Curriculum
When developing quality curriculum there are many considerations I must acknowledge. Quality curriculum should contain a balance between generic and specific learning outcomes in order to point students in the direction for learning but allow for interpretation and extension by the learner to enable them to explore a deeper understanding (Penney et al., 2012).
Quality curriculum should be relevant to the real world of the learner. Connecting curriculum to learning and activities beyond the school environment enables teachers to develop the learning of students in a meaningful and engaging way (Pill, 2004). By linking community initiatives and activities to curriculum I am allowing curriculum to be socially constructed which will develop student understanding pertaining to the real world (Bruner, 1960).
Bruner (1960) proposed the concept of a spinal curriculum in which complex ideas are scaffolded at first then proceed to gradually increase the complexity to then enable children to develop understanding by solving problems themselves. By providing learners opportunities to discover learning for themselves I am allowing learners to make choices regarding their own learning and making learning more meaningful to the child (Bruner 1961).
Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development support’s Bruner’s notion that educators should assist children in developing complex skills through scaffolding. The Zone of Proximal Development refers to learners completing tasks above their current developmental level with support from a more capable tutor to assist the cognitive development of children (Vygotsky, 1978).
My role as the educator when scaffolding learning for children would be to provide helpful and structured interactions with my learners to assist them to achieve a learning goal.
Once learners possess the capabilities to complete a task, my role would be to enable them to construct their own understanding independently. Incorporating independent tasks within curriculum frameworks will provide learners with opportunities to direct their own learning which will allow them to construct more meaningful knowledge (Bruner, 1961).
C2C is a funelled cover story as it has been shaped by external forces and passed on to educators. C2C has been socially constructed to target the dominant social group within society. Due to the diversity of learners in our post-modern society, many learners who do not fit the mold would be disadvantaged as the contention between the discourses of the C2C and their own discourses would result in discursive dissonance (Pemberton,
Toogood & Barfield, 2009). In order to prevent non-dominant social groups from being disadvantaged, I need to ensure that I include material that is directed at these particular social groups.
Providing opportunities for negotiated curriculum has tangible beneficial outcomes for learners. When children are participants in the development of curriculum they become engaged as the content is meaningful and relevant to them (Koehler, 2006). Negotiated curriculum content is also motivating for learners as it makes them feel respected and valued by educators (Koehler, 2006). In my classroom I will provide opportunities for children to negotiate parts of their curriculum to make learning meaningful and show that I value and respect their contributions and ideas.