Curriculum Development

Curriculum Development

At a time when high school education, (refers to K-10, K-11, and K-12 in this case) is focusing on meeting standards in reading, writing, and math, students are increasingly not meeting those standards. Perhaps one of the biggest obstacles is that many students do not see the relevance of Shakespeare's plays or Euclidian geometry to their lives (Tyler, 2008).

The questions that are raised here for curriculum developers and teachers are the same as for absolutely every other high school subject area: What should be taught? Who should teach it? How should it be taught? and How can other academic foundations best be integrated with what is being learned? Additionally, what are the roles of parents, the community, and society in general in responding to these questions? For economics and school-to-work to have both rigor and relevance, the participation of these key stakeholders is arguably more important than in other disciplines (Stenhouse, 2005).

Situational Analysis for High-school Curriculum

Although curriculum development is informed by the contributing disciplines, it does not take place in a vacuum. It is context bound (Smith, 2008). As curriculum is designed to 'fit' the needs of particular systems or institutions, the necessary first step in the process is a situational analysis, sometimes referred to as an 'environmental scam,' audit, or needs assessment (Posner, Budnitsky, 2006). This examination of the context in which the curriculum is to operate is a systematic process that continues throughout development and implementation to shape the nature of the learning experiences. The context factors to be considered may be external to the institution or internal. These factors may include the following:

The people for whom the curriculum is being designed, for example, the experience, cultural background, social skills, and needs of the learners, or in the case of schools, the abilities and the intellectual, emotional, social, and physical development of the learners.

The people who are implementing the curriculum, for example the interests, expertise, strengths and weaknesses of trainers and/or the teaching style of teachers.

The resources available to support the curriculum, for example, the equipment, facilities, space, technology, and personnel both within and external to the system or institution.

The system or institutional requirements, for example, the mandates, system and institutional policies, and existing curricula.

The nature of professional curricular support, for example, the availability of professional networks, consultant support, and on-the-job professional development.

The climate, ethos, or atmosphere of the system or institution, for example, the palpable warmth, openness, and harmony, or their opposites.

The broader societal changes and expectations, for example, the nature of technological, economic, or demographic change, or in the case of schools, the impact of multiculturalism, parent involvement, and changes in family structures (Brady, 2007).

Curriculum Elements

Whether a curriculum is developed for a day, a short course, or several years, its development requires information regarding four questions that were first posited by Ralph Tyler: What am I trying to achieve? What content will I use to achieve it? How will I organize the content to achieve it? How will I know if I've ...