UNIT- V: LIFE ORIENTED CURRICULUM

 

UNIT- V: LIFE ORIENTED CURRICULUM

Life oriented curriculum- Inter-disciplinary curriculum; the growing need for inter-disciplinary curriculum- Broadfield curriculum-Need for curriculum integration –Teaching of science and mathematics for national development –Selection of content –Based on the experiences of children communities –their natural curiosities-their subjects

 

Life-oriented curriculum

Life-oriented curriculum is a curriculum of the self in relation to others and to society. It addresses skills, knowledge and values about the self, the environment, responsible citizenship, a healthy and productive life, social engagement, recreation and physical activity, careers and career choices.

Need of Life-oriented curriculum

Life-oriented curriculum paves the way to root out the unemployment problem and poverty. Life-oriented curriculum gave opportunities to engage the students in the development and practice of a variety of skills, to solve problems, to make informed decisions and choices and to take appropriate actions to live meaningfully and successfully in a rapidly changing society. Although it focuses on knowledge, it emphasizes the application of skills and values in real-life situations.

Aim of life oriented curriculum

·         It guides and prepare learners to respond appropriately to life’s responsibilities and opportunities;

·         Equip learners to interact optimally on a personal, psychological, cognitive, motor, physical, moral, spiritual, cultural and socio-economic level;

·         Guide learners to take responsible decisions about their own health and well-being and the health and well-being of others;

·         Expose learners to their constitutional rights and responsibilities, to the rights of others and to issues of diversity;

·         Equip learners with knowledge, skills and values to make informed decisions about subject choices, careers, additional and higher education opportunities and the world of work;

·         Expose learners to various study methods and skills pertaining to assessment processes and

·         Expose learners to an understanding of the value of regular participation in physical activity.

Approaches of Life-oriented curriculum: It applies a holistic approach to the social, personal, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, motor and physical growth and development of learners. Life-oriented curriculum focuses on the following contents:

1.           Development of the self in society

2.          Social and environmental responsibility

3.          Democracy and human rights

4.          careers and career choices

5.          Study skills

6.          Physical Education

 

1.          Development of the self in society

It focuses on Self-awareness, self-esteem and self-development. The life oriented curriculum induces the valuable participation in the society and hold the responsibilities. It developed the decision-making skills and life skills required to adapt to change as part of ongoing healthy lifestyle choices

2.           Social and environmental responsibility

This life-oriented curriculum focuses on contemporary social issues that impact negatively on local and global communities. It also gave important to social skills and responsibilities to participate in civic life. Participation in a community service addressing an environmental issue is focused.

3.          Democracy and human rights

It point out the democratic participation, national and international instruments and conventions, Ethical traditions and Responsible citizenship.

4.          Careers and career choices

Life oriented curriculum support the following Careers and career choices:

·         Subjects, career fields and study choices

·         Decision making skills

·         Opportunities within career fields

·         Trends and demands in the job market

·         The need for lifelong learning

·         Options for financial assistance for further studies

·         Competencies, abilities and ethics required for a career

·         Personal expectations in relation to job or career of interest

·         Impact of unemployment and innovative solutions to counteract unemployment

5.              Study skills

The study skills focus on the following strategies: Study styles and study strategies, Examination writing skills, Time-management and annual study plan, Goal-setting skills, Reflection on own study and examination writing skills.

6.     Physical Education

It focuses on the programmes to promote well-being, Umpiring and leadership skills in self- designed and modified sport (teach peers) • Safety issues

Inter-disciplinary curriculum

The interdisciplinary approach synthesizes more than one discipline and creates teams of teachers and students that enrich the overall educational experience. Inter-disciplinary curriculum is a way to organize the curriculum, so that the content of one subject area is enriched and reinforced by another, and vice versa.

