Nuts Bolts of Curriculum SED 455 Curriculum Development

Nuts & Bolts of Curriculum SED 455: Curriculum Development & Assessment by Cindy Barnes, M. Ed. Adjunct Faculty GCU

Question 1 What is Meant by the Term Curriculum? /Curriculum refers to the specific blueprint or map to achieve “outputs” of desired student performance. /Curriculum specifies what the learner should achieve within a timeframe not just a list of content and activities. /Curriculum is the overarching aim of the school district. (Wiggins & Mc. Tighe, 2005).

Question 2 What is Curriculum Theory? /Researchers draw upon established methodologies. Theories provide a way of strengthening the field of educational research. /In the curricular field there are three camps of 1) traditionalists; 2) conceptual-empiricists; 3) reconceptualists /During the past two decades the field of curriculum went from a practice-oriented field to a more theoretical, historical, research-oriented field. (Pinar (1999 p. 484)

Curriculum Theory Camps Traditionalist - core knowledge schools and the work of John Dewey would fall into this camp. This model provided large numbers of people with basic skills needed to obtain low skill jobs. Curriculum is organized and straight forward. Curriculum and lesson plans can be created before the teacher or students ever enter the classroom (Module 2 Lecture). Conceptual Empiricists - Introduced by William Pinar’s Book “Curriculum Theorizing” in 1975. Stemming from the idea that traditional practices in education are too strict and rigid. Curriculum should be determined by past scientific research and investigating what works in certain schools, areas, and cultures. Curriculum is shaped and guided by research and investigating what does and doesn’t work. Processes are decided by the results of scientific research (Kridel, 2010, Pages 139 -140) Reconceptualist - Largely initiated by Robert Ennis in his 1962 book “A Concept of Critical Thinking”. "The main thrust of critical theory is to enable people to reflect and critique the dominant socioeconomic class structure and the ways in which the curriculum serves to perpetuate such structure" (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2009 p. 186). Curriculum cannot be created before the educator and/or administrators have met and interacted with the student.

Question 3 What is Meant by the Term Curriculum Approach? /Takes into consideration the student culture & diversity of the school. /Focus on the relationship between schools , society and the future. /Established goals must be addressed to determine curriculum approach

Components of Curriculum Approach Technical-Scientific Models (Backward Design adopted this approach) Non-Technical/Non-Scientific Approaches • Behavioral • Systems Managerial • Intellectual-Academic Approach Questions the assumptions of technical approach. • Humanistic-Aesthetic • Reconceptualist Formal methods of schooling with a focus on content and outcomes. It stresses personal, subjective aesthetic nature of curriculum Logical step by step procedure of what you want students to know and evidence of that knowledge. Focus is not on content or learning outcomes. Views learning as holistic, focused on the learner and students as a participant.

Question 4 What is the relationship between curriculum and instructions? “Good teachers can translate information, make good judgment, experience and wisdom into relevant knowledge that a student can understand, retain and pass to others. ” (Wikipedia, 2008 September 12).

Question 5 What are the bases for curriculum planning? /A curriculum must be aligned with National or State content standards. /Assessment information helps planners make relevant curriculum decisions.

Question 6 What criteria can be used to plan, develop, and implement curricula? /Instructional Goals /Learning Philosophies and Information Processing Theories /Learning Environment /Specific Learning Objectives /Student Prior Knowledge /Student Learning Styles /Instructional Strategies /Formative and Summative Assessments (Smith & Ragan, 2005).

Question 7 How do values influence curriculum planning? Values can influence who will be included in the curriculum goals (curriculum approach). The belief that learning is a universal right, has led to a focus in developing curriculum that meets the needs of every student. (SIU, 1998).

Question 8 What are some of the challenges in meeting the curriculum and the future? /Stakeholders support the schools /Integrating Technology - Policy-makers don’t fully recognize the impact technology have in schools. /Teaching the curriculum in ways that are effective for a variety of students. /Government vouchers for private schools and Federal Legislation has caused a budget crisis in public school districts.

References / / / / / Grand Canyon University: SED 455 Module 2 Lecture Notes Kridel, Craig. "Encyclopedia of Curriculum Studies. " Google Books. N. p. Retrieved from. http: //books. google. com/books? id=Gg. My. Fqxs. XWo. C Ornstein, A. C. , & Hunkins, F. P. (2009). Curriculum: Foundations, Principles, and Issues (5 th ed. ). San Francisco: Pearson Education, Inc. Pinar, W. F. (1999 b). The reconceptualization of curriculum studies. In W. F. Pinar (ed. ), Contemporary curriculum discourses: Twenty years of JCT. New York, NY: Peter Lang, 483 -497. Smith, P. L. , Ragan, T. J. (2005). Instructional Design. Hoboken, NJ John Wiley & Sons. "The Traditional View Of The Learning Process. " UNESCO. com. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, 27 Nov. 2003. Retrieve from http: //portal. unesco. org/education/en/ev. php-URL_ID=26921 SIU. (1998). The Center foor Dewey Studies. Retrieve from Wiggins, G & Mc. Tighe, J. (2 nd Edition). (2005). Understand by design 2 nd ed. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Alexandria, VA. Wraga, W. G. (1999). Extracting sunbeams out of cucumbers: The retreat from practice in reconceptualised curriculum studies. Educational Researcher 28(1), 4 -13.