Table Of Content
- Related resources
- What’s the difference between curriculum development and curriculum design?
- Innovation Considerations for Curriculum Design Processes
- Equitable Recovery: Addressing Learning Challenges after COVID
- Learner-centered curriculum design
- How is curriculum development different from instructional design?

It encompasses the identification of key learning outcomes, the selection of appropriate content, and the sequencing of courses or modules. Curriculum development also involves decisions about assessment strategies, teaching methods, and the overall structure of the educational program. It’s a strategic and long-term endeavor that sets the direction for the educational experience.
Related resources
Don’t forget that you will know much more than your students and you must factor in small steps, regular checks, formative assessment opportunities – allow for knowledge to be encoded, stored and retrieved regularly. Alongside this should come all those other things you need to consider; student ability, content, context, teacher resources – the whole caboodle. If the curriculum is taught through the experiences and lives of the students then it is ‘context-dependent’, and if it isn’t related to personal experience then it is ‘context-independent’. A horizontal structure is more thematic; aspects of the curriculum are introduced to students across year groups at the same time, perhaps like a PSHE theme, so as to integrate and interrelate knowledge. A broad curriculum, therefore, focuses on all curriculum subjects, not just core subjects.
What’s the difference between curriculum development and curriculum design?
Allowing time for in-depth learning means decisions must be made about what knowledge is of most worth. For this reason, the curriculum needs to specify clearly the appropriate balance between breadth and depth of coverage in terms of student learning outcomes. The deep disciplinary understanding of experts encompasses a vast amount of knowledge, but generally only a subset of that knowledge is used in the solution of any given problem. Experts not only have acquired extensive and deep knowledge and conceptual understanding, but also are skilled at discerning, identifying, and retrieving knowledge that is relevant to the solution of a particular problem.
Innovation Considerations for Curriculum Design Processes
If you’re interested in pursuing curriculum design jobs, read on for details about the skills, responsibilities and opportunities that are a part of this exciting career path. Standards and competency frameworks are common resources curriculum designers use in the process of conducting their work. These frameworks vary across countries and disciplines; however, they often serve a common purpose of aligning curriculum to common outcomes and learning/performance goals (e.g. Common Core Standards, Talent Develop Capability Model). The team must consider who the learners are, including what can reasonably be expected of them developmentally and what background knowledge they have or need.

Curriculum Design Processes
Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology Harvard Graduate School of Education - Harvard Graduate School of Education
Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Posted: Sat, 15 Jul 2023 20:35:57 GMT [source]
A good curriculum needs opportunities for interleaving, acquisition of essential cultural capital, links with other topics, content and subjects. Curriculum structures are important to understand as well; a vertical structure introduces curriculum aspects progressively as the school year develops, with knowledge built on prior learning. The curriculum can be argued to be as much about the inspiration and drive it offers the teachers as the instruction and knowledge it imparts to those that study it. Educators are always seeking out ways to bring energy into their classrooms and into their lessons.
During the master’s degree process, professional curriculum designers learn the latest in developing and implementing curriculum standards, how to function as part of a team, and how to take on leadership roles at schools. These are the kind of skills that make an effective professional curriculum designer and helps candidates stand out during the job hunt. To help boost participation in class and to promote embodied learning, the Active Learning Network has published 100 Ideas for Active Learning, which is a practical handbook to inspire innovative educational experiences.
Our curriculum design to help small business owners with strategies and tactics to grow within their industry competitive landscape,” said Dr. Lily Davidov, Faculty Chair of Accounting and Small Business. Note also, that all course learning outcomes must be assessed at the level of the award. So, for an undergraduate degree, you must be able to assess all of the course LOs at Level 6. Of course, you will also be assessing them, in a variety of ways, at lower levels. Search for online events and conferences and ask to share contact information with other attendees. If you’re an active poster, share relevant updates and think pieces about instruction and curriculum design.
Learner-centered curriculum design
Teachers need to form learning communities in which they can explore problems of practice that occur during the school year and engage in continuing discussion to enrich their knowledge of subject matter, students, and teaching. Tise; expert knowledge is not simply a list of facts and formulas (Chi, Feltovich, and Glaser, 1981; Kozma and Russell, 1997; NRC, 2000b; see also Chapter 6, this volume). In addition, the interrelationships among topics should be clearly articulated to provide a framework teachers can use in developing and setting goals for their students’ learning (American Association for the Advancement of Science [AAAS], 2001).

