HED4802 Portfolio Assessment | 2026 Edition | 95 Original
Questions with Evidence-Based Answers Curriculum
Studies Comprehensive Evaluation | Expert-Aligned Q&A |
UNISA Certification-Ready Format
Introduction
This 95-question comprehensive competency assessment focuses on Curriculum
Studies (HED4802) portfolio domains, emphasizing curriculum theory, educational
paradigms, school systems analysis, curriculum design and implementation,
assessment practices, and critical perspectives on education. Items integrate
UNISA curriculum standards, African educational contexts, and evidence-based
practice to support students in demonstrating advanced knowledge and skills in
curriculum studies.
Content Area Overview: 95 Questions
Content Area Questions Key Topics Weight
Traditional and
contemporary
Curriculum Theory and perspectives, hidden
20 21%
Definitions curriculum, null
curriculum, experiential
learning
Systems thinking,
organizational
School as a
15 components, leadership, 16%
System/Organization
decision-making, external
factors
,Content Area Questions Key Topics Weight
Planning, objectives,
Curriculum Design and content selection,
15 16%
Development sequencing, integration,
resources
Enacted curriculum,
Curriculum
teacher agency,
Implementation and 15 16%
assessment, monitoring,
Evaluation
evaluation models
Culturally relevant
Social Justice and pedagogy, social justice
12 13%
Critical Perspectives curriculum, inclusion,
diversity, transformation
Positivism, interpretivism,
Research Methods and critical theory, post-
10 10%
Paradigms structuralism, research
design
Teacher as curriculum
Professional
maker, professional
Development and 8 8%
learning, leadership in
Leadership
curriculum change
1. According to traditional perspectives, curriculum is BEST understood as:
• A. The totality of experiences a learner has under the guidance of the school
• B. A syllabus or a planned set of lessons and content that teachers
deliver in the classroom
, • C. The unspoken lessons conveyed through school culture and routines
• D. Content or topics excluded from formal education
Correct Answer: B. A syllabus or a planned set of lessons and content that
teachers deliver in the classroom
Rationale: Traditional perspectives view curriculum as a pre-determined, static
body of knowledge to be transmitted from teacher to student. This perspective
conceptualizes curriculum as a syllabus—a list of topics, units, and prescribed texts
to be covered within a specific timeframe. It prioritizes content, structure, and
efficiency, casting the teacher as the expert and the student as the passive recipient
of knowledge.
Why Wrong: A describes experiential perspectives; C describes the hidden
curriculum; D describes the null curriculum.
Reference: Posner (2003); Ornstein & Hunkins (2018); HED4802 Activity 1
Guidelines.
2. The hidden curriculum refers to:
• A. The formal, documented curriculum
• B. The unspoken lessons, values, and attitudes conveyed indirectly
through school culture, routines, and social expectations
• C. The content teachers plan to deliver
• D. The subjects listed in the timetable
Correct Answer: B. The unspoken lessons, values, and attitudes conveyed
indirectly through school culture, routines, and social expectations
Rationale: The hidden curriculum encompasses the unspoken lessons, values, and
attitudes that are conveyed indirectly through school culture, routines, and social
expectations. These are the informal learnings that occur through the school's daily
practices, including how students learn to navigate power structures, social
hierarchies, and institutional norms.
Why Wrong: A describes the formal curriculum; C describes the planned
curriculum; D describes the syllabus.
, Reference: HED4802 Portfolio Assessment Activity 1; Jackson (1968).
3. The null curriculum refers to:
• A. Content or topics excluded from formal education, revealing societal
biases or undervalued knowledge areas
• B. The content teachers actually teach
• C. The curriculum that is assessed
• D. The curriculum that students learn
Correct Answer: A. Content or topics excluded from formal education,
revealing societal biases or undervalued knowledge areas
Rationale: The null curriculum refers to content or topics that are excluded from
formal education, which reveals societal biases or undervalued knowledge areas.
This concept highlights that what is not taught is as important as what is taught, as
omissions often reflect dominant cultural values and power structures.
Why Wrong: B describes the enacted curriculum; C describes the assessed
curriculum; D describes the learned curriculum.
Reference: HED4802 Portfolio Assessment Activity 1; Eisner (1979).
4. Which perspective views curriculum as a comprehensive blueprint or
systematic plan for learning?
• A. Curriculum as a Syllabus
• B. Curriculum as a Planned Course of Study
• C. Curriculum as Learning Experiences
• D. Curriculum as the Enacted Curriculum
Correct Answer: B. Curriculum as a Planned Course of Study
Rationale: A broader traditional view sees curriculum as a comprehensive
blueprint or a systematic plan for learning, encompassing not just content but also
sequenced learning objectives, activities, and resources. The emphasis is on order,
structure, and predictability, ensuring that all students follow a common path.
