Sewing Social Worlds: The Advancement of Social and Individual Justice

My Master's Writings

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Published on Thursday, 02 February 2012 04:30

Written by Simone Brady M.Ed

The school I attended had five week courses. An individual paper was due weekly as well as two discussion board assignments. At the end of each course, on the fifth week a group project was due. I will post them as I find them. 

Discussion Board Assignment

Curriculum Development and Decision-making Models

Simone M Brady

September 6, 2006

There is a difference between curriculum-development models and decision-making models in education. How are they different, and how do they compliment each other?

Introduction

The decision-making process in the field of education is continuous and encompasses everything from deciding on what population is to be taught to what topics are to be taught; and from what material is considered acceptable and meaningful to the amount of time spent on each selected topic and so forth. Many questions are answered in the framework of curriculum-development models. This paper is based on the premise that curriculum-development and decision-making models share mutual goals; these goals include decisions with regard to curriculum development, curriculum alignment, curriculum implementation, curriculum evaluation and deciding on how to make changes to a curriculum. Change in Pre-School Curricula

Kindergarten has been taught to five year old children since Margarethe Meyer Schurz started the first kindergarten in 1856 in Watertown, Wisconsin (Department of Justice, n.d.). Schurz taught her own children along with children of relatives by using arts, crafts, music and play. Preschool, also known as pre-kindergarten or K-4 prepares children aged 3 to 5 for kindergarten. Children learn social skills; learn about books, numbers and other skills depending on the curriculum, which incidentally varies for preschoolers. While many curriculum models exist and policymakers, local, state and Federal governments recognize the importance of programs for child development, the field of early childhood development does not promote a “best” curriculum model and no levels of government mandates one particular curriculum. Content needs to be decided upon if the goals of the programs focus on improving “children’s school success by enhancing their early skills (Frede and Ackerman, n.d.).

Curriculum-Development Models

Curriculum, a concept having many definitions and at times difficult to define is thus far defined best from a child development perspective. “The content and composition of the preprimary program, including all daily activities, transitions, and routines which impact on the child's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development” (Project Great Start, 2005). Curriculum models are educational frameworks that combine theory with practice, and according to Project Great Start, curriculum models have knowledge bases dependant on specific ideologies, and is supported by research and evaluation. Child development curriculum models include principles for applying certain aspects, such as creating physical environments, organizing activities, and networking with children, families and staff members. An important factor with regard to these models is that they are critical in deciding program content as well as critical to the training and supervising of staff

According to Ralph Tyler’s Theory of Curriculum Development, curriculum models are based on theories about learning and teaching, are targeted to a particular group’s needs and characteristics, and delineate tactics, methods and formulas for execution. Tyler’s model contends that curriculum design encompasses the nature and structure of knowledge and the needs of society and the learner. Curriculum development poses many questions and concerns, such as educational purposes, experiences that will aid in attaining goals, how to organize experiences, and how to evaluate effectiveness. The selection and organization of subject matter is a concern in curriculum development as well as choosing methods and approaches. After selecting subject matter, what should be included from that subject, how long will it be taught and what of hierarchy sequences of complexity? Will experiential, developmental, psycho-social, experimental or textual approaches be used for subject matter? The needs of society are abundant; which of those needs hold the greatest importance (Madeus & Stufflebeam, 1989)?

Childhood curriculum models are conceptual frameworks that are guided by child development theories and aid in decision making and direct implementation and evaluation of curricula. A multitude of early childhood curriculum models have been created and the following are a few of the most widely used: the creative curriculum; the high/scope curriculum; the Montessori Method and the Developmental Interaction Approach. These variations in models reflect different values from the people who developed them just as the models chosen to be used for curriculum development by decision-makers reflect the culture and values of those decision-makers. Is there a “best” curriculum model for producing the outcomes that are desired? How are outcomes chosen? These questions are answered in the decision-making process. Basically then; curriculum models answer how certain populations learn by using teaching and learning theories resulting in a framework that aids in the curriculum development process and the decision-making process. It would seem that curriculum development models are the foundation for the basis of the decision-making process.

Decision-Making Models

Decision making is a process encompassing many models; one such model is the rational model. The five steps in the process for the rational model are as follows: 1. recognition that a problem exists; 2. framing the problem; alternatives must be created and evaluated; 3. alternatives must be narrowed down and finally one must be chosen; the chosen alternative must be implemented and evaluated. 1. A problem exists in preschool curricula. 2. The problem is that too many curricula are used nationwide. 3. Blended methods can be used; national standards can be developed; create a new curriculum for nationwide implementation; or blend and append existing nationwide curricula 4. The final decision is to confirm national standards and append existing curricula used across the nation providing they have proven to be effective. 5. Finally, the curriculum will be implemented and evaluated by using teacher and student feedback.

Conclusion

Curriculum models include theory and practice, curriculum development, and guidelines in order to answer questions. Curriculum decision-making models are guided by steps in a process that asks questions about the questions answered in curriculum models. Questions may entail how a curriculum will develop, is the curriculum aligned, and asks if the chosen curriculum model is congruent with the goals, set objectives, daily routine, activities and the environment. Further, does the implemented curriculum match the students enrolled in the school, and are assessments properly measuring the goals and objectives of the curriculum. There are many levels in decision-making and many reasons why decision must be made to curricula and it seems that the bottom line is once a curriculum is chosen and implemented, the major function of decision making is to decide on and implement change and to assess and evaluate all aspects of the curriculum and its implementation to ensure that every aspect surrounding the model’s flow through the theoretical philosophy of the model.

References

Department of Justice, (n.d.). Watertown; The First Kindergarten, 1956. Retrieved September 7, 2006 from

     http://www.doj.state.wi.us/kidspage/fun_facts/kindergarten.htm

Frede, E., Ackerman, D. J. (n.d.). Curriculum Decision-Making: Dimensions to Consider. Retrieved September 7,

     2006 from http://nieer.org/resources/research/CurriculumDecisionMaking.pdf

Madeus, G. F., Stufflebeam, D. L. (1989). Educational evaluation: The Works of Ralph Tyler. Boston, MA: Kluwer

     Academic Press.

Mitchell, R. C., Ph.D. (2006). A Basic Decision Making Model. Retrieved September 8, 2006 from

     http://www.csun.edu/~hfmgt001/dmmodel.htm

Project Great Start, (2005). Preschool Curriculum Models. Retrieved September 8, 2006 from

     http://www.michigan.gov/greatstart/0,1607,7-197-27385-83422--,00.html

Workforce Innovation Emergency Website, (2005). Retrieved September 7, 2006 from

     http://www.floridajobs.org/VPK/index.html