Curriculum Managemen For Studentst

Curriculum Management Thinking about the Curriculum Lecture 1 Miriam Teuma

Its Origins

• It has its origins in the running/chariot tracks of Greece. It was, literally, a course. In Latin curriculum was a racing chariot; currere was to run.

Activity 1 Imagine that you have been asked to discuss the curriculum. As you begin to think about what should be discussed, what kind of questions come to your mind?

Reflection • One of the first questions surely is the question of content. • Another major area will be the question of method. • Another issue that will arise concerns who. • And another is assessment.

The Basic Curriculum Questions • What should be taught? • How should it be taught? • To whom should it be taught? • How should it be assessed?

Defining the curriculum If we are concerned with ‘thinking about the curriculum’ we need to have some idea of the basic ‘object’ we are thinking about. The problem is that the definition of ‘curriculum’ is defined and characterised in a number of different ways.

Thinking about the curriculum is: • Thinking about what should be ‘in the curriculum • Rather than • What kind of thing the curriculum is • What is it for and • What it does

Activity 2 Write down your own definition of curriculum and give an example describing this way of using the term.

Response • The most common way is by reference to content. (syllabus – the organisation of a litany of subjects) Weakness? Neglects important dimension of what students learn • All the planned educational activities and learning experiences offered by a school. (programme of planned activities and is usually incorporated in the formal documents by which the school describes its aims and values. Weakness? Neglects what actually happens in the classroom.

So • If we confine ourselves to understanding the curriculum primarily as a set of policies and plans then our thinking will inevitably be about what and how ‘in theory’ we should teach and questions about whether these policies and theories can be translated in practice will tend to be ignored.

Alternatively • If we define the curriculum as what actually happens in the classroom, then we will tend to neglect questions about the intentions, purposes and aims by which our curriculum practices should be guided and informed.

No either/or Stenhouse expressed: We appear to be confronted by two different views of curriculum. On the one hand the curriculum is seen as intention plan or prescription, on the other as the existing state of affairs in schools. In essence it seems to me that curriculum study is concerned with the relationship between these views of curriculum – as intention and as reality. I believe that our educational realities seldom conform to our educational intentions. We cannot put our policies into practice… The central curriculum problem is the gap between our ideas and aspirations and our attempts to operationalise them.

What should we aim for: To communicate the essential principles of an educational proposal in such a form that is open to critical scrutiny and capable of effective translation into practice.

Perspectives and Paradigms The technical Paradigm of Curriculum thinking

• Sputnick (1957) • Curriculum thinking became a province of ‘experts’ • Tyler ‘Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction’ (1949)

Tyler attempted to: • View • Analyse and • Interpret The curriculum and instructional programme of an educational institution.

He identified four questions: 1. What educational purposes should the schools seek to attain? 2. What educational experiences can be provided that are likely to attain these purposes? 3. How can the educational experience be effectively organised? 4. How can we determine whether these purposes are being attained?

Answer to the first question

What educational purposes should the schools seek to attain? • He proposes a clear definition of what educational objectives are. • He states these as behavioural objectives.

Answer to the second question What educational experiences can be provided that are likely to attain these purposes? • For a given objective to be attained a student must have experiences that give him an opportunity to practice the kind of behaviour implied by the objective. • The learning experiences must be such that the student obtains satisfaction from carrying on the kind of behaviour implied by the objective. • The reactions desired in the experience are within the range of possibility for the students involved. • There are many particular experiences that can be used to attain the same educational objectives. • The same learning experience will usually bring about several outcomes.

