This article clarifies the two viewpoints of the curriculum and discusses the seven criteria for the selection of subject matter or content of the curriculum. Read on to determine why the criteria for selecting the subject matter or content of the curriculum are essential for curriculum design.
The term curriculum is viewed in two different ways: the micro and the macro. The micro curriculum refers to subjects, while the macro curriculum refers to curricular programs. For example, the subject biology is a micro curriculum, while BS in Civil Engineering is a macro curriculum.
What does the micro and the macro curriculum contain? The following section discusses the criteria for the selection of subject matter or content of these two levels of the curriculum.
Table of Contents
Seven Criteria for the Selection of Subject Matter or Content of the Curriculum
The micro curriculum employs the seven criteria for the selection of subject matter below. For the macro curriculum, the subjects needed for the curricular program or course comprise the content.
1. Self-sufficiency
To help learners attain maximum self-sufficiency most economically is the central guiding principle of subject matter or content selection (Scheffler, 1970) as cited by Bilbao et al. (2008). Although the economy of learning implies less teaching effort and less use of educational resources, students gain more results. They can cope up with the learning outcomes effectively.
This criterion means students should be given a chance to experiment, observe, and do field study. This system allows them to learn independently.
Read More: 5 Easy Science Experiments at Home
With this principle in mind, I suggest that there should be a one-day independent learning activity each week for a high school curriculum or preparatory year. However, this should be carefully planned by the teacher. When the students return, they should present outputs from the activity.
2. Significance
The subject matter or content is significant if it is selected and organized to develop learning activities, skills, processes, and attitudes. It also develops the three domains of learning, namely the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills, and considers the learners’ cultural aspects. Particularly, if your students come from different cultural backgrounds and races, the subject matter must be culture-sensitive.
In short, select content or subject matter that can achieve the overall aim of the curriculum.
3. Validity
Validity refers to the authenticity of the subject matter or content you selected. Make sure that the topics are not obsolete.
For example, do not include typewriting as a skill to be learned by college students. It should be about the computer or Information Technology (IT).
Thus, there is a need to regularly check the curriculum’s subject matter or contents and replace it if necessary. Do not wait for another five years to change it.
Modern curriculum experts are after current trends, relevance, and authenticity of the curriculum; otherwise, the school or the country become obsolete.
4. Interest
This criterion is valid to the learner-centered curriculum. Students learn best if the subject matter is interesting, thus makes it meaningful to them.
However, if the curriculum is subject-centered, teachers have no choice but to finish the pacing schedule religiously and only teach what is in the book. This approach explains why many students fail in the subject.
5. Utility
Another criterion is the usefulness of the content or subject matter. Students think that a subject matter or some subjects are not necessary to them. They view it as useless. As a result, they do not study.
Here are the questions that students often ask:
- Will I need the subject in my job?
- Will it give meaning to my life?
- Will it develop my potentials?
- Will it solve my problem?
- Will it be part of the test?
- Will I have a passing mark if I learn it?
Students only value the subject matter or content if it is useful to them.
6. Learnability
The subject matter or content must be within the schema of the learners. It should be within their experiences. Teachers should apply theories in the psychology of learning to know how subjects are presented, sequenced, and organized to maximize students’ learning capacity.
7. Feasibility
Feasibility means the full implementation of the subject matter. It should consider the school’s real situation, the government, and society. Students must learn within the allowable time and the use of resources available. Do not give them a topic that is impossible to finish.
For example, you have only one week left to finish the unit, but the activities may take a month for the students to complete. Thus, this requirement is not workable.
Do not offer a computer subject if there is no electricity in the area, or there are no computers.
Further, feasibility means that there should be teachers who are experts in that area. For example, do not offer English for Business Communication if there is no teacher to handle it.
Also, there is a need to consider the nature of the learners. The organization and design of the subject matter or content must be appropriate for the nature of students.
So, it would be better if students in a subject-centered curriculum (with a pacing schedule that must be religiously implemented every week) shall be grouped homogeneously; otherwise, many will flunk on that subject.
Conclusion
In conclusion, teachers in elementary and high school are not directly involved in selecting subject matter because there are already lesson plans made by the Department of Education. All they have to do is to follow it. However, they can also customize the lessons if their department heads or principals allow them.
As regards macro curriculum, the Commission on Higher Education sets guidelines and policies on what subjects to offer as minimum requirements for the course. Then, the Curriculum Development Committee will take charge of selecting, organizing, and implementing the curriculum with the Academic Council’s approval.
The Curriculum Development Committee headed by the Director of Curriculum Development sees that selecting the subject matter and the subjects for a curricular program be examined and scrutinized using the seven criteria mentioned above.
But this is not the end of the process yet! The selection of the subject matter or content of the micro and macro curriculum is only one of the considerations in designing the curriculum.
Reference
Bilbao, P. P., Lucido, P. I., Iringan, T. C., Javier, R. B., (2008). Curriculum development. Quezon City, QC: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.
