Curriculum Design



ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTii

DECLARATIONiii

CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION1

1.1Background of the Study1

1.2Aims and Objectives3

1.3Research Questions3

CHAPTER 02: LITERATURE REVIEW4

2.1Active and passive Learning4

2.2 Lectures4

2.2.1 Interactive Lecturing6

2.2.2 Useful interactions in Lectures7

2.3 Curriculum8

2.3.1 Curriculum Document9

2.3.2 Curriculum design Models9

2.3.3 Designing of Curriculum11

2.3.4 Deliberation12

2.3.5 Aims of curriculum13

2.4 Assessment14

2.4.1 Evaluation of the curriculum14

2.4.2 Curriculum development in practice14

2.5 Education15

2.5.1 Education vs. Training16

2.6 Practice16

2.6.1 Learning in Practice17

2.6.2 Practical wisdom & Professional judgment17

2.7 Reflective Writing18

2.8 Prime aim of Education18

2.9 Active learning and its importance in education19

CHAPTER 03: METHODOLOGY20

3.1 Research Design20

3.2 Research Method20

3.3 Data Analysis Method20

3.4 Ethical Considerations21

CHAPTER 04: DISCUSSION22

4.1 Change in the Curriculum23

4.2 Curriculum on paper24

4.3 Context24

4.4 Curriculum in action25

4.5 Events25

4.6 Personal thoughts and feelings27

4.7 What shall be done differently next time?29

4.8 Curriculum Experience29

4.9 Curriculum, its types & designing30

4.10 Education of the educationist33

CHAPTER 05: CONCLUSION35

REFERENCES36

APPENDIX39

Interview Responses39

CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The role of curriculum in active learning is well known to educators. Curriculum designed to encourage students active participation helps them learn in more depth. Students' active engagement in learning improves their knowledge gain and recall abilities. Also, students find engagement more interesting and therefore, put more efforts into active learning (Carlin 1989). On the contrary, passive learning only helps in gathering the information without adding much to learners' understanding.

Teachers in education effectively teach as they were taught in undergraduate and graduate schools. This is mostly due to the lack of pedagogical training of m-teachers. Teaching in m-classrooms is traditionally lectured driven with little critical engagement between students and teachers. This approach is primarily driven by information-imparting instructor teaching approach (Kember 1997). The purpose of this enquiry was to ascertain the changes in learning attitude among students by changing the curriculum format of a lecture from a traditional style to a more interactive one. The main aim was to encourage students be active in the learning process in order to benefit more from the learning experience.

The key aspects of the curriculum module of the Educational Programme in W University helped me to identify the importance of curriculum in my educational practice. Sound curriculum based on educational footings is a backbone in cultivating the understanding and meaning-making in learners. The work of Fish & Coles (2005) and Stenhouse (1975) introduced me to different models of curriculum design and their educational importance.

Like preceding modules, the current module highlighted the importance of cultivating the understanding in learners and the important difference between knowing and understanding. The reading also illuminated the role teachers and learners have to play in the curriculum design and its development particularly at a local level.

With this background knowledge from the current module, I ...