...CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES CONCERNING THE NEW SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM. INTRODUCTION: Education has remained an instrument of change and national development. It is a social process and the medium for the acquisition of relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes for survival in a changing world. The strengthening of democratic institutions witnessed the world over including Nigeria and the rapid increase in globalization has become more prominent in the 21st century. Nations desire closer cooperation, improvement in the quality of life, respect for the rule of law and Human Rights and peaceful co-existence among communities and nations constitute global issues of concern. In responding to these issues Nigeria has been part of the global deliberations on Education for All (EFA) which have been reflected in the national education policies and programs. This led to the restructuring of the Universal Basic Education curriculum in Nigeria, where the NERDC has introduced a new 9 year basic education curriculum for distribution in schools. Part of the restructuring of the secondary school curriculum included some controversial content such as Civic education, Entrepreneurial studies, Trade subjects, ICT etc. ISSUES ON THE INCLUSION OF THE CONTROVERSIAL CONTENT IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM. Problems associated with this content are as follows: 1. Teachers’ understanding of the ICT curriculum 2. Infrastructural facilities for trade subjects and ICT 3. Evaluation of trade...
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...Assignment 2 -Issues Facing Curriculum Alignment Ellen King Dr. Carden EDU 515: Designing Mandated and Discretionary Curricula August 25, 2013 The S.T.R.E.A.M (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) learning environment will be an early Elementary charter school that is a learner centered, interdependent, collaborative, personalized, technology driven, diverse school which introduces a series of concepts to students with hopes of sparking interest in one of these demanding fields. What is the philosophical basis that will affect the proposed curriculum design? Because the S.T.R.E.A.M School is a learner centered school it will be influenced heavily by the personal relevance orientation. In the personal relevance orientation, the learner’s needs tend to dominate over societal or knowledge/content. This orientation posits that the learner is in the best position to assess his or her needs and what content meets those needs. The personal relevance orientation emerges from the projects that each student selects, designs and evaluates. The project based approach enables learners to set their own objectives, direct the learning experiences needed to meet those objectives, and evaluate when those objectives have been met successfully (Chiarelott, 2006). Examine the elements of norm-referenced and criterion-referenced testing, and determine how to apply these methods in the proposed curriculum design. Norm-referenced tests (NRT) help compare...
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...|CURRICULUM |DATE |LEGAL BASIS |RATIONALE |FEATURES |FEEDBACK |MAJOR CRITICISM | |Secondary Education Development |1987 |The 1987 Constitution |“basic intellectual skills and |SSEDP is a response to the following |The programs RSEP, PROPED, NSEC, |The first issue is the role of | |Program (SEDP) | |Article 14 sec. 1 states |learning tools to continue |needs: |and SEDP all lead to the |education in national | | | |that “the state shall |learning and the values for |Continue the pupil development started|Secondary Education Development |development. Several researchers | | | |protect and promote the |successfully living lives in the|by the Program for Decentralize |and Improvement Project SEDIP |had delved into the different | | | |right of all citizens to |society” |Educational Development (PRODED) |(2000-2006). SEDIP is similar to |components affecting the | | | |quality education at all | |Improve the quality...
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...CURRICULUM Introduction As part of transforming South Africa, the educational landscape has undergone dramatic changes where ultimately teachers have to decide to either implement a curriculum as mandated or to adapt the curriculum to take into account their particular context. Teacher’s in South Africa battle on a daily basis with the effects of teaching large number of learners in an under-resourced context. Teachers are expected to adapt to those changes and such changes impact heavily on the roles of teachers in the classroom. They must find a way to facilitate teaching, learning and assessment despite difficult conditions. The gap between curriculum as intention and curriculum as reality confronts teachers regularly. The aim of this essay will address the narrow and broad definitions of the concept curriculum, as well as the official, explicit, implicit, covert and hidden curriculum as they are viewed by different authors. Defining Curriculum Two views on curriculum: Narrow and Broad Many educationists argue that awareness of different interpretations is important in developing a Good understanding of what curriculum is (Booyse & Du plesis, 2014: 4). However they make a point that different approaches, either as a blue print or adaption approach, may be appropriate for different situations. Take a closer look at the various interpretations: Eisner (1985) defines curriculum as a series of planned events that are intended to have educational consequences...