Definition

“Inquiries which critically draw upon two or more disciplines and which lead to an integration of disciplinary insights” - William H. Newell and William Green (1982)

Characteristics of interdisciplinary learning

·         Draws from more than one discipline e.g. Population explossion

·         Focus is beyond the realm of one discipline e.g. Health (sci, geog, eco)

·         Pragmatic approach (problem solving attitude)

 

Aim of Inter-disciplinary curriculum

·         Expanding student understanding and achievement between all disciplines and enhancing communication skills

·         To get the meaningful learning experience

·         An interdisciplinary approach is needed to find out the problems of the contemporary world and their solution.

·         Current problems are interdisciplinary in character, they must be tackled through interdisciplinary approaches.

Technique in Inter-Disciplinary Curriculum

Interdisciplinary integrates team-teaching as a technique in which teachers from multiple disciplines work with each other to design a curriculum, instruct the class, and grade teams of students.

The growing need for Inter-Disciplinary Curriculum

·         It is felt that the needs of the current situation and to prepare learners more adequately to shape and choose a future.

·         Inter-Disciplinary Curriculum is needed for the intellectual development and productive work

·         If we concentrate in our teaching solely on the individual approaches, it is difficult to see the world as whole

·         Broad understanding is necessary for education.

·         Students are in need of courses which relate to the problems of daily living.

·         Inter-Disciplinary knowledge is needed to face the day to day requirements.

·         To encounter the moral and ethical issues.

·         Science and technology education should be associated with productive work and it is for the wellbeing of the society.

Benefits of Inter-disciplinary curriculum

·         Students who are taught with an interdisciplinary technique in which the students master higher order thinking skills.

·         The foundation of interdisciplinary techniques will lead to a future of discovery and innovation.

·         Students become more involved and excited. They seem to remember more, believed in the importance of what they have to contribute, and participate more in class activities.

·         Students are more likely to become autonomous and active as thinkers and learners.

·         Teachers have renewed energy and a new sense of excitement participating in interdisciplinary curriculum planning and instruction.

·         Interdisciplinary units foster more interaction among teachers.

·         An interdisciplinary curriculum facilitates instruction that is more related to real life. Problems and concerns are dealt with as a whole rather than divided into knowledge fields.

·         Some of the most interesting curriculum topics that students can relate to and that features many of the outcomes that educators and community members value do not fit into single-subject curriculum.

·         Interdisciplinary curricula blend cognitive and affective education.

 

Limitations in Inter-disciplinary curriculum

Inter-Disciplinary Curriculum has its limitation like integration confusion and time- consuming curriculum preparation.

Conclusion

The students as well as the teachers will advance in critical thinking, communication, creativity, pedagogy, and essential academia with the use of interdisciplinary techniques.

Broad field curriculum

Definition

A broad field curriculum is a structure for achieving educational outcomes that combines related subjects into one broad field of study.

 

Aim of broad field curriculum

The purpose of a broad field curriculum is to highlight relationships between subjects and to integrate the learning experiences.

Need of broad field curriculum

·         The broad field curriculum design is to promote an interdisciplinary approach to learning.

·         It helps students to see the connections between subjects.

·         This type of curriculum emphasizes acquisition of information and coverage of content.

·         Subjects are combined to complement one another.

 

Example

Integration by broad fields of subject areas consists of the grouping of two or more subject matters that are closely related to each other to form a broad field such as communications, general science, social studies and environmental studies.

 

Broad-field design is most common at the + 1 and +2 level and every teacher has encounter this design.

Merits of broad field curriculum

By combining so many subjects, the students get a shallow amount of knowledge in comparison to the deeper content of a single-subject.

 

Criticism of broad field curriculum

One criticism of the broad field curriculum is decreased depth in the individual subject areas.

 

Need for curriculum integration

·         Integration is achieved within and across subjects and fields of learning. The integration of knowledge and skills across subjects and terrains of practice is crucial for achieving applied competence. Applied competence aims at integrating three discrete competencies – namely, practical, foundational and reflective competencies.

·         Curriculum integration’ has been used to denote the combination of two or more subjects to form a meaningful learning area that would help effective integration of learning experiences for the learner.

·         The curriculum becomes more relevant when there are connections between subjects rather than strict isolation.

Example:

·         In the social sciences based on current problems, curriculums covering AIDS, Drug prevention, Sex education and family life can be included.

