Curriculum Foundations

Curriculum development scholars like Tyler (1949); Taba (1962); Eisner(1985); Saylor, Alexander
and Lewis (1981); Print (1993); Sowell (1996); and Tanner and Tanner (2007) generally identified three
categories of sources for curriculum foundations: (1) studies learners and learning theory (psychology);
(2) studies of life ( sociology and anthropology); and (3) studies of the nature and value of knowledge
(philosophy). These curriculum sources or foundations influence curriculum developers in framing
curriculum conceptions and in developing curriculum.

Psychology as a discipline deals with understanding human behavior, which is important in

curriculum development. According to Print (1993), psychology can provide information to five
important areas:

1. Educational objectives

2. Student characteristics

3. Learning processes

4. Teaching methods

5. Evaluation procedures

Studies about the society and culture – sociology and anthropology, affect all human processes.
Sowell (1996) pointed out that knowledge about society and its culture is important in selecting content
of the curriculum. It provides clear understanding of the context in which the curriculum is developed.
Studies about the society and culture help curriculum workers in understanding several social and
educational issues that affect curriculum processes and education in general.

Philosophy as a foundation helps curriculum workers in understanding the nature of knowledge

and what subjects or topics are worthwhile. This is important in making decisions about the contents of
the curriculum. Ornstein and Hunkins (1993) mentioned that Philosophy provides curriculum workers
with framework or base for organizing schools and classrooms. It also provides educators with a
framework or base for organizing schools and classrooms. It also provides educators with a framework
for broad issues and tasks, such as determining the goals of education, the content and its organization,
and the teaching and learning process.

Curriculum Concepts

Curriculum workers have different ideas about curriculum matters and curriculum development
processes. They have different points of view about curriculum concerns, goals of what curriculum
should accomplish, and how should curriculum should be designed or constructed. These explain the
presence of various curriculum orientations or conceptions. McNiel (2006) Eisner (1985), and Print
(1993) identified six curriculum concepts:
1. Academic rationalist conception- considered as the oldest among the curriculum
conceptions. It stresses the importance of different bodies of knowledge, known as disciplines
or subject areas, as the focus of curriculum.

2. Cognitive processes conception- seeks to develop a repertoire of cognitive skills that are
applicable to a wide range of intellectual problems. The subject matters are instruments or
tools for developing these cognitive skills that are lasting in the lives of individuals.

3. Humanistic conception- stresses the idea that curriculum or education is an instrument for
developing the full potentials of individuals. It seeks to help individuals discover and develop
their unique identities. It stresses that curriculum should focus on the needs and interests of
individuals.

4. Social reconstructionist conception- views the school or schooling as an agency for social
change. Hence, it stresses that curriculum should respond to the different needs, issues,
problems and demands of the society.

5. Technological conception- is preoccupied with the development of means to achieve

curriculum or educational goals. It views schooling as a complex system that can be analyzed
into its constituent components.

6. Eclectic conception- is where curriculum workers find themselves aligning their ideas with
two or more curriculum conceptions. Hence, this curriculum conception reiterates the realities
in curriculum development that each of the conceptions is to be considered and is influential to
a certain extent in designing the curriculum.