ASSIGNMENT 2

Our team can do the best for the curriculum and pedagogy assignment until finish. We divided this task into 3 parts. For Part A is taken by Nik Nur Ain and Part B taken by Faizah and Lisa :).

EVALUATION CURRICULUM ISSUES AND TRENDS

Twelve things I will remember about what I have learnt. It is topic Curriculum Issues and Trends.

Academic area initiatives

1. Strengthening the academic programs
2. Diversification of programs
3. Personalising of the curriculum

Eg:

1. KBSR/KBSM  KSSR/KSSM
2. Delivery language BM  English  BM
3. Programs like iThink & HOM

Alternative schooling arrangements

1. Parental choice
2. School fees
3. Charter school/ Cluster schools
4. Home schooling/ Unschooling

Bilingual/ bicultural education

• Second language instruction

 
Censorship

• Books
• Websites – blogs, videos, social medias

 
Gender

• Sports - PE
• Attitudes
• Segregating

 
Health education

• Drugs, alcohol and tobacco
• Teenage pregnancy and abortion
• Sexually transmitted diseases
• Sexuality education and school clinics

Multiculturalism/diversity

• Racial/ ethnic integration
• Cultural diversity

Privatisation

• Government responsibilities

Provision for exceptionalities

• Inclusive classrooms
• Special school

Religion in public education

• Conflicts

Scheduling arrangements

• School hours, day, and week
• School year
• Class and school size

Standards/assessment

• High stake assessment

CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION

In this topic, I had learnt about The Roles of Stakeholders in Curriculum Implementation Stakeholders is Individuals or institutions that are interested in the school curriculum. Shape the school curriculum implementation.

 

1. Learners at the center of the Curriculum

• The very reason a curriculum is developed
• The ones being directly influenced by the curriculum
• The primary stakeholders in the curriculum
• Make the curriculum alive
• Measurement of the success of the curriculum

2. Teachers as Curriculum Developers and Implementers

• The curriculum maker
• From a developer to an implementer
• Being an implementer is very crucial

3. Curriculum Managers and Administrators

• Supervise, select & recruit, admit, procure
• Plan for the school’s improvement
• Can never be ignored

4. Parents as Supporters in the Curriculum

• Parents are the “Best" supporters of the school

5. Community members as Community Resources

• Substitute for what is  needed to implement the curriculum.
• Some can be a resource speaker.

6. Other Stakeholders in Curriculum Implementation

• Professional organization have shown great influence in school curriculum.
• Government  has a great stake in curriculum implementation

This video helps me to understanding these topic in more details. 

 

CURRICULUM DESIGN

Reflect back...

 

PART I: The 4 Parts Curriculum Design

1. Objectives - What should be done?
2. Content - What subject matter should be included?
3. Learning Experiences - What instructional strategies, resources, and activities should be employed?
4. Evaluation - What methods and instruments should be used to appraise the results of the curriculum?

PART II: Curriculum Sources

 

Curriculum designers must clarify their philosophical, social, and political views of society and the individual learner—views commonly called curriculum’s sources.

 

FIVE curriculum sources:

1. Science
2. Society
3. Moral doctrine
4. Knowledge
5. Learner

PART III: Design Dimensions Considerations

1. Must achieve the following:

• Scope
• Sequence
• Continuity
• Integration
• Articulation
• Balance



CURRICULUM APPROACHES

APPROACH it is a way of dealing with something, a way of doing or thinking about something (Merriam-Webster).

CURRICULUM APPROACH it is a way of dealing with a curriculum, a way of doing/creating/designing/ thinking about a curriculum. The curriculum approaches reflect the developer’s philosophy, view of reality, history, psychology, social issues and the domains of knowledge. Analysis of an approach provides information about personal and collective commitments to a particular viewpoint and the values deemed important by individuals, school and society.

 

Two Broad Contrasting Categories of Curriculum Approaches:

1. Technical-Scientific: Reflect a traditional orientation about education and formal methods of schooling.
2. Non-Technical/ Non-Scientific: Challenge traditional theories and practices and reflect the more progressive views about education.

Types Of Curriculum Approaches:

• Behavioral Approach
• Managerial Approach
• Systems Approach
• Humanistic Approach

 



SOCIAL FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM

This topic describes how to understanding social foundations of curriculum is essential because such foundations have always had major influences on schools and curriculum decisions. It also comprehending those forces in society at large and locally enables educators to determine what aspects of society to transmit to cur- rent and future students and what dimensions of society require reinvention.
 

Please visit this link for more understanding :)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_NJgljBdFw

 

 

PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION OF CURRICULUM

For this topic I less understanding but I will try reflect back what my lecturer explain to me in the class. The first thing I remember it is about major theories. The major theories of learning have three:

1. Behaviorism – stimulus and reinforces.
2. Cognitivism – mental operation.
3. Humanistic psychology – whole child (social, psychology, and cognitive development).

