Curriculum Development: Types, Principles & Process

What is Curriculum Development?

Also Read: National Curriculum Framework

What are the Different Types of Curriculum?

1. Written Curriculum

   This is the official curriculum. It includes textbooks, lesson plans, syllabus documents, and anything that’s been planned and documented by the school or education board. It’s what teachers are expected to follow and what students are supposed to learn in the classroom.

2. Hidden Curriculum

   Now this one isn’t written anywhere, but students pick it up just by being in school. It includes values, attitudes, and behaviours they learn from the school environment. Things like discipline, punctuality, respect, and even how to behave in group settings come from this. It’s learned through observation, not direct instruction.

3. Societal Curriculum

   This goes beyond the school building. Students learn a lot from society, media, family, and their surroundings. What they see in movies, news, or social media, and what they experience in their community, shapes their views. Schools are only one part of the bigger learning system that students are part of every day.

4. Null Curriculum

   This refers to what is not taught in the classroom. When certain topics are left out, intentionally or not, students miss learning about them. For example, if a school avoids teaching topics like mental health or gender studies, students are indirectly taught that these topics might not matter, even if they do.

5. Core Curriculum

   This is the essential group of subjects every student must learn. It usually includes subjects like math, science, language, and social studies. The aim is to build a strong foundation for all students, no matter what their background is.

6. Integrated Curriculum

   This type brings together ideas from different subjects into one lesson. So instead of learning math, science, and art separately, a teacher might plan a project that includes all three. It helps students see how topics are connected and gives them a more complete understanding of what they are learning.

7. Subject-Centred Curriculum

   This is the more traditional method. Each subject is taught on its own, and the teacher focuses on delivering content related to that subject only. Students learn math in one period, science in another, and so on. It’s straightforward but doesn’t always show how subjects link together.

8. Student-Centred Curriculum

   Here, the focus shifts from the subject to the student. Lessons are planned around what the students need, what they’re curious about, and how they learn best. It gives them more freedom to explore topics and be active in the learning process.

9. Teacher-Centred Curriculum

   In this type, the teacher is the main source of information. Lessons are usually planned and delivered by the teacher with less input from students. It works well when clear instruction is needed, but there’s less room for students to express themselves or explore on their own.

   Also Read: Teacher-Centred Vs. Student-Centred Learning

10. Activity-Centred Curriculum

    This approach uses activities to teach lessons. Students learn through doing. It could be experiments, group work, role play, or field visits. The goal is to make learning more hands-on so students stay involved and understand the concepts better.

Read more in detail on this blog post: What Is Curriculum in Education? A Simple Guide for Teachers.

What are the Elements of Curriculum Development?

Curriculum strategy consists of various elements that form the basis of a robust curriculum. Once these are clearly defined, it becomes easy to draw out a holistic plan.  

1. Objectives of Curriculum:
   

   This is the core purpose of a curriculum design exercise. It asks and answers questions such as What are we trying to achieve with the curriculum, and what is the goal or focus at this stage of student learning? What is the knowledge we are trying to impart, and what behavioural skills are we trying to inculcate in the students?

2. Content of Curriculum:
   

   Based on the objectives defined, this part lists the actual syllabus and topics to be covered. A curriculum developer has the tough job of balancing different factors that influence a curriculum – learning and developmental needs, cultural norms, government guidelines, school policies, etc. Overall continuity between the curriculum taught at the previous level and the one to be taught at the next level also needs to be taken into account. 

3. Teaching/ Learning Methodologies:
   

   This part lays down how the curriculum will be rolled out. It deals specifically with instruction design. Which lessons will benefit more from interactive teaching styles and which from the traditional instruction methods? The objective is to arrive at the most effective teaching methods or strategies for the given behavioural, cognitive, and applicable knowledge to be imparted. This section also deals with the methods most suitable for the assessment of this knowledge.

4. Evaluation of Curriculum:
   

   Different from student learning assessment, the focus here is to evaluate if the designed curriculum meets the initial objectives laid out for it and achieves the desired results.

