Planning the Instructional Program Basic Principles of Curriculum Design

What is a Curriculum? All experiences conducted under school auspices, from formal classroom instruction to interscholastic athletics. The planned sequence of formal instructional experiences presented by the teachers to whom the responsibility is assigned. Jewett, Bain, & Ennis, 1995

Relationship of Curriculum and Instruction The Society Philosophy The Curriculum Knowledge Personality The Teacher Abilities Instruction(Method) Abilities, background Interests The Student

Relationship of Curriculum and Instruction Curriculum today is driven by standards Activities are selected based on their contribution to students meeting district, state, or national standards Students must meet the criteria established by the standards and demonstrate their skills, knowledge, and attitudes on assessments placed strategically throughout the K-12 program.

The Importance of Curriculum Design Curriculum design involves the creation of a set of operating principles or criteria, based on theory, that guide the selection and organization of content and the methodology used to teach that content.

Change Schools must prepare youth for adulthood in a society that does not yet exist. Progress requires change, but some changes may be worse than no change. Curriculum change requires careful evaluation of past, present, and future. Try new ideas on a small scale before adoption.

Successful programs require planning and preparation. Educators make two mistakes with regard to curriculum design: They attempt to maintain the status quo. OR They look for a good curriculum and adopt it, whether or not it fits their needs. Curriculums must be designed around the standards that students and teachers will be held accountable for meeting.

Models of Curriculum Design An effective curriculum must be built on a solid philosophical foundation that answers the question of what educational purposes the school should seek to achieve. The classical model for curriculum design was proposed by Tyler in 1949.

Tyler’s Curriculum Model What educational purposes should the school seek to attain? What educational experiences can be provided that are likely to help attain these purposes? How can these educational experiences be effectively organized? How can we determine whether these purposes are being attained?

The Curriculum Design Process Establish a curriculum committee. Study information needed to make curriculum decisions. Identify the philosophy, aims, and objectives of the school. Decide how to measure whether objectives were met. Determine the program's scope and sequence. Establish the schedule. Implement and evaluate the program.

The Curriculum Committee The best curriculum is cooperatively planned by all those involved in its implementation. People responsible for curriculum decisions include administrators, teachers, students, parents, recent graduates, community leaders, curriculum specialists, and clerical assistants.

The Administrator's Role in Curriculum Design Oversee the planning of instructional programs that contribute to the intellectual, physical, and emotional growth and well-being of all young people. Select and assign competent teachers. Hold programs accountable for reaching curricular objectives or standards. Provide leadership for curriculum planning, implementation, evaluation, and revision.

The Teachers' Role in Curriculum Design Teachers’ intimate knowledge of learners, classrooms, and the school environment puts them in a position to make and implement practical curriculum changes. Teachers are the first to notice a need for change.

Physical Educators and Curriculum Design Physical educators have more flexibility for curriculum development because of their unique facilities. Students can be grouped and regrouped by ability levels or interests more easily than in intact classrooms. Class sizes can be altered to fit the activity to be taught and the facilities available.

Study Information Needed to Make Curriculum Decisions The environment The school The learners The subject matter and how it is learned Educational philosophy espoused by the district and school Governmental activity

Information About the Environment Curriculum developers must consider both local and national attitudes and values. Local resources and interests influence the selection of learning activities. Local commitments to promote equality of opportunity for all students may not be strong enough to overcome the value for athletic excellence.

Information About the Community Historical background Philosophy of community members and their support of education and physical education programs Economic and tax base factors Social, cultural, and political factors Geographical and locational factors Community resources

Information About the School The school's organization, curriculum pattern, schedule, and policies dictate limits within which the physical education program must operate. School facilities can be supplemented by community resources, state and national parks and forests. Community, business, and philanthropic agencies help schools obtain resources.

Information About the School Administrators' values, attitudes, and policies toward learning, student behavior, and faculty freedom affect student and teacher morale and cohesiveness. The number, age, socioeconomic background, gender, interests and expertise of physical educators affect what is taught.

Information About the Learners Schools must meet the needs of all learners. Individual needs include physical and psychological safety, social approval, and self-actualization. The gap between a learner's current status and the status expected by society defines an educational need.

Gathering Information About Learners Curriculum designers must consider the number of students, ages, gender, race, socioeconomic levels, ethnic back-ground, family characteristics, interests, achievements, talents, and goals. Methods include school and community records, interviews, observations, and questionnaires.

Physical Education Content Standards Curricula must help students achieve national content standards before graduating from high school. Content standards describe the knowledge and skills of the discipline. Performance standards stipulate "how good is good enough." Performance benchmarks describe student progress toward performance standards. Assessments must be included in the curriculum that verify whether the standards are met.

Developing curricular assessments Curricular assessments are designed to measure the “big picture” They serve a different purpose than daily or unit assessments Designed to measure student ability to demonstrate the concepts identified when the standards were unpacked They may not be administered every year in a program They are administered at gateway points Example: Grades 2, 5, 8, and 12

Curricular assessments are complex: They typically measure multiple concepts or standards Could resemble a unit or activity assessment, but the intent or purpose is different Assessments should be sequential Elementary and middle school assessments serve as benchmarks for reaching competency on the exit assessments When developing assessments, start with the end (exit assessment) and develop assessments backward from that point

Questions to Consider When Planning Subject Matter What should students know and be able to do at the elementary, middle school, junior high school, or high school level? What should students know and be able to do at the specific grade level to meet school level outcomes? What lesson and unit objectives will help students achieve grade level objectives?

Learning in Physical Education The curriculum should help learners identify and organize key concepts and principles and use them to solve current and future problems. A knowledge of educational psychology and adolescent development help educators select objectives for certain age levels and the conditions and amount of time necessary for learning.

