Curriculum Design

Importance of curriculum design

Curriculum design involves the creation of a set of operating principles or criteria, based on theory, that guide the selection and organization of content and the methodology used to teach that content. With the accelerated rate of social change, schools are preparing youth for adulthood in a society not yet envisioned by its members (Allan & Francis, 2003).

Progress is impossible without change. Changes in financial resources, facilities and equipment, student populations, faculty availability and expertise, student needs and interests, and other environmental and technological changes force curriculum change. However, all change does not result in improvement. In fact, some changes may be worse than no change at all. On the other hand, when schools lag behind in curriculum development, changes are imposed from the outside. The move to national standards for content areas is an example of the push for accountability from outside of the schools (Kelly, 1999).

Curriculum change should be based on a well-informed evaluation of past, present, and future, including the best thinking of professionals who have researched and tested each proposal. Effective ideas should be retained, ineffective ones discarded. New ideas ought to be tried on a small scale prior to adoption. Planning and preparation are keys to a successful and meaningful program (Bobbitt, 2007). Ornstein & Hunkins (1998) note that traditionally, educators make two mistakes with regard to curriculum design. They either just let things happen or they look around for a good curriculum and adopt it, whether or not it fits their particular needs. Curriculum designers must carefully merge cultural elements, old and new into a curriculum that fits the students, school, and community. The constantly changing American society requires a continuous, systematic process of evaluating and redesigning the curriculum to achieve program objectives.

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