Curriculum DesignDiana Dubisky

Components of Design

“To design a curriculum, we must consider how its parts interrelate,”( Ornstein & Hunkins,2014,p.153). The question, why do we educate, allows one to examine their own visions and philosophies. Curriculum design today has been molded by our past and has intentions to shape our future.

David Orr: 4 Myths about Education

Many educators and the general public have there own regard to curriculum design; Our regards come from our own personal experiences. David Orr identified the 4 myths that are society seem to believe.

Myth 1: “Education-the right curriculum and curriculum design can eliminate ignorance.”(Ornstein & Hunkins,2014,p.151).

Myth 2: “education and well-designed curricula can supply all the knowledge needed to manage society and the Earth,”(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2014,p.151).

Myth 3: “educational curricula are increasing human goodness: "Well designed curricula instill wisdom,”(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2014,p. 151).

Myth 4: “Education’s primary purpose is to enable students to be upwardly mobile and economically successful,(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2014,p. 151).

The Three Big Ideas

According to Ornstein & Hunkins Ron Ritchhart stated, “we educate, create and teach curricula to create intelligence,”(2014,p.152). Many pose the question, What is the purpose of education and is there a way as a society we can agree on the purpose? Kieran Egan noted, “that the difficulty lies in the fact that “our minds are both a part of the world while also being our means of viewing the world.”(Ornstein & Hunkins,2014,p.152).

The following , “three base ideas have been woven into our educational fabric and have influenced our perceptions as to the nature and purpose of education.”(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2014,p.153).

1. Socialization: producing productive citizens in our society 2. Plato’s academic idea: “knowledge is of most worth,” (Ornstein & Hunkins,2014,p.152). Rousseau’s development idea: “Maturing of the individual, specifically the growth of the mind,”(Ornstein &

Hunkins, 2014,p.152).

Components of Curriculum design

Designing curriculum comes from a starting point of a plethora of philosophical, theoretical and practical points of views. Curriculum design has four major components that began with Harry Giles’s “Eight Year Study”.

4 Components Questions1. Objectives 1. What should be done? 2. Content 2. What subject matter should be included? 3. Learning experiences 3. What instructional strategies , resources, and 4. Evaluation activities should be employed?

4.What methods of instruments should be used to appraise the results of the curriculum?

According to Ornstein &Hunkins, Ronald Doll’s view, “Curriculum design draws from curriculum theory, knowledge theory, social theory, political theory and learning theory,’(2014, 154).

Sources of Curriculum Design

Science as a source

Society as a source

Moral doctrine as a source

Knowledge as a source

The learner as a source

Science as a Source

Scientific method Observable/quantifiable Problem solving Thinking strategies Focus on the consistency of the process of knowledge

Society as a Source

Agent of society Focus on socialization ( Egan’s idea) Analysis of social situation Collaboration of Conservative, Liberal and Radical views Local communities, larger society, academics/development Future society at a local national and global level Examples: NCLB and Race to the Top

Moral Doctrine as a Source

Look to the past Lasting truths/great thinkers Stress content Rank subject by importance Guided by views of religion Dwayne Huebner, James Moffett and William Pinar are curriculum

designers that focus on spirituality

Knowledge as a source

Primary source Plato's academic idea Teaching valued knowledge Developing the minds of learners Real world connections Herbert Spencer: “What knowledge is of most worth” Extending boundaries

The Learner as a Source Derives from knowledge of student: how they learn, form attitudes,

generate interests, and develop values Roussears theory Student learning Environment influences student learning The quality or lack of quality of instruction can affect child development

Horizontal and Vertical Organization

“Horizontal organization blends curriculum elements for example, by combining history, anthropology, and sociology content to create a contemporary studies course or by combining math and science content,”(Ornstein& Hunkin,2014,p.157).

Combination and blend

Vertical organization, “refers to the sequencing of curriculum elements.”(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2014,p.157).

Sequencing content Focus on family values first and

community second The vertical progression of

content continued deeper and deeper each year.

Curriculum design’s relationship with its components. SCOPE Ornstein & Hunkins stated, “most consider a curriculum’s breadth and

depth of content-that is , its scope,”(2014,p.158). Scope is the horizontal organization of the depth of content. Affective

domain focuses on values and attitudes while the psychomotor domain focuses on motor skills and coordination. The emphasis is on what should be covered and in what amount of detail. This design could take a year long or be chunked into smaller organized units dived into lessons and activities.

Sequence

The focus is on cumulative and continuous learning; the debate lies between which comes first experience or content. Brain development has proven through observations of nerve cells that at birth we are born with more unconnected nerve cells. Our experiences throughout our life build connection within our nerve cells building life long connection.

Ornstein & Hunkins stated, “Curricular experiences should increase brain development,”(2014,p. 159). Rousseau’s third big idea developmental theory and Piagets theory focused on cognitive development and its affects.

Orthanel Smith, William Stanley and Harlan Shores developed the Four Principals of Sequencing

1. simple to complex learning Pre-requisite learning Whole-to part learning Chronological learning

Continuity

“Brain research suggests that the amount of brain employed in performing a process may explain somewhat how well an individuals perform particular task, ( Ornstein & Hunkins, 2014, p.160).

Continuity is the vertical repetition of continuous instruction to increase depth and breadth of knowledge.

The myriad experiences allow problematic thinking, fuels enriched rigor within the interrelationships between basic ideas and structure.

