Relation of Curriculum, Syllabi, Instruction and Teaching
The word syllabus
in used to indicate courses of studies based upon text books or text material.
It is a part of curriculum. Those who consider curriculum as courses of studies
are giving limited meaning to it. To limit our definition to syllabus or
courses of study would restrict our thinking. An adequate definition of
curriculum should encompass subject matter/courses of study or syllabi and all
the learning experiences. Because the definition of curriculum needs to be
broad enough to cover learners, learning and environment of learning, hence the
course of study or syllabus of any subject forms only a part of the curriculum.
Instead of including only the academic subjects, it includes the total
experiences that a pupil receives in the school.
What is instruction?
Curriculum has
been defined as a plan for providing sets of learning opportunities for persons
to be educated in an institution. Plans have no impact until they are set in motion,
thus learning opportunities remain only opportunities until learners become
engaged with the opportunities.
Instruction is
defined, then, as the actual engagements of learners with planned learning
opportunities in the class-room.
Instruction is a
comprehensive and pedagogical term which includes the objectives, the teacher,
the taught, the leaning process and the curriculum itself, including evaluation
or assessment procedures.
Some times the
word teaching is used instead of instruction thought it gives the same meaning
but teaching is a limited term. There can be no learning. The innovative term
which should be used is instruction.
Instructional Development Contrasted with Curriculum Development
Some professionals
do not view the development of instruction as a subset of the development of
the curriculum. They view instruction and the curriculum as discrete but
related processes. Differences do exist between the two processes. These
differences characterize the discreetness of the processes, but do not
determine the relationships between them. The determination of the
relationships is a matter of philosophy and perhaps the interests of the
professional.
The differences
between the processes of instructional and curriculum development were
described in an article by Dean Supitzer and Kerry Kennedy. The given table is
based upon the ideas in their article.
Curriculum Instructional
Versus
Development Development
|
Curriculum Development |
Instructional Development |
|
Based on broad goals and objectives. Intended group is large and
defined in collective, generalizable terms. Presented as a gestalt,
wholelistic model stressing a whole to part approach. Based on generalizable
needs and wants of a population. Possession of information and information
processing viewed as goal. A long range process. Based on date and models
which are quantitative and qualitative. Attitude of learner tends to be
determiner in decision making. Evaluation focused on both process and
product. |
Based on specific performance, behavioral objectives. Intended
group’s small and defined in specific, precise terms. Presented as a linear
model stressing a part of whole approach. Based on an assessment of the
specific needs and wants of a sample of a population. Possession of skill
learning is emphasized; information load reduces to minimum. A short range
process. Based on data and models which are quantitative and empirical.
Attitude of learner is significant but no critical in decision making.
Evolution focused on product only. |
What is teaching?
According to Risk
1947, there can be on learning-teaching situation without a teacher, a learner
and a classroom. A classroom situation can be a teaching situation if the
teachers become so absorb in teaching subject matter that they lose sight of
the learner as a developing personality.
John Dewy
pertinently remarked, “One may as well say that he has sold when no one has
bought as to say that he has taught when no one has learned.” The statement
suggests that teaching may very well be defined as the direction or guidance of
learning. A study of methods of teaching then should e concerned as much with
learning activates as with ways of directing such learning.
It can also be
concluded that there is no consistent, necessary connection between teachings
and learning. Since learning often occurs independently in circumstances
unrelated to formal teaching. Learning is a private affair, learning is what a
student dose, and teaching is what a teacher dose. Instruction then becomes a
comprehensive term which occurs only when both the parties are willing, active
and busy in various types of activities (can be written activities).
