In order to know the meaning of the term curricular design, it is necessary, in the first place, to discover the etymological origin of the two words that give it shape:

-Design comes from the Italian “disegno”, which can be translated as “to draw”.

-Curricular, meanwhile, emanates from the Latin “curriculum”, which means “study plan” and is the result of the sum of two clearly defined components of said language: the noun “cursus”, which is synonymous with “career”, and the suffix “-culo”, which can be translated as “instrument” or “means”.

Curricular design is associated with the organization and development of an educational plan. According to Abbreviationfinder, CDCO stands for Curriculum Design, Content and Organization.

What is curriculum design

The notion of design can be used to name the delineation of something (a project, a work, etc.). Curriculum, on the other hand, is what is linked to a curriculum: a study program.

The idea of ​​curriculum design, therefore, refers to a process that allows organizing and developing an educational plan. Through this structuring, the aim is to satisfy the training needs of the students.

The curricular design is reflected in a document that presents the structure of the education plan, detailing the characteristics and projecting the scope of the training. This document mentions the objectives of the curriculum, the competencies that are sought to be developed, the results that are pursued and the certification that is provided.

The scope of a career is projected in the curricular design.

Planning Objectives

Thanks to the curricular design, it is possible to assert that the training is relevant according to the degree of training. Teachers find in it a guide to carry out pedagogical work.

It can be said that the curricular design defines what, how and when it is taught. It also provides answers to these questions regarding the action of evaluating. Ideological concepts, social factors, issues related to epistemology and themes of psychology are part of the design.

How curriculum design is carried out

In order to carry out a curricular design, it is necessary to be clear that a series of tasks must be carried out, such as the following:

-The diagnosis of problems and needs in terms of the context and the existing situation. Specifically, this work is made up of three fundamental stages: the study of what the theoretical framework is, the exploration of real situations and the determination of problems and needs.

-The modeling of the curriculum, in which, for example, the contents necessary to achieve the desired objectives are determined.

-The curricular structure, where you choose, for example, the order in which the curricular design is going to be developed.

-The organization for the implementation, that is, the establishment of measures to guarantee what is the implementation of the curricular project.

-The design of the curricular evaluation, which must have as a starting point what are terminal type objectives.

Curriculum design, in short, is the procedure that enables the general planning of academic activities. The curriculum, once defined, is then adapted to the particular conditions of each educational establishment, always respecting the principles established in the design. In this way, it is intended to guarantee that each of the students can develop their potential, train, and complete the educational process prepared to integrate at a higher level or into the world of work.