A Conceptual View of Curriculum - Coursework Example

A conceptual view of curriculum Name: Roll No: Class: Subject: Teacher: Date: 18th October 2008 University  Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction: 3 Objectives of curriculum Development: 4 Curriculum Implementation: 6 Implications of Designers: 8 Implications for learners: 9 Assessment of overall worth of Curriculum: 12 Conclusion: 15 Reference 17 Introduction: Let’s begin with the definition of curriculum; curriculum can be defined as a continuous process of teaching and learning. Curriculum goals and objectives include the expected outcome after learning and participating curriculum. According to some curriculum development experts that curriculum its self should ask students for evaluation, solution, and analysis rather to learn and understand. (Taba, 1962, p. 151)The development of an effective curriculum is a continuous, on going and a cyclic process which is completed after many steps. The process starts from evaluation of an existing program to designing of an improved and enhanced pattern and then implementing this program and than the process is repeated for the evaluation of this revised program. Planning, development, implementing and evaluating are the components of curriculum development. (Perkins, 1999, p. 6-11) This program will take into consideration all the aspects, objectives and goals that are to be achieved by developing a curriculum that is ideal curriculum. After Introduction development process of curriculum, goals and objectives will be discussed and then all the issues associated with its implementation or enactment will be discuss. Further all the implications for learner will be considered. At the closing stage of this paper we’ll conduct the through assessment of curriculum worth and significance in our life. (Taba, 1962, p. 151) Objectives of curriculum Development: Curriculum guide is a document designed for delineation the philosophy of curriculum, its objectives, goals, all instructional resources and assessments of factors and aspects that when put combine encompasses an effective educational program. Curriculum guide is a structured document that represents an articulation about the student’s ability and knowledge at a particular level. Additionally it contains all the instructional resources for teacher to motivate them and also encourage them in achieving those targeted goals. (Chou, 1996, p. 71-75)Curriculum guide works as a tool that assists in planning and implementing an effective educational program. There are some considerations and objectives that are kept in mind when designing and developing high quality curriculum. They are as follows: To establish a clear philosophy of a curriculum development. To state all the objectives and goals to be achieved. To set the decision according to each aspect of educational program. To establish a sequence of facts both within a particular level or between two levels. To set valid, authentic and genuine expressions who state the progress grade to grade. Highlighting and stating an exact structure and course of actions about what to do? How to do? When to do? How the achievement will be acknowledged? Etc. However it allows flexibility in the curriculum activities. It also encourages and support innovation in the overall structure. It encourages the discipline and control in the curricula. It also allows the integration of curricula when it is suitable. It promotes and establishes all the methods and approaches to asses the achievements and accomplishments of goals and objectives. It is flexible enough in nature that it always encourages and appreciates the ways of its continuous revision and improvement in the program. It provides the direction and aims for the betterment of humans. It provides all the materials and instructional resources to implement this program. (Harrison, 2000, p, 57-60) The formulation of curriculum guide for any educational program should not always consider the culmination of the curriculum development process but it is a crucial and fundamental process of curriculum development and implementation. Since no guide is always perfect, no guide will be perfect and also every guide has it flaws and drawbacks and is not exempt from criticism. However, a curriculum guide in order to earn value and to be of use must obtain acceptance of teachers and students. It also must fulfill all the valid and genuine demands and requirements of parents and society both. (Perkins, 1999, p. 6-11) The curriculum guide will be effective and will earn acceptance among the society if it is: Reliable and dependable enough with all the aspects of student growth and development. Suitable and well matched with the specific philosophy of educational systems. States clear and specific convictions about the teacher and learning process. Designed in a way that it meets all the needs and requirements of students of different intellectual levels and grades. Designed in a way that it is simple and easy to implement. Includes all the samples, models and other relevant resources. Developed in collaboration of curriculum development committee of professional teachers and other social behaviorist’s professionals. Establish a connection between goals and professional effort of teacher to achieve them. (Harrison, 2000, p, 57-60) Curriculum