·         We can teach the works of Shakespeare with an eye to the history of the times, the arts, the values, the role of science, and the zeitgeist rather than simply sticking with specific passages.

Teaching of science and mathematics for national development

Development involves major changes in administrative, institutional and social structures. It also involves the reorganization and reorientation of entire economic and social systems.

 

Science and Technology

A nation without science and technology is definitely a backward nation. Such Nation will be considered as undeveloped. So Science and Technology is necessary for the development of a country.

Science and technology is associated with modernity and it is an essential tool for the rapid development. Technology has brought higher standard of living to people both in advanced countries and developing nations. Today, the products of science and technology are glaring

and enjoyable. The invention of satellite, the mobile phones, the high security gadgets etc. are the products of science and technology. Science and technology have been applied in many spheres especially in the industry.

 

Impact of science and technology Positive impact of science and technology

·         The role of science and technology in development should be directed toward reduction of inequalities between advanced and the developing countries.

·         The application of science and technology is a fundamental factor which influences the pace of economic development.

·         Material and social benefits enlarge through the proper application of science and technology.

·         It reduces the gap between various sections of population within a country.

·         Science and technology should make the natural and social environment harmonious, without seriously endangering the future.

·         Developments in science and technology have enabled human beings to deal with their problems and to improve their living standards.

·         Many developing countries including India have embarked on achieving economic progress by investing in these disciplines.

Example:Developed nations of the world like the America, Germany, France etc. boast of several scientific inventions which make them to be rated as the world powers.

Problem with science and technology

Science and technology may leads to the dehumanization of man and to the degradation of environment.

Conditions for the application of science and technology to development

The importance of science and technology in national development cannot be overemphasi zed. It is a known fact that no nation can develop without science and technologyAnyhow the application of science and technology not to harm the livings and the environment.

Teaching of mathematics for national development

Mathematics as a school subject is recognized as the foundation of science and technology without which a nation can never become prosperous and economically independent. The

National Policy on Education recommends the teaching of mathematics at all levels of education.

Mathematics is an instrument for fostering scientific and technological advancement. The knowledge of geometry and trigonometry are most rapid usage in architecture, surveying, building, modeling, sculpturing and medicine, which consist major parts of national development.

Internationally, the computer usage worldwide was made possible because of the knowledge of mathematics. Computer is a facilitative technology and merely allows those who are already doing something to do more of it faster and more accurately.

Mathematics in business and industry

Quantitative techniques, which are an aspect of mathematics, are those statistical and operations research or programming techniques, which help in the decision-making process especially concerning business and industry.

 

According to Kothari, (1978:8) some of the important operations research techniques often used these days in business and industry are as here under explained:

A lot of mathematical knowledge is used in modern industries in determining which models of machine (s) would produce greater materials at a maximum profit within minimum time. This phenomenon was demonstrated by Hicks (1955).

 

Mathematics in other areas

In banks, basic knowledge of mathematics is needed for effective and efficient transaction between the bankers and their customers. Good knowledge of basic mathematics is essential for the manipulation of building blocks into dams, construction, machines and structures.

 

Mathematics is used in arts, business, commerce, law, medicine, politics, religion, sociology, war and so on. Everyday life in national development could be seen through Mathematics.

Mathematics have helped advanced nations to attain impressive heights in food production and conservation, energy production and conservation, waste management, health, robotic technology, nuclear as well as space technology.

Recommendations

The third world or developing countries must pay serious attention to mathematics if they hope to get anywhere near the heights so for attained by the developed nations. To do this mathematics education in these countries must first be tackled.

1)     Education must be properly funded by both central and state governments.

2)     There must be adequate plans to ensure training and retaining of mathematics teachers.

3)     Teachers should also let students conceive and perceive the mathematical concepts, which they want to teach.

Conclusion

Every society needs to uphold mathematics as a discipline that is indispensable to scientific progress and national development. This helps to bring the whole world to our doorstep. Equally both literate and illiterate are making extensive use of calculators in their business and everyday life. In fact no industry can function effectively without science, technology and mathematics in these modern days. Therefore, the study of mathematics must be encouraged at all levels of the educational system.

