About this course: Curriculum is a framework for guiding teaching and learning. This course provides an opportunity for you to consider the relationship between the teacher, the learner and the curriculum.
Created by: Commonwealth Education Trust
Taught by: Associate Professor Suseela Malakolunthu, Director of the Leadership for Learning and Research Network
University of Malaya, Malaysia
Taught by: Professor John MacBeath, Professor Emeritus
University of Cambridge, UK
| Commitment | 3-4 hours per week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Getting to know the curriculum
This week introduces the course's emphasis on the relationship between the teacher and the curriculum. The sessions this week deal with three basic topics: the concept of curriculum, the teacher’s curriculum, and adapting to curriculum. These topics will help to broaden your understanding of curriculum and the ways in which it effects students’ experience.
5 videos, 6 readings
- Video: Introduction to course 4
- Reading: Syllabus
- Reading: FAQ
- Reading: Grading and Logistics
- Reading: Portfolio
- Reading: Peer Assessment Overview
- Reading: Outline for Week One
- Video: Lecture 1: The concept of Curriculum
- Video: Lecture 2: Aspects of Curriculum
- Video: Lecture 3: Teacher’s Curriculum
- Video: Lecture 4: Adapting to Curriculum
Graded: Quiz 1
WEEK 2
Curriculum development
In this week we explore the fundamental issues of curriculum in greater depth, examining mechanisms that underpin the entire system of education in a country. The topics covered are: curriculum formulation, the need for curriculum, curriculum process, and administration of curriculum.
5 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Outline for Week Two
- Video: Lecture 1: Formulating the Curriculum
- Video: Lecture 2: The Need for Curriculum
- Video: Lecture 3: Curriculum Process
- Video: Lecture 4: Management of the Curriculum
- Video: Interview 1: Looking at weeks one and two
Graded: Quiz 2
Graded: Peer Assessment 1
WEEK 3
Putting students first
The focus of this week is learning before teaching – putting students first. You will learn about the three-way relationship of the teacher, the curriculum, and the students. As a teacher, you have to be able to contextualize a curriculum that has been made available to you. The curriculum is a general set of content and pedagogic strategies which have to be made real, relevant, and as contextualized as possible for each and every one of the students. The topics to be covered this week are: the three-way relationship, learning as student-specific, theories of student learning, and student-centered teaching.
4 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Outline for Week Three
- Video: Lecture 1: A three-way Relationship
- Video: Lecture 2: Learning is Student-Specific
- Video: Lecture 3: Theories of Student Learning
- Video: Lecture 4: Student-Centered Teaching
Graded: Quiz 3
WEEK 4
Putting Curriculum to Work
This week we will bring together some important aspects of teaching and learning that were discussed in the previous weeks. The sessions cover issues of interpretation, designing learning activities, planning lessons, and bringing lessons to life.
5 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Outline for Week Four
- Video: Lecture 1: Issues of Interpretation
- Video: Lecture 2: Designing Learning Activities
- Video: Lecture 3: Planning the Lesson
- Video: Lecture 4: Bringing Lessons to Life
- Video: Interview two: Looking at weeks three and four
Graded: Quiz 4
Graded: Peer Assessment 2
WEEK 5
Theories and Theorists
We will begin this week by briefly summarizing some philosophical insights into education which have hugely influenced curriculum. You can become a better teacher by learning about philosophical contributions to the practice of teaching. We present the idea of educational philosophy as a system of beliefs and values that affect thinking about education, how it may be conceived, and how it is engaged with by students and by teachers so as to produce desired outcomes.
4 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Outline for Week Five
- Video: Lecture 1: The idea of Educational Philosophy
- Video: Lecture 2: Three Philosophies
- Video: Lecture 3: Jerome Bruner
- Video: Lecture 4: Paulo Freire
Graded: Quiz 5
WEEK 6
Optimizing Curriculum Outcomes
In this final week we will focus on four main topics: amplifying the role of curriculum, communities of learning, self-check, and the final dialogue. We will look at Lee Shulman’s theoretical work ‘pedagogical content knowledge’ (or PCK). Additionally, we will at collaborative learning and take a look at a powerful developing idea - the professional learning community. You will also reassess your knowledge of curriculum through a discussion of six key questions. Finally, we will reflect on what you will take away from the course.
4 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Outline for Week Six
- Video: Lecture 1: Amplifying the Role of Curriculum
- Video: Lecture 2: Communities of Learning
- Video: Lecture 3: Self Check
- Video: Interview 3: Looking at weeks five and six
Graded: Quiz 6
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Creators
Commonwealth Education Trust
The Commonwealth Education Trust invests in primary and secondary education and the professional development of teachers throughout their careers. Through education it seeks to enhance the opportunities for children from all walks of life to contribute to the sustainable development of their communities.
Ratings and Reviews
very revealing
Opened my eyes to the foundation of teaching for learning. What was crucial that I took with me from learning this course is that there is a grounded theory for everything and when a teacher understands that, and uses such to further refine their respective art (based on the subject they teach best) there is a road map that is formed or in the midst of forming. That way a track is build almost and one is to stay on that track and keep on improving and learning.
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This is a great course for all involved in education. I am a freelancer and develop many courses so it gave me good insight into many elements that were confusing before. Thanks a lot.