Implementation: Curriculum is the method of designing and delivering a particular content to the students. It includes the structure, sequence and appearance of the content in the class room during the level or between two levels. Curriculum is a combination of content of a course and instructional resources. Putting the curricula practices in the class room is a great for a professional teacher. Additionally, putting the new curricula practice in the class room and evaluating the behavior and attitude of their students is the great opportunity for teacher to know about their capacity and teaching methods. However it should be noted that at this stage of the development teachers are focused to learn and evaluate the new (Taba, 1962, p. 161) curricula and methods to use it rather than designing, testing or revising the curriculum. Issues associated with the curriculum implementation: Today we face a great challenge that students are not given enough time to adopt the particular content. There is also very common practice that curricula of today are developed in a way with the intension of standards. Designing professionals do not consider that the curricula must be compatible to the student intellectual capacity and mental approach. They design a content that is difficult to adopt and understand. We frequently hear from the teachers that the greatest barriers in curriculum implementation are insufficient time to study the guidelines and planning, deficient in expert learning resources to support new curricula, and lack of supports and encouragement that facilitates teachers to adopt and implement new initiatives and system. (Taba, 1962, p. 167)Also teacher face problem in getting desired response as the curriculum content does not match to the needs of students. It will also be a great challenge to co-ordinate and integrate the efforts individuals and groups at different level of education system. Since the curriculum development aims to ensure a quality and high class education for every community, culture, class and family. So the involvement of groups and other members of society is considered as a strength in the process of the curriculum development and management rather than a barrier or issue. There are some implications for curriculum designing. Professional must bear in mind those implications when developing the curriculum. (Tyler, 1949,p. 115 ) Implications of Designers: A curriculum is designed by the people with expertise and pedagogy. Professional people need sufficient time with suitable and efficient resources to design, test and then refine the content in a way that it is appropriate for student of varying needs and intellectuals. Teacher and professional development team member need to work in collaboration and should decide the policies of curriculum implementation that how it should be used by the students in class room and also should settle the milestones that will be met at different levels of implementation process. (Perkins, 1999, p. 6-11) Teacher needs motivation and encouragement about how to use the curricula in the class. Teachers also need different kinds of support to bring innovation in their teaching styles. Teachers discuss the contents with each other and develop an innovative teaching pattern. There should increase teacher coaching and collaboration also classroom visits to support and assist their co teacher in learning and understanding the student’s mental approach.(Byun, 2000, pp.57-60) It is vital for school officials that curriculum takes time to implement and in responding with the desired outcome. There should be a committee to improve and manage the curriculum. The officials must exercise the change after any modification. They must put it in the class room to ensure the continuous use of curriculum. Planning and development of professional teacher must be established to encourage them. All the teachers who are working, new comer and who are change grade wise must provide the support and motivational tools to utilize their efforts and abilities. (Chou, 1996, pp 76-80)We should keep in mind that education is a responsibility that is being shared by all. So we must make a strategy and should find new ways of involving and participation of the parents and rest of the member of society. It is off course a great challenge for teachers, learners and parents to think alike and develop effective strategies to work in collaboration and to maintain the standards. (Perkins, 1999, p. 6-11) Finally, a system for the evaluation must be established. Data should be collected from different sources about the evaluation, information, student learning outcomes and implementation strategies. Teachers and professionals then may use the information for further enhancement and improvement of the process. The information will also help them in monitoring and active management of the educational system. (Chou, 1996, pp 76-84) Implications for learners: Understanding the learners and their role in learning process is one thing but what are the implications for learners when we talk about putting educational practice in the education system? There is always diversification found in any educational system. Learners vary in their needs, culture, language and intellectual. For example small learner may need a lot instruction and theory to understand