Curriculum Innovation PDF

CHAPTER 7 PRESENTED BY GROUP 4 This chapter discusses the concept of curriculum innovation and presents different examples of curriculum innovations across different levels of education from preschool to tertiary level. In this chapter, you should be able to: 1. define curriculum innovation; 2. a...

CHAPTER 7 PRESENTED BY GROUP 4 This chapter discusses the concept of curriculum innovation and presents different examples of curriculum innovations across different levels of education from preschool to tertiary level. In this chapter, you should be able to: 1. define curriculum innovation; 2. analyze the different types of curriculum innovations; and 3. appreciate the positive contribution of curriculum innovations in the education system.  refers to new ideas, practices, or objects that are adopted within an educational system to improve its effectiveness and efficiency. It encompasses new knowledge about curriculum, theories, practices, and designs that often emerge from research in education and other academic fields. It is often linked with curriculum change, which can be either planned or unplanned. Michael Fullan (1989) identified Four Core Changes in Educational Context that shape the definition of curriculum innovation. These core changes in schools includes: 1. some forms of regrouping or new grouping (structure); 2. new curriculum materials; 3. changes in some aspects of teaching practices (new activities, skills, behavior); and 4. change in beliefs or understandings vis-à-vis curriculum and learning At the heart of these innovations are educators who act as change agents, equipped with expertise and a deep understanding of pedagogy and the school system. A standards-based curriculum is designed based on content standards as explicated by experts in the field (Glatthorn et al., 1998). It defines what students should know and be able to do. Three different aspects: 1. Knowledge Standards: Themes and concepts students should learn throughout their education. 2. Skills Standards: Thinking and process skills that students are expected to acquire. 3. Dispositions: Attitudes and values that should be nurtured in students. This approach ensures educational quality, provides a framework for instructional delivery, and allows for creativity in teaching methods. Benefits includes: Ensuring students learn essential knowledge for functioning in the 21st century. Providing educators with guidelines for meaningful outcomes. Allowing flexibility in designing courses while maintaining common educational goals. The Multicultural Curriculum aims to promote cultural literacy and understanding among students. Schools use different strategies and approaches to develop cultural literacy and promote cultural understanding. Banks (1994) identified five dimensions that schools could adopt when trying to implement multicultural curriculum. 1. Content Integration: Using diverse cultural examples to illustrate key concepts in subjects. 2. Knowledge Construction Process: Helping students understand how cultural assumptions influence knowledge. 3. Prejudice Reduction: Developing democratic attitudes among students. 4. Equity Pedagogy: Modifying teaching methods to support diverse learners' academic success. 5. Empowering School Culture: Restructuring school culture to ensure quality education for all racial, ethnic, and gender groups. Multicultural Curriculum Six Goals (Bennett (1999) ) 1. Develop multiple historical perspectives; 2. Strengthen cultural consciousness; 3. Strengthen intercultural competence; 4. Combat racism, sexism, and other forms of prejudice and discrimination; 5. Increase awareness of the state of the planet and global dynamics; and 6. Build social action skills The Indigenous Curriculum was a product of a vision to make curriculum relevant and responsive to the needs and context of indigenous people. It links the curriculum with the society's culture and history. It values the importance of integrating indigenous knowledge systems of the people to the existing curriculum. Framework for the development of an Indigenous Curriculum 1. Constructing knowledge based on personal experiences and cultural context. 2. Using instructional strategies that promote success for diverse cultures. 3. Integrating content that reflects learners' culture, history, and traditions. 4. Utilizing community resources in curriculum development. Specifically, indigenous curriculum may consider using and implementing the following strategies at the school level: 1. Integrating contents and activities that reflect the learners' culture, history, traditions, and indigenous knowledge in the curriculum 2.Using the local language as the medium of instruction for several subjects like Math, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, Music, Values Education, and Home Economics and Livelihood Education 3. Involving community folks and local teachers in the development of the curriculum 4. Developing local instructional materials and learning outside the classroom by utilizing various community resources that are available for conducting observations and investigations 5. Using instructional strategies that are relevant to indigenous learning system Prominent advocates in brain-based education, Caine and Caine (1997) considered curriculum and instruction from a brain-based approach. They begin with brain-mind learning principles derived from brain research findings and apply these principles in the classroom and in designing a curriculum Key principles include: 1. The brain functions as a whole system, integrating physiology, emotions, and imagination. 