What are the Types of Curriculum Development Models?

1. Learner-centred Design
   

   Focused on the student, this model focuses on the needs, interests, and requirements of the student. Every student has different learning needs and aptitudes. The design and plans under this approach are differentiated, keeping this in mind, while adhering to a broad outline based on an overall understanding. Though the most inclusive and sensitive to differing needs, this approach can be very labour-intensive for teachers.

2. Subject-centred Design

   Under this model, the focus is on a specific subject or discipline like Math or Biology. It stresses certain core subjects and is driven by state and government policy on education. Though the curriculum is developed keeping in mind the cognitive abilities of students at a particular age, the focus is more on the subject matter than the student. Because it is a standardised format, it is easier to replicate across schools with set material and teacher training.

3. Problem-centred Design

   More student-centric than subject-focused, this model rests on equipping students with problem-solving skills. It works to teach them different ways of approaching a problem, communication skills, and the importance of collaboration. Students learn by working on real-life problems, bringing in their creativity and innovative ideas. 

A balanced curriculum needs to integrate all three models to arrive at a more inclusive yet readily replicable approach. 

Why the Right Curriculum Matters for Student Success?

Curriculum plays a huge role in how students succeed. Here’s why having the right curriculum is so important:

1. Builds on What They’ve Learned: A well-organized curriculum helps students progress month by month and grade by grade. Each lesson builds on what they’ve already learned, so it’s easier to understand more complex topics as they go.
2. Tracks Progress with Clear Goals: A good curriculum sets clear goals and uses assessments to measure progress. This helps teachers see how students are doing and where they might need extra help.
3. Can Adjust When Needed: A flexible curriculum can change if students need more time or if teaching methods need to be adjusted. It makes sure everyone stays on track.
4. Follows Academic Standards: The right curriculum meets the required academic standards for each grade and subject, making sure students are learning what they need to at each stage.
5. Respects Students’ Backgrounds: The curriculum should take into account students’ experiences, cultures, and learning styles. When students feel connected to their lessons, they’re more likely to succeed.

What are the Steps of Curriculum Development?

1. Identify the Needs

The first step in the curriculum development process is to understand the target audience and what their needs are. Though educators might be familiar with the standard developmental needs of students, swiftly changing environments generate newer learning requirements for them. Be it making the information more current, changing technology, or sudden changes in the learning environment with the pandemic, each of these developments warrants a change in the curriculum design.

Being the ones implementing the curriculum, educators also receive first-hand insights and feedback on its merits and challenges. This puts them in a unique position of being able to identify any gaps in the curriculum, aligning with the ethos of the National Education Policy (NEP), which emphasizes the need for dynamic and responsive curriculum frameworks.

45% principals prefer Extramarks for NEP-ready solutions

2. Build a Curriculum Development Team

Building a curriculum is a team job. It needs the input and collaboration of Educators, Education policy experts, Content creators and designers, Government and school officials as well as Publishers of textbooks. This team needs a manager who can discuss and assign roles, list deliverables, set timelines, and most importantly keep everyone aligned and working toward the common goal of curriculum development in education.

3. Assess and Analyse the Requirements/ Needs

This step is different from the first one in that the first step identifies the gaps in the curriculum and the needs of the students. This step is more curriculum-oriented. It works to identify the information and expertise required in the curriculum development process. It assesses what aspects of the curriculum design need reworking – product (new knowledge), process (a different teaching method), or expertise (teacher training).

Also Read: NEP 2020 Exams and Assessment Reforms

4. List the Intended Outcomes

Equipped with the information from steps 1 & 3, here, the team refines and re-articulates the goal and puts down the intended outcome. This detailed documentation puts down what new knowledge the student is getting, how it is imparted, and the resultant learning that takes place. It also covers the process, conditions, and outcomes at each stage of curriculum development.

