Curriculum Development
Curriculum Development
Curriculum Development
10 Directions
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1. Identify some methods of studying the future; and
2. Critically evaluate suggestions for retooling schools.
You may have children who have not been brought up in environments where
certain values are stressed. For example, there could be children who do not
believe that honesty really is really important issue.
However, Kohn (1997) notes that character education in schools have tended to
be an exercise in indoctrinating students in the ways of right behaviour. The
curriculum tends to emphasise drilling students on desired behaviours rather
than engaging them in deep, critical reflection on what it means to be a moral
individual or to act morally.
Problem solving, decision making and conflict resolution are important parts of
developing moral character. Through role playing and discussions, students can
see that their decisions affect other people and other things. It is only through
such teaching-learning activities will students understand and internalise the
desired values and habits that they will require for living and maintaining their
well-being.
SELF-CHECK 10.1
because students are not provided with settings in which they can apply such
knowledge and be assessed accordingly. For example, in a language test students
may indicate that they know that a story has an introduction, body and
conclusion. However, we cannot be sure that students can write a story with
these criteria. Performance assessment is vital to give the link between school and
the real-world and to give students the confidence to bridge the gap. From the
studentsÊ point of view, there is no guessing in performance assessment. Teacher
and students work together and state what needs to be improved. The role of the
teacher is more of a coach.
While there are many benefits of performance assessment, some teachers are
hesitant to implement it in the classrooms. One reason being that is teachers are
not confident enough to adopt this assessment approach. The second reason is
that earlier failures with the approach have prompted some teachers to reject the
approach and to implement performance assessment in the classroom.
SELF-CHECK 10.2
1. What is performance assessment?
2. What is the rationale for encouraging widespread use of
performance assessment in the classroom?
3. Briefly describe how performance assessment can br implemented
in the classroom.
ACTIVITY 10.1
A new vision of science learning is needed; one that calls for instructional
strategies far different from most traditional approaches. The new paradigm
for science learning should emphasise engagement and meaning in ways
that are not consistent with past practices. The constructivist teaching and
learning models calls for learning that is:
• Hands-on: students are actually allowed to perform science as they
construct meaning and acquire understanding.
• Minds-on: activities focus on core concepts, allowing students to
develop thinking processes and encouraging them to question and seek
answers that enhance their knowledge.
• Authentic: students are presented with problem-solving activities that
incorporate authentic, real-life issues in a format that encourages
collaborative effort, dialogue with informed expert sources, and
generalizations to broader ideas and application.
1. What are the critical issues with regards to the science curriculum?
2. Are these issues similar to the science curriculum in your school
system?
These are mental models that influence almost everything that is done in schools
today. For instance, knowledge is divided into discreet topics ranging from the
Melaka Sultanate to Newton's laws of motion. Each topic is taught at appropriate
time slots to learners sitting in rows listening passively, monitored and
motivated by grades. While, this approach is not necessarily wrong, research in
cognitive science reveal that this approach is not compatible with how humans
learn best. Retooling schools to meet the challenges of the knowledge economy
does not mean replacing existing mental models with new ones but rather to
recognise the power of mental models in limiting an educator from thinking
differently about his or her educational practice. More important is for educators
to suspend their mental models long enough to seek new knowledge and to
reconsider some of their beliefs about learning, thinking and the role of
technology.
Source: Bransford, J. D. Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (1999). How people learn:
Brain, mind, experience and school. Washington. DC: National Academy Press
In other words, learning is dynamic and the role of educators is to facilitate the
making of dynamic knowledge. Learners need to be introduced to a world that is
beset with uncertainty, multiple answers and infinite possibilities involving
elements of trial and error because that is reality. Emanating from these revised
beliefs about learning, thinking and the role of technology, it is argued that
retooling schools be based on four guiding principles, namely; schools for all,
personalised schools with thinking and understanding being the main goal, and
students immersed in a technology-based learning environment (see Figure 9.3).
