Curriculum Design and Development

Summary

Eric Alexander discusses the essentials of curricular design, emphasizing the importance of an educational plan that integrates multiple facets of learning. He reviews the history of curricular development, debates on its utility, and different learning viewpoints, including transmission, transaction, and transformation. Alexander outlines five practical steps for curriculum development, including defining objectives, creating a map, organizing content, right-sizing the curriculum, and continuous assessment and improvement. He concludes with an example of designing a medical clerkship curriculum, highlighting the need to consider organizational structures and dynamics.

Takeaways

• 📚 Curricular design involves creating an educational plan that optimizes learning by integrating multiple facets of the process over time.
• 🏭 The concept of curricular design was influenced by the Industrial Revolution, leading to structured and efficient educational techniques.
• 📈 The Flexner report was pivotal in defining the modern approach to medical school curriculum, emphasizing a disciplined approach to teaching.
• 🔍 There is an ongoing debate about the utility of curricular design, with arguments for guiding principles that improve teaching and arguments against over-formality that can stifle creativity.
• 🤔 Three viewpoints of learning affect curriculum design: transmission (facts and skills delivery), transaction (dialogue between student and curriculum), and transformation (personal change and growth).
• 👨‍🏫 Different educational philosophers like BF Skinner, Jean Piaget, and John Jacques Rousseau represent the transmission, transaction, and transformation viewpoints respectively.
• 🛠️ Two conceptual frameworks for curricular development are the social efficiency model, starting with behavioral objectives and moving to content, and the human development model, starting with learner needs and adapting instruction.
• 🗺️ Curricular mapping is a crucial step in the design process, helping to outline themes, assessments, and skills to be taught.
• 🏢 A curriculum must be right-sized and fit well within the organizational structure, considering competing demands and ensuring it aligns with the institution's goals and resources.
• 🔄 Continuous assessment, evaluation, and improvement are vital for a curriculum to evolve and remain effective in facilitating learning.
• 🏥 An example of practical curriculum design is the medicine clerkship at Brigham and Women's Hospital, which emphasizes core knowledge objectives, presentation skills, and professionalism.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Eric Alexander's talk on curricular design?

The main focus of Eric Alexander's talk is to review the background in history related to curricular design, define what a curriculum is, discuss different viewpoints of learning that affect curriculum creation, provide five guiding principles for curriculum development, and offer organizational frames for considering curriculum with current examples.

What are the three key elements that Eric suggests should be considered when designing a curriculum?

The three key elements to consider when designing a curriculum are defining clear objectives, building a curricular map, and organizing and creating a blueprint for the curriculum.

How does Eric define a curriculum in the context of learning?

Eric defines a curriculum as an educational plan that acknowledges learning is optimized when multiple facets of the learning process are synergized, organized, and integrated over time.

What is the historical context of curricular design mentioned by Eric?

The historical context includes the impact of the Industrial Revolution on schooling, the publication of the Flexner report defining the modern approach to medical school curriculum, and the introduction of a disciplined approach to teaching by Tyler, embracing educational psychology and behaviorism.

What is the ongoing debate in curricular design that Eric refers to?

The ongoing debate in curricular design is whether there should be more guiding principles and structured planning to improve teaching, or whether too much formality can constrain learning and stifle creativity and self-direction.

What are the three viewpoints of learning that Eric discusses?

The three viewpoints of learning discussed are transmission, where learning is about transmitting facts and skills; transaction, where learning is a dialogue between the student and curriculum; and transformation, where learning is about personal change and growth.

What are the two conceptual frameworks for curricular development that Eric mentions?

The two conceptual frameworks for curricular development mentioned are the social efficiency model, which starts with behavioral learning objectives and leads to content and instructional methods, and the human development model, which starts with the needs of the learner and their developmental stage.

How does Eric describe the process of building a curricular map?

Building a curricular map involves brainstorming and organizing ideas, defining themes or enduring understandings, planning assessments, and considering standards-based essential skills. It helps in visualizing the curriculum structure and content.

What does Eric mean by 'right sizing' a curriculum?

'Right sizing' a curriculum refers to ensuring that the curriculum fits well within the existing educational structure and is alert to other forces such as politics, human resources, and organizational symbolism that may impact its success.

Can you explain the five steps to curriculum development that Eric suggests?

The five steps to curriculum development suggested by Eric are: 1) Define objectives or endpoints, 2) Build a curricular map, 3) Organize and create a blueprint, 4) Right size the curriculum and be alert to environmental forces, and 5) Assess, evaluate, and constantly improve the curriculum.

What is the practical example Eric uses to illustrate the curriculum development process?

Eric uses the example of designing a curriculum for a medicine clerkship at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He walks through the process of defining objectives, building a curricular map, organizing the curriculum into blocks, right sizing it within the hospital structure, and assessing and improving it based on feedback.