choosing or organizing their subjects or subject-matter. I would highly appreciate if you could give me the links or references regarding the subject matter theories and subject philosophies. Thank you.