Curriculum Development: Types, Principles & Process of

Curriculum Development
February 13, 2024 | By: Extramarks

https://www.extramarks.com/blogs/curriculum-development/ 7 June 24

No one understands better than the teachers, the amount of planning and execution a learning
process takes. It consists of many blocks of knowledge that are arranged in a specific manner by
design. Each of these blocks serves an essential purpose for the stage a student is at. These blocks
collectively form what is known as the curriculum for that specific grade or class in school.
Quick Links
 What is Curriculum?
 What is Curriculum Development?
 Elements of Curriculum Development
 Types of Curriculum Development Models
 Steps of Curriculum Development
 Principles of Curriculum Development
 Factors Influencing Curriculum Development
 Tips and Strategies for Curriculum Developers

What is Curriculum?
Simply put, curriculum is the content taught to students through the courses offered by a school. It
includes everything a student learns through formal and explicit lessons as well as skill development
through implicit techniques.
What is Curriculum Development?
Curriculum development consists of breaking down and meticulously planning the broad curriculum
into bite-sized agendas that can be explored per lesson, term, grade or year.
If curriculum is the answer to ‘What’ the students might learn, curriculum development is the plan
that helps achieve that outcome.
At a basic level, the meaning of curriculum development is the process that involves deciding what
the students might learn at each stage. Many factors, such as age and brain development,
appropriate skill development, cultural factors, school mission, etc., play a crucial role in this process.
Traditionally, teachers had little agency in the initial part of this process and had to follow a set
curriculum decided by experts, boards and governments. However, with the developments in the
education sector, today, they play a key role in curriculum and instruction design. Not only do the
teachers provide feedback from their direct interaction with students, but they also decide what
needs to be taught in the classrooms and how.
Elements of Curriculum Development
Curriculum strategy consists of various elements that form the basis of a robust curriculum. Once
these are clearly defined, it becomes easy to draw out a holistic plan.
1. Objectives of Curriculum:
This is the core purpose of a curriculum design exercise. It asks and answers questions such
as What are we trying to achieve with the curriculum and what is the goal or focus at this
stage of student learning? What is the knowledge we are trying to impart and what
behavioural skills are we trying to inculcate in the students?
2. Content of Curriculum:
Based on the objectives defined, this part lists the actual syllabus and topics to be covered. A
curriculum developer has the tough job of balancing different factors that influence a
curriculum – learning and developmental needs, cultural norms, government guidelines,
school policies, etc. Overall continuity between the curriculum taught at the previous level and
the one to be taught at the next level also needs to be taken into account.
3. Teaching/ Learning Methodologies:
This part lays down how the curriculum will be rolled out. It deals specifically with instruction
design. Which lessons will benefit more from interactive teaching styles and which from the
traditional instruction methods? The objective is to arrive at the most effective teaching
methods or strategies for the given behavioural, cognitive and applicable knowledge to be
imparted. This section also deals with the methods most suitable for the assessment of this
knowledge.
4. Evaluation of Curriculum:
Different from student learning assessment, the focus here is to evaluate if the designed
curriculum meets the initial objectives laid out for it and achieves the desired results.

Types of Curriculum Development Models

 1. Learner-centred Design
Focused on the student this model focuses on the needs, interests and requirements of the
student. Every student has different learning needs and aptitudes. The design and plans
under this approach are differentiated keeping this in mind, while adhering to a broad outline
basis an overall understanding. Though the most inclusive and sensitive to differing needs,
this approach can be very labour-intensive for the teachers.

2. Subject-centred Design

Under this model, the focus is on a specific subject or discipline like Math or Biology. It
stresses certain core subjects and is driven by state and government policy on education.
Though the curriculum is developed keeping in mind the cognitive abilities of students at a
particular age, the focus is more on the subject matter than the student. Because it is a
standardised format, it is easier to replicate across schools with set material and teacher
training.

