Understanding Curriculum: Intended, Implemented, And Influences

Intends to introduce you to an understanding of some introductory ideas to curriculum. The focus of the assignment is on your understanding of some general definitions and conceptions of curriculum and your personally constructed understanding of the influences on implemented curriculum.

a) Begin by stating in two or three sentences an intended curriculum (curriculum as text) focus of a program or subject – refer to the resource provided. This is likely to be a general or specific learning outcome that is addressed within the program or subject. It is most likely to be the ‘big learning idea’ for a unit of work or, even, a single lesson.

b) Describe the implemented/enacted curriculum in 2 pages. That is, what is taught? In your description, under these headings, refer to:

i. What was the teacher/instructor doing and communicating?
ii. What were/ what are the students likely to be doing?
iii. What is the priority in the learning?
iv. What is likely being assessed and how is it being assessed?
v. What aspects of the intended curriculum are inherent within the enacted curriculum?
vi. What is the null curriculum?

c) Use Eisner’s Five Orientations to Curriculum to compare and contrast the intended curriculum with the implemented curriculum.

d) Provide some insights into awareness of the curriculum by considering development influences on the curriculum.

e) Describe professional/personal tensions that exist because of the congruence between intended and enacted implemented curriculum.

f) Finally, in page, provide insights you have gained from this exercise.

An Intended Curriculum

An intended curriculum is an open curriculum acknowledged within the policy statements which the learning institutions or schools are required to accomplish. The intended curriculum is usually embodied within the frameworks of curriculum, textbooks, policies teachers guides, examinations and content of test(Garrod & Warr, 2011).

The enacted or intended curriculum is defined as a particular content the same way its taught by educational practitioners and studied by the learners in the course of instructions and learning(Vitae, 2015). The work done earlier in examining the implemented curriculum was meant to establish a dependent valuable to be used in the decision by the teachers’ during research. The following is what is taught in the implemented or enacted curriculum(Nation & Macalister, 2010).

The link between the teachers and the learners revolving around the various tasks during the accumulated and the lessons within a set of instructions, has an analogy to the performance and possible aspects of the live performance(McKenney & Reeves, 2014). The teachers are required to act immediately to the issue that emerge during the lesson hence the implemented curriculum cannot be scripted. The next thing that is taught is the instructional interactions which is the interactions that happen among the leaners, instructors overwhelming the norms control them(Grant, 2013). The key objective of the dictational tetrahedron is accounting for the teachers’ and the leaners’ interactions with the resources of the curriculum as an aspect of the implemented curriculum. The teachers should move while illustrating some concepts. Moves made by the teachers can impact the way the classroom’s instructions are organized, the valued instructions and the kind of techniques used during instructions. The main objectives of these pedagogical moves are managing the leaners’ engagement with the mathematical problems(Henderson, 2010).

In most cases, the education practitioners rely mostly on students as the agents of transformations. The level of involving the students depends on their maturity(Popkewitz, 2009). The learners should be included in the discussions concerning the institution curricular events. The voice of the students assists in guiding the curriculum the curriculum makers in revising the materials to enhance motivational elements in the final unit(Ozar, 2015).

The key point in leaning is making a difference in enabling the leaners to acquire the society’s, school’s and the most significant thing their goals and aims(Bhatnagar, Prasad, & Prashanth, 2013). A number of modules might contain the content that many educators are out of expertise. The first thing that should be given the priority is elaborating of the planning lessons and how to evaluate the planning(Kassens-Noor, 2012). Learning institutions will therefore need to restructure their schedules to enhance a proper collaboration with the students. Next thing, the internships and attachments of the leaners will require the meld of teachers and the field managers for assessment(Deslauriers, 2011).

The enacted curriculum is the actual content of the curriculum through which the student associate in the class(Wen, Zhang, Li, & Qiao, 2016). The education delivery system is one the aspect in which the intent ended curriculum has been built in the enacted curricular. This because the intended curriculum is its constituted by the assessed, learned and the intended aspects which are key in delivering during the lessons(Strayer, 2012). In this case, the enacted curriculum is known as the important component of the curriculum indicator. The second aspect is that the intended curriculum has established efforts where a systematic and comprehensive language has been developed hence assisting in describing the instructional contents(Kop & Hill, 2008).

