Dr Elsie Reynolds Beth yw cwricwlwm? What is a curriculum?

Cyflwyniad i’r cysyniad o Gynllunio a Datblygu’r Cwricwlwm Trafod Anghenion Cwricwlwm Cynllunio i bwrpas penodol Adfyfyrio a gwerthuso Introduction to the concept of Curriculum Design and Development Discuss Curriculum requirements Plan for a specific need Reflect and evaluate

Beth Cwricwlwm? What is meant by ‘Curriculum’? The Curriculum is the activities that … experience as learners in a place of education. The Curriculum is activities undergone by learners and determined by teachers. The Curriculum is the whole gamut of things a learner may do in a school of college. The Curriculum is a series of content units arranged in such a way that the learning of each unit may be accomplished as a single act, provided that the capabilities described by specified prior units have already been mastered by the learner.

The Curriculum is what the learners should do. The Curriculum is the subject matter or content taught. Curriculum consists of objectives, content, methods and evaluation. The above definitions suggest that the Curriculum involves learning - where, is debatable. Mae’r diffiniadau uchod yn awgrymu bod y Cwricwlwm yn ymwneud â dysgu - y lle sy’n amheus.

The Curriculum should equip students directly for their role as members of society. The Curriculum should be something which equips students directly by training them for jobs in society. The purpose of the curriculum may vary depending on who has arranged it (e.g. lead bodies) and this in turn will affect what the curriculum covers. Gall pwrpas y cwricwlwm amrywio yn ôl y rhai sy’n trefnu (e.e. cyrff arweiniol) a gall hyn wedyn effeithio ar ei gynnwys.

Key to Curriculum Planning:... forge educationally sound and logical links between planned intentions, course content, teaching and learning methods and the assessment of student learning while taking full account of student characteristics.... curriculum development should be an ongoing process. Allwedd i gynllunio’r Cwricwlwm... sichrau cysylltiadau addysgiadol a rhesymegol cadarn rhwng yr hyn sydd wedi ei gynllunio, cynnwys y cwrs, dulliau dysgu ac addysgu ac asesiad dysgu’r myfyrwyr tra’n ystyried yn llawn nodweddion y myfyrwyr.... dylai datblygiad y cwricwlwm fod yn broses ddi-dor,

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Anghenion Dysgwyr Gallu ar ddechrau’r cwrs Lefel cymhelliant Disgwyliadau Amser Cyrsiau eraill Nifer Cystadleuaeth Oedran? Cyrsiau ar gyfer myfyrwyr Myfyrwyr ar gyfer cyrsiau Cyfrifoldeb personol / sefydliadol Dulliau dysgu Learners’ Needs Existing level of knowledge Level of motivation Expectations Time constraints Other courses Number registered Competition Age? Courses for students Students for courses Personal / Institutional Responsibilities Learning styles

Personalities Backgrounds Different values Gender Laws / Policies Flexibility Adjustment to education Specific needs e.g. overseas, mature Language used - e.g. jargon, dialect Own attitudes, behaviour, values and beliefs Personoliaethau Cefndiroedd Gwerthoedd gwahanol Cenedl Deddfau / Polisiau Hybylygrwydd Addasu ar gyfer addysg Anghenion arbennig e.e. tramor, aeddfed Iaith e.e. terminoleg, tafodiaith Agweddau, ymddygiad, gwerthoedd a chredoau personol

The Curriculum beyond school is full of tensions: In professional courses between academic and professional criteria. Vocational courses involve social elements Recreational courses may involve personal and social elements. Mae’r Cwricwlwm wedi ysgol yn llawn tensiynau: Mewn cyrsiau proffesiynol rhwng meini prawf academaidd a phroffesiynol Gall cyrsiau galwedigaethol yn cynnwys elfennau cymdeithasol Gall cyrsiau o ran difyrrwch yn cynnwys elfenau personol a chymdeithasol

Dotted lines - Decisions should reflect general aims or ethos Double headed arrows - interrelationships Eraut 1975

Rowntree’s Educational Technology Model (1982) Purposes Design of Learning Evaluation Improvement Start? Constraints

Aims Politics Attitudes Resources Costs Objectives Methods Assessment Content Evaluation Mainwaring & Elton 1984

Processes of Curriculum Development Values and Needs Implementation Design Evaluation and Review Support Systems Learners Teachers Industry/Commerce Community Marketing Student centred Industry centred Negotiated Centrally Determined Progression Access (Entry) Acceptability Co-ordination Monitoring Evaluation Review/change Marketing Teaching/Learning Strategies Mode of Delivery materials Development Access guidance New Tech Assessment Standards Resources: Facilities, Support Staff,Finance Staff Development Research Information Information and Dissemination Systems

FOUR CONCEPTIONS OF CURRICULUM The official curriculum The hidden curriculum The observed curriculum The curriculum-as-experienced Pollard & Triggs (1997)

THE OFFICIAL CURRICULUM “A planned course of study” Explicitly stated programme of learning States intended curriculum content Structures sequence and progression, framing content and course activities Designed to challenge students and match learning needs

HIDDEN CURRICULUM All that is learnt during school/college activities that is not a designated part of official curriculum What is “picked up” about eg role of teacher/learner, status, attitudes to learning Implicit, embedded in taken-for-granted procedures and materials May be unrecognised and often examined Can have profound effect on self image on students, and attitudes to education/other social groups

OBSERVED CURRICULUM What can be seen as taking place in classroom May be different from intended official curriculum

CURRICULUM-AS-EXPERIENCED The parts of the curriculum (official and hidden) that actually connect meaningfully with students Arguably only this aspect which has educational impact – rest is often forgotten!