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...factors influencing the emergence of the curriculum, models of curriculum design and the implication of curriculum evaluation. 1.1 Concept of curriculum There is no single definition of the curriculum .The most common definition of curriculum that most teachers give is that it is a syllabus or a program of study but this is an erroneous definition. For Taba (1962), it is a ‘plan for learning’, while Lawton describes the curriculum as “a selection from the culture of a society” (Lawton, 1975, p6). It has also been described as “a social and political construct that changes over time in response to a range of factors and influences” (Mc Cullock, 1992, p9). Hence, the term curriculum means different things for different people. While it is obvious that the curriculum is not neutral, its content and how it is transmitted depends on the kinds of interaction between curriculum developers, teachers and students. Stated differently, curricula emerges depending on the various ways curriculum developers, teachers and students interact with each other. In this essay, I will outline the internal and external factors that shape the interaction between the official curriculum, what is taught in secondary schools and learning that takes place in classrooms. Internal factors include the influences of philosophy, psychology and sociology, whereas external factors include the social, economic and political aspects that shape curriculum design. Two curriculum models, namely the rational and the dynamic...
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...on educational values and proves the old statement “knowledge is power”. People need this power in order to decide what values are true for them and what are false, rather than blindly follow social convictions or someone else’s believes. When people grow older, they become wiser and more experienced in many issues related to their life. Most of us acquire knowledge at the school of life, which is different for everyone in particular, but at the same time it teaches all people some important lessons they need to learn. College is like a small reproduction of the school of life. It teaches us many important lessons, which are not necessarily found in the curriculum. In a way, college reminds me a survival camp, except that it doesn’t have physical trials, it tests only psychological, emotional and personal spheres of our life. That’s why I believe that going to college is an important step for growing as an individual. Perhaps, today some High school graduates assume that college is only about scientific and academic achievements, and therefore they find it boring and useless. Well, in a way it’s an absolutely fair assumption. At college they teach curriculum that’s not always applicable in our practical experience. However, there is another perspective, which I suggest to consider: college years will become the period of empowerment of your imagination, development of your skills, expression of your creativity, formation of your personality and finding your true self...
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...REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SECONDARY EDUCATION MODERNIZATION PROGRAMME DRAFT SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM Form Three Mathematics Curriculum Development Division October 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS About this Draft i Foreword – A Note to Teachers iii Acknowledgements v PART ONE Introduction 1- 1 The Curriculum Underpinnings 1- 2 Philosophy of Education 1- 3 The Goals of Education 1- 5 The Essential Learning Outcomes 1- 6 The Curriculum Design and Development Process 1-11 PART TWO - CURRICULUM CONTENT Vision Statement 2- 2 Rationale for the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics 2- 3 Goals of the Mathematics Curriculum 2- 4 General Intended Outcomes For Forms I, II, and III. 2- 5 Connections to Other Core Curriculum Areas 2- 6 Framework for Mathematics for Forms I, II and III 2- 9 A General Curriculum Framework 2-11 Course Outline for Form III 2-12 PART THREE - STRATEGIES/METHODOLOGIES Teaching and Learning Strategies 3- 2 Suggested Activities 3- 6 Suggested Resources 3-15 PART FOUR - EVALUATION Elaboration of Assessment and Evaluation 4- 2 Evaluation Tools and Strategies 4- 5 Cross-referencing to Teachers’ Guide 4- 7 BIBLIOGRAPHY 4- 9 ___________________________________ i ABOUT THIS DRAFT Under the umbrella of the Secondary Education Modernization Programme (SEMP), since the latter...