3. Problem-centred Design

More student-centric than subject-focused, this model rests on equipping students with
problem-solving skills. It works to teach them different ways of approaching a problem,
communication skills and the importance of collaboration. Students learn by working on real-
life problems, bringing in their creativity and innovative ideas.
A balanced curriculum needs to integrate all three models to arrive at a more inclusive yet readily
replicable approach.
Steps of Curriculum Development
 1. Identify the Needs

The first step in the curriculum development process is to understand the target audience and what
their needs are. Though educators might be familiar with the standard developmental needs of
students, swiftly changing environments generate newer learning requirements for them. Be it
making the information more current, changing technology, or sudden changes in the learning
environment with the pandemic, each of these developments warrants a change in the curriculum
design. Being the ones implementing the curriculum, educators also receive first-hand insights and
feedback on its merits and challenges. This puts them in a unique position of being able to identify
any gaps in the curriculum, aligning with the ethos of the National Education Policy (NEP) which
emphasizes the need for dynamic and responsive curriculum frameworks.

2. Build a Curriculum Development Team

Building a curriculum is a team job. It needs the input and collaboration of Educators, Education
policy experts, Content creators and designers, Government and school officials as well as Publishers
of textbooks. This team needs a manager who can discuss and assign roles, list deliverables, set
timelines and most importantly keep everyone aligned and working towards the common goal of
curriculum development in education.

3. Assess and Analyse the Requirements/ Needs

This step is different from the first one in that, that the first step identifies the gaps in the curriculum
and the needs of the students. This step is more curriculum-oriented. It works to identify the
information and expertise required in the curriculum development process. It assesses what aspects
of the curriculum design need reworking – product (new knowledge), process (a different teaching
method) or expertise (teacher training).

4. List the Intended Outcomes

Equipped with the information from steps 1 & 3, here, the team refines and re-articulates the goal
and puts down the intended outcome. This detailed documentation puts down what new knowledge
the student is getting, how it is imparted and the resultant learning that takes place. It also covers
the process, conditions and outcomes at each stage of curriculum development.

5. Shortlist and Select Content

The previous step feeds into this one. With a detailed road map of the desired outcome, the team
now gets down to shortlisting and selecting the content. Factors such as current knowledge, skills,
cultural implications, influence and impact on the students play a key role in deciding this content.
The detailing and depth of the topic as well as the sequence of information to be taught is also
defined here.
 6. Develop Teaching Methods

Once the team has finalised the ‘What’ in the curriculum design, they next work on the ‘How’. At this
stage, different teaching methods and strategies are evaluated to shortlist the most efficient one to
drive the change in the curriculum and lead to the intended learning behaviours. Technology plays a
big role today in engaging students and driving classroom learning. It has become one of the most
resourceful allies for teachers not just in concept detailing but also in designing assessments. Smart
Edtech providers such as Extramarks Assessment Center help teachers create effective assessments
at each stage for better learning.

7. Finalise, Test, and Revise the Curriculum

After all the hard work, it is time to take one final look at the changes introduced in the curriculum.
This step is all about running the new curriculum through some test sites and getting feedback from
other stakeholders. It makes sure that the changes align with the goals set at the beginning of this
exercise before rolling it out. Some minor tweaks and realignment can make all the difference
between a welcome change and a failed exercise.

Principles of Curriculum Development

The principles of curriculum development are broad guidelines that ensure a holistic outcome for
teachers, students and the education sector in totality. These principles outline the values that are
the foundation for good curriculum and instructional design. Principles of curriculum planning
include:

