Understanding Curriculum

Descriptive definitions

Some definitions are descriptive because these define curriculum as “how things are” in the schools. In these definitions, educationists put the learners in focus and define things happening with respect to the learners. Some definitions of this category are given below.

• Curriculum includes everything which the learner willingly receives and assimilates so that it shapes his future behaviour (Hopkins, 1941)
• Curriculum is the “interaction” of students with the teacher, knowledge and environment (Cornbleth, 1990).
• Curriculum causes a change in the learner’s knowledge and experience that helps the learner in managing situations around him wisely (Tanner & Tanner, 1995, p. 189).