Selection of Curriculum Content

Definition of Curriculum

All the learning which is planned and guided by the school, whether it is carried on in groups or individually, inside or outside the school

Definition of Content

·      Content is defined as “Information to be learned in school.

·      Content comes in any form (audio, text and video) and it informs, entertains, enlightens or teaches people who consume it.

 

Selection of curriculum content based on the experiences of children Learning experiences:

A learning experience is the interaction between the learner and the external conditions in the environment to which he can react.

Principles to be considered when selecting Learning experiences

·         Learning is an active process in which the learner must be involved.

·         Learning is affected considerably by individual goals, values and motives.

·         Frequent repetition of response to a class of situations is important in learning skills.

 

Criteria for selecting learning experiences

1)     Validity: experiences must be closely connected with  the educational goals and result in changed behavior with respect to the stipulated objective.

2)     Comprehensiveness: comprehensiveness demands that all the objectives which are stated should have corresponding experiences.

3)     Variety: variable learning experiences should be presented.

4)     Suitability: learning experiences must be closely related to the learner's needs, capacities, interests

5)     Balance and continuity: balancing experiences from outside with others from the learning process itself.

6)     Relevance: learning experiences should have maximal relation to life.

 

Learning activities

1)     Activities to induce knowledge and skills

2)     Activities to integrate additional collaborative activities, case studies, problem- solving, etc.

3)     Activities to simply keep the students busy

4)     Activities to promote deeper learning

 

Selection of curriculum content based on the communities

Community-based content: Community-based content includes academically based community service, civic education, environmental education, place based learning, service learning, and work-based learning.

Approaches of Community-based content: It draws from research on peer-assisted learning, project-based learning, and experiential learning.

Important of Community-based content

·         Community-based learning helps students acquire, practice, and apply subject matter knowledge and skills .

·         students develop the knowledge, skills, and attributes of effective citizenship by identifying and acting on issues and concerns that affect their own communities.

·         When implemented thoughtfully, these strategies create a pedagogy of engagement.

·         Students invest time and attention and expend real effort because their learning has meaning and purpose.

·         Community-based learning helps students build a sense of connection to their communities.

·         Community-based learning challenges the students to develop a range of intellectual and academic skills in order to understand   and   take   action on the   issues they encounter in everyday life.

·         By intentionally linking academic standards to the real world of their communities, and narrowing the gap between knowledge and action and between what students must learn and what they can contribute.

Integration of Community with curriculum

·         Community-based learning must be integrated within the regular school-based curriculum.

·         Before and after school programs and a host of community-based organizations currently offer an important venue for shrinking the gap between living and learning.

·         Successful implementation of community-based learning opportunities in these settings may introduce the benefits of community-based learning to school staff, families, and decision makers, thus easing its way into the regular curriculum.

·         Academically based community service, civic education, environmental education, place-based learning, service learning, and work-based learning are increasingly evident in classrooms and after school programs.

·         School staff, administrators, parents, community members, and students themselves see the benefits of these strategies and want them to take root and grow in their schools and communities.

Selection of curriculum content based on their natural curiosities

•          Find or create the “hook” curiosities in every topic

•          Connect the material and things they are already curious about.

•          Provide time for unstructured exploration

•          Create a “parking lot”

•           Teach students to ask questions

Selection of curriculum content based on their subjects

·         Self- sufficiency: attaining self- sufficiency in most economical manner. less teaching and learner’s effort but more results and effective learning outcomes

·         Significance: content will contribute to basic ideas, concepts and principles, and generalizations to achieve the aim of the curriculum; - it will develop the cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills of the learners; and cultural aspects will be considered

·         Validity: authenticity of the subject matter

·         Interest: a key criterion in learner-centered curriculum; content should be based on the interest of the learner

·         Utility: usefulness of the content to the learner either for the present or the future

·         Learnability: subject matter should be within the range of the experiences of the learners

·         Feasibility: content should be learned within the time allowed, resources available, expertise of the teacher and nature of the learner.