1. Principle of Totality of Experiences

A curriculum is not just concerned with academic subjects or topics being taught but also
must include the total learning experience a student receives at a school or college. A
curriculum is responsible for the all-round development of a child through the totality of
experiences gained such as extra-curricular, co-curricular and sporting activities.
2. Principle of Child-Centeredness
A curriculum’s first responsibility is towards the learner. If it fails to engage and interest a
student it fails its purpose. It needs to go beyond the bookish knowledge and work with the
developmental needs of the student. Only when the child is kept at the centre of a curriculum
design can it be structured to serve their interests.
3. Principle of Conservation and Creativity
A curriculum needs to be both fixed and dynamic at the same time. It should provide
knowledge of cultural heritage, history and cultural identity to students at the same time be
malleable enough to include changing global trends without becoming static and irrelevant.
4. Principle of Integration
The curriculum needs to be sensitively designed such that it doesn’t alienate any segment of
society. Students should be able to relate to it and more specifically be able to correlate one
subject with another.
 5. Principle of Flexibility
A curriculum needs to be adaptable. It needs to be open to updations and additions
depending on changing knowledge, trends and learning requirements.
6. Principle of Utility
The curriculum should pass through the litmus test of utility. A curriculum should be useful
for the cognitive, behavioural and foundational development of a child. Not only that, it needs
to impart useful skills that a student might need as an adult.
7. Principle of Character Formation
The role of curriculum and educators is much larger than the transfer of knowledge, concepts,
and understanding of subjects. It is also to prepare the future of the human race. To build the
character and value system of people who will be adults tomorrow and the ones leading the
charge.
8. Principle of Mental Discipline
One of the key roles of a curriculum is to help students develop the discipline and handwork
required for learning. It also plays a role in building the importance of practice in sharpening
mental faculties.
9. Principle of Social Fulfilment
And lastly, the curriculum also holds considerable weight in developing social responsibility
among the students towards the planet and society at large. It should work towards helping
students excel in life beyond the classroom.
Factors Influencing Curriculum Development
Principles discussed in the previous section were broad guidelines universally applicable to all
curriculum designs, influencing factors, on the other hand, are region-specific and can vary across
demographics, schools, cities, and states.
1. Psychological Factors
How students perceive and react to the curriculum being taught, how they engage with the
instruction design, how their nature and personalities align with those of the educator,
teaching strategy and the subject can have a significant impact on the learning process.
2. Political Factors
Governments are active stakeholders in the education policy of any country. They have to
keep an eye on the curriculum aligning with the national interest, a sense of patriotism and
national history.
3. Philosophical Factors
The outlook of members of the curriculum team needs to be in alignment with each other. A
cohesive and definite direction for clear execution far outweighs the drawbacks of being
pulled in different directions leading to ineffective results.
4. Gender Factors
Both the class demographic and the educator’s gender can sometimes aid or hinder the
progress of the curriculum. Especially in rural areas, gender is seen to be skewed in the senior
classes.
5. Societal Factors
Societal factors play a huge role in influencing the curriculum and vice versa. A curriculum
consciously and sensitively designed can begin to change certain mindsets in society. On the
 other hand, understanding of society and the background around the school, its teachers and
students can go a long way toward building awareness, tolerance and flexibility for the
curriculum and teaching methods.
6. Technological Factors
The extent of technology used in the teaching methods depends on the school’s policy.
However, a curriculum should be built with options of using technology or going without it.
This gives the schools flexibility to decide the extent of technology they want to introduce
depending on the trends, access and comfort of the teachers as well as students.
7. Economical Factors
The socio-economic background of the schools, its teachers and students play a pivotal role in
executing the curriculum. A curriculum needs to work for both elite, top-layered schools and
at the same time for the ones with a basic set-up.
8. Educational Factors
The success or failure of a curriculum rests on its execution. Training programs should be
planned for both Educators and students. Only when the educators are aligned to the
curriculum can they impart it efficiently.
Tips and Strategies for Curriculum Developers
To sum up, here are a few quick pointers
1. Create a curriculum map: Use flow charts, diagrams, and visuals. Add milestones as a quick
snapshot of the curriculum design. It saves time when a quick reminder is needed and
provides a ready reckoner to keep everyone on track.
2. Put the needs up in bold: Use the needs of the target audience identified earlier as the filter
whenever you hit a roadblock or reach an inconclusive debate amongst the team.
3. Keep the focus on the students: If it doesn’t serve them, it doesn’t serve the purpose.
4. Don’t be in a rush: Designing a good curriculum takes time. You can’t do it in a hurry. Set
clear timelines, and goals at the start, then track meticulously to avoid last-minute stress.
5. Get in the experts: Designing a curriculum is a team job. You will need all the experts to
weigh in.
6. Evaluate: Be sure to evaluate and take in feedback before you roll out the curriculum.
7. Be flexible: Be open to making changes. It is better to course correct instead of reaching the
wrong destination.
8. Use technology: Technology is your friend. Extramarks is your perfect partner to help you
develop and execute your curriculum with the aid of technology.
Curriculum design is the foundation through which educators can build a collective future. Armed
with deep knowledge and core values, nurtured in the right environment learners of today will lead
the world of tomorrow.