Educational Programming: Principles and Curriculum Design

Defining Educational Programming

According to Zabalza (1997), programming can be defined as an educational project-specific training developed by teachers for a specific group of students in a particular situation and for one or more disciplines.

Program and programming are complementary approaches, not mutually exclusive. In the development of teaching, each must fulfill a specific function, and together they complete the circle of what constitutes a curriculum project developed in the classroom.

The Role of Programming

Through programming, we territorialize the general assumptions of the program. The complete schedule of the program is closer to the reality in which it develops, adapting to it and enriching it with differential dimensions that the general program had not incorporated in its initial forecasts.

Steps for Decision Making

• Cycle 1: Define general objectives.
• 2: Select the entire content.
• 3: Sequence content per cycle.
• 4: Establish evaluation criteria at the end of each cycle.
• 5: Define general methodological assumptions.
• 6: Define spatio-temporal organization criteria.

Key Terms According to Zabalza (1997)

1. It is a process subordinate in its basics to the program.
2. In any program, various decisions must be made regarding content, methods, priorities, and resources.
3. Programming is more than an individual task; it is a collective commitment of teachers.
4. The program acts as a general proposal to be translated into a curriculum project suitable for a particular situation. It must be adapted to the specific school context—whether rural, urban, or diverse—to ensure equitable results.
5. Programming means opening up the territory, balancing national interests with local characteristics.

Scheduling and programming are two subsequent, interdependent phases in curriculum development.