Curriculum Development in Higher Education

Dr. Z. Zayapragassarazan PhD.,

Associate Professor of Educational Technology Department of Medical Education JIPMER Puducherry-605006. Mobile: 9894846929 E-mail: zprazan@yahoo.co.in

Educational Statistics of India

Next few hours…….

1. Define curriculum

2. List curricular components

3. Explain types of curriculum

4. List curricular determinants

5. List steps in curriculum planning

6. Involve participants in deliberations on curriculum

evaluation & curriculum development.

The strengths of ideal autonomy

• Innovations

• Experimentation

• Expansion and maximization of potentials

• Quality improvement

• Societal relevance

• Full involvement of teachers in the entire system

• Confidence building between students and teachers

• Transparency in teaching and evaluation

• Increased scope for educational reforms

• Speedy implementation of programmes

Curriculum

A plan of educational experiences

offered to a learner under the

guidance of an educational

institution.

Curricular Components

1. Learning objectives

2. Selection & organization of content

(syllabus)

3. Pattern of teaching & learning

including time schedule

4. Program of assessment

5. Learning resources

Types of Curriculum

Discipline Based Curriculum

• Subject centered

• Independent subjects

• Learning fragmented

• Rote learning

• Repetition

• Less relevance & interest

Competency-based Curriculum

Activity Based Learning

The focus is on the tasks that a

successful graduate need to do later as a

competent professional

(Competency- Integrated use of Knowledge, Skills &

Attitudes for doing professional tasks)

Core Curriculum with Electives

• Common for all students

• Two third of curricular time is allotted

for core components

• Competency based

Core Curriculum

Hard core (80 %) (Must Know )

(Must attend must pass)

Soft core (Desirable to Know)

(Must attend may pass) Electives (Nice to know)

(May attend may pass)

Integrated Curriculum

Eg: SPICES Model (Harden, 1984)

Teacher centered Student centered

Information oriented Problem based

Integrated

Community based

Subject based

College based

Uniform Elective driven

Opportunistic Systematic

Determinants of Curriculum 1. Demands of society- Developmental

needs of individuals, government,

corporates, industries, etc.

2. Professional needs

•Communication skills

•Management skills

•Socio-political and legal issues

•Ethical issues

Determinants of Curriculum

3. Social and industrial advances

4. Educational advances

5. National Employment Generation

Policy & employability

6. MHRD guidelines

7. Resources

Curriculum Development Four Fundamental Questions:

1. The Educational purpose to be attained

– What kind of individual/employee do we need?

2. The educational experience that help in

achieving the purposes defined

– What do they learn?

3. Organization of these educational

experiences

- How do they learn?

4. The assessment process to determine

whether the purposes are attained

– How do we assess the learning outcomes?

Problem Identification and Needs Assessment

-Problem -Current Approach -Ideal Approach

Needs Assessment for

Targeted Learners

-Learners -Learning Environment

Goals and Objectives

-Broad Goals -Specific Measurable Objectives

Educational Strategies

- Content - Method - Learning Experiences

Implementation

-Obtaining Political Support -Securing Resources -Addressing Barriers -Introducing the Curriculum -Administering the Curriculum

Assessment (Feedback)

or Evaluation

-Individual Learners -Program

Hilda Taba’s Model for Curriculum Development

Bringing innovation in Curriculum

• Need an Institute Curriculum Committee

• Identify Areas for revamping the curriculum

• Identify lacunae, exclusions, inclusions, etc

• Objectives – Global, National, Local, Institutional, Individual.

• Contents, Teaching/ Learning Methods

• Assessment & Evaluation processes

• Curriculum mapping

Evaluation of a Curriculum

• Where are our students?

• What are they?

• How do they perform?

• Social accountability

• Job market

• Employability ratio

• Industrial/corporate demand and

supply

• Research & Development

?

Curriculum Development Exercise-1

Topic:

Identify one major lacuna (gap) in the existing curriculum and provide solution for the same.

Method:

Think, Pair, Share

Think, Pair & Share

The think, pair, share strategy is a

cooperative learning technique that

encourages individual participation and is

applicable across all levels and class sizes.

Learners think through questions using three

distinct steps:

Think

Pair

Share

Think, Pair & Share

Steps:

• Decide on how to organize members

into pairs.

• Pose a discussion topic or pose a

question.

• Give members at least 1-2 minutes to

think on their own. (“think time”).

• Ask members to pair with a partner and

share their thinking.

• Call on a few members to share their

ideas with the rest of the group.

Curriculum Development Exercise-2

Identify one innovation in the following components of curriculum:

Group 1: Diagnose the needs

Group 2: Contents and Organization of Contents

Group 3: Teaching Learning Methods/Experiences

Group 4: Assessment and Evaluation methods

Method: Jig Saw Method

Jig saw method

Curriculum - Checklist 1. Have the objectives been specified? Are these

relevant and feasible?

2. Has the course content been decided?

3. Has the decision been made on

-Who will teach?

-When will it be taught?

-How long will it be taught?

-What are the course materials, references, required?

-What other T/L aids are required?

-What assessment methods will be used to check

whether the specified objectives are achieved?

5. How will the curriculum be evaluated including a

provision for change, if necessary?

Summary

• A curriculum is a plan of educational

experiences with clearly stated

components.

• The type of a curriculum is decided

based on the developmental needs of

society.

• Effectiveness of a curriculum depends

on its determinants.

• Proper steps need to be followed while developing a curriculum.

Thank you