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...I. INTRODUCTION The role of curriculum in educating the students is a dynamic process that seeks to cope with the changes in our society. Understanding the traditional and emerging concepts of curriculum as well as the factors that affect its development will guide the educators to respond to the needs of the learners. In planning, constructing and evaluating a curriculum, educators and curriculum practitioners may use one or more approaches. The contrasting approaches that are generally used in curriculum development are Technical/Scientific Approach and Non-technical/Non-scientific Approach. In scrutinizing these approaches, the advantages and disadvantages are revealed and the differences they generate in creating a curriculum. According to Bago (2008), information about personal and collective commitments to a particular viewpoint and the values considered important by individuals, school, and society are exposed when examining an approach. Curriculum can also be designed based on a particular context. It solely depends upon the elements namely: contemplation of aims, projected learning outcomes, syllabus, learning and teaching methods, and assessment. There are three common patterns to design a curriculum: through subject – centered, experience – centered, and problem – centered. These are incorporated into the curriculum by looking into its possible effects to the certain elements mentioned above. A design that addresses to the conceptual framework of science education...
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...ED 681: Assignment 2 Interview with Curriculum Specialist Beth Foster July 2, 2015 I had the pleasure of interviewing Laura Espinosa, Elementary Science Resource Teacher, Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS). Part A: Interview Questions 1. What is your current position, and what is your role with respect to curriculum planning, development, and/or implementation for your school system? I am the AACPS Science Resource Teacher. I work specifically with Elementary schools, but also have some duties related to Middle and High schools. I am part of the committee who picks curriculum writers from the applications. I also prepare the professional development for the teachers, prepare the templates they will be working with, create the timeline, set goals, make assignments, establish protocol for the finished product and work environment, as well as oversea and edit work prior to being turned in for print. 2. Based upon your experiences as an educator, how would you describe the purpose of education in our society? What do you feel are the major influences on what happens in the educational community? I feel the purpose of education in society is to help all students realize their full potential in being a successful and contributing member of society. The major influences include the political climate, technological advances, and community values and expectations. 3. To what extent do you feel the curriculum of your school (school system) is consistent...
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...Teacher Education in Tanzania: The Experience of Pre-Service and In-service Teacher Preparation for Quality Education By: Albert Lawrence Lukanga, Abstract This paper presents in brief the conditions prevailing in teacher education in the process of preparing Pre-service and In-service teachers in Tanzania. It starts by conceptualizing teacher education. The conditions and the process of preparing teachers at Pre-service and in service levels is at the heart of the discussion in which several issues are exposed including the issue of content and methodology used by teacher educators. A theory in practice in education, and in teacher education in particular is discussed as one of the influencing factors for realization of quality education. Thus, learner-centered approach and competency based teaching and learning have been given its weight. Moreover, the challenges towards provision of quality teacher education and the possible solutions have been highlighted. It is concluded that to ensure that the process of preparing these teachers goes smoothly and ultimately results in quality education, the environment that suits the application of these current theories must be improved Conceptualizing Teacher Education Teacher education is perceived as service activity for the education system. It is a process through which prospective and in-service teachers are enabled to acquire knowledge, attitudes, behaviours, and skills they require to perform their teaching...
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...Choose a series of lessons you decided to teach in order to promote pupil learning in a particular area of the curriculum. Write a detailed review of the process, explaining your choice of area, detailing what you wanted pupils to learn, justifying the pedagogical choices you made and describing how you implemented them, and finally analysing how successful that learning was. Remember that if you wrote about Maths in Assignment 1, you must write about Language in this assignment and vice-versa. Introduction The Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) places a clear emphasis on numeracy across learning. Mathematics plays a vital role in the progression of people’s lives. It is important to develop children’s ideas and knowledge within maths, and to...