5. Shortlist and Select Content

The previous step feeds into this one. With a detailed road map of the desired outcome, the team now gets down to shortlisting and selecting the content. Factors such as current knowledge, skills, cultural implications, influence, and impact on the students play a key role in deciding this content. The detailing and depth of the topic, as well as the sequence of information to be taught, are also defined here.

6. Develop Teaching Methods

Once the team has finalised the ‘What’ in the curriculum design, they next work on the ‘How’. At this stage, different teaching methods and strategies are evaluated to shortlist the most efficient one to drive the change in the curriculum and lead to the intended learning behaviours. Technology plays a big role today in engaging students and driving classroom learning. It has become one of the most resourceful allies for teachers, not just in concept detailing but also in designing assessments. Smart Edtech providers such as Extramarks Assessment Center help teachers create effective assessments at each stage for better learning.

7. Finalise, Test, and Revise the Curriculum

After all the hard work, it is time to take one final look at the changes introduced in the curriculum. This step is all about running the new curriculum through some test sites and getting feedback from other stakeholders. It makes sure that the changes align with the goals set at the beginning of this exercise before rolling it out. Some minor tweaks and realignment can make all the difference between a welcome change and a failed exercise. 

What are the Principles of Curriculum Development?

The principles of curriculum development are broad guidelines that ensure a holistic outcome for teachers, students, and the education sector in totality. These principles outline the values that are the foundation for good curriculum and instructional design. Principles of curriculum planning include: 

1. Principle of Totality of Experiences

   A curriculum is not just concerned with academic subjects or topics being taught but also must include the total learning experience a student receives at a school or college. A curriculum is responsible for the all-round development of a child through the totality of experiences gained such as extra-curricular, co-curricular, and sporting activities.

2. Principle of Child-Centeredness
   

   A curriculum’s first responsibility is toward the learner. If it fails to engage and interest a student it fails its purpose. It needs to go beyond the bookish knowledge and work with the developmental needs of the student. Only when the child is kept at the centre of a curriculum design can it be structured to serve their interests.

3. Principle of Conservation and Creativity
   

   A curriculum needs to be both fixed and dynamic at the same time. It should provide knowledge of cultural heritage, history, and cultural identity to students at the same time be malleable enough to include changing global trends without becoming static and irrelevant.

4. Principle of Integration
   

   The curriculum needs to be sensitively designed such that it doesn’t alienate any segment of society. Students should be able to relate to it and more specifically be able to correlate one subject with another.

5. Principle of Flexibility
   

   A curriculum needs to be adaptable. It needs to be open to updates and additions depending on changing knowledge, trends, and learning requirements.

6. Principle of Utility
   

   The curriculum should pass the litmus test of utility. A curriculum should be useful for the cognitive, behavioural, and foundational development of a child. Not only that, it needs to impart useful skills that a student might need as an adult.

7. Principle of Character Formation
   

   The role of curriculum and educators is much larger than the transfer of knowledge, concepts, and understanding of subjects. It is also to prepare the future of the human race. To build the character and value system of people who will be adults tomorrow, and the ones leading the charge.

8. Principle of Mental Discipline
   

   One of the key roles of a curriculum is to help students develop the discipline and handwork required for learning. It also plays a role in building the importance of practice in sharpening mental faculties.

9. Principle of Social Fulfilment
   

   And lastly, the curriculum also holds considerable weight in developing social responsibility among the students towards the planet and society at large. It should work towards helping students excel in life beyond the classroom.

What are the Factors Influencing Curriculum Development?

Principles discussed in the previous section were broad guidelines universally applicable to all curriculum designs, influencing factors, on the other hand, are region-specific and can vary across demographics, schools, cities, and states. 

1. Psychological Factors
   

   How students perceive and react to the curriculum being taught, how they engage with the instruction design, how their nature and personalities align with those of the educator, teaching strategy and the subject can have a significant impact on the learning process.

2. Political Factors
   

   Governments are active stakeholders in the education policy of any country. They have to keep an eye on the curriculum aligning with the national interest, a sense of patriotism, and national history.