Governmental Activity Federal and state legislation; judicial decisions (legal liability, integration, and busing); and government regulations (including the power to allot or withdraw funds) play a major role in education. Federal laws that affect school programs include The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Title IX.

Philosophy of Education The philosophical orientation of persons responsible for curriculum decisions is undoubtedly the greatest variable influencing the selection of school goals and objectives. The board of education is generally responsible for establishing the overall philosophy and goals of the schools within its jurisdiction.

Alignment with the district curriculum To be considered an important part of the district or school curriculum, the physical education philosophy should align with the district philosophy.

Philosophy of Physical Education To form a philosophical base for a meaningful program, teachers must become aware of their own philosophies. They should wrestle with questions like What is the purpose of education?; What is the purpose of physical education? How does physical education fit into the purposes of education?

Educational Purposes To transmit desirable social features to youth To teach skills and competencies needed to function effectively in society To help the individual function in society through intelligent self-direction, group deliberation, and action To teach constructive evaluation of social issues and influence the social order by contributing to ordered, purposeful change.

Value Orientations for Curriculum Development Disciplinary mastery--transmission of the cultural heritage Social reconstruction--creating a better society Learning process--learning how to learn Self-actualization--developing expertise in one or more chosen activities Ecological integration--holistic interaction between individual and environment (Jewett, Bain, & Ennis, 1995).

Physical Education Curriculum Models Subject‑centered curriculum models include Traditional activity‑based models Movement‑based models Concepts‑based models Student-centered curriculum models include Developmental-needs-based models Student-centered models

Physical Education Curriculum Models Activity-based–organized around activity units Movement-based–organized around themes involving the body and its interrelationship with space, time, effort, and flow Concepts-based–based on the body of knowledge about human movement Developmental Needs–based on developmental stages of children and youth Student-Centered–based on students' purposes for enrolling in physical education activities

Activity-Based Curriculum Models Play–development of fundamental motor patterns needed for participation in activities and counseling to help students match interests and abilities to suitable activities Sport education–stresses learning to be competent, literate, enthusiastic sportspersons Wilderness sports–includes activities conducted in wilderness settings, such as backpacking, canoeing, and scuba diving

Concepts-Based Curriculum Models Teaching Games for Understanding–focuses on student understanding of game strategies and solving problems unique to game forms Subdiscipline approach–units based on the subdisciplines traditionally associated with physical education Fitness-based approach–emphasizes fitness concepts and activity skills for developing healthy life-styles

Student-Centered Curriculum Models Humanistic Physical Education–uses physical activity to assist students in their search for personal meaning, self-understanding, self-actualization, and interpersonal relations Personal and Social Responsibility Model--focuses on teaching and empowering students to take more responsibility for themselves and to be socially responsible and sensitive to the rights, feelings, and well-being of others.

Student-Centered Curriculum Models Adventure education--involves group or individual problem solving under stress using contrived obstacles or environments as problems or challenges for students to solve.

Activity-Based Curriculum Models The most common pattern A percentage of the total time is established for each activity category. Local considerations influence specific selections within each category. Poor programs result in boredom, repetition, and failure to develop skills and concepts necessary for lifetime physical activity.

Sport Education Sport seasons (rather than units) Team affiliation Formal competitions interspersed with practice sessions A culminating event (tournament, etc.) Record keeping/statistics, which provide feedback to players and coaches Festivities and rituals (team names, colors, logos, opening ceremonies)

Teaching Games for Understanding Approach Classifies games into Invasion games (basketball, soccer, etc.) Target games (golf, archery), Net/wall games (volleyball, racquetball), Field games (softball).

Steps in the TGFU Approach Introduction of the game form and the problems unique to that game Games appreciation Tactical awareness Decision making Skill execution Performance

Concepts-Based Curriculum Models Goal--to help students understand the what, why, and how of physical education through problem solving in laboratory and activity settings. Based on two assumptions: That concepts transfer to new skills and situations That students learn concepts better by focusing on concepts rather than by teaching concepts within activity units.

Concepts-Based Approaches Integrating concepts with the traditional activity-based curriculum Teaching a separate unit on concepts along with traditional activity units Teaching concepts on special occasions such as rainy days and shortened periods.

Subdiscipline Approach Units are based on the subdisciplines traditionally associated with physical education Exercise physiology Kinesiology Motor development Motor learning Sport sociology and psychology Sport history, philosophy, and art.

Developmental Needs Curriculum Patterns Based on the assumption that students go through the same developmental stages at the same rate Divided into activity or theme units chosen by faculty to meet student needs. Widely accepted and often combined with the activity-based curriculum.

Student-Centered Curriculum Patterns Based on the assumption that students are capable of assessing their purposes and making appropriate choices Social interaction Adventure Emotional release Physical fitness Self-discipline Personal expression

Hellison’s Personal and Social Responsibility Model Levels for developing responsibility: (0) irresponsibility (1) respect for the rights and feelings of others (2) participation and effort (3) self-direction (4) sensitivity and responsiveness (5) application beyond the gymnasium Strategies to help youth progress through the stages (e.g. awareness talks, reflection, problem-solving, individual counseling, individual choice)

Using a Multi Model approach to meet content standards A good curriculum should stand for something Building the curriculum around main theme curriculums helps focus content Start by selecting the main theme curricular models that will help students become physically educated Various models emphasize different standards By including several main theme models, the standards are met when the student graduates

Several factors will dictate the curriculum model selected: School and state requirements Program exit goals and objectives Teacher motivation to build a worthwhile program Needs and interests of the students Type and availability of facilities Availability of equipment and supplies

Factors when selecting a curriculum model, con’t.: Expertise of teachers Availability of instructional time Possibility of programs before and after school Willingness of school officials to support the program financially

Planning the Instructional Program Basic Principles of Curriculum Design