Cycle Two: How Should a Curriculum Be Created? How Should Its Success Be Evaluated?

Ralph W. Tyler believes that “learning takes place through the experiences which the learner has.”  The teacher’s role is to set up a structured, stimulating environment in which the student can be an active participant in the learning process.  By identifying major elements of content to design learning activities around and deciding on an organizational plan to provide a framework that guides instructional practices, teachers are providing learning experiences for students to engage in.  Interestingly enough, it is often the case that no two students in the same class (receiving the same learning opportunities) will have the same learning experiences. 

In this sense, I introduce yet another metaphor for curriculum (that seems to be my theme for this course!) – the development of curriculum is comparable to the creation of a quilt.  Quilt makers begin with a design in mind and stitch together several pieces of fabric of varying shapes, sizes, and colors to create a whole product.  Teachers plan for learning experiences by developing a design suitable for their students’ interests and needs.  The students are then responsible for the majority of the legwork – understanding course elements by creating meaning, making connections, and asking questions.  This active process allows students to bond their learning into a coherent whole.  This can explain for the variety in sizes, patterns, and colors of quilts – each represents the unique needs, interests, and motivations of students.  This metaphor really clicks for me as it highlights the responsibility of teachers to be prepared yet flexible in providing different opportunities and has students take ownershipof their learning experiences.

Although different patterns and stitches may be used (representing different connections made by students), students should be afforded the opportunity to build a strong and durable quilt.  Their education should provide them with a solid grasp of content knowledge and cultural knowledge so that they can live life successfully – develop and nurture personal relationships, support themselves financially, and positively contribute to their community. 

Standards are increasingly impacting curriculum development.  As Siskin claims, the establishment of standards identifies which subjects and content will be tested, therefore, determining what type of knowledge counts.  Consequently, this creates a narrowedcurriculum in which only the core subjects are valued.  I would argue that this “one size fits all” approach is unhealthy for our students and removes (to some degree) the ownership they possess over their learning experiences.  With a narrowed curriculum, we will have less of a variety of quilts our students produce during their K-12 experience.  There will no longer be different patterns, colors, and stitching to admire; rather each students will produce (or attempt to produce) the same quilt to reflect their same experiences within the narrowed curriculum.  In essence, a narrowed curriculum allows for no creativity or exploration and sacrifices the beauty that often accompanies a path less traveled.

I am going to step away from the quilt metaphor as I sum up my post on the topic of evaluation of curriculum.  The current educational system uses test scores to evaluate curriculum, teachers, and schools.  I admit, a single test score representing the “average student” is quite advantageous as it is easy to calculate.  However, by using student test scores as an evaluation measure, we are placing more emphasis on performing well on tests and less of a focus on using what students learn to help them be successful in life outside of school.  Our students have mastered how to take a standardized multiple-choice exam…great.  How is this going to help them in the workplace?  How is this going to help them be collaborative and engage in meaningful conversation with others?  How are students going to be able to apply what they learned in school to real life situations?

Eisner challenges the current evaluation system by asking, “Are test scores the criteria we want to use?”  He suggests several other questions that should be driving evaluation in the educational system:

• ·      What is the intellectual significance of the ideas our students encounter?
• ·      What connections are students making between what they study in school and the world outside of school?
• ·      What kinds of problems/activities do students engage in?
• ·      What opportunities do students have to work cooperatively?
• ·      Are students encouraged to raise questions about what they have studied?
• ·      To what degree are students engaged in what they do?

Perhaps a more holistic approach (combining some or all of these guiding questions) can be utilized for an evaluation tool, one that will provide a clearer picture of areas of strengths and areas in which there is room for improvement.  Such an approach will provide guidance in the continual modification, tweaking, and revamping of curriculum in order to provide the best possible learning experiences for students.