Running Title: CURRICULUM EVALUATION AND CHANGE
Evaluation and Change of Curriculum in University of Leicester
Abstract
This paper focuses on the different entities who are involved in the process of designing, developing and evaluating curriculum, in order to meet the changing internal and external learning environment. Furthermore, faculty is considered as the central point in the said process, because they are involved in the daily evaluation of the curriculum by using different evaluation tools, and by that, proposal for a change will be made in order to make sure that the curriculum and the entire teaching approach is complementing the current external market, with connection to the different social, technological and economical pressures. Team-based approach in designing and developing curriculum can be a great help in order to create a curriculum which will consider the different factors that are associated with the field of knowledge.
Introduction
Learning is affected by different external and internal environmental factors, while curriculum is connected to learning. As a result, there is a great need for change and evaluation in order to ensure that the curriculum is meeting the important development in the environment. In connection, curriculum evaluation was visualized in a context of curriculum development or curriculum reform, rather than one of the curriculum researches (Adelman, 1984). The systematic approach to restructuring recognizes that schools are part of a multipart system of expectations and that reform plans must distinguish the different interests at play in any improvement. The idea focuses on the thinking that when all parts are pulling together, reform or change will happen (Hartley & Whitehead, 2006).
Thus, in order to come up with the decision regarding changing the curriculum, there are different processes that must be done, outside the organization and inside the organization, or even the combination of both. Thus, the driver of change can be different experts, implementers who include instructional designers, teachers or trainers, or the learners.
Evaluating the Curriculum
Curriculum development and evaluation are the process by which faculty in education programs frequently and regularly assess the curricula, together with their outcomes. Based on the results of the assessment, educator processes the existing curricula through minor or major changes. In some cases, new programs are needed and the same processes which support assessment and revision enable to construct the justification for and establishment of new programs (Keating, 2005). In the University of Leicester, faculties are responsible in handling curriculum (Academic and Research Services – Quality and Standards). It is a fundamental rule in academics that the curriculum “belongs to the faculty” (Palomba & Banta, 2001). This is because of the fact that, in higher education, faculty are considered as the specialists in their respective field of discipline, thus, they are the people who decide on the content that must be transferred to and absorbed by the learner (Keating, 2005).
Thus, the role and responsibilities of faculty is to focus on curriculum development and evaluation that corresponds on the curriculum’s mission/vision, philosophy/values as well as other selected organizational framework and setting of the overall objectives (Keating, 2005). In connection, the faculty in University of Leicester frequently monitors the curriculum for its significance to the real world, and makes some recommendation if needed. Furthermore, faculty keeps hold of their academic freedom in the process of implementing the curriculum and choosing individual methods of instruction, however, individuals cannot alter the pre-set goals and objectives of the program that the faculty-as-a-whole developed (Keating, 2005).
Curriculum committees accept recommendation from faculty for curriculum changes and occasionally review the curriculum for its currency, legitimacy and conscientiousness in realizing the mission, philosophy and goals (Keating, 2005). Faculty Learning and Teaching Committees are advised to meet during the first half of the summer term in order to deal with the curriculum change. It should approve changes if it is satisfied regarding the overall programme. The changes will be reported to Faculty Board through the Faculty Learning and Teaching Committee minutes. As a result, the final version of the regulations and the amended programme specifications and skills matrices will be published, while all of the final documentation should be submitted via the committees’ secretary in electronic format for publication in the university’s website and hard copy for regulators (Academic and Research Services – Quality and Standards).
Evaluating Effectiveness and Outcome of Curriculum
Aside from the daily activities of curriculum development, faculty is also responsible in evaluating the outcomes or effectiveness of the curriculum. In the University of Leicester, faculty members determine the need for revisions in the process of delivering the curriculum, and then focus on developing formative evaluation strategies which contain student examination and course evaluation (Keating, 2005). That is the reason why the university focused on the need for assistance of the faculty regarding the construction of evidence with supports attainment of a program objective/outcome or, more difficult, learning outcomes (Anderson & Crutcher, 2008).
In addition, faculty also plays a vital role in the process of developing the different measures, and respond on the different feedbacks from the graduates and other consumers of a given program. This is vital because in order to bring curriculum into reality, and to make it more effective and learning centric, faculty must include students, alumni, employees and other people whom their graduates serve in the curriculum building process. Aside from that, communication with the government agencies, industry, consumers as well as educators is also demanded from cost-effective and quality point-of-view (Keating, 2005).
Advantages and Disadvantages of Team Approach in Evaluating Curriculum
Teachers can and should play an important role in the process of developing curriculum, not jut because their participation makes the process more efficient, but because having a hand in crafting and recurrently shaping the curriculum help to ensures greater buy-in and understanding of the curriculum and its purposes (Wiggins & McTighe, 2007). Curriculum assessment design and change can be conducted in teams. It is doubtful that even the most competent teacher working alone will be able to produce and make the quantity and quality of work that an effective, component team can construct. Thus, team is considered as an important entity in a learning organization (Senge 2006 cited in Wiggins & McTighe, 2007).
The team approach is important if the curriculum is planned to develop different understanding and supply students for transfer performances because there is a great demand that the developers have solid content expertise (Wiggins & McTighe, 2007). One of the advantages of team approach is that it is more likely to put up support among teachers by relating them in the process of decision making (Glatthorn, 1997). Individual teacher is unlikely to have in-depth content knowledge in all areas of discipline and knowledge, while a team of teacher working together benefits from distributed expertise, therefore, making it more likely that various topics will be properly address in deep and rich ways (Wiggins & McTighe, 2007). On the other hand, the main disadvantage is that it can be difficult to undertake in a very small schools and district, where in one teacher is the only person responsible for a course or grade level (Wiggins & McTighe, 2007). Furthermore, there can be some clash of characters because all of the teachers involved in the decision-making will have different perspective about the curriculum, because of their in-depth knowledge about a given subject area.
Conclusion
Curriculum designing, implementation, change and evaluation are considered as vital process inside academic organization, which in great need of focus on the different factors that are connected in the learning process. Thus, it is important to consider the internal and external environment. Faculty serves as glue between the different consumers of academic course and the different organizations that are connected in the academic field. Thus, they are directly involved in the process of evaluating the curriculum and proposing for possible change. On the other hand, team-based is applicable in the process of implementing and developing curriculum, because it enables teachers or instructors from different field to contribute their knowledge, thus enable them to a more comprehensive curriculum, which tackle the different needs and demands of students in order to meet the competitive real world.
Bibliography
Academic and Research Services – Quality and Standards. (n.d.). Retrieved April 30, 2009, from University of Leicester: http://www.le.ac.uk/academic/quality/curriculumchange/index.html
Adelman, C. (1984). The Politics and Ethics of Evaluation. Taylor & Francis.
Anderson, J., & Crutcher, R. (2008). Drivin Change Through Diversity and Globalization: Transformative Leadership in the Academy. Stylus Publishing.
Glatthorn, A. (1997). The Principal as Curriculum Leader: Shaping What is Taught and Tested. Chicago: Corwin Press.
Hartley, D., & Whitehead, M. (2006). Teacher Education:Major Themes in Education. Taylor & Francis.
Keating, S. (2005). Curriculum Development and Evaluation in Nursing. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Palomba, C., & Banta, T. (2001). Assessing Student Competence in Accredited Disciplines: Pioneering Approaches to Assessment in Higher Education. Stylus Publishing, LLC.
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2007). Schooling by Design: Mission, Action and Achievement. ASCD.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment