FOUNDATIONS

OF
CURRICULUM
• Every successful concept and project require a well-planned framework and a strong
foundation. These relate to all processes including education. The foundations of
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curriculum in education are the factors that influence the minds of curriculum developers
to decide on the context and structure of a curriculum.
• According to Mark Guay, “Just as curriculum can be defined in a variety of ways, one
can approach the evaluation and creation of curriculum through more than one
foundational lens: philosophical, historical, psychological, and legal. All four of this
hold importance in influencing curriculum and instruction.”
• Curriculum decisions involve a wide range of considerations that anchor on several issues
in education. These issues include the purpose of learning, sources of the subject matter,
the nature of teaching/learning process, characteristics of the leaner, among others
(Ekanem, & Ekefre, 2014). The historical and sociological foundation affects the
curriculum by cultural beliefs, societal expectations, values, norms, and traditions
emanating from the background of stakeholders.
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• According to Ornstein and Hunkins (1998) psychology serves as the impetus for many
curriculum decisions. Psychological influences of curriculum can best be understood
through theories of learning. These theories of learning are classified into three broad
categories as follows: Behavioral learning, cognitive and developmental learning, and
humanistic learning theories.
• Moreover, foundations of curriculum were upheld by, series of 2009 amended by
Republic Act 9293 including educational psychology, principles of education and
curriculum development.
PHILOSOPHICAL
FOUNDATIONS
• Educators, teachers, educational planners, and policy makers must have a
philosophy or strong belief about education and schooling and the kind of
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curriculum in the teachers’ classrooms or learning environment.
• Philosophy of the curriculum answers questions like: What are schools for?
What subjects are important? How should students learn? What methods
should be used? What outcomes should be achieved? Why?
• The various activities in school are influenced in one way or another by a
philosophy. John Dewey influence the use of “learning by doing”, he is
being a pragmatist. Or to an essentialist, the focus is on the fundamentals of
reading, writing, and arithmetic, the essential subjects in the curriculum.
• There are many philosophies in education, but we will illustrate only those as
presented by Ornstein and Hunkins in 2004.
 PHILOSOPHY PERSONS DESCRIPTION
INVOLVED
Aim:
CONTENTS To educate the rational person;
cultivate intellect
Role:
Plato, Aristotle, and Teachers assist students to
Perennialism Thomas Aquinas think with reason (HOTS)
Focus:
Classical subjects, literary
analysis
Trends:
Use of great books (Bible,
Koran, Classics) and liberal arts
 PHILOSOPHY PERSONS DESCRIPTION
INVOLVED
Aim:
CONTENTS To promote intellectual growth
of learners to become
competent
William Bagley (1874- Role:
Essentialism 1946) Teachers are sole authorities in
the subject area
Focus:
Essential skills of the 3Rs;
essential subjects
Trends:
Back to basics, excellence in
education, cultural literacy
 PHILOSOPHY PERSONS DESCRIPTION
INVOLVED
Aim:
CONTENTS Promote democratic social living
Role:
Teachers leads for growth and
John Dewey (1859 – development of lifelong learners
Progressivism 1952) Focus:
Interdisciplinary subjects.
Learner-centered. Outcomes-
based.
Trends:
Equal opportunities for all,
contextualized curriculum,
humanistic education.
 PHILOSOPHY PERSONS DESCRIPTION
INVOLVED
Aim:

CONTENTS To improve and reconstruct

society. Education for change
Role:
Theodore Brameld Teachers acts as agent of change
Reconstructionism (19004-1987) reforms
Focus:
Present and future educational
landscape
Trends:
school and curricular reform,
global education, collaboration
and convergence, standard and
competencies
 HISTORICAL-
SOCIOLOGICAL
FOUNDATIONS
• Where is curriculum development coming from? The historical
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foundations will show to us the chronological development along
a time line. Reading materials would tell us that curriculum
development started when Franklin Bobbit (1876-1956) wrote
the book “The Curriculum.”
• Let us see how each one contributed to curriculum development
during his own time. Here are eight among the many whom we
consider having great contributions.
 • He started the curriculum
development movement.
• Curriculum as a science that
emphasizes students’ need.
• Curriculum prepares
learners for adult life.
• Objectives and activities
should group together when
tasks are clarified.
FRANKLIN BOBBIT
(1876-1956)
 • Like Bobbit, he posited that
curriculum is science and
emphasizes students’ needs.
• Objectives and activities
should match. Subject matter
or content relates to objectives

