Developing and Benchmarking the Standards Frameworks Mark Windale

Things to consider What are the aims of the basic education standards? What are the aims of the CCRS for science and mathematics? What should be the content areas and content specifications at each level? What additional guidance will you provide? What assessment guidance will you include? Which curriculum standards will you benchmark against? Why benchmark against those standards?

Why is benchmarking important Helps to set aspirations Support decision making Helps identify Content areas Specifications at different levels Additional areas/aspects to include Structures/frameworks/models Innovation Used for reference at all stages of the development process

Choosing curriculum standards to benchmark against Top performing SEAMEO countries Other top performing countries Countries that share your aims or curricula to which you aspire Countries that have successfully implemented and embedded their curricula across the whole country Do not forget the TIMSS and PISA frameworks Do not forget that SEAMEO countries are currently developing new curricula Don't be afraid to refer to the benchmarks during the development stages. Do not try and reinvent the wheel!

What are the aims of the basic education standards? These are important to identify as they will influence and be reflected in the aims of the individual subject standards They could be developed from: The SEAMEO definition of basic education standards The purposes of the SEAMEO Basic Education Standards

SEAMEO Basic Education Standards (SEA-BES) Defined SEAMEO defines basic education standards as the minimum competency in teaching and learning of science and mathematics that are achieved through engagement in education in order to function successfully in society taking into account cultural differences and the importance of ASEAN values.

Purposes The SEAMEO Basic Education Standards initiative would support SEAMEO Member countries in the following respects: a) to strengthen ASEAN collaboration on curriculum standards and learning assessment across educational systems b) to strengthen the quality of basic education by addressing gaps in terms of curriculum content (i. e. knowledge, skills, attitudes, habits) and resolving issues of equity and relevance of Science and Mathematics in the curriculum c) to develop an enriched and functional basic education curriculum standard with emphases on essential life-skills, entrepreneurial skills, 21 st century skills, leadership skills, and for life-long learning d) to serve as benchmark in assessing competencies involving scientific literacy and mathematical literacy in the secondary level

Task 1 In small groups discuss the definition and purposes of the SEAMEO Basic Education Standards and develop a set of aims for SEA BES

What are the aims of the core curriculum standards for science? What are the aims of the core curriculum standards for mathematics? These will influence the content of the curriculum, additional guidance provided and assessment of the curriculum

Science Example to ensure that all pupils: develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the specific disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics develop understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

Mathematics example to ensure that all pupils: become fluent in the fundamentals of mathematics, including through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex problems over time, so that pupils develop conceptual understanding and the ability to recall and apply knowledge rapidly and accurately. reason mathematically by following a line of enquiry, conjecturing relationships and generalisations, and developing an argument, justification or proof using mathematical language can solve problems by applying their mathematics to a variety of routine and non-routine problems with increasing sophistication, including breaking down problems into a series of simpler steps and persevering in seeking solutions.

Task 2 In small subject groups look at some of the benchmark curricula and frameworks and develop a set of aims for the curriculum standards for your subject area

What subject content should be included in the curriculum standards? It should reflect your aims What can be left out? What should be added? What is important to the region? Be contemporary! What skills and capabilities do you want to develop? What attitudes do you want to foster? What themes should be included? What should be included at each level? Don't forget TIMSS and PISA

Task 3 In your small subject groups look at the consolidated/mapped curriculum documents and the benchmarking documents, think about your aims and discuss what themes should be included. List themes or things you think should be included in the curriculum framework for your subject

What other content should be included in the standards? Do you want to influence pedagogical development? Do you want to include 21 st Century skills? Do you want to include attitudes, values and ethics? Do you want to include cross curricular themes, such as citizenship?

Task 4 In your subject groups discuss the additional components that should be included in the curriculum standards. Make a list of the additional components you think should be included in your subject curriculum standard

Do you want to influence assessment? Will you include indicators or levels of attainment? All the decisions you make will influence the framework and model developed