by Olivia
Showing posts with label session 5. Show all posts
Showing posts with label session 5. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
session 5--Curriculum innovative practices
A school curriculum is intended to provide children and young people with the knowledge and skills required to lead successful lives. Today, there is growing concern that the taught curriculum needs to be reconsidered and redesigned. The use of the word ‘innovation’ in discussions about the school curriculum and classroom teaching practice has become wide spread. It is the keyword in much policymaking across all public services.
What is a curriculum for at this time? It comprises a challenging selection of subjects that help children and young people understand the world. It highlights skills necessary for learning throughout life, as well as for work, and for one’s personal development and well-being. But a curriculum is also political. Decisions about ‘what’s in’ and ‘what’s out ’ change from time to time depending on political needs and aspirations. A curriculum fundamentally establishes a vision of the kind of society we want in the future, and the kind of people we want in it: it decides what the ‘good life’ is for individuals and for society as a whole. As such, it’s not always possible for everyone to agree on what a curriculum should be. It could be said that the most significant curriculum innovation in recent English history was the establishment of the National Curriculum in1988, a political decision that still sustains understandable debate and argument today
Everyone involved in education recognizes that it is critical to design and deliver a curriculum that inspires and challenges all learners and prepares them well for life in the 21st century.
The questions that helped shape the project were:
1. What are we trying to achieve through the curriculum?
2. How do we organize learning in order to achieve it?
3. How will we know that we have achieved our aim(s)?
4. How can this drive for curriculum change best be led for success?
Activity related to the project has demonstrated how the power to innovate engages leaders involved in curriculum development in revisiting their thinking about education and school purpose.
It has also required that they reframe their practice as leaders of learning. It has stimulated the creativity of school leaders, staff and pupils and promoted key, systemic shifts towards a curriculum that is more flexible, responsive and relevant to the needs and lives of learners.
Among the project’s key findings was a clear recognition that there is no one model for success, because context matters. Each participating school adopted an approach to leading curriculum innovation that was right for its particular situation.
Moreover, rather than tackling this task in isolation, participating schools were able to benefit from the thinking and practice of their network colleagues and so were able to articulate and shape their ideas in a way that, as one project participant put it, “enabled us to bring back practical solutions to our school in even better shape than when we took them out”
-by Olivia
session 5--Curriculum Innovative Practices
Here is a website about the innovative curriculum in primary school. It contains lots of innovative practices in education. Hope it can help. In this case, the ICT act an important role in curriculum innovation.
http://www.lancsngfl.ac.uk/projects/gp_award/index.php?category_id=27
Project Summary：
For several years the school had put ICT at the forefront of its development plans. Funds had been used to purchase a wide range of hardware including one computer to every 3 children and interactive whiteboards and digital projectors.
However, even though ICT was being used effectively by teaching and support staff to enhance lessons, it was felt that its use could be developed further. Following a review of the curriculum it was decided to focus on the use of ICT to extend and develop creativity across the curriculum. ICT became central to the programmes of study as opposed to an addition.
As a consequence the children became more involved and excited about the possibilities of new technology to develop their studies. They now regularly produce Powerpoint presentations and have established Asmall Radio which broadcasts to the whole school. But perhaps, most exciting of all, they were able to monitor the bluetits as they nested in the nest box fitted with the digital camera.The staff and pupils of the school were thrilled to receive the best practice award as an acknowledgement of their achievements.
The impact of the project in pupil's learning:
- The use of ICT has a tremendous impact on pupil learning. Children enjoy using all forms of ICT, it provides motivation and supports independent working.
- ICT has allowed a greater degree of creativity and given pupils more freedom to develop their interests within given topics.
- ICT supports the curriculum and is used to enhance and extend learning.
- More pupils use the website and internet for homework.
- E-assessment is used to rigorously track progress and identify areas for development.
Monday, October 31, 2011
session 5--Exploring roles of curriculum innovative practices using IPPUT
After analysis the case from M2, we found an article about the “
Source: Management in Education, v25 n3 p119-124 Jul 2011
This report seeks to examine the leadership challenges posed by the implementation of curriculum innovation in primary schools.