Figure 10.1: Retooling Malaysian schools based on revised mental models about learning,
thinking and technology
High scorers are given extensive media coverage but there is no mention as to the
number of adolescents deficient in language, quantitative and scientific literacy
skills. There is less concern with "Why Ahmad can't read?" and a decade later
"Why Ahmad still can't read?" One can only imagine how Ahmad feels being in a
class of low achievers throughout his schooling life and told repeatedly he is not
good enough. Theoretically Ahmad should be taught by the best teachers in the
system but unfortunately the Matthew effect prevails which loosely interpreted
states that "those who need it don't get it and those who need it don't get". It is
common knowledge that learners do not do as well in environments where
adults are continually critical, constantly accentuating the negative, and not
accepting them for who they are. On the contrary, students learn and thrive in a
nurturing environment and schools are obliged to foster a warm and caring
environment in which children will bloom. It is from this realisation that the
impetus comes to create schools that work for all children.
Malaysian society is rapidly changing and so too, must the educational beliefs
that underlie the goals of schooling. For example, it is time that tribute is given to
schools that record the lowest number of students who are unable to read and
write. Schools can ill-afford to educate just some of its students and ignore the
rest because of examination priorities. 'No child left behind' (Education Act, 2001)
should be the slogan for all schools in Malaysia to ensure that schools really work
for all students, not just for some. "When it comes to the education of our
children, failure is not an option" (Bush, 2001). Schools should set high
expectations for all students as students have a natural inclination to rise to the
level of expectation held of them (Edmonds, 1986). Expectations communicated
These beliefs have to be revised and educators need to believe in the incredible
potential to learn that is present in all children and that it can be realised in all
children in any school and in any classroom, if the conditions are right. From the
onset students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are at-risk should be
identified and given all the cognitive coaching to succeed and not left behind.
Cognitive strategy instruction (CSI) should be given to all students, especially
academically weak students, where 'learning how to learn' is embedded in all
instructional practices (Phillips, 1993). In addition, schools for all must also be
grounded in a value system of cooperation and relationships, in contrast to the
ethic of competition and individualism. Reaching goals is important, but how
they are reached and with who is just as important. The value system of
cooperation and relationship does not discard competition, but puts it in the
context of cooperation and how people get along.
In our increasingly diverse world, creating schools for all children is the right
thing to do while acknowledging it is not easy. It means a major rethinking of the
very core values upon which schools are built. It means focusing on both equity
and excellence in the same classroom in the same school for all children.
ACTIVITY 10.2
1. Do you agree with 'school of all' concept? Why?
2. To what extent is the Matthew effect common in your school?
3. 'When it comes to the education of our children, failure is not an
option'. Explain.
Tishman, Perkins and Jay (1995) identified four ways of bringing the
culture of thinking to the classroom.
• First is to have models or people who demonstrate good thinking
practices and exhibit behaviours of good thinking, such as checking the
credibility of sources or suspending judgement until all information is
available or tolerating ambiguity.
• Second is to develop thinking through explanation, whereby teachers
explicitly explain why a particular thinking skill needs to be used, when
it is to be used and how the skill is to be used.
• Third is through interaction with other students where opportunities
are provided to work in groups when solving a problem, brainstorm,
exchange and accept ideas.
SELF-CHECK 10.3
1. What is thinking?
2. Why has development thinking not been emphasised in schools?
3. How does one create a culture of thinking?
4. What is the role of teachers in developing thinking among
students?
decline of the extended family and both parents having to work full time,
students turn to teachers for advice and role models which may be more readily
available in personalised schools.
Technology integration into teaching and learning has not been widespread
because of insufficient equipment and internet connection, inadequate training of
teachers and more importantly a lack of understanding on how to use the new
technologies. As more schools are wired with the relevant hardware and
software, the technology-based learning environment provides a convenient
framework with a theoretical basis for realisation of technology-based schools.
SELF-CHECK 10.4
• Schools for all emphasises that an environment should be provided for all
students to realise their potential and setting high expectations so that all
students will be encouraged to excel.