Principle of learning Behaviourist. According to:

1. Thorndike: Law of Effect - When a connection between a situation and a response is made and it is accompanied by a satisfying state of affairs, that connection is strengthened; when accompanied by an annoying state of affairs, the connection is weakened.
2. Pavlov-Watson: Classical Conditioning - Whenever a response is closely followed by the reduction of a drive, the tendency is for the stimulus to evoke that reaction on subsequent occasions; association strength of the stimulus–response bond depends on the conditioning of the response and the stimulus.
3. Skinner: Operant conditioning - In contrast to classical conditioning, no specific or identifiable stimulus consistently elicits operant behavior. If an operant response is followed by a reinforcing stimulus, the strength of the response is increased.
4. Bandura: Observational Learning - Behavior is best learned through observing and modeling. Emphasis is placed on vicarious, symbolic, and self-regulatory processes.
5. Gagne: Hierarchical Learning - Eight behaviors or categories are based on prerequisite conditions and cumulative stages of learning.

Principle of learning Cognitivist. According to:

1. Montessori: Structured Play - Instructional emphasis of visual and auditory activities; children learn at different rates.
2. Piaget: Cognitive stages of development - Four cognitive stages form a sequence of progressive mental operations; the stages are hierarchical and increasingly more complex. Assimilation, accommodation and equilibration - The incorporation of new experiences, the method of modifying new experiences to derive meaning, and the process of blending new experiences into a systematic whole.
3. Vygotsky: Theory of Language and Cultural Transmission - Learning involves human development (and potential) as well as cultural development (or environments shaped by beliefs and behaviors of previous generations).
4. Bruner-Phenix: Structure of a subject - The knowledge, concepts, and principles of a subject; learning how things are related is learning the structure of a subject; inquiry-discovery methods of learning are essential.
5. Gardner: Eight multiple intelligences - This is a cross-cultural, expanded concept of what is intelligence such areas as linguistics, music, logical-mathematical, spatial, body-kinaesthetic, and personal.
6. Guilford: 120 potential cognitive processes - This involves three-dimensional model (6 5 4) of intelligence called the structure of intellect.
7. Ennis-Lipman-Sternberg: Critical Thinking - This involves teaching students how to think, including forming concepts, generalizations, cause effect relationships, inferences, consistencies and contradictions, assumptions, analogies, and the like.

Principle of learning Humanistic. According to:

1. Maslow: Human Needs - Six human needs are related to survival and psychological well-being; the needs are hierarchical and serve to direct behaviour.
2. Rogers: Freedom to learn - Becoming a full person requires freedom to learn; the learner is encouraged to be open, self-trusting, and self-accepting.

 

HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM

Six things i will remember about what i have learnt over the three weak ago are curriculum theorists.

1876-1956

Franklin Bobbitt

• Presented curriculum as a science that emphasizes on students' need.

1875-1952

Werrett Charters

• Considered curriculum also as a science which is based on students need, the teachers plan and activities.

1871-1965

William Kilpatrick

• Viewed curriculum as purposeful activities which are child-centered.

1886-1960

Harold Rugg

• Emphasized social studies in the curriculum and the teacher plan the lesson in advance.

1901-1989

Hollis Caswell

• Sees curriculum as organized around social functions of themes, organized knowledge and learner's interests.

1902-1994

 Ralph Tyler

• Believes that curriculum is a science and an extension of school's philosophy. Based on students need and interests.

PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM

This topic is not difficult because it should remember four major philosophies.

1.Idealism

• Moral and spiritual reality as the chief explanation of the world. Truth and values are absolute, timeless, and universal.

2.Realism

• Knowledge is gained through senses and reason. Everything is derived from nature and is subject to its laws.

3.Pragmatism(Experimentalism)

• Based on change, process and relativity. Learning occurs when a person engages in problem solving.

4.Existentialism

• Individual choice leads to self-definition. A person creates his own definition. We are what we choose to be.

Besides that, four educational philosophies:

1.Perennialism

• Perennialism is the oldest and conservative educational philosophy.
• It is rooted in realism.
• It draws heavily on defined disciplines or logically organized bodies of content- what proponents call ‘liberal education’, with emphasis on language, literature, mathematics, arts, and science.

2.Essentialism

• An educational philosophy suggesting that a critical core of knowledge and skills exists that all people should possess.
• Roots in Idealism and Realism.
• Back to basics movements.
• Standards, testing, cultural literacy.
• What is essential can change.

3.Progressivism

• An educational philosophy emphasizing curricula that focus on real-world problem solving and individual development.
• Roots in Pragmatism.
• Against perennialism.
• Dewey viewed the school as a miniature democratic society in which students could learn and practice the skills and tools necessary for democratic living.

