Before delving deeper into understanding the organisation of curriculum in schools, it’s important to understand what curriculum actually is. Curriculum is the structured learning in each academic year that encompasses everything from content to processes and assessment methods.
The curriculum informs that what teachers should teach, the content and activities included in lessons and how students are assessed. Schools use their curriculum to guide the learning and development of their students. It is determined by key stakeholders, such as government bodies and education professionals and is therefore unique to each school and locality.
Despite important differences in curriculum, schools must meet certain standards as required by the government. In this article, we will explore how curriculum is organised in schools.
We will learn how its structure is determined, what learning objectives and themes are included and how technology impacts the way that learning is structured.
What are the key stages of curriculum organization?
Curriculum organisation is based on a few important stages. The first stage is the setting of educational standards. These standards are often set by the national or state government and provides wide-ranging guidance to schools in terms of what content must be included in their curriculum.
Once these standards are set, schools can then begin to structure the curriculum. The second stage of curriculum organisation is defining the learning objectives and themes.
The curriculum must set out exactly what should be taught and why. This includes clear expectations for student knowledge, skills and competencies that should be acquired. In addition, themes are outlined so that the school has a broad focus for their curriculum.
This can include anything from team work and problem solving to environmental objectives and technological advancements. The third stage is the creation of the curriculum plan.
This involves determining when subjects, topics and activities should be offered, who will teach them and what assessment methods will be used. It also sets out how technology should be used to enhance learning and how resources should be deployed.
In this way, the curriculum plan is like a road map that guides the overall teaching and learning process. Finally, the fourth stage is the implementation of the curriculum. This includes recruiting staff, deploying resources, evaluating student progress and making changes if necessary.
This is the most time-consuming stage as it involves working with students to help them meet the learning objectives outlined in the curriculum plan.
What content is included in curriculum?
The content included in the curriculum depends on the standards that have been established. Generally, each subject would include content related to knowledge and skills, including reading, mathematics and science, as well as social and emotional learning.
Additional content could include technology, art, design and physical activities. In terms of knowledge and skills, the curriculum would include content related to the key subject areas, such as maths, reading and sciences. This content would usually be broken down into topics and activities so students can further develop their knowledge and understanding of the topics.
Social and emotional learning (SEL) is also an important part of the curriculum. In this area, students develop their skills in problem solving, working with others, self-regulation and communication.
This helps students to become more successful individuals both in and out of the classroom. Technology is increasingly being included in the curriculum, especially with the rise of the Internet and digital learning environments. It’s important for students to know how to use technology safely and effectively.
Students learn how to use computers, computers, tablets and other devices as well as learning about coding, robot building and resources in virtual reality. Lastly, art and design activities can also be included in the curriculum.
This can range from drawing or sculpting to using digital software. It provides an outlet for students to express their creativity.
How are learning objectives and standards determined?
The learning objectives and standards that are determined form the foundation of the curriculum. Standards are determined by key stakeholders, such as the government and other education professionals.
Learning objectives are created in alignment with these standards to form the overall learning goals and frameworks. The learning objectives tend to be divided into two categories; those that relate to knowledge and comprehension and those that relate to skills and competencies. The knowledge and comprehension objectives define what information students should have knowledge of and what concepts should be understood.
The skills and competencies objectives set out the skills that should be developed, such as problem solving and communication. The learning objectives are then broken down further into small goals and activities.
This provides a more detailed framework for the curriculum, allowing teachers to plan and implement lessons to help students reach the desired objectives.
How does technology impact the organisation of curriculum?
Technology is increasingly impacting the organisation of curriculum. With digital learning environments and the internet, the content and teaching of the curriculum can be enhanced.
Technology enables students to access a much larger range of resources than they would in a traditional classroom. It also makes it easier to access online assessments and to track the progress of students. In addition, technology provides an added dimension to the learning experience and helps to engage students.
Technology can be used across all subject areas and encourages students to use multimedia to explore topics, give presentations and work collaboratively. Lastly, technology can help to structure the curriculum. With educational technology, teachers can quickly and easily create and distribute lesson plans, track student progress and make sure that students are reaching the learning objectives established in the curriculum.
Conclusion
In conclusion, curriculum organisation is an important part of managing education in schools. It’s a process that involves determining the learning objectives, themes and content, creating a plan and implementing the curriculum.
Technologies are rapidly making this process easier, with digital learning environments and educational technology allowing teachers to focus more closely on student progress. Organising curriculum is a complex but necessary process that forms the foundation for the successful education of students. When done well, it allows for a structured, purposeful learning experience that sets students up for future success.