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...Introduction Curriculum as a field of study is relatively young. Most place its birth during the second or third decade of this century, often with the publication of Franklin Bobbitt's. In 1918, Denver superintendent Jesse Newlon's suggested use of teachers in curriculum development . It is important to note that the study of curriculum did not begin as an addition to an extant field, say as a subfield of psychology or philosophy. Rather, it began in administrative convenience: professional responsibility for curricular matters. They came from every academic background imaginable. This means different kinds of thinking from the scientific to the artistic have emerged in the curriculum field. Curriculum as a field includes curriculum theory, development, implementation (that is, instruction), and evaluation. Traditional, conceptual-empiricist, and reconceptualist are theoretical frameworks that govern specific approaches to curriculum issues. Each of these frameworks can be characterized by the dominant and subordinate assumptions that govern the knowledge and values which underline their respective modes of inquiry. Traditionalists: Educational philosophy (Pernalism and Essentialism) General Philosophy (Idealism and Realism) Educational Psychology (Behaviorism) History The field of curriculum studies began in the early 1920's, and grew out of the necessity and need...
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...CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT 1. Curriculum * “The planned and guided learning experiences and intended learning outcomes, formulated through the systematic reconstruction of knowledge and experiences, under the auspices of the school, for the learners’ continuous and willful growth in personal social competence.” (Daniel Tanner, 1980) * Curriculum refers to the means and materials with which students will interact for the purpose of achieving identified educational outcomes. * The concept of curriculum is as dynamic as the changes that occur in society. In its narrow sense, curriculum is viewed merely as a listing of subject to be taught in school. In a broader sense, it refers to the total learning experiences of individuals not only in schools but in society as well. * Curriculum comes from the Latin root, "currere" which means "to run", which later came to stand as the "course of study." * Curriculum is the sum total of all learning content, experiences, and resources that are purposely selected, organized and implemented by the school in pursuit of its peculiar mandate as a distinct institution of learning and human development. * Robert M. Hutchins views curriculum as “permanent studies” where the rule of grammar, reading, rhetoric and logic and mathematics for basic education are emphasized. * Caswell and Campbell viewed curriculum as “all experiences children have under the guidance of teachers”. This definition is shared by Smith, Stanley and...
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...Module 7: Curriculum IMPLEMENTATON “Homework Must Be More Fun and Meaningful’ In Module 5 we discussed what was involved in curriculum planning and in Module 6 we looked at different techniques of designing the curriculum focusing on some curriculum design models. The next stage in the curriculum development process according to Tyler, Taba and Alexander & Saylor is the implementation of the curriculum plan. The final destination of any curriculum (whether it be a school, college, university or training organisation) is the classroom involving students, teachers, administrators and the community. Implementing the curriculum is the most crucial and sometimes the most difficult phase of the curriculum development process. Those responsible for implementing a curriculum often hear comments and concerns such as: o Teachers are already overloaded – how are they going to implement the new ideas. o Parents and education officers are only interested in a high pass rate in examinations – how are schools to incorporate suggested changes. These are real concerns and made worse when persons implementing the curriculum are not clear what is expected of them. How often have we heard people say, ‘the plan was good but implementation was poor’. On the other hand, if a curriculum plan is not implemented and remains on the shelf then all efforts in planning will be a sheer waste. A curriculum must be delivered...
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...Using evidence from the syllabus of your subject area at a pre-tertiary level of education in Ghana, discuss the dominant curriculum orientation(s) underlying the instructional programme. Introduction Science education has always been a part of the Ghanaian (and Sub-Saharan) culture. Modern education in Ghana came with the advent of European missionary and mercantile enterprises, and has largely become the vehicle for social upward mobility. Education in general, and science education, for that matter, is serious issues for all Ghanaians. Curriculum orientations are beliefs about what a school curriculum should achieve and how teaching, learning and assessment should occur (Eisner, 1970). The most fundamental concern of schooling is curriculum (Ornstein, 1982). These prepositions have led me to have an in depth study by evaluating the Ghanaian Basic School Science Curriculum from both the primary to the Junior High School levels trying to find out the various and dominant curriculum orientation(s) underlying the teaching and learning process of Integrated Science in schools. The Ghanaian Basic School Science Curriculum and Delivery The Ghanaian integrated science curriculum follows the “spiral approach,” treating the same themes at different times and in greater depths within each educational level. The curriculum is the modern replacement of what used to be called “nature study.” This is a generalist, survey course, which exposes the child to the universe. At this level...
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