reflection #9

Component 3 and 4 of the

Components of Curriculum and Curricular Approaches:

Curriculum Experiences & Curriculum Evaluation

The heart of the curriculum is the instructional strategies and methods.

        This component talks about the guidelines for selecting and using such instructional tactic to implement the designed curriculum. This is then the teaching and learning process where both the teacher and the learner take actions to make possible the learning.

        With Ma’am Olga, she talked about teaching methods that these are ways to achieve or accomplish the objectives or the aim of a certain subject matter. Also, I’ve learned the factors affecting the effectiveness of a teaching method and namely, these are the learners, the environment and the teachers of course. Furthermore, teaching methods are not just to develop the mind, but the whole humanity of an individual.   

        Additionally, the learner’s need is a major reason in selecting which teaching method should be used. What’s more is that the teaching method to be used should be accommodating to the situation and to the need of the teaching-learning process.

        In the company also of our instructor, she classified to us the difference of evaluation and assessment. Evaluation means the measurement of learning while the assessment is the gathering of information of the finished evaluation. There are also components of evaluation, to be precise; we have the Stufflebeam’s CIPP - the Context, which refers to us the real location where the curriculum is working; the Input in which we can see the learners, the teachers, the goals, the instructional strategies, the contents and all the materials needed; the Process refers to how the curriculum has been put into action and the Product which shows if the curriculum has achieved its purposes.

         

     Though the four components of a curriculum are diverse yet they are interrelated, interconnected and unified to each other.

reflection #8

Component 2 of the

Components of Curriculum and Curricular Approaches:

Curriculum Content or Subject Matter

“Knowledge is a model we construct to give meaning and structure to regularities in experience” –

Gerome Bruner

What could be the most and very crucial stage in developing a curriculum? It could be no other else than selecting the content of it. This significantly defines the subject matter that will be taught in the different subject areas in order to achieve the objectives. Fortunately, there are some criteria that should be used in selecting the content. But before we move on, one thing is for sure,

Let us not neglect the little things.

In selecting the subject matter content or knowledge for designing a curriculum, here are some criteria:

* Self-sufficiency – it is helping the learners to attain the utmost independency in learning yet in an inexpensive way is the most important guiding principle in selecting the content according to Scheffler. This means, more of the results and effective learning outcomes though a lesser amount of the teacher’s effort and so with the learner’s effort.

* Significance – It is significant if fundamental ideas, concepts, principles and generalization are supplied in the subject matter to achieve the overall aim of the curriculum.

* Validity – the genuineness of a content selected is by its legality. The subject matter to be selected has to be legal to avoid selecting the obsolete ones.

* Interest – the learner’s interest is a major factor in selecting the content.

* Utility - deciding on subject matter, its usefulness is considered to be essential.

* Learnability – if there is a quotation to “live within our means” then there is also the consideration of “teaching within the means of the learners.”

* Feasibility – content selection takes into thought the possibility, the practicability and the achievability of the subject matter in terms of the availability of the resources, proficiency of the teachers, and the personality of learners especially within the framework of the society and the government.

We have learned the very crucial stage in designing a curriculum, therefore, we must take into regard even if it is considered the little thing in the curriculum yet the most critical and decisive part of selecting the content or the subject matter.  

reflection #7

Component 1 of the

Components of Curriculum and 

Curricular Approaches

The first component of a certain curriculum is to identify the aims, goals and its objectives. In a particular institution called school, whether directed by the government or by the private sector, a positive curriculum is implanted. In this beloved country, our educational system is split into three levels, we have primary, secondary and tertiary – each has its particular aims, goals and objectives.  As we are now applying and approaching the K to 12 educational program, the Tri-Focals of the country has been develop, namely, the Dep Ed for the primary level and CHED for the secondary and tertiary level and TESDA for vocational skills. 

We have also discussed the importance of the school’s vision and mission and goals. We have that VMGO acronym which stands for Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives. For us to know what would become of a particular institution, its vision would help us clarify it. For the vision to be carried out, the school’s mission statement is then significant, targeting to bring into being the kind of persons the students will become after having been educated over a certain period of time. Then, broad statements or plans to be accomplished, school must go further to its goals, which comprise the learners, the society and the support of knowledge. For the goals to be made simple, specific objectives are set for the achievement of an individual learner. It also direct to behavioral change which is the ultimate intention of learning. These are also the bases for which learning outcomes are to be evaluated.

I have also learned from Ma’am Olga about the 21^st Century Skill Literacy among Filipinos. One is considered literate if he/she is able to communicate well, expressing his/her ideas in the proper situation. Also, if one is comfortable or confident in terms of handling or manipulating the ICT; productive and competitive. 

The above checklist of a Filipino literate in this present generation is just one of the manifestations that the designed curriculum of an institution which entails its vision, mission, goals and objectives, is ever effective, successful and useful.

As we desire to be a curriculum designer one day, we then have to take into thought of what vision, mission, goals and objectives are to be considered as to the need of the learners and the society which comprises the first component of constructing a curriculum.

reflection #6

 Campaigns!

Yes! K to 12 Campaigns! This is a shout out for all of us to awaken and be in line with the advance and not a decongested curriculum. We have long been burdened with the previous curriculum of 10-year educational program in which this system had led us to many jobless Filipino people, multiplying street children and out-of-school youth.

With the new (only in our country) K to 12 educational program, it offers a more balanced approach to learning that will enable children to acquire and master lifelong learning skills. This will also help releasing parents of the burden of having to spend college just to make their children employable. Not just this is a better program but that this will help in ensuring employment for our graduates.  This new k to 12 basic education curriculum will be sufficient to prepare students for work. It will enable students to acquire Certificate of Competency (COCs) and national Certifications (NCs) that will be in accordance to TESDA training regulations. This will allow graduates to have middle level skills and will offer them better opportunities to be gainfully employed. 

Additionally, these K to 12 Program will be offered for free in public schools and its graduates will have higher earning potential since they will be more competent and skilled compared to graduates of the current 10-year system. Therefore, this is not at all an additional cost to parents.

Plus, this program will also help students intending to pursue higher education because this curriculum will be in accordance with the college willingness standards from CHED which sets the skills and competencies of the k to 12 graduates who wish to pursue higher education.

What more is that this K to 12 Program will help working students in college level by having DepED in collaboration with CHED to provide more opportunites for working students to attend classes. DepED is also working with the Department of Labor and Employment to ensure that jobs will be available to K to 12 graduates and that consideration will be given to working students.

The good thing is that the curriculum will be learner-centered, enriched, and responsive to local needs. It will also allow students to choose electives that suit their interest. This should partly address those who drop out because of lack of interest. DepEd will also continue to offer programs such as home schooling for elementary students and the dropout reduction program for high schools. These programs the learning needs of marginalized students and learners at risk of dropping out.

What better curriculum could we ask for? This educational system is our most awaited system. The DepEd’s goal of EFA, Education for All, will now be taken into action. So, YES for K to 12 Curriculum!