Standards-Based Curriculum Planning

Curriculum Development Process refers to the systematic planning, organization, implementation, and evaluation of educational programs. It ensures that what students learn is relevant, coherent, and aligned with standards, student needs, and future societal demands. steps: 1. Needs Assessment Purpose: Identify gaps in current learning, student performance, and future workforce needs. Key Questions: What do students need to learn? What are the demands of the community, nation, or global trends? What skills do graduates need? 2. Define Aims, Goals, and Learning Outcomes Aims: Broad visions of what the curriculum intends to achieve. Goals: General statements about what learners will achieve. Learning Outcomes: Specific, measurable skills or knowledge students should acquire. 3. Content Selection and Organization Criteria: Relevance, balance, sequence, integration, continuity, and progression. Sources: National standards, subject experts, textbooks, research, local culture. 4. Choose Teaching and Learning Methods Consider diverse learners, learning styles, and 21st-century skills. Include: Active learning (group work, inquiry, project-based) Differentiation strategies Use of digital tools and blended learning 5. Develop Assessment and Evaluation Tools Formative Assessments: Ongoing checks during learning (quizzes, discussions). Summative Assessments: Final evaluations (exams, projects). Evaluation Tools: Rubrics, checklists, tests, peer/self-assessment. 6. Pilot Testing and Feedback Trial the curriculum in selected classrooms. Collect feedback from: Students Teachers Parents Educational leaders 7. Implementation Train teachers. Provide resources (books, digital tools). Monitor implementation closely. 8. Monitoring and Continuous Evaluation Assess student outcomes regularly. Gather teacher and stakeholder feedback. Revise and adapt based on: Achievement data Changing educational goals New research or policy changes Bonus: Curriculum Models Often Used Tyler Model: Objectives → Content → Method → Evaluation Taba Model: Teachers involved in design, inductive approach. Backward Design (Wiggins & McTighe): Start with desired results → plan assessments → then plan instruction.

Sometimes it can be tricky to turn a curriculum standard into a learning intention. Luckily, Explicit Direct Instruction has some concrete and practical advice to help teachers do this. Here's what I learnt from John Hollingsworth of @TeachEduceri fame about how to do it... John started out by pointing out what an Explicit Direct Instruction learning intention contains. As John and Silvia write: 'A Learning Objective contains Concepts (big ideas, nouns), Skills (measurable behaviours, verbs), and sometimes Context (restricting conditions)' Based upon this, John suggests the following: Take a curriculum standard, such as the following, and draw a squiggly line under any verb (highlight the skills) and circle any nouns (identifying the concepts to be taught). Once you've done that, your curriculum standard will look more like this: Then you can create specific learning intentions. Based upon this standard, you could get: 1. Compare and contrast data collection within scientific field work and laboratory experimentation (this LI will help learners to select which is most appropriate 4 a given situation) 2. Communicate the risks and ethical issues associated with field work and laboratory experimentation 3. Collect and present data from a laboratory experiment (practical) 4. Collect and present data from a field experiment (practical) 5. Describe the key stages when planning field and laboratory experiments (this helps students to learn to plan) Each of these Learning Intentions (aka: Learning Objectives) captures a specific part, or parts, or the original curriculum standard. Breaking the original standard down in such a specific way makes it much easier to see how this broad standard can be systematically covered over a series of structured lesson segments. Some other lesson planning resources you might like to check out are: - The full podcast with John Hollingsworth here: https://lnkd.in/gBB8dEJ7 - @PepsMccrea's book, 'Lean Lesson Planing, here: https://lnkd.in/gNCb2WSZ Happy planning!

Tip of the day #1 for Educators - Curriculum Design ✨ Designing a curriculum is more than just aligning standards—it’s about crafting a learning journey that inspires, engages, and prepares students for the future. Here are some of my key tips for effective curriculum design: 1️⃣ Start with the End in Mind Clearly define learning outcomes and goals. What should students know, do, or value by the end of the course? Backward planning is key! 2️⃣ Ensure Vertical and Horizontal Alignment Check for consistency across grade levels (vertical alignment) and within the same grade across subjects (horizontal alignment) to create a seamless learning experience. 3️⃣ Incorporate Real-Life Connections Contextualize learning by integrating real-world applications. Authentic tasks motivate students and deepen understanding. 4️⃣ Differentiate and Personalize One size doesn’t fit all. Design lessons and assessments that cater to diverse learning styles, abilities, and interests. 5️⃣ Integrate Technology Thoughtfully Use technology to enhance, not replace, learning. Tools should promote engagement, collaboration, and creativity. 6️⃣ Prioritize Feedback and Reflection Embed opportunities for students to reflect on their learning and for teachers to refine the curriculum based on ongoing feedback. 7️⃣ Be Future-Focused Equip students with skills for a rapidly changing world. Foster critical thinking, collaboration, and adaptability. Curriculum design is an evolving process, and collaboration among educators is its backbone. Let’s build meaningful and innovative learning experiences together! 💡 What are your top tips for designing a great curriculum? Share in the comments below! 👇