Integration

“Integration refers to linking all types of knowledge and experiences contained within the curriculum plan,”(Ornstein& Hunkins, 2014,p.160).

The unified horizontal alignment throughout all subject matter Organized around real world issues and concerns “1960 Hilda Taba pointed out that the curriculum was disjointed,

fragmented, segmented, and detached from reality,” (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2014,p.160).

Articulation vs. Balance Vertical and Horizontal

interrelatedness. Vertical Articulation,

“sequencing of content from one grade level to another,”(Ornstein& Hunkins, 2014,p.160).

Horizontal Articulation: (correlation), “refers to the association among simultaneous elements,”(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2014,p.160).

Appropriate weight of delivery and acknowledgement of personal, social and intellectual goals.

Representative Curriculum Designs

Subject Centered Design: focus is on knowledge and content, most widely used design , subject centered ( Plato’s academic theory).

Subject Design: Oldest and best known According to Ornstein & Hunkins, “In subject matter design, the curriculum is organized according to how essential knowledge has developed in various subject areas.”(2014,p.162).

Discipline Design: Separate subject design, “Students experience the disciplines so that they can comprehend and conceptualize , with the subject-matter design, students ae considered to have learned if they simply acquire information,”(Ornstein & Hunkins,2014,p. 163).

Broad Field Design: ( Interdisciplinary design: The collaboration and integration of content multiple subject matter.

Correlation Design: All subjects linked together however still emphasis the importance of each subject matter.

Process Design: Emphasizes teaching for intelligence, The procedural knowledge of all subject matter

Learner-Centered Designs Child Centered design: Progressivism approach that emphasized the

child's interest and needs. Experience centered design: Progressivism philosophy that focuses on

the students interest and experiences Romantic Radical design: A Reconstructionism approach that focuses on

the child experiences and interest and the society. Humanistic design: Existentialism emphasizing on the psychology, child

and society impacted from the experiences , interest and needs of others. (Ornstein& Hunkins, 2014,p. 175).

Problem-Centered Designs:

“Some problem-centered designs focus on persistent life situations. Others center on contemporary social problems,”(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2014,p. 172).

Life-Situations Design: 1. Dealing with persistent life situations is crucial to a society successful functioning, and it

makes educational sense to organize a curriculum around them. 2. Students see the relevance of content if it is organized around aspects of community life 3. Having students study social or life situations will directly involve them in improving

society.

Reconstruction Design: Reconstructionist or Re-conceptualist view that curriculum should be able to engage & Hunkins, “George Counts believed that society must be totally recognized to promote the students thinking analytically to help enhance social order. According to Ornstein the common god,”(2014,p.173).

Which curriculum model:  technical, scientific, or non-technical, do you believe has greater relevance in the 21st century? Explain.

Today’s 21st century leaners need an environment that is flexible and adaptable. This type of environment will allow innovative methods of instruction that are scientific, technology and nontechnology to occur. “The technical-scientific approach to education and curriculum stresses students learning specific subject matter with specific outputs,”(Ornstein & Hunkins,2014,p.184). “Non-technical curriculum developers stress the subjective, personal aesthetic heuristic, and transactional,”(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2014,p.190). The stress is the leaner not the subject matter. I think in this day in time all three are extremely important. Promoting critical thinking and problem solving skills are skills needed in today’s society. The collaborative efforts from the community between the school and students are as equally important. Building relationships and the exposure to the real world allows students to obtain a deeper understanding of the world in which they live in. I say educate the student not just school the student.

What dangers are there in equating goals and standards? According to Ornstein and Hunkins, “Curriculum development begins with a

realization of the major challenges involved,”(2014,p.193). Generating aims, goals and objectives are the major challenges involved. Curriculum aims all are directed from ones personal view and own philosophies, which can be dangerous because it should be more focus don the current social issues at hand. “Aims deal with the general process of education, such as building world mindedness or creating technical literacy,”(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2014, p.195). “Goals and standards seem to have melded together in educational dialogue,”(Ornstein & Hunkins,2014,p.195). “ We take exception to equation a standard to a goal. A goal does indicate what could or should be learned, but it is much more general than a standard,”(Ornstein & Hunkins, 2014,p.195).Standard focus more on ,”What students are to learn,”(Ornstein & Hunkins,2014,p.195). There are content and performance standards and the dangers arise when there is not a separations and understanding or implementation of the goal and not being able to be measured. Goals and standards are not the same.

Selecting Curriculum in 21st Century Identifying big Ideas for 21st century skills Encourage Community collaboration Data driven Educators collaborate with curriculum specialist Must be on going changing with our changing

society: emphasis on global connection Promote critical thinking Engaging rigorous material Technology driven Focus on understanding, give real world

opportunities.

Bibliography

Ornstein, A.C., & Hunkins, F.P. (2014). Curriculum: Foundations, Principles, and Issues (6th edition). Pearson Education Limited, Inc.

Plato,(1999).Education Planet Inc.[quote]. Retrieved from: http://www.lessonplanet.com/

Rousseau,J.J,(2015)The Social Contract.[picture image]. Retrieved from: http://izquotes.com/quote/158948

Swan, M. ( 2015). The Edge.[image].Retrieved from: http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/swan20150524

Zipkin,A.(2015). Special Education Legislative: A Synopsis of Federal and State Policies[image]. Retrieved from: http://sitemaker.umich.edu/356.zipkin/no_child_left_behind_act