Aim of the project
− the skills, processes and practices that are required in leadership for successful curriculum
innovation in primary schools; and
− the extent to which schools are currently prepared for curriculum innovation
Project methodology
The project employed a blended methodology based on interviews, observations, and documentary analysis, in order to produce rich data. The five main aims of the project are posited in the following research questions:
1. What key skills are required in leading curriculum innovation?
2. How can innovation be encouraged and developed in challenging circumstances?
3. What are the main characteristics of best practice in the leadership of curriculum innovation in primary schools?
4. To what extent is there a link between curriculum innovation and school effectiveness and improvement?
5. To what extent are schools ready to implement the recommendations of the Rose Review?
6. To what extent are primary schools ready to implement the curriculum innovation that will be necessary at a time of strategic review of priorities in education?
4 stage model for curriculum innovation
Process diagram of curriculum innovation
List of main findings of the study
− There was a strong sense that curriculum change is welcomed, especially if it allows and encourages innovation by the schools themselves.
− Leading curriculum innovation is challenging and complex but it is welcomed by headteachers, all of whom view the leadership of learning as central to their role.
− All of the schools reported the necessity of allowing time and space for reflection, evaluation and a carefully staged process of change with the whole school working in a unified direction.
− An ethos for change needs to be created which allows freedom for experimentation, supported risk taking and the trialling and piloting of cross-curricular approaches to teaching.
− Curriculum change needs to take full account and have a good fit with the school’s particular contextual needs and circumstances.
− A clear steer by both central agencies and individual school leaders is required if the important work schools have carried out with respect to planning, tracking and monitoring progress, is not to be lost.
− Teachers value explicit guidance in constructing new formats which capture cross-curricular approaches to learning as well as the skills and knowledge to be covered in specific subject areas.
− Regular meetings to discuss and evaluate children’s work as well as check on progress and quality need to involve teachers and all levels of leadership in order to ensure the widest constituency of knowledge on standards, assessment and monitoring.
......
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By Andy
This report seeks to examine the leadership challenges posed by the implementation of curriculum innovation in primary schools.
Aim of the project
− the skills, processes and practices that are required in leadership for successful curriculum
innovation in primary schools; and
− the extent to which schools are currently prepared for curriculum innovation
Project methodology
The project employed a blended methodology based on interviews, observations, and documentary analysis, in order to produce rich data. The five main aims of the project are posited in the following research questions:
1. What key skills are required in leading curriculum innovation?
2. How can innovation be encouraged and developed in challenging circumstances?
3. What are the main characteristics of best practice in the leadership of curriculum innovation in primary schools?
4. To what extent is there a link between curriculum innovation and school effectiveness and improvement?
5. To what extent are schools ready to implement the recommendations of the Rose Review?
6. To what extent are primary schools ready to implement the curriculum innovation that will be necessary at a time of strategic review of priorities in education?
4 stage model for curriculum innovation
List of main findings of the study
− There was a strong sense that curriculum change is welcomed, especially if it allows and encourages innovation by the schools themselves.
− Leading curriculum innovation is challenging and complex but it is welcomed by headteachers, all of whom view the leadership of learning as central to their role.
− All of the schools reported the necessity of allowing time and space for reflection, evaluation and a carefully staged process of change with the whole school working in a unified direction.
− An ethos for change needs to be created which allows freedom for experimentation, supported risk taking and the trialling and piloting of cross-curricular approaches to teaching.
− Curriculum change needs to take full account and have a good fit with the school’s particular contextual needs and circumstances.
− A clear steer by both central agencies and individual school leaders is required if the important work schools have carried out with respect to planning, tracking and monitoring progress, is not to be lost.
− Teachers value explicit guidance in constructing new formats which capture cross-curricular approaches to learning as well as the skills and knowledge to be covered in specific subject areas.
− Regular meetings to discuss and evaluate children’s work as well as check on progress and quality need to involve teachers and all levels of leadership in order to ensure the widest constituency of knowledge on standards, assessment and monitoring.
......
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By Andy
session 5--Curriculum innovative practices
Information and communication technologies (ICT) have affected our lives for over half a century. Yet, the school’s curriculum especially in mainland China is still perceived as traditional in its structure and implementation. Attempts to assimilate ICT into schools’ curricula are frequently supported by policymakers. However, significant change in content, teaching and learning processes and assessment methods can actually be detected mainly in focal innovative initiatives within schools. Data SITES-M2 analyzes case studies of innovative IT-supported pedagogical practices from several schools in HongKong. The analysis refers to conditions required for fostering ICT implementation in the curriculum, with regards to new demands for teaching and learning. This suggests analysis of ICT-related curricular issues in separate subject areas, as well as in integrated subject domains. Further, our group discuss desired changes in existing curricula, which may lead to innovative ICT implementation within schools.