the concept then the adult learner. So they all must be handled with a great care to satisfy their needs. (Taba, 1962, p. 175)Straight away teaching style without any instructional approach to teach may find student dissatisfaction with the teaching style and also will give the low outcome and less professional instructional efforts. So it very crucial to develop a mechanism in which awareness should be given to teachers about the education trends and needs of different level. (Tyler, 1949,p. 121 ) It is very common practice that most of the learners do not enjoy the sheer pleasing of learning rather they take it as responsibility. It is also observed that many learners just learn because they want to apply for a job in future. They do not learn with the purpose of applying this knowledge to increase their moral values and knowledge. Some students get knowledge because they want to apply this into their life. In fact some learners learn out of necessity because they face transition in their life and they study to be relevant and more accurate to cover their interruption and to be succeeding at transition. (Chou, 1996, pp 76-80) Some learners are self directed and are able to monitor their progress. However, there is an implication that at a level some learners are very comfortable in deciding their own course of action such as choosing among courses and choosing among the assignments. For an educator, challenge is to understand the needs and interests of different students and develop mythology and conducting assessments that is allowing flexibility while constructing the course content. This is can be defined as a writing choice. Matter can be developed for any topic with one’s own frame of reference. (Taba, 1962, p. 181) Motivation is not a big issue for mature learners because they are always willing to learn and gin knowledge. Mature learners often are self motivated and self directed in an anticipation of a change in their careers and a desire to be successful in achieving the objectives. They can be engage and involve in learning process by assigning work in groups, assigning their roles in groups and case studies. (Tyler, 1949,p. 122-135) A literature study shows that learners who are healthy take active part and engage in the learning process. However this speed decreases with the time. Mature and older learners make up their speed on their experience and knowledge they are more active in interpreting the things. They are able to process at a higher cognitive level in analysis, creativity and judgment. So this means that an educator should make slight modification in the content for the mature and older learners. Small learners are not fast in memorizing the things and also may not be interested in contents rather to rely on memorization. (Taba, 1962, p. 187) Group discussion is the most important format of learning process. But while putting it in practice care must be used for protecting the discussion from wandering and becoming irrelevant. The teacher must introduce the topic first and then invite a discussion in each session and then must support them at all point. Giving the freedom to learners to share their stories and experiences is most desirable practice. It creates the willingness to learn and increase confidence and reduce the fear among the students. Instructors must spilt the large groups into smaller one, in this way students will be more comfortable in discussing their experiences and also it will develop an environment of trust among the students. (Tsai, 2001, p 401-415) Learners who are mature often bring their experiences in the class room that is really of worth. This can be threatening to the group and teacher as well if the teacher is not prepared to handle the situation. Instructor must bear in mind while handling the situation that he should put the control and should know when and how to invite the dominating personalities into discussion and when to interrupt them so that other can also participate in the discussion. (Taba, 1962, p. 191) Assessment of overall worth of Curriculum: Philosophical approach of curriculum: The idea of curriculum is always new to all but they way we define it and understand it has altered through the years and there is always a disagreement found in its meaning. To take a start we must look at a definition of a curriculum. Curriculum is a planned and guided learning by the schools whether it is inside a group or gained by an individual and inside or outside the school. (Tsai, 1998, p. 31-52) This definition has some key features that are: Learning is planned and guided by school. We have to describe in order to develop a curriculum what we aim to achieve and how we are going to achieve this. Curriculum refers to schooling. We must find out that our curriculum must fulfill the needs and must emerge with other schooling system with reference to subject and lesson. 1. Curriculum is the heart of knowledge and to be transmitted. 2. Curriculum as a product that is to attempt in order to achieve certain outcomes. 3. Curriculum as a process. 