Answer to the third question How can the educational experience be effectively organised? •

• • •

A definition of organisation (cumulative arrangement of learning experiences so that they reinforce one another both vertically and horizontally) An outline of three criteria of effective organisation (continuity, sequence and integration) A definition of the elements to be organised (concepts, values and skills) A description of organising structures

Answer to the fourth question How can we determine whether these purposes are being attained? • • •

His conception of the need for a evaluation Some basic notions of evaluation A description of evaluation procedures

Results of evaluation may be used to indicate: strengths and weaknesses in a curriculum; to suggest explanations for the strengths and weaknesses observed; to clarify objectives; to direct teachers’ and learners; attention to the more important aspects of a curriculum; to guide individual students and suggest directions for followup teaching

Tyler’s Technical Paradigm

It answers questions about: How to ‘deliver’ a curriculum effectively but offers no way of answering questions about what should be taught why and to whom

The Practical Paradigm of Curriculum thinking Schwab 1969 ‘The practical: a Language for the Curriculum’ who invokes the Aristotelian distinction between technical and practical discourse

Technical vs Practical • Technical discourse is the language about how to act in order to bring about some determined end Example: Phonics or word approach is the most effective means to reading?

• Practical discourse is the language about how to act in order to realise ethical values and goals. Example • Should a primary schools teacher teach the pupils the mechanics of language or respond to the pupils’ natural curiosity and interest?

Reid - 1978 • In practical thinking means and ends are equally problematic. Each informs and is informed by the other. • Educational values are central to curriculum thinking. However they do not function as ends to which the curriculum is the instrumental means. Rather values are realised in and through the curriculum. • Curriculum thinking is thoughtful, reflective and morally informed thinking not just the mechanical following of established principles and rules. • The responsibility for curriculum lies with practitioners who make prudent professional judgements about what is educationally appropriate in a given concrete situation.

Stenhouse 1970’s Stenhouse elaborated a view of curriculum development which: Advanced a ‘process model of curriculum development – a model which construed curriculum development as the process through which teachers deepen their capacity to translate their education values into classroom practice.

For Stenhouse Curriculum was synonymous with Professional development which was itself construed As a research process which teachers systematically reflect on their practice and use the results of this reflection in such a way to improve their own teaching.

The Critical Paradigm • This paradigm challenges • the educational assumptions and activities of the state. • Contemporary curriculum may be operating as an ideological mechanism to legitimate curriculum irrational and unjust educational outcomes.

The purpose of this is: • Not to improve the effectiveness of the curriculum in achieving given learning objectives and educational goals • Nor is it to educate teachers by helping them to make professional judgements BUT To enlighten teachers about the ways in which the curriculum serves to integrate individuals and society by reproducing the ideologies and social structures characteristic of contemporary society.

A changing society  technology  an ageing population  the gap between rich and poor  global culture and ethnicity  sustainability  changing maturity levels in schools  expanding knowledge of learning  a changing economy

Students “When young people have been dancing, singing, doing fieldwork, contacting people in other countries in another language, managing money, experimenting, growing things, cooking and making things, some people will argue that enjoyment and purpose have taken over from real learning”.

They need to know the basics

But what are the basics?

These are the basics: “dancing, singing, doing fieldwork, contacting people in other countries in another language, managing money, experimenting, growing things, cooking and making things.”

Because • In history, the Great Siege will still have taken place. • In mathematics, the area of a circle will still be Πr2. • Romeo will still fall in love with Juliet. • In science, litmus paper will still turn red when dipped in acid and copper will still be a great conductor. • Talking of conductors, music will remain the food of love.

Activity 3 Return to the definition of curriculum you gave in Activity 2. With which of the ideas mentioned so far do you have most sympathy?

Which idea is most widespread amongst teachers and other educational professionals?

What measures can you take to improve on the ideas you have less sympathy with.

Curriculum Management Organising and Leading the Curriculum Lecture 2 Miriam Teuma

Organising the curriculum 1. Visionary – the learnt curriculum (the skills, knowledge and attitudes that provides a focus for the discrete educational experience at the college. 2. Strategic – the taught curriculum (the pedagogy, subjects and organisational culture/learning environment that will be employed to deliver the learnt curriculum.

Organisation….. 3. Structural – the enabled curriculum (the identification, deployments and management of teachers or teaching materials, resources and organisational systems to enable the taught curriculum to be delivered.

How?