2. Learning is influenced by interactions with the environment and others. 3. Emotions play a critical role in learning processes. 4. Learning involves both focused attention and peripheral input.  Resnick (1987), theorized that learners learn more if they are given several ways to look at a problem and if they are asked to that the brain learns best when it works to solve problems or accomplishes specific tasks give more than one way of solving it. Caine and Caine (1991) also cited studies showing function is to seek patterns in new learning.  Brain-based education has some direct implications in the development of curriculum. It postulates that brains do not exist in isolation. The brain exists in bodies, which in turn exist in a culture; the culture in which one happens to live becomes an important determinant of the brain's structure and organization (Gardner, 2000). Designed to respond to the needs of gifted learners and to develop their potential through specialized educational experiences that challenge and engage them. Purpose: - To nurture the potential of gifted students. - To provide differentiated learning experiences that match their advanced capabilities. Developed by Joseph Renzulli and Sally Reis, SEM is a comprehensive approach aimed at providing enrichment opportunities for all students while focusing on the needs of gifted learners. E.1. Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM) Goals of SEM 1. Developing talents in all children, 2. Providing a broad range of advanced-level enrichment experiences for all students, 3. Providing advanced follow-up opportunities for young people based on their strengths and interests. Developed by Carol Ann Tomlinson, this model emphasizes parallel learning paths that cater to students' varying abilities and interests, ensuring that all learners are appropriately challenged. The four curriculum parallels in this model are a. Core Curriculum - nature of knowledge that is embedded in the discipline. This includes the core concepts, skills, and values that are unique for each discipline. b. Curriculum of Connection - integration or interconnectedness of knowledge across different disciplines. The four curriculum parallels in this model are c. Curriculum of Practice - application of knowledge to different real-life situations and the methodology of a practitioner. d. Curriculum of Identity - learner's values and goals and those that characterize practicing professionals Created by Prof. George Betts and Jolene Kercher to promote gifted students' growth toward independent, self- directed learning. This model focuses on fostering independence in gifted learners by encouraging them to take responsibility for their own learning Betts (2004) pointed out that curricular offerings typically fall into three levels: Level I: Prescribed Curriculum Level II: Differentiated Curriculum Level III: Learner-Differentiated Options Five major dimensions of Autonomous Learner Model: A. Orientation B. Individual Development C. Enrichment Activities D. Seminars E. In-depth Study This model promotes an interdisciplinary approach where subjects are connected, allowing gifted students to see the relationships between different areas of knowledge Three (3) dimensions based on the model of VanTassel-Baska (1987) that guide the development of the curriculum: 1. Advanced Content Dimension - encourages group work where students can share diverse perspectives and skill 2.Process/Product Dimension - students apply their learning to real-world problems and scenarios, enhancing relevance 3.Issues/Themes Dimension- instruction is organized around themes that integrate multiple subjects. The program is designed to provide excellent science experiences for gifted children in Japan. The kids who participated in the program were rigorously selected using a checklist adopted from the Gifted Behavior Checklist in Science for Primary Children.  