© 2015 February 7 M. G. Alvior
Updated: 15 December 2020
hello ma’am good morning .. can you help me about my field study 4 . learning episode 5 about approaches about school curriculum .. because I can’t find an answer about the samples on how the principles of curriculum content are applied in their school .. with an acronym of BASIC . each letter we will give a sample.
hope you read this ma”am and you can give me any sample !!.
thank you.
Please wait for my book to be published. Thanks.
Nice to meet you Dr. so longer I’m a first year student in a faculty of education from the open university of tanzania, hope to enjoy ur presentation, God bless
Hi, Vianne. Thanks so much and please share this site to Tanzania. Extend my regards there. God bless you, too.
very helpful thanks
Dear Sadia,
Thanks so much. I wish that you also share this site to your friends and relatives.
Pls, What are Factors Constrains Curriculum implementation?
Hi, Wada. Im so sorry for a delayed reply. Constraints are budget, lack of teacher training, lack of books, lack of facilities, lack of qualified teachers, attitude and motivation of teachers and students in the implementation of the curriculum, and lack of management or administrative support.
Curriculum implementation means that you have to apply what is being written or recommended in the curriculum in your school. It is like putting it into action. As to factors, it could be the reactions (positive or negative)of the stakeholders, the administrative and financial factors, and the impact to the industries or communities that the school ought to serve.
Please read my answer. I got so busy and not able to answer you back.
Dr, What is Curriculum Implementation and Factors influencing Curriculum Implementation
My Teacher in Curriculum Studies,Good Morning at exact 6:00AM in #Nigeria.
Good Attempt. Thank u, now I understood the Curriculum Content.
Thank you so much, Wada.
Thanks a lot Dr. , you really helped me,What about the theoris in content selection?
Hi, again. What do you mean by theories? Can you give me examples? Thanks.
Helpful @ Dr. Alvior, Mary G.Thanks
You are welcome, Felix.
Hi, Lovely!
How do we know if the content is within the:
a. time – if the tasks or lessons are appropriate for the time given or prescribed. For example, if the allowable time is 54 hours per semester, make it sure that the topics can be covered well within the time frame. You will know it if the students will complain or if they can’t finish the task on time. That’s why the pacing schedule or the syllabus must be planned well. Just to give you a simple example, will you allot 5 hours for the students to write a 150-word paragraph?
b. resources – make sure that you have the resources like books, laboratory, or equipment to help students learn. For example, will you assign them to go to a speech laboratory, if your school doesn’t have it? Of course, not!
c. expertise of the teacher – teachers must have a bachelor’s degree and have a license to teach. They must also have MA or Phd that are vertically articulated which means that it should be within their range of specialization. If your program in the bachelor is BSED English, your MA and your Phd must be in English Language Teaching or Applied Linguistics.
d. Experiences of the learners – make sure that the students can relate to the lessons and they find them meaningful to their work or job someday.
When do you know that the content is within the time, resources and expertise of teacher and experiences of the learners?
Thanks Dr..this was so helpful to me
You are welcome, Ally!
Welcome, Revocatus mdui. Happy reading!
thanks very much for your clear clarification on the criterias for curriculum content selection coz it help me to accomplish my assigment.
I’m so glad that I am able to help you.
Thanks for your support you help as much
Thanks a lot for your contribution to education system.Thanks again because it has helped me to finish my assignment on time instead of going to the library for searching the information.
You are welcome, Mariam. I’m glad that I am able to help you. Please share the site to others. Thank you so much in advanced. God bless!
Thanks alot….it really helped
Thank you so much, Vishakha. God bless!
wow it’s really interesting and educational
Thanks a lot, Derick.
Thank you so much for reading my article. That is exactly our purpose in this site. You may read this link for more information, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/website-professional-development-academic-success-dr-mary-alvior
Regards,
Dr. Mary
I must appreciate you for your contribution to my learning through your piece of work. More to your your academic research work. Thanks.
Thanks, Dogo.
Its really educational and contribute immensely towards our knowlege thanks
Thank you so much. That’s really our purpose in this site, please read
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/website-professional-development-academic-success-dr-mary-alvior
Enjoy reading at simplyeducate.me!
its really educating. what about other criteria such as scope. balance.relevance.integration.sequence and continuity…will it imply? and if yes in which way?
thank you! It really helps a lot..
Hi, Arvin! Welcome. Please share this site to your friends and relatives.
Regards,
Dr. Mary
like it
Have really enjoyed. The article is nice and educative.
Am Dickson Otuko,Master student at Kenyatta University.
Thanks a lot,
thanks a lot
Hi! Thank you for reading. God bless.
Please mail me with more resourceful materials
Hi! You are welcome. Thank you for visiting the site.
Regards,
Dr. Mary
Thanks Dr…
Resourceful, detailed, interactive and knowledgeable. Much appreciated.
Student at;
Mount Kenya University of Kenya.
Taking;
Bachelors in Education Arts.
Thank you for your appreciation Shadrack.