Significance
This criterion is applied where content is examined
as how it is important or central to the body of knowledge of subject area. Some
people see it as a balance between ideas, concepts and facts etc. it is applied
for that content which includes themes, problems and activities (Print, 1993).
The content in physics at secondary level is
all about the matter and energy around which discipline of physics moves. The
topics, subtopics or concepts, activities, processes are related to matter and
energy are tried to kept in balance so to improve students’ knowledge, skills,
values, traits in a balanced manner. For example in group tasks on transfer of
heat the students may be assigned a laboratory work where the students will
know about the ways of transfer of heat, meanwhile they develop their skills
and human trait of effective cooperative working.
Validity
This criterion is about authenticity i. e.
proven, tested, and truth and accuracy of the content. It means that content includes
what it is considered to be in that content (print, 1993). In above mentioned
example of physics content includes such concepts, laws, generalizations which
have been proven and tested by scientific method and these are applied in daily
life. For example atmospheric pressure is a concept which has been verified,
tested and proven by scientists and is applied in daily life such as filling
the ink in a fountain pen.
Social relevance
Print (1993) is of the view that this criterion
of content selection emphasis on social development of the learner. This
criterion of content is concerned about moral values, ideals, social problems,
issues which assist the learners to be an effective member of the society. The
content selected for physic curriculum contains such topics which by their
nature have been selected for social development of the students. For example heat
is a topic on which a project or group task may be assigned to students to find
out the effects of global warming. This way the students may play their role in
dealing global warming by suggesting precautionary steps. Electronics have
brought a social change in society which is a topic of selected content.
Utility
This criterion is about the usefulness of
the content in adult life of the learners. The knowledge, skills and values, students
learn studying this content will be utilized in their professions and daily
life. This criterion leads to a desired outcome of the content (Print, 1993).
The selected content of physics includes knowledge, skills and abilities which
will be used in students’ future lives. For example making parallel and series
circuits will develop such skills and knowledge which the students will use in
their profession and in domestic electric wiring.
Learnablity
This
criterion examines the content whether it meets the needs of a diverse group of
students or not. Multiple content materials where the individual differences
are catered may be selected in light of the learnablity criterion. Further it
is elaborated as content should make the students ready to learn something
(Print, 1993). There is a mixed content
material in terms of knowledge, skills, attitudes abilities, personal
communications, group and individual learning materials have been selected to address
this criterion. For example measurements, forces and gravity, equations of
motion, energy, light, electricity and nuclear physics are such topics which
cover a large number of different ability level students in terms of learning.
Interest
This criterion draws attention towards the
motivation of students in learning content. This is a difficult criterion for
curriculum developers to address in content selection because range of
students’ interests is unlimited (Print, 1993). Students’ interest in physics
may be created by relating the concepts, principles, and generalizations to
daily life situations. The selected content includes such concepts which are
directly related with daily life situations of students. For example
measurements, Newton’s laws of motion, simple machines are concepts related to
daily life.
Broadening Horizons