Types of Curriculum | Free LET Reviewer and Drill

The Teacher and The School Curriculum 

Lesson 2: Types of Curricula

Types of Curriculum


1.     Recommended Curriculum
These are recommendations in the form of memoranda or policy, standards and guidelines that came from government agencies such as TESDA, CHED, UNESCO, etc.

Ex: The K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum recommended and implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd) is a prime example. It includes curriculum guidelines for all subjects from kindergarten to Grade 12.

 

2.     Written Curriculum
Includes documents based on the recommended curriculum.

Ex: Lesson plans, course syllabi, curriculum guides, and instructional materials prepared by teachers constitute the written curriculum. For instance, a teacher's detailed lesson plan for a Grade 7 Mathematics class that outlines learning objectives, activities, and assessment aligned to DepEd's curriculum standards is an example of written curriculum.

 

3.     Taught Curriculum
It is what teachers actually implement or deliver in their classrooms and schools. This represents the curriculum in action such as how teachers translate written plans into actual teaching practices with the use of instructional materials, facilities and the skills of the teacher.

Ex: When an English teacher conducts a classroom discussion, uses interactive activities, demonstrates concepts, or facilitates group work to teach a lesson on grammar or literature, this is an example of taught curriculum. The teaching methods, strategies, and classroom interactions employed by educators, such as lectures, demonstrations, experiments, or project-based learning, are all part of the taught curriculum. In addition, the way a teacher adapts and delivers content based on student needs and classroom dynamics illustrate taught curriculum.

 

4.     Supported Curriculum
These are support materials that the teacher needs like print materials and non-print materials. It includes resources such as textbooks, computers, audio-visual materials, technology, and other tools that support and help in the implementation of the curriculum. This also includes human resources like teachers and support staff.

Ex: Textbooks used in science classes, educational software for Mathematics, workbooks, modules distributed to students, projectors, laboratory equipment, library books, and educational websites are all supported curriculum. Field trips, educational videos, manipulatives, and technology platforms used to supplement lessons are also examples. For instance, when students use science laboratory equipment to conduct experiments or when teachers utilize PowerPoint presentations and online learning platforms to enhance instruction, these resources form the supported curriculum

 

5.     Assessed Curriculum
This is the curriculum that is evaluated after it has been taught. It includes all forms of assessment used to measure student learning and curriculum effectiveness.

Ex: Quizzes, periodic tests, quarterly examinations, performance tasks, portfolios, presentations, demonstrations, and standardized tests like the National Achievement Test (NAT) are all examples of the assessed curriculum. When teachers evaluate student work using rubrics, conduct oral examinations, or administer written tests to determine if learning objectives have been achieved, they are implementing the assessed curriculum. Both formative assessments (ongoing evaluations during instruction) and summative assessments (end-of-unit or end-of-term evaluations) are part of assessed curriculum.

 

6.     Learned Curriculum
These are measured by tools in assessment, which can indicate the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor outcomes. The learned curriculum is what students actually learn and what is measured. This represents the actual outcomes of the educational process, the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and competencies that students have acquired.

Ex: Student achievement as shown through test scores, project outputs, performance demonstrations, and behavioral changes all evidence of the learned curriculum.

In short: when students achieved the learning outcomes.

 

7.     Hidden/Implicit Curriculum
This is the unwritten curriculum or unintended curriculum lessons that are learned but not openly intended to be taught. It consists of unwritten rules, implicit values, norms, beliefs, and attitudes conveyed through the school environment, and social interactions such as peer influence, media, parental pressure, societal change, etc.

Ex: Students learning to raise their hands before speaking, understanding punctuality by observing that classes start on time, developing gender role perceptions through classroom dynamics, or absorbing cultural values through school traditions and practices are all examples of the hidden curriculum. The attitudes and behaviors students pick up from teacher-student interactions, peer relationships, school policies, classroom organization, and the overall school culture, such as learning respect for authority, developing social skills, or understanding class and cultural norms, constitute the hidden curriculum. For instance, if a school emphasizes competition through constant ranking and comparison, students may implicitly learn that success means outperforming others rather than personal growth. 


To understand easily:

These seven types of curriculums are interrelated and work together in the educational system. The recommended curriculum guides what should be taught, which is then translated into the written curriculum. Teachers implement this as the taught curriculum, using resources from the supported curriculum. Student learning is measured through the assessed curriculum, which reveals the learned curriculum, while the hidden curriculum operates simultaneously throughout the entire process.


 Types of Curriculum Quiz: click here

If you truly understand, comment your reflection in at least 3-5 sentences or more about this lesson.
With God’s grace, you’ll surely pass the upcoming board exam! 🙏

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