A Comparison of Traditional and Functional Curriculum Models
1. Introduction:
The traditional curriculum model is a curriculum design that puts focus on strategies that help the learners get the content that they are being given, mostly in a theoretical manner. The functional curriculum model, on the other hand, is a curriculum design that aims at providing the learners with skills and knowledge that they can use in their daily lives.
2. Traditional Curriculum Models:
The traditional curriculum model has been used in education for a very long time. It is a well-structured approach to teaching where the focus is on imparting knowledge to the learners in a systematic and organized manner. The traditional curriculummodel comprises of several features, such as:
-It focuses on the subjects that are seen as important for the intellectual development of the students.
-It is mostly theoretical in nature and does not emphasize on the practical applications of the concepts learned.
-It is mostly text-based, and the students are expected to learn from the books and other reading materials provided to them.
-The teaching methodology used in this approach is mostly lectures and discussions.
-The assessment methods used are usually exams and tests.
3. Functional Curriculum Models:
The functional curriculum model is a relatively new approach to education where the focus is on providing skills and knowledge to the learners that they can use in their daily lives. This approach is also known as ‘experiential learning’ or ‘learning by doing’. The functional curriculum model comprises of several features, such as:
-It focuses on practical applications of the concepts learned and emphasizes on how they can be used in real-life situations.
-It uses a variety of teaching and assessment methods, such as project work, field trips, case studies, etc., which help the students understand the concepts better.
-It provides opportunities for students to learn through experience and experiment with different ideas and solutions.
4. Comparison of Traditional and Functional Curriculum Models:
The traditional and functional curriculum models are two different approaches to education, with each having its own unique features. Let us take a look at some of the key differences between these two models:
-The traditional curriculum model focuses on imparting knowledge to the learners in a theoretical manner, while the functional curriculum model emphasizes on providing skills and knowledge that can be used in their daily lives.
-The traditional curriculum model is mostly text-based, while the functional model uses a variety of teaching and assessment methods.
-The traditional model is focused on the development of the intellectual abilities of the students, while the functional model focuses on developing their practical skills.
5. Conclusion:
Both the traditional and functional curriculum models have their own advantages and disadvantages. While the traditional model is well-structured and focused on the intellectual development of the learners, the functional model is more relevant to the real world and helps develop practical skills. It is up to the educators to decide which of these approaches is more suitable for their students, depending on the needs and requirements of the learners.