The Implemented or Enacted Curriculum

According to (Del Prato, 2013) null curriculum is described as something that is not taught in the leaning institutions. A number of individuals are mostly empowered in making some conscious decisions in what can be included or not included in the overt curriculum. Given its not possible to teach every in the school, a big number of subjects and topics areas should be deliberately avoided from the recorded curriculum. The position of Eisner on the null curriculum is that incase these subjects or topics are eliminated from the written curriculum; the students should be informed(Khalil, Nelson, & Kibble, 2010). The teachers and the school management should send student text messages to inform them that certain content is not vital for study.  Eisner proposes that every learning institution to teach curricular, implicit, null and explicit. The explicit is simply refer to as announcing programs publicly what the school is ready to offer(Sweeney, 2015). Examples of such programs are the sciences, social studies, mathematics and arts. On the other hand, the implicit curriculum overwhelms the expectation and the values that are not incorporated in the formal curriculum although acquired by the learners as part of their school’s experiences. For example, the students the difference between the failure and success can be weighted by the use of A, B, C, D, E, F which is not a written curriculum. Thus, the null curriculum is that which the school does not teach(Goldsmith & Wittenberg-Lyles, 2013).

Intended curriculum can be said to be the objectives which are developed at the begging of a curricular plan. It establishes specific purposes, goals, and particular objectives that must be achieved within a specified time frame. Implemented curriculum is defined as the different learning experiences or activities of the learners as they strive to achieve the outcomes of the intended curriculum. It refers to the actual activities in the schools.  Eisner’s five orientation to curriculum can be used to compare and contrast the above two types(O’Neill, 2010).

The development of cognitive processes:  it is much concerned with refining the operations of the brain.  It has little to do with the content of the curriculum   but deals with how. It aims to develop a set of cognitive skills and sharpen the intellectual processes to help them on problem solving. This approach is applicable in intended curriculum rather than implemented since it develops the goals of schooling and it seeks to understand different processes of learning in a class (Appendix 1).  The approach   as a very adaptive   element ad given proper tools can have almost indefinite intellectual growth.  It presents the educators with a responsibility of providing a structure and setting in which the intended curriculum should be implemented. In this orientation  curriculum, the focus is on the  child and the learning process. It intends to  help the student   make their interpretations and  selections beyond  school environment(Rentfro, 2013).

Curriculum as technology.

It focuses on the processes and is concerned with how of education. It is focused on the tools or technology   through which education     is facilitated and knowledge is   communicated. Less focus is on the learner and more on presenting the needed facilities to them. Technology curriculum is about more of what it intends to produce than what is already implemented. Its  focus is in ensuring  that the materials  allotted are appropriate and capable to achieve the objectives  of  a curriculum. The approach seek to provide  solutions to various problems  by suggesting and  providing  alternative methods and m materials. The approach is more of assumptions rather than the reality about the nature of learning. It holds that learning occurs in a predictable and systematic way s and can be made better if powerful controlling methods are developed. In the intended curriculum the approach does not see  the learner as a dynamic  element  or as problematic  in the education system(Sager, 2016).

What was the teacher/instructor doing and communicating?

Self-actualization, or curriculum as consummator experience.

The approach is about personal integration and personal purpose. It views   curriculum as a tool to provide satisfying consummator experiences to individuals. The approach is growth oriented and child centered and it views education as a mechanism of providing personal development and liberation. It is not less concerned with how the curriculum is organized but if develops the goals and objectives of education in dynamic personal terms. Self-actualizes demand curriculum to be improved in order to   fulfill its potential. The self- actualizers imagine curriculum in terms of what it should be intended to achieve.

The approach lays more emphasis on the curriculum content and the role of education in the social context. It is much about the experience in the education setting rather than the implied immediate responses. Among other social institutions, schools lead in the call to serve as social change agents. The social point of view of schooling evaluates curriculum and education in relation to the present social issues. In this approach, political positions and social values are clearly stated. It demands learning institutions to acknowledge and take charge of their responsibility in what is ideal and what is a reality. This approach is very essential in analyzing both the intended and the implemented curriculum since it focuses on the future and the present. Social reconstruction approach aims to create a better and   stable relationship between the society and the individual. The adaptive approach   views social changes and issues as very important part of individual development. It can predict enormous changes   and seek the provision of survival tools from the curriculum. Some groups demand the curriculum to change in order to correspond with the advanced technology while others advocate for its change to match the present issues such as political situations.   In a way, Social reconstruction-relevance approach is more of intended than implemented curriculum. It demands people to be well equipped and prepared to handle the changes.

Academic rationalism.