Here, Wright discusses working at NYCDOE, the challenges of curriculum design, and what it means for a curriculum to be truly culturally responsive. We appreciate the contributions to this resource from several Wellesley alumnae engaged in curriculum design. Fairness implies that a test supports the same inferences from person to person and group to group. Thus the test results neither overestimate nor underestimate the knowledge and skills of members of a particular group, for example, females. As far as I see it, the knowledge is the subject – it should be celebrated within its domain; the language, the terms, the facts, the literacy of the subject (Hirsch – Knowledge begets knowledge (1987)) all need to be included in your planning.
This principle underscores the importance of developing students’ character and moral values. In order for students to become good and productive citizens, they must be taught how to behave and think morally. A curriculum that focuses on character formation can help equip students with the necessary tools to make ethical decisions and lead meaningful lives. Help schools create engaging, meaningful, and memorable learning experiences to improve learning outcomes for all students with this M.S. Problem-centered curriculum design teaches students how to look at a problem and formulate a solution. A problem-centered curriculum model helps students engage in authentic learning because they’re exposed to real-life issues and skills, which are transferable to the real world.
Curated, Engaging Curriculum Content - Discovery Education
Curated, Engaging Curriculum Content.
Posted: Wed, 13 Mar 2024 16:40:03 GMT [source]
Curriculum design often encapsulates tests, lecture activities and discussions and homework assignments that are used to gauge comprehension and allow educators to offer feedback on performance. Professional organizations such as the American Association for Teaching and Curriculum (AATC) are dedicated to the scholarly study of teaching, and promote advancement of scholarship in discipline-specific fields such as Economics and History. The notion of us building our own curriculum was rooted in the real call to action from different constituents for our student experiences being reflected in their learning.
Curriculum development involves the strategic design and creation of educational pathways, ensuring that courses align with institutional objectives and evolving industry needs. It encompasses the establishment of clear learning outcomes, pedagogical approaches, and assessment methods. Given the constantly changing educational landscape, curriculum development is crucial to incorporating emerging knowledge, technologies, and instructional strategies, fostering dynamic and engaging learning experiences. Regular review and updates are essential to keep the curriculum current, reflecting the dynamic nature of disciplines and the evolving requirements of the job market. In sum, tomorrow’s students will have very different needs from those of today as a result of new knowledge in the various disciplines, new technologies, and new workplace demands. To meet those needs, teachers must constantly revise their practice and reflect on teaching and learning.
You’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree in education or learning design to start, and from there it depends on your goals. Teaching at a primary through high school level will require local accreditation, which differs from state to state. Finding a position in higher education or in private industry will likely require a master’s degree from a program that specializes in curriculum development.
A particularly critical challenge faced by many curriculum designers is the lack of a generally accepted design language and system in the field (Gibbons, 2014). For example, many design professions have a language to represent their work so that the audience versed in the language can easily understand and build from their work. Architects, engineers, and software programmers are all examples of professionals that use design languages to communicate ideas. Curriculum influences how people learn and grow from very young ages and continues to shape learning experiences throughout our lives. Curriculum design refers to the structure or organization of the curriculum, and curriculum development includes the planning, implementation, and evaluation processes of the curriculum.
On a practical level, curriculum designers often use forms of representations or diagrams to help manage the complexity and decision-making processes. Curriculum representations provide a method for communicating and collaborating with others during the curriculum design process. This often includes representing plans for how curriculum will be organized and made available to the learner.
It focuses on the total system, including learners and their physical environment. Another learner-centered design approach is the concept of flexibilization, which focuses on both content and pedagogy. The idea is that students are not only learners; they are also workers and citizens, too. One drawback of subject-centered designs is that they can often be rigid and inflexible. Teachers may feel like they have to teach everything in a certain order, and there may not be much room for student input or choice.
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