4. Curriculum as development. (Tsai, 2001, p 401-415) Importance of curriculum: Curriculum is the most significant part of our social culture and environment that assists students in meeting the desired learning and development goals of life. Curriculum is a fundamental and basic component of any educational institute and in student development curriculum is what and how to make the students learn to be interdependent Fundamental commitment of curriculum is to focus on how to educate students and help them in become responsible citizens. Educational institutions are considered a place of exercising curriculum. Educational institutes that maintain collaborative working environment among various faculties, professionals, and society educators within the premises of institute accept the challenges of a holy and effective learning environment. (Tsai, 1998, p. 31-52) Curriculum develops the personality: Educational institutes adapt the curriculum to emphasize the central importance of moral values and their development. 1. Curriculum is designed in a way that it views a learner as whole personality to be developed. Curriculum has major concern to equip the students with necessary knowledge, skills and attitude in order to make it a useful part of society and also valued member rather then keeping him isolated from society. 2. curriculum aims to prepare students for professions, 3. Curriculum is developed for responding the varying needs of students. 4. Curriculum lets the students participate and engage in activities. In this way it builds a social association environment. 5. Curriculum develops a student in the context of world’s discipline and values. 6. Curriculum incorporates the ethical and moral responsibilities in the life of learner. Curriculum integrates the faiths and learning: Curriculum helps in integrating the faiths and learning. (Tsai, 2001, p 401-415) Curriculum honors the dignity: Curriculum is enriched with all the diversified needs and develops not only the faculty but also helps students to embrace knowledge that more attract to them Curriculum keeps the dignity of personhood of all the learners. Encourages everyone to be responsible and work for the betterment of society. (Tsai, 1998, p. 31-52) Pedagogy in curriculum context: Pedagogy is the connection between what and how a curriculum of a faculty teach and how and what students learns Its major concern is to create safe and social environments Curriculum openly encourages student sharing. Curriculum shapes the level of sharing according to the cultural and religious faith. Curriculum sets standards for involvement in the class room and society. Curriculum develops thinking skills and sketches the boundaries of rightness and wrongness. (Cornell, 1999 pp. 60-64) Summary: Curriculum is the bedrock of a personality. The curriculum works like a vehicle toward the journey of a developed person. Curriculum works to integrate faith and learning. It is the basic foundation of any society and its moral values. Professionals are asked to take the development action as a serious mission because whole life depends on it. It includes all the debates regarding what and how to teach. It builds a sense of accomplishment in the students for their learning and development. (Tsai, 2001, p 401-415) Conclusion: We have explored the definition of curriculum. The ideal curriculum is that defines all the aspects of learning and teaching process. Effective curriculum also emphasizes on the goals, objective and desired outcomes along with all the teaching styles. The curriculum is a cyclic process that keeps moving continuously from planning to developing then implementing and finally evaluating. Curriculum implementation is putting the plan into action. This stage relies on the exercising the design rather then evaluating the design. Students practice many problem and we explored all the implications for the professional curriculum development teams. We also described the implications for learners. In the last we conducted the assessment of overall worth of curriculum in our daily life. Its very much true that curriculum builds the personality and special consideration should be kept in mind while designing the curriculum because a life depends on the curriculum. Effective designed curriculum may entertain a life and also poorly designed curriculum may destroy a personality. Reference Byun, H. P., Hallett, K., and Essex, C. (2000) Supporting instructors in the creation of online distance education courses: lessons learned. Educational Technology, 40 (5), pp. 57--60. Chou, C., and Sun, C. T. (1996) Constructing a cooperative distance learning system: the CORAL experience. Educational Technology Research and Development, 44 (4), pp. 71-84. Cornell, R. (1999) Web-based courseware tools: where is the pedagogy? Educational Technology, 39 (3), 60--64. Harrison, N., and Bergen, C. (2000) Some design strategies for developing an online course. Educational Technology, 40 (1), 57--60. Perkins, D. (1999) The many faces of consrtuctivism. Educational Leadership, 57 (3), 6--11. Taba, H. (1962) Curriculum Development: Theory and Practice (New York: Harcourt Brace). 151-191 Tsai, C.-C. (1998) Science learning and constructivism. Curriculum and Teaching, 13 (1), 31-52. Tsai, C.-C. (2001) The interpretation construction design model for teaching science and its applications to internet-based instruction in Taiwan. International Journal of Educational Development, 21 (5), 401--415. Tyler, R. W. (1949) Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction (Chicago: University of Chicago Press). 115-135. Read More