VOCATIONAL CURRICULUM Characterised as: Experientially based in terms of content and teaching method Directly relevant to student needs Emphasis on core skills Marsh, 1997

VOCATIONAL CURRICULUM Orientation: Tend to be explicit in outcomes Selection of content has input from industry, government, community as well as educators Emphasis on student-centred learning Typically based on small units, separately assessed/certificated

ACADEMIC CURRICULUM Perceived as educationally elite, high status, traditionally thought of as more challenging Classroom based Focus on knowledge of given subject area determined by subject experts Emphasis on end of course external exams At advanced level, free choice of subjects “A-level” curriculum dependent on institution Can reinforce inequalities Young & Leney (1997)

COMMUNITY EDUCATION Traditionally cultural and recreation subjects Often held in community venues Voluntary attendance Usually non-accredited, although accreditation increased for funding purposes

MODELAU MODELS

PRODUCT MODEL Also known as behavioural objectives model Some key theorists: Tyler (1949), Bloom (1965) Model interested in product of curriculum

FOUR FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS What are aims and objectives of curriculum? Which learning experiences meet these aims and objectives? How can the extent to which these aims and objectives have been met be evaluated? How can these learning experiences be organised? (Adapted from Tyler 1949 [ ])

ADVANTAGES OF PRODUCT MODEL Avoidance of vague general statements of intent Makes assessment more precise Helps to select and structure content Makes teachers aware of different types and levels of learning involved in particular subjects Guidance for teachers and learners about skills to be mastered

CRITICISMS OF PRODUCT MODEL At lower levels, behavioural objectives may be trite and unnecessary Difficult to write satisfactory behavioural objectives for higher levels of learning. Specific behaviours not appropriate for affective domain Discourages creativity for learner and teacher Enshrines psychology and philosophy of behaviourism Curriculum too subject and exam bound

PROCESS MODEL Focusses on teacher activities and teacher’s role Student and learner activities (perhaps most important feature) Conditions in which learning takes place Key thinker Stenhouse (1975)

PROCESS MODEL Emphasis on means rather than ends Learner should have part in deciding nature of learning activities More individualised atmosphere Assumption that learner makes unique response to learning experiences

ADVANTAGES OF PROCESS MODEL Emphasis on active roles of teachers and learners Emphasis on learning skills Emphasis on certain activities as important in themselves and for “life”

DISADVANTAGES OF PROCESS MODEL Neglect of considerations of appropriate content Difficulty in applying approach in some areas (Process and Product model from Neary, M. (2002) Chapter 3)

MOTIVATORS Responsibility Autonomy, Being challenged or stretched Receiving feedback, Variety Learning, Personal development Team support / effective leadership Rewards (money, benefits) Status Promotion Success in meeting objectives CYMHELLION Cyfrifoldeb Rhyddid Derbyn sialens Derbyn adborth Amrywiaeth Dysgu, Datblygiad Personol Cefnogaeth tim ac arweiniad effeithiol Gwobr Statws Dyrchafiad Llwyddiant yn cyrraedd yr amcanion

Instructor's enthusiasm Relevance of the material Organization of the course Appropriate difficulty level of the material Active involvement of students Variety Rapport between teacher and students Use of appropriate, concrete, and understandable examples Brwdfrydedd yr hyfforddwr Perthnased y deunydd Trefniant y cwrs Lefel y deunydd Cynhwysiant y myfyrwyr Amrywiaeth Perthynas rhwng yr athro a’r myfyriwr Defnydd o enghreifftiau pendant a hawdd eu deall

DEMOTIVATORS Underload or Overload Boredom / Routine Imposed authority Negative colleagues / peers Lack of participation in decision making Physical environment Lack of reward Lack of clarity about objectives ELFENNAU NEGYDDOL Gormod / rhy fach o waith Diflastod / Undonedd Awdurdod gorfodol Cydweithwyr negyddol Diffyg mewnbwn mewn penderfyniadau Amgylchedd Dim gwobr Amcanion aneglur

Poor communication Rigid policies Poor administration Ineffective supervision / leadership Imposed unrealistic targets Cyfathrebu gwael Polisiau caeth Gweinyddu gwael Arolygu ac arweiniad aneffeithiol Targedau afreal

Needs Analysis Organisational, Management and institutional context The general philosophy or ideology of the institution Anghenion Rheolaeth, Sefydliadol, Athroniaeth gyffredinol neu ideoleg y sefydliad Qualifications and Assessment Framework Fframwaith Cymwysterau ac Asesu

The kind of students being catered for Math o fyfyrwyr Aims, Objectives and Methods Nod, Amcanion a Dulliau Content and Structure Cynnwys a Strwythur Resources Adnoddau Asesu, Adborth a Gwerthuso Assessment, Feedback and Evaluation

BIBLIOGRAPHY Pollard, A. & Triggs, P. (1997) Reflective Teaching in Secondary Education. London: Continuum Young, M. & Leney, T. (1997) From A-levels to an Advanced Level Curriculum of the Future in Hodgson, A. & Spours, K. (eds) (1997) Dearing and Beyond. London: Kogan Page Marsh, C.J. (1997) Perspectives: Key concepts for understanding curriculum 1. London: Falmer Press Bloom, B. (Ed) (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Handbook 1 cognitive domain. London: Longman. Tyler, R. W. (1949). Basic Principles of Curriculum and Instruction. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. Eraut, M., Goad, L., & Smith, G. (1975). Analysis of Curriculum Materials. Brighton, UK: University of Sussex.