A school curriculum is intended to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to lead successful lives. To keep the pace with the social improvement, I think the taught curriculum needs to be reconsidered and redesigned. After search for some information, I found that the use of the word "innovation" in discussions about the school curriculum and classroom teaching practice has become widespread. What is a curriculum for at this time? It is comprises a challenging selection of subjects that help our students understand the world. It highlights skills necessary for learning throughout life, as well as for work, and for our development and well-being.
Besides the examples in SITES-M2, we also found there are already some shifts underway in current educational thinking and policymaking which will contribute to innovations in the curriculum and teaching practice. Here is an example about the introduction of the new National Curriculum for secondary schools, it has brought school leaders and classroom teachers more opportunities to design a curriculum that is televant and appropriate to the needs of the students in their care.In addition, the Innovational Curriculum has indicated a heightened need for cross-curricular connections in order for students to make links across subjects and apply knowledge and skills learnt from one area in another. It has also put more emphasis on finding constructive ways of accommodating all of the subject areas in the limited time available. In other words, the Innovational Curriculum today is seeking innovative solutions to persisting curricularand classroom challenges.
Here is the web site that I found some examples and policy.http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Pedagogy-and-assessment/Pedagogical-leadership/Leading-Curriculum-Innovation
By:Makino
Session 5--Case from M2 (CN010)
Background：
This case describes a series of lessons that aimed at helping a class of P.6 students to learn about punctuation marks in Chinese Language. In this practice, the teachers made use of self-developed software and a series of software developed by The University of Hong Kong to help students to learn Chinese punctuation. While the students played the role of active learners in the learning process, the ICT acted as tools for demonstration, drill and practice.Goals：
1.Help students to understand the usage of punctuation at the sentence level.2.Help students to understand the usage of punctuation to increase the cohesion of the passage.
3.Help students to apply their understanding of punctuation into their spoken Chinese.
4.Help students to understand the notion that with the use of ICT, they can undergo self-learning and make good uses of resources.
Curriculum：
The innovation involved about 4 lessons; the following were the activity flow of these less
Lesson | The teaching activity | Use of ICT |
1. | l Pretest l Teacher presented information about Chinese punctuation with the self-developed PowerPoint presentation. | Teacher’s Presentation Tool |
2 | l Teacher presented information about Chinese punctuation with the self-developed PowerPoint presentation | Teacher’s Presentation Tool |
3 | l Teacher presented information about Chinese punctuation with the self-developed PowerPoint | Teacher’s Presentation Tool |
4 | l Students work with the software developed by the University of Hong Kong on their own l Post-test | Student’s Drill and Practice Tool |
Other Innovation in Curriculum：
1.School-based Curriculum:The school started to develop its school-based curriculum in 1985-86. The first subject which had its school-based curriculum was Computer, with its first developed teaching package “How to apply geometry”.
2.Project-based Learning:
Project-based Learning has been conducted in CN010 before the implementation of ICT education in Hong Kong (1997). However, with the implementation of ICT, the nature of the project work in CN010 has changed. The students are now working on some more ill-structured, open-ended and cross curricular questions. They make use of ICT tool in searching information and compiling of their reports.
3.On-line Discussion Forum:
In the on-line discussion forum, the teachers would put some newspaper articles on the intranet of the school and invite students to comment on it. The students can either put their reflections online or e-mail them to their teachers.
Issues：
This practice can transfer to another school in two sense. Firstly, the other schools can adopt the ways of ICT being used in the practice: teachers’ presentation tool and students’ drill and practice tool. The kind of transfer can be easily done in Hong Kong, as most of the schools has its computer laboratory. Besides, there is a “Hong Kong Education City” website offered by the Hong Kong government, in which the teachers can download and share their ICT teaching materials here. However, if the other school would like to fully adopt the innovation, that is, they would like to develop their own teaching materials. Apart from the time and effort they have to pay, they should at least possess what teacher A mentioned: (1)teachers who were capable in using ICT, (2)teachers who were competent in pedagogy & (3)enough ICT resources in schools.
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