Developing a curriculum framework
Download as DOCX, PDF2 likes3,962 views
The document discusses developing curriculum frameworks at different levels. It begins by explaining that the first step in integrating standards into curriculum is developing a curriculum framework, which can be done at the national, state, or district level. National frameworks are written by national organizations and represent specific content areas, while state frameworks are written by state departments of education and tend to be complex due to multiple purposes and audiences. District frameworks are developed by local committees made up of administrators, teachers, parents, and community members to increase student learning and achievement.
Developing a curriculum framework
- 1. Developing a Curriculum Framework The first step of integrating standards into the curriculum is developing a curriculum framework. Curriculum frameworks can be developed at the national, state, or district level. National frameworks include those written by national organizations (such as the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics developed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and the National Science Education Standards developed by the National Research Council). National frameworks come in a wide variety of formats and usually represent a specific content area. State frameworks include those written by state departments of education (such as the Michigan Curriculum Framework developed by the Michigan Department of Education). State curriculum frameworks tend to be highly complex due to the multiple purposes, the variety of audiences, and the diversity of situations that must be addressed (Blank & Pechman, 1995). A comprehensive listing of national and state curriculum frameworks can be found in Developing Educational Standards. District frameworks are those developed by local or regional school districts. Ideally at the local level, a curriculum committee is established to develop the standards-based curriculum and to address the broader concerns that will be reflected in the curriculum framework. This committee is made up of administrators, school board members, teachers and school staff, parents, students (when appropriate), and community members, but the majority should be school personnel. The goal of this committee is to develop a standards- based curriculum that will increase student learning and promote higher student achievement. Approaches to flexible learning Constructive alignment: A good starting point for flexible learning, or any learning context, is to commence with the pedagogical needs of the program and course, and bring to these the diversity of the student cohort. Biggs (1999) approach to pedagogical design aligns the intended learning outcomes, the curriculum, the teaching methods, the learning environment, and the assessment procedures. See constructive alignment (The Higher Education Academy, UK). Online interaction: A model of learning based on interaction between learner and teacher, and emphasis the importance of interaction and communication in flexible learning: one is Laurillard (2002) conversational framework, a constructivist approach in which teaching is based on ’an iterative dialogue between teacher and learner which reveal the participants’ preconceptions, and the variations between them’ (cited in Mayes & De Freitas 2004, p. 34). Feedback is central to this approach. Activity focused learning: A useful conceptual approach to flexible teaching and learning brings constructivist principles and online collaboration to the learning context, with a focus on learning activities. Goodyear describes a shift “from content towards activity” (2002, p. 66), where content becomes a “resource for activity”, rather than content and information which is transmitted to students.