Academic rationalism focuses on helping the young people access the tools to take part in the western cultural tradition. The aim of achieving this is to provide access to the greatest objects and ideas created by man. It holds that schools are not in a position to teach everything; hence their main function should be that of cultural transmission. An educated person is one who is able to read and understand the works produced by great disciplines. According to this approach, curriculum is supposed to have more emphasis on the classic disciplines.  Having a curriculum constructed in such a way that it includes some practical earning such as homemaking, driver training  etc. will  deny the student opportunities to reflect  on had subject  that may  give the  world  a new look. It is therefore clear that academic rationalism is more about intended curriculum than the implemented one.

provide some insights into awareness of the curriculum by considering development influences on the curriculum.

The expectations of many individuals are the first awareness of the curriculum or the kind of things the students are expected to learn. The development impacts the curriculum through many factors.

What were/w hat are the students likely to be doing?

The first factor is the social factor where the expectations of the society is all about the objectives and the aims that should be considered during curriculum design. The society has also a perception of the kind of product and system that the school should have. Hence, during its development, its good for the curriculum designers and developers to consider the considerations from the society. For instance, the type of the subject which contain political and education in gender have created a lot of challenges during the development of curriculum.

The second thing is the political factor. The political environment may influence curriculum in a number of ways. The first way is through funding in which both the public and private schools begins with funding for the purpose of building the classrooms, hiring the education personnel’s and buying learning equipment. Secondly, its how the curriculum defines the goals, interprets them, interpreting the curricular materials and examinations.

The next development that influences the curriculum is the technology. Curriculum driven by the technology is the key issue of the 21^stC. The development of computers has impacted the curriculum in every level of education. Many learning centers, are providing the requisite of the computer as a method of interactions between the students and their studies. The multimedia learning institutions are using the impact of the technology as an educational learning experiences and goals. For example, graduate and the undergraduate within the technology, increase in computer knowledge increases their popularity. This development in technology has also influenced the diversity of the individuals like the social, culture and religion. In this case it creates a big challenge since the above cultural values impacts the kind of subjects and topics to be incorporated in the curriculum. In order to develop a valid curriculum, the developers must consider the social, cultural and religious aspects of various students to accommodate all the groups.

The environmental development issues influence the curriculum. These issues are like the actions and awareness about the pollution where the curriculum developers are forced to incorporate on ways to maintain a healthy environment. For instance, the higher education institutions provide degree that focuses on the environment and biotechnology.

Lastly, the development of child’s psychology has influenced the established of developmental studies for the educators. Hence the establishment of the psychological development within the curriculum. The developmental psychology helps in assessing cognitive, behavior and personality throughout the life of an individual.

In order the curriculum plan to work in a school the principal should be involved. According to (Matthews, Adams, & Goos, 2015) the school principals must establish quality learning system for the curriculum to succeed. When all principles accept the leadership duties, they will spend less time in administrative, logistics and the financials tasks. In the enacted and intended curriculum, principles must work as the instructional leaders and work together with the curriculum developers. The effective learning organization must work together with the neighboring schools. This is due to the belief that curriculum developers should involve the community and the students when making their decisions. This is not a simple job especially during the current period of myriad voice expression differences in the demand of institutions. Hence the principles are the gatekeepers of transformations.

What is the priority in the learning?

Curriculum developers play a key role in the intended and enacted curriculum. They have a deep knowledge in establishing and enacting the curricula. These experts do little in the specific content. Curriculum experts are always equipped with the administration skills but their key duty is in the secondary and elementary education. The individuals with certain content are usually referred as chairs, heads and supervisors. The education practitioners have some background in the curriculum although their key areas are in disciplines and the bigger role played is supervising the instructions.

The assistance superintendent is the key specialist in curriculum development in district schools. The individuals in big school’s reports to the superintendent. The chair persons in these schools report the progress in the field of curriculum and how they influence the system of the school. The superintendent also works closely with the secondary and elementary schools with respect to matter pertaining the curriculum events. He or she is as well the person in charge of the budgets and offer the schools with the goals, philosophy and the aim statements.

The education board is mostly a representative of the public. These personnel is responsible for the management of the school. Their key role in the enacted and intended role curriculum is advancing the systems of the school’s goals. Its only the school board which has the mandate in determining whether certain program will be implemented or funded. The board also enacts the policies that enhance the implementation and development of the current curricula(Gorozidis & Papaioannou, 2011).

