Introduction
Designing a curriculum is complex since it should focus not only on the approaches to delivering information but also on ways in which student learning outcomes can be improved. Any curriculum should strive to meet the student’s needs while recognizing their unique backgrounds and learning styles. In this case, a systematic process of identification, development, and analysis of activities and materials should be continuous. Meanwhile, creators of the curriculum should focus on their leadership qualities to ensure their collaboration yields results. Thus, curriculum design relies not only on the ability of creators to deliver information but also on their ability to collaborate.
Curriculum Design Project
Planning and Preparation
My curriculum design project is related to the medical assistant school, and it is divided into two three-month periods, making it a comprehensive six-month program. The curriculum will involve collaboration with subject matter experts and professionals in the field who would contribute to the success of the curriculum. Experts in the area of healthcare and medical assistance can help the curriculum illuminate the primary insights and fundaments of the field.
In order to understand what skills and knowledge a person in this professional area is expected to possess, I will conduct a needs analysis. After collecting information on the requirements, I will concentrate on both practical knowledge and theoretical base in the curriculum. On the one hand, it is crucial to understand modern professional standards and issues. On the other hand, a medical assistant must grasp best practices in the area. Ongoing evaluation and feedback from both students and experts would be the main tools used for program evaluation and assessment of its effectiveness.
Learning activities and materials are essential components of any curriculum since they are the main tools that add value to the program and define its effectiveness. In general, a systematic process can be used to see how both activities and materials align with the curriculum’s goals and objectives. For example, the first step is the identification of aims and goals (Wijngaards-de Meij, 2018). Based on my design project, it is first crucial to focus on the skills, knowledge, and competencies medical assistants must demonstrate. The main parts of the curriculum might be clinical skills and medical terminology proficiency.
Development
Once the goals and objectives are established, the next step is development. The development refers to the strategies and approaches applied in the curriculum to achieve the goals (Wijngaards-de Meij, 2018). For instance, when considering the medical assistant school program, lectures, lab work, and case studies can be the primary tools. Finally, making a value determination based on data acquired through assessment and inspection is the evaluation process (Button, 2021). A curriculum is evaluated so that its creators can decide whether to keep, update, or remove certain components (Button, 2021).
Evaluation
Understanding whether or not the curriculum is giving students and teachers the outcomes they want is the aim of evaluation (Button, 2021). When deciding whether to continue, stop, or adjust a project, evaluation can help determine the program’s effectiveness (Button, 2021). Evaluation can take different forms, such as formative and summative assessments or feedback. In the current scenario, considering that there will have to be an evaluation of not only material accuracy but also its effectiveness, feedback must be given priority. Overall, when designing a curriculum, a number of aspects must be considered in order to ensure its success and minimal errors.
Weber’s Leadership Truths
When working on a curriculum, it is additionally crucial to consider the leadership involved in the process since the process of developing a program involves working with other experts. Steven Weber, an expert in the area of curriculum designing, shared his perspectives on curriculum leadership when discussing ten truths about it (Glatthorn et al., 2019).
Communication
Probably the most relevant to a successful curriculum design are the ones connected to communication, alignment, curriculum development, and student achievement. The first leadership truth states that communication matters (Glatthorn et al., 2019). Indeed, effective communication is vital in curriculum design since it ensures open and transparent interaction with all stakeholders (Handelzalts, 2019). As an educational leader, I would use effective communication as the pillar that will help me and my colleagues address concerns that can emerge during the process and foster collaboration.
Alignment
Additionally, alignment is the fundamental component of any successful curriculum. Alignment refers to the circumstances wherein the goals, objectives, activities, and assessment of the curriculum are connected (Fulmer et al., 2018). In general, alignment of all the mentioned components can be ensured through continuous evaluation and revision (Fulmer et al., 2018). With such practices, the curriculum and its materials will always remain relevant. As an educational leader, I could apply such a truth by collaborating with my colleagues and other subject matter experts on the gaps present in the curriculum and ways in which they can be eliminated.
Curriculum Design
What should be considered as well is the fact that curriculum is never neutral. The educational process for each subject should be unique, and the curriculum should play the primary role in ensuring that the design seeks an opportunity to shape the experiences and perspectives of students. In other words, any curriculum should pay attention to the students’ various backgrounds as well as their learning styles and needs. From my perspective, I would use this leadership truth to create an inclusive and culturally sensitive environment. In my curriculum, I would strive to focus on the values of diversity, equity, and social justice.
Academic Achievement
Lastly, student achievement, which is the ultimate goal, makes a curriculum successful. The curriculum creators should seek opportunities to improve their materials and help students advance, which requires determination and devotion. When considering this leadership truth, I would constantly monitor student progress and seek feedback to make revisions to the material and make it more effective. The data collected from the students and peers’ data can enhance student learning outcomes and ensure that activities and information in the curriculum stay up-to-date. Thus, as can be seen from this section, the success of the curriculum relies on the leadership qualities, approaches, and involvement of the stakeholders, who must collaborate to provide quality results.
Conclusion
In summary, the ability of creators to collaborate is equally important to curriculum design as their capacity to impart knowledge. Any curriculum must include learning activities and materials because they are the primary resources that define the program’s worth and efficacy. In general, a systematic approach can be utilized to check for alignment between activities and curriculum materials. Since building a program requires collaborating with other specialists, it is also essential to consider leadership while developing a curriculum. The ones relating to communication, alignment, curriculum development, and student achievement are most likely pertinent to a successful curriculum design.
References
Button, L. J. (2021). Curriculum essentials: A journey.Pressbooks.
Fulmer, G. W., Tanas, J., & Weiss, K. A. (2018). The challenges of alignment for the next generation science standards. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 55(7), 1076-1100. Web.
Glatthorn, A. A., Boschee, F., Whitehead, B. M., & Boschee, B. F. (2019). Curriculum leadership: Strategies for development and implementation (5th ed.). Sage.
Handelzalts, A. (2019). Collaborative curriculum development in teacher design teams (pp. 159-173). Springer International Publishing.
Wijngaards-de Meij, L., & Merx, S. (2018). Improving curriculum alignment and achieving learning goals by making the curriculum visible. International Journal for Academic Development, 23(3), 219-231. Web.