Curriculum- Meaning, Definition, Characteristices, Goals, Scope, Need and Importance, Present Defects

Meaning and Definition of Curriculum

The meaning of curriculum

Scholars in the curriculum field have sometimes become lost in arguments about the semantics of curriculum definitions. A definition commonly used during the thirties and forties was "the curriculum of a school is all the experiences that pupils have under the guidance of that school". A counter definition, generally considered to be too broad, was "a child's curriculum in a given day of his life is all that he or she experiences from the moment of waking to the moment of falling asleep." The other definition of curriculum is "the planned and guided learning experiences and intended learning outcomes, formulated through the systematic reconstruction of knowledge and experience, under the auspices of the school, for the learner's continuous and willful growth in personal-social competence."

Persons have interpreted the term 'curriculum' very differently: over the years. Oliva (1988) provides us with an interesting range:

• Curriculum is that which is taught in school. 

• Curriculum is a set of subjects.

• Curriculum is content.

• Curriculum is a set of materials.

• Curriculum is a set of performance objectives.

• Curriculum is that which is taught both inside and outside of school directed by the school.

1. Etymological Meaning of Curriculum 

The term 'curriculum' has originated from the Latin word 'currere' meaning 'race-course'.

We can say that it is the course which a person has to run across to arrive at the destination. From this viewpoint, education becomes a race which is run on the course of curriculum, and by which the aim of personality development of a child is achieved.

2. Narrow Meaning of Curriculum

In its narrow sense, the term 'curriculum' is considered synonym of 'course of study or syllabus', which limits the facts of some subjects. Thus, in its narrow sense, curriculum is limited to only bookish knowledge. There is no place in it for a child's needs, interests, attitudes, aptitude, abilities and activities pertaining to practical life. In brief, we can say that in its narrow sense, by curriculum is meant that course in which only bookish knowledge is provided to students.

3.Wider Meaning of Curriculum

In its wide sense, the term curriculum' comprises of all those experiences which a child receives in and out of classroom for his all-round development keeping in with his needs, interests, aptitudes, attitudes and abilities, through different activities such as studies, games and co-curricular activities.

According to Munroe, curriculum comprises of all those educational experiences which are obtained for the realization of educational aims.

According to Bent and Kroneberg, curriculum is the systematic form of contents of studies which is prepared for meeting the needs of students.

In brief we can say that by curriculum is meant all those experiences and activities organised for students which are their and the society's all-round development.

Definitions of Curriculum

1. "It (curriculum) is a tool in the hands of the artist (teacher) to mould his material (pupil) according to his ideal (objective) in his studio (school)." Cunninghan

2. "Curriculum should be conceived as an epitome of the whole of knowledge and experience of the human race."       -Frobel

3. "Curriculum, in its broader sense, includes the complete school environment, involving all the course, activities, reading and associations furnished to the pupils in the school." -Rudyard K. Bent and Henry H. Kroneber

4. "Curriculum embodies all the experiences which are offered to learner under spices or direction of the school."    -R. Dall 

5. "Subject matter of learning or curriculum is identical with all the objects, ideals and principles which enter as resources obstacles into the continuous intentional pursuit at a of action."    -John Dewey

6. "Curriculum embodies all the experiences which are utilized by the school to attain the aims of education."      -Munroe

7. "Curriculum does not mean only he academic subject traditionally taught in the school, but it includes the totality of experiences that a pupil receives through manifold activities that go in the school, in the classroom, librarian, laboratory, workshop playground and the numerous informal contracts between teacher and pupils. In this sense the whole life of the school becomes the curriculum which can touch the life of the students at all points and help in the evolution of a balanced personality."-Secondary Education Commission

Curriculum is everything that is planned by school personnel. To define curriculum as 'what is taught schools in course, very vague. Persons often talk about the  curriculum of a school is all the experiences that pupils have under the guidance of that school".  curriculum' in this general way and they tend to mean by this the range of subjects taught and the amount of instruction time given to each in terms of hours or minutes.

Characteristics of Curriculum

Characteristics of Curriculum: The above definitions indicate the following characteristics of the concept of curriculum:

1. It is pivot around which whole human knowledge concentrates.

2. Curriculum is a tool in the hands of the teacher. Which is used to realise the objectives.

3. It is more than teaching and learning and includes practice, activities, industry vocation and acquiring knowledge. 

4. It includes those activities which are used by the school to attain the purpose of education. 

5. It has been described as the environment in motion (physical, social and psychological). 

6. The curriculum is made up of everything that surrounds the learner in all his working terms. 

7. All the learning inside or outside the school which is planned and guided by the curriculum. 

8. Curriculum includes total learning experience that a child receives at a school. It help in realising objectives. 

9. A programme of activities designed to realise the objectives is known as curriculum. 

10. It includes content method of teaching and purpose of education.

Goals of Curriculum

There are many goals of curriculum. Some goals are as follows: 

1. To take in mind the individual differences of the pupils like capabilities, interest etc. 

2. To provide continuous and systematic experiences from beginning to the end to the pupils.

3. To develop the view of adopting concept. 

4. To lay foundation for rich, useful and moral life so that the child may contribute for social welfare.

5. To give the training of those methods in which mathematical methods are used.

6. To develop the thinking, searching, understanding and decision making abilities of a child for moral development. 

7. To develop appropriate social and economic relations, so that the child may lead life in family, school and society.

8. To create new values for themselves by means of their resourcefulness, courage, behaviour and scientific attitude.

9. To develop interest and abilities in child for search.

10. To develop the all round personality of a pupil and to develop appropriate mental and emotional point of views and habits. 

Need and Importance of Curriculum for Education Process.

The need's of the Curriculum have been merited as follows:

1. The vocational and technical education prepare the students for different jobs. During British period, clerks were prepared through educational curriculum.

2. The mental aspects are trained and developed, thus faculties are trained by teaching various school subjects.

3. The human can acquire knowledge while other species can not acquire knowledge. It is an important aspect of human beings.

4. The ability of self-realisation is also developed by education and to make a good man. 

5. The interests and attitudes are developed according to the students potentialities. Curriculum is designed as child-centered approach.

6. The good citizens are prepared by developing democratic way life. It also develops the ability and capacity of teaching. 

7. It brings perfection in child. It helps in all-around development.

8. It also prepares for scientific inventions and technical development. 

9. The education is given always for future life so that he can earn his living.

10. It also develops the feeling of appreciation and sound judgement.

Defects of present Curriculum

The present Curriculum has the following weakness or defects:

1. It is narrowly conceived.

2. It is not useful to attain the goals of education.

3. It has neither served the interests of the students geared to the needs of the community.

4. It makes inadequate provision for practical activities.

5. It is unwidely, bulky and overcrowded. 

6. It is bookish and theoretical.

7. It has neither social relevance nor it has a graduated content within the class, or with the classes following or preceding it. 

8. It merely prepares students for university education. It does not give them knowledge of fundamental concepts nor does it build proper and healthy attitudes in them.

9. It does not prepare students for life.

10. It makes no provision for vocational and technical training. 

11. It is examination-dominated.

12. It does not cater to the needs and capacities of pupils. 

13. It does not make provision for meeting differences in abilities and aptitudes of different pupils. There is no diversification of courses to channelized and capitalised different interests.

14. It is far removed from the real course of life. It is unable to adapt itself fruitfully to the exigencies of new circumstances.

15. It does not secure the all-around development of their personalities. The entire range of pupil's experiences and capacities intellectual, physical, emotional, aesthetic and social is not covered.