With the many advancement taking place within the systems of the education, the score made by the student is what determines the efforts made by the educational institution. The assessed curriculum is a practical object used in reflecting the subset of the intended and enacted curriculum. The only thing that can be used in determining what the students have acquired from the classroom is telling us about the studied curriculum. In order the curriculum to be useful it need some evaluation, diagnosis the indicator measures and monitoring. This incorporate the content that has been studies and also the proficiency provided by the test score. The other thing that require some considerations is the results given by the learners because they are key in examining the effectiveness of the curriculum. Then teachers are also required to act immediately to the problems that arise when teaching. Whatever that is taught is the instructional interactions which is the interactions that happen among the leaners, instructors overwhelming the norms control them. The main use of the dictational tetrahedron is to account for the teachers’ and the leaners’ interactions with the resources of the curriculum as an aspect of the implemented curriculum.

References:

Bhatnagar, S., Prasad, H., & Prashanth, L. (2013). Reinforcement learning. In Lecture Notes in Control and Information Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4285-0_11

Del Prato, D. (2013). Students’ voices: The lived experience of faculty incivility as a barrier to professional formation in associate degree nursing education. Nurse Education Today. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2012.05.030

Deslauriers, L. (2011). Physics Class. Science. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1201783

Garrod, N., & Warr, L. (2011). Curriculum. In Challenging Boundaries: Managing the Integration of Post-Secondary Education. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203885147

Goldsmith, J., & Wittenberg-Lyles, E. (2013). COMFORT: Evaluating a New Communication Curriculum With Nurse Leaders. Journal of Professional Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2012.05.017

Gorozidis, G., & Papaioannou, A. (2011). Teachers’ self-efficacy, achievement goals, attitudes and intentions to implement the new Greek physical education curriculum. European Physical Education Review. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X11413654

Grant, J. (2013). Principles of Curriculum Design. In Understanding Medical Education: Evidence, Theory and Practice: Second Edition. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118472361.ch3

Henderson, J. (2010). Curriculum for Excellence. Nutrition Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-3010.2009.01800.x

Kassens-Noor, E. (2012). Twitter as a teaching practice to enhance active and informal learning in higher education: The case of sustainable tweets. Active Learning in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787411429190

Khalil, M. K., Nelson, L. D., & Kibble, J. D. (2010). The use of self-learning modules to facilitate learning of basic science concepts in an integrated medical curriculum. Anatomical Sciences Education. https://doi.org/10.1002/ase.177

Kop, R., & Hill, A. (2008). Connectivism: Learning theory of the future or vestige of the past? International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v9i3.523

Matthews, K. E., Adams, P., & Goos, M. (2015). The Influence of Undergraduate Science Curriculum Reform on Students’ Perceptions of their Quantitative Skills. International Journal of Science Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2015.1096427

McKenney, S., & Reeves, T. C. (2014). Educational design research. In Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology: Fourth Edition. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3185-5_11

Nation, P., & Macalister, J. (2010). Language Curriculum Design. World Englishes. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.326.7383.268

O’Neill, G. (2010). A programme-wide approach to assessment: a reflection on some curriculum mapping tools. In AISHE (2009) Conference.

Ozar, M. (2015). Okullarda Destek Birimlerinin Önemi ve Görevleri: Türkiye’de Mevcut Durum. Turkish Journal of Education. https://doi.org/10.19128/turje.181058

Popkewitz, T. S. (2009). Curriculum study, curriculum history, and curriculum theory: The reason of reason. Journal of Curriculum Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220270902777021

Rentfro, A. C. (2013). The vital role of patient feedback in the critical assessment of a patient-centered care objective structured clinical examination. Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.4230/OASIcs.MCPS.2014.80

Sager, N. M. (2016). The language ecologies of emergent Spanish/English bilinguals: A comparative case study of five preschool classrooms. Dissertation Abstracts International.

Strayer, J. F. (2012). How learning in an inverted classroom influences cooperation, innovation and task orientation. Learning Environments Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-012-9108-4

Sweeney, A. E. (2015). Nanomedicine concepts in the general medical curriculum: Initiating a discussion. International Journal of Nanomedicine. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S96480

Vitae, C. (2015). Universidade Estadual de Londrina Universidade Estadual de Londrina. Universidade Estadual de Londrina. https://doi.org/https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1538-7836.2011.04555.x

Wen, Y., Zhang, K., Li, Z., & Qiao, Y. (2016). A discriminative feature learning approach for deep face recognition. In Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46478-7_31