The processes that define the communicative models of the society of the nineties and those other processes that structure the educational work, must tend to a global development in the didactics, semantics and axiology of the learning environment.
They only have to understand and complement each other in an interactive reality where the communicative and the educational take on a new, closer meaning. The cultural selection of curricular content, its organization and sequencing, are the keys to the future of effective education.
Therefore, for the design and development of the curricula or the curriculum, the subject of the contents must be addressed, which in turn are the ones that delineate and clarify the course of the curriculum as such.
In this sense, the contents not only reflect what is going to be taught, but also involve planning a decision platform, which of course has previous positions for its design and development.
Thus, it is no longer enough to see what is required in each subject, the question considering the role of teacher as a mediator, is that each teacher must equip himself with conceptual and operational resources, which allow him to make fundamental and appropriate decisions in the context where teach or work.
Obviously, given the complexity and depth of the subject of the contents, perhaps due to its extreme importance in the curricular conception, there are different positions on the matter, generating different modalities and conceptualizations of educational action, therefore, there are several decisions regarding the contents.
In this order of ideas, approaches to content and curricular models, for example, M. Schiro quoted by Zabala in the text, identifies its bipolar dimensions that serve as a frame of reference to distinguish four approaches to content and teaching.
In Figure No. 1, the dimensions and content conception are described.
Figure no. one
Models of Conception of Contents
Source: Shiro, M. 1978. (Quoted by Miguel Zabala).
Here reference is made to different points of view, in relation to the form or vision that the curricular contents should or should present.
Thus, in quadrant No. 1, for example, where the Academic Model is located, it emphasizes the school focused on disciplines and formal learning, that is, that education whose contents teach pure science disciplines, based on epistemological knowledge, in objective and scientific teaching.
For its part, quadrant No. 3 is based on that school that seeks efficiency, capable of doing and achieving what is required of it, in this conception, the subject of content starts from the how (what type of resources, forms presentation, approach, organization) is more functional and productive for teaching and learning.
These two areas are first described, since they are located on the left-hand axis, which corresponds to the structure of those contents -or education- where considerations of objective reality prevail.
Thus, this dimension reflects that reference of the contents made up of "endostructures" and "exostructures", that is, when they are designed based on the internal structure of the contents of each discipline (its scientific level).
In another order of ideas, quadrant No. 2 corresponds to the Humanist-Expressive Model, where there is free and creative development, without content or pre-established or established programs. This model focuses on the learner, as is, the topics are worked as ideas come up in class.
Likewise, on the right-hand axis, quadrant No. 4 corresponds to the Critical Model, which corresponds to the subjective use of knowledge, that is, a modality of individual and group warning related to social change.
The contents are thus extracted from the situation itself, from the immediate environment on which critical and judicious knowledge is worked and built. In this system, the contents are instrumental.
In relation to these two models, the axis on the right side is governed by the prevalence of considerations about subjective reality, which corresponds to the incidence that is given to the student in the process to be followed, this being a basic characteristic that is taken into account to organize the content.
On the other hand, in the design and development of the contents, the dysfunctionality in this topic must be taken into account, since there are hypertrophies of a material nature and hypertrophies of a functional nature. The first of these (material hypertrophy), is referred to the increasing multiplication of the contents on an area, it is for this reason, that the revision in the programming of the contents to be taught must be updated and constant considering the accelerated changes that it brings with it innovations, information and science as such. However, the second of these, (functional hypertrophy), refers to the functionality that the contents must have in themselves, that is, the components of the didactic process must be taken into account around the objectives and the product of the process,Since the contents play an instrumental role, they are based on the objectives.
Finally, within the subject of the contents, their preparation is also important, and for this, some interesting characteristics are pointed out that must be handled when preparing them. Thus, there should be a previously specialized literature review to establish documentation related to the topic. Similarly, the knotted axial contents of that area should be identified, delving deeper with an expert in the discipline's endostructure, and thus establishing the fundamental and the accessory, and the relationships existing between the general body of the area.
In this sense, for its effectiveness, some general criteria must also be considered in relation to the design of the contents. These include:
Representativeness Criterion: the content issues are given equal conditions, that is, representative cases are used that are crossing points where the content works are progressively advanced, in depth and coordination between the elements.
Exemplary Criterion: the contents are approached from a teaching of the typical, the representative, the elementary. There must be epistemological significance, transferability, durability, conventionality and consensus, specificity, and sequencing.
On the other hand, the sequence of the contents is another very important characteristic in its approach, thus, there are simple or linear sequences, where for example, the homogeneous one, gives the contents the same importance, but, the heterogeneous sequence, differs in Regarding the relevance of some content; Equidistant sequences grant the same space-duration to the contents, but the non-equidistant sequence grants special time to certain contents, depending on their rigidity or importance.
Likewise, other types of sequences can be established in the contents, but complex ones offer alternatives and variations in terms of equidistance and homogeneity can be established. Thus, for example, the complex sequence with alternatives, tends to make alternatives of outputs to topics outside the sequence. The complex sequence with retroactivity, the contents are arranged by anticipating jumps backwards or forwards, in the sense of clarifying important aspects. The contents with spiral sequence correspond to different contents, they are deepened in them, and they are analyzed with the same procedures. The convergent sequence, the same content is worked from various points of view or analysis.
Finally, the contents must be properly articulated in their structural and operational dimension, and based on the previously indicated models, the form that our content can have can be defined, adapting it to your needs; and with due caution of the basic considerations also indicated regarding the design that they must present, in order to guarantee a curriculum based on teaching content where learning is affective for the student.
