Unit III

Unit III Selection of Content

Criteria for the Selection of Subject-Matter or Content of the Curriculum

The Selection of subject-matter or content of the curriculum is very important in any education system. There are Seven Criteria for the Selection of Subject-matter or Content of the Curriculum. They are as follows.

1. Self-sufficiency

Economy of learning refers to less teaching effort and less use of educational resources; but students gain more results. They are able to cope up with the learning outcomes effectively. This means that students should be given chance to experiment, observe, and do field study. This allows them to learn independently.

With this principle in mind, I suggest that for a high school curriculum or preparatory year, there should be a one day independent learning activity each week. 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 for the development of learning activities, skills, processes, and attitude. It also develops the three domains of learning namely the cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills, and considers the cultural aspects of the learners. Particularly, if your students come from different cultural backgrounds and races, the subject matter must be culture-sensitive.

In short, select a 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.

Example

·  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 check regularly the subject matter or contents of the curriculum, and replace it if necessary. Do not wait for another 5 years in order to change it.

Modern curriculum experts are after current trends, relevance and authenticity of the curriculum; otherwise, your school or country will be left behind.

4. Interest

This criterion is true to learner-centered curriculum. Students learn best if the subject matter is meaningful to them. It becomes meaningful if they are interested in it. But if the curriculum is subject-centered, teachers have no choice but to finish the pacing schedule religiously and teach only what is in the book. This may somehow explain why many 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 important to them. They view it useless. As a result, they don’t 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 on psychology of learning in order to know how subjects are presented, sequenced, and organized to maximize the learning capacity of the students.

7. Feasibility

It means that the subject matter can be fully implemented. It should consider the real situation of the school, the government, and the society, in general. Students must learn within the allowable time and the use of resources available. Do not give them a topic that is impossible to finish.

Example:

·  If you have only one week to finish the unit but then, the activities may take a month for the students to complete it. This is not feasible.

·  Do not offer a computer subject if there is no even electricity in the area or there are no computers at all.

·  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 to the nature of students.

So, it would be better if students in a subject-centered curriculum (with pacing schedule that must be religiously implemented every week) be grouped homogenously; otherwise, many will flunk in that subject.

Conclusion

The Curriculum Development Committee will take charge of the selection, organization and implementation of the curriculum with the approval of the Academic Council.

The Curriculum Development Committee headed by the Director of Curriculum Development sees to it that the selection of the subject-matter and the subjects for a curricular program be examined and scrutinized using the 7 criteria mentioned above.

But, this is not the end of the process yet! Selection of the subject matter or content of the micro and macro curriculum is only one of the considerations in designing the curriculum.

Reasons for inclusion or exclusion of a subject from the school curriculum

One of the important reasons for studying school subjects is that they provide a clear picture of school knowledge and practices. Studying school subjects involves an understanding of the ‘theory of content’ that is essential for revealing the educational potential embodied in the content.

Aims of school curriculum

·  School curriculum is aimed to maintain the academic culture and develop the intellectual capacity of students.

·  School curriculum is constructed for the maintaining and enhancing economic and social productivity by equipping future citizens with the requisite knowledge, skills, and capital.

·  School curriculum is created to provide students with meaningful learning experiences that might lead to liberation and cause social activity.

Reasons for inclusion or exclusion

The inclusion or exclusion of a subject from the school curriculum too has a social history. Distinctive school subjects are built for specific purposes and are constructed in accordance with the prevailing social, cultural, and political circumstances.

·         School curriculum is determined by the social, economic, cultural, curricular, and pedagogic necessities.

·         School subjects are formed according to the needs of the occupation, profession, and vocation.

·         Specialized and applied fields like engineering, accounting, and marketing among others, are the primary sources from which the contents of school subjects are derived.

·         In many parts of the world, traditional school curriculum is being replaced by progressive types.

·         For the social and political constructions it is in need of inclusion or exclusion of a subject from the school curriculum.

·         It is in need of inclusion or exclusion of a subject for the better cultural transmissions.

·         School subjects are important sources for studying about the social problems.

·          To facing the challenges of globalization and the knowledge-based economy.

So the school curriculum is in need of inclusion or exclusion of a subject according to the social political and economical changes.

Recent Developments in School Curriculum

Roll of NCERT

After independence the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) took up the responsibility of developing the school curriculum in 1975. In 1977, Ishwar Bhai Committee reviewed the Ten Year School Curriculum and recommended for the inclusion of the component, ‘Socially Useful Productive Work’ (SUPW).

Roll of National Policy on Education (NPE)

The school curriculum developed by the NCERT was also revised by the National Policy on Education (NPE) 1986. In 2000, the “National Curriculum Framework for School Education” (NCFSE) was brought out on the basis of new emerging issues and concern at the national and global level. It was again reviewed during 2005.

National Curriculum Framework

The NCERT developed National Curriculum Framework (NCF). The NCF-2005 was approved by Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) in September, 2005.

National Curriculum Framework for States and Union Territories

National Curriculum Framework was applicable to whole India. But in the case of States and Union Territories, school curriculum and text-books of the NCERT are either adopted or adapted.

National Curriculum Framework for School Education (2000)

S.No.	Stage	Classes	Recommended Curriculum
1	Early Childhood Education (ECE)	2 Years	Group activities, play-way techniques, language games number games and the activities directed to promote socialization and environmental awareness among children.
2	Primary/Elementary Education(first segment)	I and II	1. One Language – Mother Tongue/Regional Language 2. Mathematics 3. Art of Healthy and Productive Living.
	Primary/Elementary Education (Second segment)	III –V	1. One Language – Mother Tongue/ Regional Language 2. Mathematics 3. Environmental Studies 4. Art of Healthy and Productive Living
3	Upper Primary	VI- VIII	Three Languages – (i) Mother Tongue/ Regional Language, (ii) Modern Indian Language, and (iii) English , Mathematics, Science and Technology, Social Science, Work Education, Art Education, Health and Physical Education
	Secondary Stage	IX-X	Three Languages – (i) Mother Tongue/ Regional Language, (ii) Modern Indian Language, and (iii) English , Mathematics, Science and Technology, Social Science, Work Education, Art Education, Health and Physical Education.

National Curriculum Framework (2005)

The Ministry for Human Resource Development (MHRD) report entitled, ‘Learning without Burden’ in 1993. Taking cues from ‘Learning Without Burden’ (1993) and seeking guidance from the Constitutional vision of India as a secular, egalitarian and pluralistic society, founded on the values of social justice and equality, certain broad aims of education have been identified in National Curriculum Framework (2005). They were

(i)                 Connecting knowledge to life outside the school;

(ii)               Ensuring that learning shifts away from rote knowledge to life outside the school;

(iii)             Enriching the curriculum to provide for overall development of children rather than remain text-book centric;

(iv)             Making examinations more flexible and integrated into classroom life; and

(v)               Nurturing an over-riding identity informed by caring concerns within the democratic polity of the country.

Conclusion

The school curriculum encourages a learner-oriented approach to construct a school subject that allows students to learn according to their needs and interests in their chosen fields of study. The school subjects equip the students with general skills and learning abilities, essential for facing the challenges of globalisation and the knowledge-based economy. Thus, studying school subjects stands to offer a wide horizon for students to create and explore new corridors leading to enlightenment.