Group Meeting and Brainstorming Activities Selection of Contents Designing Lessons Differentiation is a philosophy that enables teachers to plan strategically in order to reach the needs of the diverse learners in classrooms. Differentiated Curriculum a curriculum that enhances learning, making it learner- centered and dynamic. enables teachers to plan the curriculum based on the nature and needs of learners. According to Gayle Gregory and Carolyn Chapman (2002), there are Six Steps in Planning Differentiated Learning: 1. Set standards 2. Define content 3. Activate prior knowledge 4. Acquire new knowledge 5. Apply and adjust the learning 6. Assess learning Technology offers multiple opportunities to improve teaching and learning and in the total education system. It also offers different ways and opportunities for discovering and sharing information. Technology Integration is breaking the geographical barriers in education. It is creating a new space for meaningful learning. With technology, it is now possible to connect and interact with other schools, educators, and other institutions from different parts of the world. There are several innovations from basic education to graduate education that are associated or influenced by technology integration. Some of these innovations are: distance education online libraries webinars computer-assisted instruction online journals e-books online learning teleconferencing ICT literacy is now fast-becoming an important form of literacy that is essential for each learner to learn and master. It also requires all teachers to be ICT literate to be able to utilize technology to enhance or improve the way they teach. Outcome-Based Education (OBE) is an educational approach that focuses on the outcomes or competencies that students are expected to demonstrate upon completion of a course or program. It emphasizes what learners can do after instruction rather than what they are taught. It also ensures connections among the essential elements of the curriculum: intent, content, learning experiences, and evaluation. It is important that when designing a curriculum for OBE, the competencies and standards should be clearly articulated. Writing the learning outcomes in OBE closely resembles Robert Mager's guidelines (1984) that include expected performance, the conditions under which it is attained, and the standards for assessing quality. 1. Traditional/Transitional Approach- student mastery of traditional subject-related academic outcomes and cross- discipline outcomes. 2.Transformational Approach - long-term cross-curricular outcomes that are related directly to students' future life roles 1. Clarity of Focus - ensures that all educational activities are aligned with the intended learning outcomes. 2. Designing Backwards - curriculum and assessments are developed based on desired outcomes, ensuring alignment between teaching and learning goals. 3. High Expectations - sets high standards for all students, promoting rigorous expectations for achievement 4. Expanded opportunities for all learners - promotes successful learning  It is needs-driven It is outcomes-driven It has a design-down approach It specifies outcomes and levels of outcomes Shifts from teaching to learning The framework is holistic in its outcomes focus An OBE curriculum is mission-driven that requires all institutions to anchor all their curricular offerings to the curriculum and to the vision, mission, and philosophy of the institution Conducting needs analysis to analyze the vision and mission of the HEI, analyze the charter of the HEI if it is a state college or university, and examine the needs and demands of the society. The institutional outcome defines the identity of the HEI, which enables them to design various academic programs and develop the institutional culture that includes the core values of the HEI. it is important to identify the desired attributes, knowledge, skills, and values that an ideal graduate of the HEI aims to develop. The program outcomes reflect the necessary competencies that an ideal graduate of the academic program should possess. It is important that these learning outcomes reflect the program outcomes set by the college for a particular degree program from undergraduate to graduate and postgraduate levels 1. Developing Course Competencies 2. Developing a Curriculum Map 3. Developing the Syllabus  Each set of competencies should reflect the nature of the courses, embody the course description, and focus on the learner and learning Encouraged educators to include habits of mind in the course outcomes or competencies  It is important for the college faculty to develop a curriculum map to plot the program outcomes with the specific courses for a particular degree program. It is necessary to see that each set of course competencies be logically organized in a spiral progression considering two architectonics of curriculum: the vertical organization and horizontal organization  The faculty will develop the syllabus for each course. This includes identifying course content, learning activities, and course requirements or assessment tools. OBE requires all teachers to focus on the outcomes prescribed for each course. It simply directs teachers that the teaching and learning experiences as reflected in the syllabus should be aligned perfectly with the course competencies  Educators are always encouraged to innovate in the curriculum to improve education. Curriculum innovations should bring positive results for both the school and the students.  Innovations should be designed to address the specific needs and challenges faced by Filipino learners, making the curriculum relevant and responsive. ‘ Teachers, administrators, and stakeholders, play an important roles in introducing, implementing, and supporting curriculum innovations.