The head in the clouds with feet firmly on the ground

Driving forces but also pressures Student centred vs Subject focused Process vs Content Classroom led vs State controlled Open ended vs Target driven

Management consequences Three Models of teaching and learning • A teacher or subject centred approach - where a predetermined curriculum is delivered. • A learner centred approach – where the curriculum is designed depending on the student needs. • A partnership approach which seeks to bind teachers and learners to common enterprise combining external expectations and individual needs.

The

Leader

Within

• In taking up leadership you bring to the task a personal and professional mission to focus on the success of each child. • Your primary role is to lead the learning and teaching in the school to that end. • You possess a high level of expertise, knowledge and skill in the design, delivery, assessment and accountability for the curriculum.

Realising the Vision • Your role is to build the vision and focus the spot light on the way ahead. • An effective vision is like an unseen energy field that influences teaching and shapes decisions and actions into a unified approach.

Setting directions and planning the journey

• Every journey has plans, milestones and end points. • Work with some good navigation tools. • The efficacy of your planning processes and the skill with which you and the staff engage with them are critical to the long term transformation of the curriculum.

Shaping the high performance team • Having the right people for the job. • Gathering the team, building agreements and commitments, and building spirit for the work are fundamental elements of the leader’s work.

Leading the learning • Strong curriculum and instructional leaders keep relentless focus on the well being of children, their success in learning and the quality of the teaching and services assisting them.

Leadership for accountability • Having good plans and an agreed approach to the achievement of targets is vital. • Knowing how you are going as you make headway is essential

Leading the Teaching • Educational leaders are deeply engaged with their staff in the business of teaching and learning • They focus on productive and healthy classrooms • Leaders provide artful stewardship over the total curriculum in the school and work consistently to ensure its quality and effectiveness

Building a culture of Professionalism and growth

• Educational leaders build a culture of learning with the staff, engage with it in critical reflection, encourage research and inquiry, share programs and successes and facilitate learning and debate about teaching as a professional practice.

Resourcing Curriculum Delivery

• Strong leaders ensure that the curriculum is well resourced and equipped in order to optimise teaching and maximise learning. • The assets and resources must be continually renewed to ensure safe and effective learning

Steering through risk, turbulence and conflict

• Leaders are frequently confronted with turbulence, crises and inevitable conflict in the course of an organisation’s journey. • These occurrences are an essential part of the process of change and renewal.

Leadership for sustainable reform

• Effective leaders sustain their focus and drive forward in small and strategic ways in order to move the college towards a new way of being. • Sustaining the mantra for change, maintaining the field of vision, facilitating transformation at an individual and whole school level demands systems focused leadership.

I am Angelica and this is my story……

Angelica’s story • What were your thoughts about the curriculum work you will have to do in your school to keep up with her needs? • What are the teaching implications of this scenario? • Will our current school structures serve today’s five year old well?

The

Leader

within

“Leadership exists when people are no longer victims of circumstances but participate in creating new circumstances…its not about positional power; it’s not about accomplishments; its ultimately not even about what we do. Leadership is about creating a domain in which human beings continually deepen their understanding of reality and become more capable of participating in the unfolding of the world. Leadership is about creating new realities.” (Caldwell, B.1997.)

Leadership • “…..as the capacity of a human community to shape its future, and specifically to sustain the significant processes to do so.” • “Leadership actually grows from the capacity to hold creative tension, the energy created when people articulate vision and tell the truth about current reality..” Senge, 1999 “The Dance of Change.”

Effective curriculum leaders are able to develop a high performance team that undertakes the work of the mission and enables it to achieve its goals.

Effective curriculum leaders keep focus on children and young people as the core of the mission: their wellbeing, their success in learning and the quality and safety of the school environment. They are vigilant about the participation, access and inclusion of children as a means to success.

The Curriculum Leader as Transformational Facilitator There are a range of skills the leader must use with wisdom and competence. These include: listening, responding and clarifying to ensure effective and ongoing communication positioning and influencing to gather support for change process integrating and participative design to build relevance and commitment and benchmarking, process reviewing and changing to ensure best practice and progress is measured and embedded.

Thank you for your participation