Questions with Evidence-Based Answers Curriculum
Studies Comprehensive Evaluation | Expert-Aligned Q&A |
UNISA Certification-Ready Format
Introduction
This 95-question comprehensive competency assessment focuses on Curriculum
Studies (HED4802) portfolio domains, emphasizing curriculum theory, educational
paradigms, school systems analysis, curriculum design and implementation,
assessment practices, and critical perspectives on education. Items integrate
UNISA curriculum standards, African educational contexts, and evidence-based
practice to support students in demonstrating advanced knowledge and skills in
curriculum studies.
Content Area Overview: 95 Questions
Content Area Questions Key Topics Weight
Traditional and
contemporary
Curriculum Theory and perspectives, hidden
20 21%
Definitions curriculum, null
curriculum, experiential
learning
Systems thinking,
organizational
School as a
15 components, leadership, 16%
System/Organization
decision-making, external
factors
,Content Area Questions Key Topics Weight
Planning, objectives,
Curriculum Design and content selection,
15 16%
Development sequencing, integration,
resources
Enacted curriculum,
Curriculum
teacher agency,
Implementation and 15 16%
assessment, monitoring,
Evaluation
evaluation models
Culturally relevant
Social Justice and pedagogy, social justice
12 13%
Critical Perspectives curriculum, inclusion,
diversity, transformation
Positivism, interpretivism,
Research Methods and critical theory, post-
10 10%
Paradigms structuralism, research
design
Teacher as curriculum
Professional
maker, professional
Development and 8 8%
learning, leadership in
Leadership
curriculum change
1. According to traditional perspectives, curriculum is BEST understood as:
• A. The totality of experiences a learner has under the guidance of the school
• B. A syllabus or a planned set of lessons and content that teachers
deliver in the classroom
, • C. The unspoken lessons conveyed through school culture and routines
• D. Content or topics excluded from formal education
Correct Answer: B. A syllabus or a planned set of lessons and content that
teachers deliver in the classroom
Rationale: Traditional perspectives view curriculum as a pre-determined, static
body of knowledge to be transmitted from teacher to student. This perspective
conceptualizes curriculum as a syllabus—a list of topics, units, and prescribed texts
to be covered within a specific timeframe. It prioritizes content, structure, and
efficiency, casting the teacher as the expert and the student as the passive recipient
of knowledge.
Why Wrong: A describes experiential perspectives; C describes the hidden
curriculum; D describes the null curriculum.
Reference: Posner (2003); Ornstein & Hunkins (2018); HED4802 Activity 1
Guidelines.
2. The hidden curriculum refers to:
• A. The formal, documented curriculum
• B. The unspoken lessons, values, and attitudes conveyed indirectly
through school culture, routines, and social expectations
• C. The content teachers plan to deliver
• D. The subjects listed in the timetable
Correct Answer: B. The unspoken lessons, values, and attitudes conveyed
indirectly through school culture, routines, and social expectations
Rationale: The hidden curriculum encompasses the unspoken lessons, values, and
attitudes that are conveyed indirectly through school culture, routines, and social
expectations. These are the informal learnings that occur through the school's daily
practices, including how students learn to navigate power structures, social
hierarchies, and institutional norms.
Why Wrong: A describes the formal curriculum; C describes the planned
curriculum; D describes the syllabus.
, Reference: HED4802 Portfolio Assessment Activity 1; Jackson (1968).
3. The null curriculum refers to:
• A. Content or topics excluded from formal education, revealing societal
biases or undervalued knowledge areas
• B. The content teachers actually teach
• C. The curriculum that is assessed
• D. The curriculum that students learn
Correct Answer: A. Content or topics excluded from formal education,
revealing societal biases or undervalued knowledge areas
Rationale: The null curriculum refers to content or topics that are excluded from
formal education, which reveals societal biases or undervalued knowledge areas.
This concept highlights that what is not taught is as important as what is taught, as
omissions often reflect dominant cultural values and power structures.
Why Wrong: B describes the enacted curriculum; C describes the assessed
curriculum; D describes the learned curriculum.
Reference: HED4802 Portfolio Assessment Activity 1; Eisner (1979).
4. Which perspective views curriculum as a comprehensive blueprint or
systematic plan for learning?
• A. Curriculum as a Syllabus
• B. Curriculum as a Planned Course of Study
• C. Curriculum as Learning Experiences
• D. Curriculum as the Enacted Curriculum
Correct Answer: B. Curriculum as a Planned Course of Study
Rationale: A broader traditional view sees curriculum as a comprehensive
blueprint or a systematic plan for learning, encompassing not just content but also
sequenced learning objectives, activities, and resources. The emphasis is on order,
structure, and predictability, ensuring that all students follow a common path.
