📘 The Nature of Curriculum (Glatthorn, 2018)
Allan A. Glatthorn introduces the foundations of curriculum by clarifying what curriculum is, what it does, and how it functions within schooling. He emphasises that curriculum is not a static document but a dynamic, culturally embedded, value-laden blueprint for guiding teaching and learning.
1. Defining Curriculum
Glatthorn presents curriculum as a plan for learning, encompassing both intended outcomes and the organisational structure through which these outcomes are achieved. He distinguishes among:
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The Intended Curriculum – official expectations set by the state, district, or school.
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The Implemented Curriculum – what teachers actually teach in classrooms.
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The Attained Curriculum – what students ultimately learn and demonstrate.
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The Hidden Curriculum – norms, values, and expectations communicated implicitly through school culture and structures.
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The Null Curriculum – knowledge that is intentionally or unintentionally left out of the school programme.
These distinctions show that curriculum is multidimensional and always mediated by human decisions, resources, and sociocultural forces.
2. Purposes of Curriculum
Curriculum serves several essential purposes:
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Academic purpose: transmitting knowledge and intellectual skills.
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Social purpose: socialisation, citizenship, and democratic participation.
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Economic purpose: preparing learners for productive work in the knowledge economy.
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Individual purpose: fostering personal development, identity, and lifelong learning.
Glatthorn notes that no curriculum is value-neutral; it always reflects societal priorities, political agendas, and cultural norms.
3. Curriculum as a Field of Study
Glatthorn positions curriculum as an interdisciplinary field that draws on:
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Philosophy (beliefs about knowledge and learning)
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Sociology (societal expectations and power relations)
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Psychology (learning theories and human development)
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History (evolution of curriculum reforms)
He stresses the importance of understanding these knowledge bases because curriculum decisions are always justified with reference to underlying educational philosophies (essentialism, progressivism, reconstructionism, etc.).
4. Types of Curriculum Designs
Glatthorn identifies major curriculum design orientations:
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Subject-centred design (emphasis on knowledge disciplines)
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Learner-centred design (interest-driven, experiential learning)
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Problem-centred design (focus on societal and real-world problems)
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Standards-based design (clear outcomes, accountability systems)
He argues that contemporary curriculum work increasingly blends these orientations rather than adopting one exclusively.
5. Curriculum as a Decision-Making Process
Curriculum, in Glatthorn’s view, is constructed through ongoing, collaborative decision-making. Key stakeholders include:
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policymakers
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curriculum leaders
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school administrators
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teachers
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communities
He emphasises that curriculum leadership involves aligning these stakeholders, balancing competing priorities, and ensuring that decisions remain evidence-informed and educationally sound.
6. Curriculum and Teaching
Glatthorn stresses that curriculum and instruction are deeply interconnected yet distinct:
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Curriculum = what is taught
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Instruction = how it is taught
Effective curriculum leadership requires understanding this relationship and designing systems that support teachers in bridging official documents with classroom practice.
7. The Curriculum System
He describes curriculum as a system with interrelated components:
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goals and objectives
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content
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learning experiences
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organisation and sequence
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evaluation and assessment
A high-quality curriculum is coherent, aligned, and geared towards continuous improvement.
8. Historical and Contemporary Contexts
Glatthorn situates curriculum development within major historical movements—from early classical curricula to behaviourist models, student-centred reforms, standards-based education, and accountability-driven frameworks. He argues that curriculum debates reflect broader social tensions (e.g., equity, globalisation, multiculturalism).