4.Reconstructionism

• It is society-centered philosophy.
• It is rooted from Pragmatism.
• Emphasizes cultural pluralism, equality and futurism.
  - Critically examines the cultural heritage of a society as well as entire civilization.
  - Is deliberately committed to bring about social and constructive change.
  - Cultivate a future planning attitude that considers the realities of the world.
  - Enlists students and teachers in a definite program to enhance cultural renewal and interculturalism.

This video about philosophical foundation of education it can make you guys more understand about this topic :)

THE ROLES 0F CURRICULUM WORKER

One thing I  really want to learn is this topic because I can know who person involved in the curriculum worker. Easy for me to remember during the examination. The term curriculum worker (used interchangeably with curriculum supervisor, curriculum leader, curriculum coordinator, and curriculum specialist) encompasses various educators, from teachers to superintendents.

• A curriculum supervisor usually a chairperson, assistant principal, or principal generally works at the school level.
• A curriculum leader can be a supervisor or administrator: a chairperson, principal, or director or associate superintendent of curriculum.
• A curriculum coordinator usually heads a program at the school-district, regional, or state level; the program may be a special government-funded program or a traditional subject-area program such as a Math or English program.
• A curriculum specialist is a technical consultant from the district level, a regional or state department of education, or a university. A curriculum specialist provides advice or in-service assistance, sometimes in the classroom but usually at meetings, conferences, or staff sessions.
• The teacher works with supervisors and administrators as part of the curriculum team and implement the curriculum.

When I reflect back in this topic also explain about Curriculum Leader can be supervisor or administrator (chairperson, principal, director).

• All schools are not equal in their ability to promote desired improvements.
• Curriculum leadership must try to do more than manage the status quo. If there is some kind of balance between maintaining the curriculum and upgrading school programs, the curriculum leader must always seek a greater and more visionary kind of role.
• The fact is, our world is not static and the curriculum in school represents our nation’s program for preparing students to live in the future.
• While curriculum specialists, administrators and outside educational companies spend countless hours developing curriculum, it is the teachers who know best what the curriculum should look like.
• After all, they work directly with the students meant to benefit from the curriculum.
• In order to create a strong curriculum, teachers must play an integral role in every step of the process.

The lastly about Teachers as Curriculum Worker. The teacher should play a major role in planning, implementing, and evaluating the curriculum.

1. Planning

• Teachers know their students' needs better than others involved in the curriculum process.
• While state or federal standards often dictate the skills covered by the curriculum, a teacher can provide insight into the types of materials, activities and specific skills that need to be included.
• Teachers from multiple grade-levels may collaborate to identify skills students need at each level and ensure that the curriculum adequately prepares students to advance to the next grade-level and to meet the standards.

2. Creation

• Because teachers must use the curriculum, they should have input in its creation.
• A teacher can gauge whether an activity will fit into a specified time frame and whether it will engage students. If multiple teachers will use the curriculum, allow as many of them as possible to provide input during the creation stage.
• As teachers provide input, they will gain ownership in the final product and feel more confident that the curriculum was created with their concerns and the needs of their particular students in mind.

3. Implementation

• Teachers must implement the curriculum in their own classrooms, sticking to the plan that has taken so much time, careful planning and effort to create.
• When a teacher fails to properly implement a strong curriculum, she risks not covering standards or failing to implement effective practices in the classroom. That does not mean a teacher cannot make minor changes.
• In fact, a strong curriculum is designed to allow a teacher to be flexible and to insert a few personalized components or choose from among a selection of activities.

4. Reflection

• Reflecting on a curriculum allows teachers and others involved in the process to find any weaknesses in the curriculum and attempt to make it better.
• Teachers reflect on curriculum in multiple ways, such as keeping a journal as they implement the curriculum, giving students surveys and reviewing the results or analysing assessment data and individual student performance.
• Not only can reflection serve to improve a specific curriculum, it may guide the creation of new curriculum.

INTRODUCTION TO CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

In this topic, I have learnt 5 basic definition of curriculum:

1) A plan for achieving goals.

• The plan involves sequences and steps. A plan for providing sets of learning opportunities for people to be educated.

2) Dealing with the learners’ experiences.

• Curriculum is all the experiences children have under teachers’ guidance:

            a) Ongoing experiences.

            b) Specific environment for helping children achieve self realisation through active participation within the school.

       c) Pre planned series of experiences.

3) A system for dealing with people.

• Linear or nonlinear system.
• Linear – plots out the means to a desired end.
• Nonlinear – specialist can enter at any point of learning.

4) A field of study with its own foundations, knowledge domains, research, theory, principles, and specialists.

• Discuss curriculum in theoretical terms not practical terms.
• Concerned with broad historical, philosophical, or social issues.

5) Subject matter (math, science, English, history, and so on).

