Curriculum Design Reflections: Eight Weeks of Learning

Introduction: Eight Weeks of Curriculum Study

Starting a personal journal was difficult at first, but after writing journal entries for the past eight weeks I have learned a great deal. I found myself developing a better understanding of curriculum than I had before beginning the unit. Before I started, I would have had trouble even saying or spelling the word "curriculum" correctly, and it was not something I thought about very much. However, after conducting more research on curriculum, completing the weekly readings, and participating in online discussions with other students, I found that everything together helped me considerably and gave me a far stronger understanding of the subject. That higher level of understanding allowed me to complete the weekly questions and tasks with increasing confidence.

Now I find that I must carefully consider my ideas on curriculum — where those ideas were a few short weeks ago, and how they have changed and evolved with the knowledge I have gained — because even eight weeks is a long time when a person is actively learning.

I used to see curriculum as the same thing as a syllabus. Now I know that the two are very different. What is given on a syllabus is an outline of the direction of a class, but it does not provide the actual knowledge that will be offered to the students (Aubusson, 2011; Kridel, 2010). This was a source of confusion for me in the past, but that is no longer the case. I feel as though I have a much better understanding of the differences between simple syllabi and more complex curricula, and I also feel as though I have enough knowledge to create both without having to rely on others to help or guide me as much as I once would have.

Overall, I know that I am not yet ready to do everything a teacher would do, but I can feel that I have progressed and that I am getting closer to where I would need to be in order to be an efficient and effective teacher. That is a good feeling, and one that I have hoped to attain for a long time.

Understanding Curriculum Versus Syllabus

I have learned many things about curriculum during the past eight weeks, and also about the educational system in general. One of the most significant things I have learned is that curricula around the world are changing. In the past, most teachers would create a curriculum based on rigid guidelines rooted in what had been done before (Atweh & Singh, 2011). Now, more and more teachers are becoming "open" with their curricula and offering more choices for students (Brady & Kennedy, 2010). That is very valuable, of course, because it allows teachers and students to grow and change instead of remaining too focused on past practice.

While the past is an important tool from which to learn, it is equally important to look to the future and consider everything that needs to be done to prepare students for what lies ahead. Without being open to a changing curriculum, it is too difficult to get students ready for a future that is both exciting and uncertain. Students need to be prepared, and they are relying on teachers to help them acquire the information and skills they need to get ahead in life. The Australian Curriculum is one example of a national effort to move in this more open and forward-looking direction.

The curriculum in many countries is still rooted in the past, but it is encouraging to see changes being made that motivate students to learn and grow, rather than simply memorizing facts and figures for a test. Rote memorization is not going to help a student in the real world (Hincks, 2010). There are times when this kind of memorization is necessary, but that does not mean it is the only option for students and teachers today. There are always choices, and right now one of the biggest choices I will have to make is what kind of curriculum I want to create and what kind of teacher I want to be.

Global Trends in Curriculum Reform

Naturally, most teachers want to be liked by their students. Still, they cannot go so far in trying to be liked that they fail to do their job as teachers and disciplinarians. I will need to remain aware of this as I interact with students and develop curriculum for them. In order to be effective, a teacher has to be willing to be unpopular sometimes (Ricney, 2011; Weksler, 2004). While that would be difficult for me personally, I would be willing to accept it for the sake of students who need to learn and who will appreciate the effort later when they realize how much it helped them.

Ideally, I would have the pleasure of teaching students who genuinely want to learn. Realistically, however, there will always be students who are not interested in learning and who are only present because they are required to be. If I can design a curriculum that appeals to those students and interests them in some way, I will feel that I have been successful in curriculum design. I know, though, that it is often impossible to reach every student.

The best way to get students interested in learning is to engage them when they are young (Linderberg & Swedlow, 1976). Getting students interested in learning at an early age is one of the main ways to ensure that they still want to learn when they are older (Lattuca & Stark, 2009). Still, there are no guarantees. Like anyone who teaches others, I can only do so much to make students interested in learning. That does not mean I should give up on students who do not seem interested, but only that I must not allow a few unresponsive students to cause me to second-guess myself or the curriculum I have created.

By following current curriculum guidelines and incorporating my own personal touches into the curricula I create, I will be able to reach the maximum number of students with the information I have to offer. That will allow me to change lives for the better — something not every person gets to do, and something that is very important for the future of the country and the world. The children and young people of today really are the future of this planet, and in order to become effective leaders and productive members of society they need the right level and mixture of knowledge (O'Meara, 2005).