WEEK 3 From Curriculum to practice

Key ideas

1. Curriculum into a syllabus. 2. Syllabus into a unit of work. 3. Working by design.

Activities to focus your thinking

1. Review your syllabuses. 2. Apply curriculum planning models. 3. Evaluate your unit plan based on the lecture and readings.

Required Reading from Pedagogies in Practice textbook Brady and Kennedy pp 50-64 and 65-80 Weir (2009) pp361 - 384

Additional Reading Halstead, J. (2011). Navigating the new pedagogy six principles that

transform teaching. Wiggins, G. P., McTighe, J., & Gale, T. (2007). Schooling by design

mission, action, and achievement. Winch-Dummett, C. (2006). Successful pedagogies for an Australian multicultural Classroom. International Education Journal, 7(5), 778-789.

URLs http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/gats/tools/tt_progplan.htm http://pixel.fhda.edu/id/six_facets.html

WEEK 3 From Curriculum to Practice

TUTORIAL ACTIVITIES

Activity 1 (30 minutes)

1. Discuss what the readings have highlighted in terms of unit and lesson

planning

2. Working in groups or pairs who will be teaching the same KLA, students

are to review their syllabus to collect information on the aim, rationale and

contexts.

3. For the aim, rationale and context discuss what is required to be a

successful student in your KLA.

4. Review the outcomes in the syllabus and address the verbs and discuss

what each means in terms of learning.

5. How do the verbs that you have identified in Activity 1 (4) affect your:

a. Objectives for the unit plan

b. Specific learning outcomes for a unit.

c. Teaching strategies within the unit outline.

d. Assessment chosen.

Activity 2 (30 minutes): Your pre-designed unit plan

Using the unit plan required for this week

1. Describe to your partner the process that you have undertaken to prepare

your unit plan.

a. Determine the type of planning model that you have used to

develop your plan and evaluate your position.

b. List the strengths and weaknesses of the approach that you have

taken in the light of your answers to activity 1.

c. What alternative ways could you use to plan this unit? How does

this affect what a successful student would like?

d. Are you thinking of changing your unit plan or keeping it the same?

Justify your decision.

Activity 3 (30 minutes)

1. Working in small groups outline the role and steps of curriculum

planning by design (backward mapping).

2. How does backward mapping support your unit plan?

a. In what ways does it support your approach?

b. In what ways does your approach need to change in order to be

curriculum by design?