Curriculum Development: A Guide to Practice

by Jon W. Wiles

A useful way to think about curriculum and the development process is to use the model of architecture. An architect cannot design a home until some information is provided about style preferences. This style is analogous to a philosophy in education. Once the architect knows the style, be it ranch, colonial, or modern, he or she can then proceed to the more detailed functions (rooms, layout, decor, and so forth). Without clarification, the possibilities for error in design are great. Likewise, the curriculum developer cannot easily develop a program of study without knowing why the program exists. The historical practice of layering on new curricula on top of existing or old curricula has resulted in conceptual confusion in many educational institutions. The absence of such preliminary clarification also explains why so much change in education is not lasting.