3. Philosophical Factors
   

   The outlook of members of the curriculum team needs to be in alignment with each other. A cohesive and definite direction for clear execution far outweighs the drawbacks of being pulled in different directions leading to ineffective results.

4. Gender Factors
   

   Both the class demographic and the educator’s gender can sometimes aid or hinder the progress of the curriculum. Especially in rural areas, gender is seen to be skewed in the senior classes.

5. Societal Factors
   

   Societal factors play a huge role in influencing the curriculum and vice versa. A curriculum consciously and sensitively designed can begin to change certain mindsets in society. On the other hand, understanding society and the background around the school, its teachers, and students can go a long way toward building awareness, tolerance, and flexibility for the curriculum and teaching methods. 

6. Technological Factors
   

   The extent of technology used in the teaching methods depends on the school’s policy. However, a curriculum should be built with options of using technology or going without it. This gives the schools flexibility to decide the extent of technology they want to introduce depending on the trends, access, and comfort of the teachers as well as students.

7. Economical Factors
   

   The socio-economic background of the schools, their teachers, and students plays a pivotal role in executing the curriculum. A curriculum needs to work for both elite, top-layered schools and at the same time for the ones with a basic set-up.

8. Educational Factors
   

   The success or failure of a curriculum rests on its execution. Training programs should be planned for both Educators and students. Only when the educators are aligned with the curriculum can they impart it efficiently. 

Tips and Strategies for Curriculum Developers

To sum up, here are a few quick pointers

1. Create a curriculum map: Use flow charts, diagrams, and visuals. Add milestones as a quick snapshot of the curriculum design. It saves time when a quick reminder is needed and provides a ready reckoner to keep everyone on track.
2. Put the needs up in bold: Use the needs of the target audience identified earlier as the filter whenever you hit a roadblock or reach an inconclusive debate amongst the team.
3. Keep the focus on the students: If it doesn’t serve them, it doesn’t serve the purpose.
4. Don’t be in a rush: Designing a good curriculum takes time. You can’t do it in a hurry. Set clear timelines, and goals at the start, then track meticulously to avoid last-minute stress.
5. Get in the experts: Designing a curriculum is a team job. You will need all the experts to weigh in.
6. Evaluate: Be sure to evaluate and take in feedback before you roll out the curriculum.
7. Be flexible: Be open to making changes. It is better to course correct instead of reaching the wrong destination.
8. Use technology: Technology is your friend. Extramarks is your perfect partner to help you develop and execute your curriculum with the aid of technology.

Curriculum design is the foundation through which educators can build a collective future. Armed with deep knowledge and core values, nurtured in the right environment learners of today will lead the world of tomorrow.

What is the Difference Between Traditional and Modern Curriculum Development?

How Extramarks Can Help You in Curriculum Development?

If you’re working on improving or creating a curriculum, Extramarks has tools that can make the process smoother. Here’s how it can help:

• Curriculum-Aligned Content: You get content that matches the requirements of CBSE, ICSE, and other major boards, ensuring your curriculum stays relevant and on track.
• Interactive Learning Resources: Animations, videos, and interactive modules can be added to lessons, making difficult concepts clearer and more engaging for students.
• Performance Analytics: You’ll get detailed insights into how your students are performing. This data helps you fine-tune the curriculum and focus on areas that need improvement.
• Teacher Support Tools: With lesson plans, assessments, and question banks ready to go, you can save time and focus on delivering better lessons.
• Customizable Learning Paths: The platform lets you adapt content and assessments to suit the individual learning needs of your students, ensuring everyone gets the support they need.

Last Updated on April 23, 2025

Reviewed by

Prachi Singh | VP - Academics

Prachi Singh is a highly accomplished educationist with over 16 years of experience in the EdTech industry. Currently, she plays a pivotal role at Extramarks, leading content strategy and curriculum development initiatives that shape the future of education...read more.