• Talk in terms of grade levels.
• Emphasise on facts, concepts of particular subject areas.

I hope everyone can understand "what is curriculum" after look this video in more details.

ABOUT ME

ABOUT ONESELF

     All my life I have been thinking of what I am planning to do with my life and what I would like to learn more about when I grow up. Well today I know what I want to do and what career I want to take as a grownup. The career I would like to take is a lecturer or preschool teacher.

     Now let me introduce myself. My name is Nik Nur Ain Binti Mohd Zamadi. I come from Pasir Puteh, Kelantan. I am a student of Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) (Hons) at Unitar International University. I take this course because I want to be preschool teacher in the future. I was born in Kampung Kolam Tembesu, on June 8th, 1995. I am now started to do my assignment for the subject Curriculum and Pedagogy. Here, I live at Jalan Kebun Sultan, Kota Bharu, Kelantan. At the hostel I live with my friends. My friends are like family for me. They often help me and amuse me up when I feel sad

     

PHILOSOPHY

While being an expert in one’s content area is imperative, if one does not understand how to best communicate one’s knowledge to his or her students then the expertise is useless.  One of the most important elements to communicate to students is that English is significant to their lives and their futures.  One should strive to create a meaningful classroom environment for their students.   In order to produce a meaningful environment and acquire a significant learning outcome, it is important to create real world connections, to incorporate student-centered learning, to utilize technology, to generate continual growth as a teacher, and to maintain a strict control over the classroom while remaining approachable.

     First, it is critical to create real world connections in the classroom while producing a student-centered learning environment.  If students do not believe they will use classroom material in their future, they see lessons as insignificant, pointless and not worth their time. In order to achieve one’s objectives, a teacher must make the material relevant to their students.  English is significant to every student’s future.  Whether one is creating resumes, writing job applications, applying to college, composing scientific reports, creating a business presentation, etc., English is crucial to achieving one’s goal.  A teacher should explain how each lesson will aid students in their future endeavors.  It is also important encourage students to use English in a way that is meaningful to them. One way to create a lesson that is meaningful to each student is to provide them with a choice. For example, if one wants their students to become better writers or practice writing conventions one might offer the option to choose from a list of various types of writing, rather than requiring a particular one which many students might not find significant.  Students should be at the forefront of their learning.  They should be experiencing and acquiring knowledge rather than simply listening to it. Hands-on lessons help make material come to life for students.

     One excellent way to engage students in the classroom and create real word connections is to utilize technology and maintain one’s current knowledge as a teacher. Today, students are constantly enveloped in technology.  Using technology in the classroom spawns student interest and connects lessons to their everyday lives. Incorporating technology in the classroom is a must, not only to engage students but to prepare them for the rapidly growing and changing world. Technology should be used in every way possible in the class-rooms. In order to maintain this goal, it is important to continue one’s education as a teacher.  Teachers need to stay informed and current in their knowledge of technology as they do their content area.

     Finally, one cannot attain any goal in their classroom unless it is well-managed.  As a teacher, controlling one’s classroom environment is essential.  One needs to produce a strict learning atmosphere.  Educators must, first, demand respect from students and then prove to them that he or she deserves that respect.  One must create specific classroom regulations and not waver. However, while it is imperative to maintain a firm control, it is also necessary to maintain approachable to students.  It is important that students feel comfortable asking questions and that they see a teacher as an adult that cares and one that they can trust.  It is necessary to maintain the role of an authority figure while communicating respect to students and relating to them.  If a teacher is respected, students are more likely to adhere to one’s rules and take class seriously.

     The best teachers are those that never stop learning and continue striving to improve. It is important to realize that teaching is full of surprises and new strategies.  What remains true, it is the necessity to create a meaningful learning situations and one must be ready to adapt, react and discover new environment and to understand how to relate one’s knowledge to students.

GOALS IN LIFE

      A person needs to achieve certain goals in one's life before you can call them successful. Success is to achieve goals, you have set. I have set certain goals I would like to achieve in my lifetime. Some of these goals are personal while others are professional. My professional goals in life are to find a good job that makes me happy, get a good education, find a job that makes enough money for me to support my family, and help people.
     It is very important for me to receive a good education. Most job fields require a descent education. If I don't have an education I would not be able to function properly at the work place and I would not understand what to do. To maintain a good job that will make good money will require me to go thorough schooling or training and maybe even both. Education is the first and foremost way to become successful, because the job I will choose will need me go to school and maybe even beyond college.
     My happiness in what I do it also a goal for me in my life. There is no way someone can become successful if they are not happy with what they are doing. If their job is going to make them miserable, they will never show 100% in their work and they will shake off. If someone did this they would probably get fired or their pay would not be very high. The job I want will be interesting to me. I will need to love my job and also love what I am doing. I need to be putting 100% into my work.