CURRICULUM, A TERM OR A PROCESS
In its broadest sense, curriculum refers to the total learning experiences of an individual, in school which is largely influenced by the dynamics of our society/environment.
A curriculum is considered the “heart” or ”the central processing unit” of any learning institution which means that schools cannot, and should not exist without a curriculum.
With its importance in formal education, the curriculum, and its development has become a dynamic process due to the changes that occur in our society. Is this how we see curriculum in our schools? Are we static in our appreciation of curriculum development?
Curriculum from an education standpoint, is broadly defined as the totality of students’ experiences that occur in the teaching and learning process. -Wikipedia
Curriculum has also been termed as lessons and academic content taught in a school or in a specific course or program.
From my practical point of view and in agreement with an author, curriculum is the knowledge and skill, a student is expected to learn, the standards, their objectives that we as educators expect them to meet; the units and lessons that educators teach; the assignments and projects set for the students; the resources used in a course; and the assessments, and other methods used to evaluate student learning.
CAN WE DO WITHOUT A CURRICULUM?
“As the saying goes, if you fail to plan then you plan to fail”
An educator’s curriculum, should have specific learning tools [i.e. lessons, related assignments, and resources] employed to shape and teach a particular course in attaining precise learning standards and objectives. It should be an EXPERIENCE!
Your curriculum helps in planning the learning process or procedure for A GIVEN PERIOD. A curriculum helps education function in every learning environment.
Curriculum acts as a guide for school to achieve their objectives and/or expectations for a specific period. It should be amenable to change, progressive change.
WHY DESIGN A CURRICULUM?
To design our curriculum, we must ask ourselves critical questions that will help frame learning and teaching. What do I aim to achieve by my learning process? Is my learning experience geared towards attaining a particular objective? What do I expect from my learners after going through my learning experience? What do I need to put in place to make this learning experience a reality? Will my learning experience as set up, achieve this objective? Do I have the right hands, and resources to achieve my objective? Is my objective too idealistic or realistic or relatable to my immediate societal situation?
The main purpose of this process and your inexhaustive questions is to translate broad statements of intent into specific plans and actions. You need to ensure that there is an alignment between the three states of curriculum: the planned curriculum (What is intended by the designers), the delivered curriculum (What is taught by the teacher) and the experienced curriculum (What is learned by the students). This is not a one-man job, it is all inclusive. From the teachers to the administrative staff.
A curriculum often consists of a guide for educators to teach content and skills. While some curricula are general road maps, others may be quite detailed, giving instructions for day to day learning.
One thing is unquestionable, developing a curriculum can be quite challenging, especially when expectations have such a large range. No matter the situation, it is important to start from the general to the specific by bringing in more details with each step.
Remember as I have emphasized, constantly evaluate your work to see if any changes need to be made.
DEVELOPING AND IMPROVISING YOUR CURRICULUM IS A MUST!
We develop a curriculum by planning an intentional, progressive and systematic process to create positive improvement in the educational system.
Changes and developments around the world should impact the school curriculum. A school’s curriculum should be aimed at shaping the mindset of its students to solve the challenges of his/her immediate environment. In other words, developing a curriculum is not about only the school, the learner and the teachers, it is about the development of the society as a whole.
GUIDE TO DEVELOP A CURRICUM
We develop a curriculum by planning an intentional, progressive and systematic process to create positive improvement in the educational system.
Changes and developments around the world should impact the school curriculum. A school’s curriculum should be aimed at shaping the mindset of its students to solve the challenges of his/her immediate environment. In other words, developing a curriculum is not about only the school, the learner and the teachers, it is about the development of the society as a whole.
ANALYSE — DESIGN — SELECT — FORMATION — REVIEW
The main purpose of curriculum development is to ensure that students get integrated through consistent learning experiences that helps them achieve their personal, academic and professional learning and development.
MAINTAINING A GOOD CURRICULUM
The curriculum must be progressive in nature. It must continuously evolve, I MEAN CONTINOUSLY. To achieve this we must constantly monitor, evaluate and if need be, adapt our activities to meet the needs of a modern and dynamic community. We must be forward thinking!
The curriculum should be based on the need of the students as a learner and a member of he society as a whole. [The Norman history example]
The curriculum should be developed by a group of knowledgeable people in the area of study and school e.g. teachers and H.O.D.
The curriculum will be a result of long-term effort- It takes a long time to plan, manage, evaluate and develop. This is why it is a PROCESS and not just a term, it is not an EVENT. It must be fashioned out precisely. Do not be afraid to reverse certain areas of the curriculum you feel are redundant. That is exactly how a curriculum works, it is constant evolution.
The curriculum should be detailed- It should contain all the instructions, resources, methods used.
The curriculum should be developmental and the lessons and activities should be well planned
The curriculum must be flexible as this will enable the educator become creative in reaching the desirable objective. Multiplication need not be by root method only, cant we adopt relatable approaches, even approaches designed by the teacher?
HOW DO YOU DEVELOP A GOOD CURRICULUM?
Gathering Information
Be intentional in defining the purpose of your curriculum. It should have clear topics and aims. The topics should be age and environment appropriate.
Here comes the inexhaustive questions: — Who will be taking this course? — Why am I teaching this material? -What do the students need to know? — What is the student’s attitude towards the subject/course? -What things do they need to learn (relevance to their future)?
Designing
After extracting/gathering information, it is time to design the content. Before designing the content, there needs to be clear objectives (This includes words such as Identify, Modify, Plan, Evaluate)
— Choose an appropriate title
— Establish a timeline and figure out how much can be covered within the allotted time.
— Make a list of the different desirable outcomes- Come up with the list of the content you want the students to learn and what they should be able to do by the end of course.
— Consult existing curricula and framework for inspiration. No one is an island, no one is expected to be. Even the learned lawyers have a saying: “ God forbid a time when a Lawyer is expected to know the whole law. However, he should know where to find it.”
Building Content
Create learning goals for each unit- These are the specific things that the students should know and be able to do at the end of the unit (As you create learning goals, keep questions in mind e.g. what does the regulatory authority require the students to know? What do you want the students to know? How do I want the students to think of this topic? What will my students be able to do after their experience?). Do not let a bad educational system shape your curriculum.
Write essential questions for each unit- Essential questions act as a guide for students.
Prepare appropriate learning experiences- Come up with the appropriate materials, resources and experiences students will need in order to understand the topic/unit adequately.
Evaluation
This helps the student know if they were successful in understanding the content and it helps the teacher know if they were successful in delivering the content. This also helps the teacher determine if any changes need to be made to the curriculum in the future. This is why it essentially important to have the right hands and to carry them along through the process.
Include a plan for written assessments- There are many ways to assess the student’s performance [FORMATIVE-This monitors student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by teachers to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning AND/OR SUMMATIVE-Refers to the assessment of students where the focus is on the outcome of a program).
Evaluation should be present throughout each unit.
ALAS! THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE
IMPLEMENTING YOU CURRICULUM
Use the curriculum to plan lessons.
Teach and observe the lessons to improve the curriculum
Reflect on how the students respond to the material