WERRET CHARTERS
(1875-1952)
 • Curricula are purposeful activities
which are child-centered.
• The purpose of the curriculum is
child development and growth.
He introduced this project
method where teacher and student
plan the activities
• Curriculum develops social
relationships and small group
instruction.
WILLIAM KILPATRICK
(1875-1952)
 • Curriculum should develop the
whole child. It is child-
centered.
• With the statements of
objectives and related learning
activities, curriculum should
produce outcomes.
• He emphasized social studies
and suggested that the teacher
plans curriculum in advance.
HAROLD RUGG
(1886-1960)
 • Curriculum is organized
around social functions of
themes, organized knowledge
and learners’ interest
• Curriculum, instruction, and
learning are interrelated.
• Curriculum is a set of
experiences. Subject matter is
developed around social
functions and learners’ interest.
HOLLIS CASWELL
(1901-1989)
 • Curriculum is a science and an
extension of school’s philosophy.
It is based on students’ need and
interest.
• Curriculum is always related to
instruction. Subject matter is
organized in terms of knowledge,
skills, and values.
• The process emphasizes problem
solving. Curriculum aims to
educate generalists and non-
RALPH TYLER specialists.
(1902-1994
 • She contributed to the
theoretical and pedagogical
foundations of concepts
development and critical
thinking in social studies
curriculum.
• She helped lay the foundations
for diverse student population.

HILDA TABA
(1902-1967)
 • He described curriculum
change as a cooperative
endeavor.
• Teachers and curriculum
specialist constitute the
professional core of planners.
• Significant improvement is
achieved through group
activity.
PETER OLIVA
(1992-2012)
PSYCHOLOGICAL
FOUNDATIONS
• Psychology provides a basis to understand the teaching and
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learning process. It unifies elements of the learning process.
• Questions which can be addressed by psychological foundations
of education are:
- How should curriculum be organized to enhance learning?
- What is the optimal level of students’ participation in learning
the various contents of the curriculum?
- Let us review some theories in learning related to these cluster
of learning theories.
3.1 ASSOCIATION AND
BEHAVIORISM
 • He is the Father of Classical
Conditioning Theory
• The key to learning is early
years of life is to train them
what you want to become
• S-R Theory is a foundation of
learning practice called
indoctrination.

IVAN PAVLOV
(1849-1936)
 • He championed the
Connectionism Theory
• He proposed the Three Laws
of Learning
- Law of Readiness
- Law of Exercise
- Law of Effect

EDWARD THORNDIKE
(1874-1949)
 • He proposed the Hierarchical
Learning Theory. Learning
follows a hierarchy.
• Behavior is based on
prerequisite conditions.
• He introduced tasking in the
formulation of objectives.

ROBERT GAGNE
(1916-2002)
 3.2 COGNITIVE
INFORMATION
PROCESSING THEORY
 Theories of Jean Piaget
• Cognitive development has stages
from birth to maturity.
• Sensorimotor stage (0-2),
preoperational stage (2-7), concrete
operations stage (7-11) and formal
operations (11-onwards)
Keys to Learning
• Assimilation (incorporation of new
experience)
• Accommodation (learning
modification and adaptation)
• Equilibration (balance between
JEAN PIAGET previous and later learning)
(1896-1980)
 Theories of Lev Vygotsky
• Cultural transmission and
development stage. Children could,
as a result of their interaction with
society, perform certain cognitive
actions prior to arriving at
development stage.
• Learning precedes development
• Sociocultural development theory
Keys to Learning
• Pedagogy creates learning processes
that lead to development
• The child is an active agent in his or
LEV VYGOTSKY her educational process.
(1896-1934)
 Theory of Howard Gardner
• Theory of Multiple Intelligence
• Humans have several different
ways of processing information
and these ways are relatively
independent of one another.
• There are eight intelligences:
linguistic, logico-mathematical,
musical, spatial,
bodily/kinesthetic,
interpersonal, intrapersonal, and
HOWARD GARDNER naturalistic.
 • Emotion contains the power
to affect action
• He called this Emotional
Quotient.

