Experience curriculum and Subject-centred curriculum

The two curricula are poles apart. Subject-centred curriculum provides knowledge with pupils remaining passive for most of the time. Experience curriculum actively involves the learners. Thomson Hopkins has compared and contrasted the two types of curriculum as follows:

Subject-Curriculum

1. Centred in subjects

2. Emphasis upon teaching subject-matter.

3. Subject-matter selected and organised before the teaching situation.

4. Controlled by the teacher or someone representing authority external to learning situation.

5. Emphasis upon teaching facts, imparting information, acquiring knowledge for its own sake or possible future use.

6. Emphasis on teaching specific habits and skills as separate and isolated aspects of learning.

7. Emphasis upon improving methods of teaching subject- matter of specific subjects.

8. Emphasis upon uniformity of exposures to learning situations and in so far as possible, uniformity of learning results.

9. Education as aiding each child to build a cognitive memory.

10. Education schooling

Experience curriculum

1. Centred in learners.

2. Emphasis upon promoting the all round growth of learners.

3. Subject-matter selected and organised co-operatively by all: learners.

4. Controlled and directed co-operatively by pupils, teachers, parents, supervisors, principals and others in the learning, situation.

5. Emphasis upon meaningful experiences which will function immediately in improving living. !

6. Emphasis upon building habits and skills as integral parts of large experiences.

7. Emphasis upon understanding; improving through use, the process of learning.

8. Emphasis upon variability, on exposure to learning situations and variability, in the results, expected and achieved.

9. Education as aiding each child to build a socially creative individuality.

10. Education considered as a continuous, intelligent process of growth.