DANIEL GOLEMAN
3.3 HUMANISTIC
PSYCHOLOGY
 • He advanced the Self-
Actualization Theory or the
Classic Theory of Human Needs.
• A child whose basic needs are not
met will not be interested in
acquiring knowledge of the world.
• He put the importance to human
emotions, based on love and trust.
Keys to Learning
• Produce a healthy and happy learner
who can accomplish, grow and
actualize his or her own human self.
ABRAHAM MASLOW
(1908-1970)
 Nondirective and Therapeutic
Learning
• He established counselling
procedures and methods to
facilitating learning.
• Children’s perceptions, which are
highly individualistic, influence their
learning and behavior in class.
Keys to Learning
• Curriculum is concerned with
process, not product; personal needs,
not subject matter, psychological
CARL ROGERS meaning, not cognitive scores.
(1902-1987)
 LEGAL
FOUNDATIONS
 ARTICLE XIV,
1987
CONSTITUTION
 EDUCATION
The state must provide quality education for all and does everything
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to reach out the farthest community to educate each citizen of the
country for free as much as possible. Provision for formal and
informal education in all kinds of all citizen must be offered in
response to the needs of each individual and the society. All
educational institutions public, private, sectarian, or non-sectarian
must include the study of constitutions and religion to promote
nationalism, patriotism, and inculcate values. Everybody is free to
choose the course to be taken up in college as long as it is within its
ability and capacity.
 LANGUAGE
The national language of the Philippines is Filipino, and it must be learned
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further than other language evolves within the country. English is
provided to facilitate instruction and further communication. Other
language such as Spanish and Arabic shall be promoted on voluntary and
optional basis. Researches must lead to development and preservation of
Filipino and other languages.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Science and technology are essential for national development and
progress. The state has to give priority to research and development,
invention, innovation, and their utilization; and to science and technology
education, trainings and services.
 K to 12
CURRICULUM
• Several years ago, the Philippines was the only country in Southeast Asia which
provided just 10 years of basic education to its population but ever since the K to 12

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implementations, the country has joined its neighbors in adopting an education system
which will provide more opportunities to students on a global scale. Continued reform in
the education sector is essential but with the K to 12 programs, this has put the country
on the right track.
• When people heard news of the K-12 program implementation in the country, it
received mixed reactions. Suddenly, there was a combination of backlashes and praise in
the background with the students left puzzled on whose voice to listen to. There are still
challenges and standards of quality to consider but the important thing is to establish
that development is present as a result of the new program.
• K stands for kindergarten and 12 refers to the succeeding 12 years of basic education,
which is why it is called K to 12. The 12 years of basic education comprises of 6 years of
elementary education, 4 years of junior high school, and 2 years of senior high
school.
• The K-12 program offers a decongested 12-year program for the students which
aims to give them enough time to master skills and acquire basic competencies with

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the goal of being competitive on a global scale. Students of the new system will be
equipped with the skills required to be ready for employment, entrepreneurship,
middle-level skills development, and higher education even if they intend to do so
after graduation.
• The K to 12 program promotes global competency by accelerating mutual
recognition of Filipino graduates and professionals in other countries. The new
curriculum allows students to choose between three tracks which are the Academic,
Technical-Vocational-Livelihood, and the Sports and Arts strand.
• It will also give students opportunities to undergo immersions, have relevant
exposure to a variety of industries, and to have experience in their chosen track.
Whereas the old curriculum offers a broad and linear curriculum, it did not include
enough practical applications like the K-12 does.
• Starting with Kindergarten as the foundation for lifelong learning and development, the
12-year curriculum aims to give students the journey in education that they deserve.

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Foreign countries perceive that a ten-year curriculum in the education department is
insufficient that is why many Filipinos abroad are not recognized professionals. With the
new curriculum, graduates are fully equipped with the skills which can help them stand
out on a global scale and compete accordingly according to international standards.
• Salient Features of K to 12 Curriculum are:
- Strengthening Early Childhood Education (Universal Kindergarten)
- Building Proficiency through Language (Mother Tongue Based- Multilingual
Education)
- Making the Curriculum Relevant to Learners (Contextualization and Enhancement)
- Gearing Up for the Future (Senior High School)
- Ensuring Integrated and Seamless Learning (Spiral Progression)
- Nurturing the Holistically Developed Filipino (College and Livelihood Readiness, let
Century Skills)