Curriculum Terms and Concepts:
Teaching Guide

 

 

 

Aim

 This module introduces WIT participants to the steps in curriculum development and supports them as they examine preexisting curriculum webs.

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Rationale

Planning is facilitated by a structure in which important issues are dealt with as a plan is developed. WIT provides this structure, through the elements of the teaching guide to the lesson or curriculum web.

It is possible to treat the elements of the teaching guide as just a worksheet to be "filled in" so the instructor is happy. But we hope WIT participants will take the planning process seriously, treating it as a professional, rather than perfunctory, task.

We hope that participants will be interested in why the elements are helpful, and that they will explore the optional resources provided, but we're "okay with it" if participants just follow the steps.

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Goals and Objectives

 This module teaches teachers how to write teaching guides for their web-based lessons and curriculums.

At the conclusion of this module, participants will:

    • be able to list five characteristics of behavioral objectives
    • be able to locate examples of effective goals and objectives using existing WIT curriculum webs
    • be able to locate examples of effective plans of assessment and evaluation using existing WIT curriculum webs

These objectives correlate with recently-released International Society for Technology in Education's National Educational Technology Standards, which call for teachers who can:

"engage in planning of lesson sequences that effectively integrate technology resources and are consistent with current best practices,"

and

"plan and implement technology learning activities that promote student engagement in analysis, synthesis, interpretation, and creation of original products."

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Audience

Teachers who are interested in learning how to write effective web-based lessons and curriculum. 

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Prerequisites

Teachers must express an interest in participating in the process of curriculum development on the web with their colleagues.

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Subject-Matter

The importance of well planned curriculums

Writing effective goals, objectives and plans for assessment and evaluation

The process of curriculum planning--development leading to design

Issues in curriculum development: subject-centered vs. learner centered, grouping, the relation between experience and learning

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Instructional Plan

Begin with the Introduction. Participants read definitions. Mentors ask participants to discuss the curriculum-based questions with a neighbor for 10 minutes. Neighbors can then share their answers to the whole group with mentors acting as facilitators. Mentors should lead the participants through the definition and components of a curriculum web. The activity asks participants to search for the components discussed in existing WIT curriculum webs. Mentors may wish to form groups of four to five participants. Each participant then would look a single curriculum web and share the findings with the group.

The Importance of Planning page asks participants to read a short essay. This is designed to be self-paced, but mentors may want to have discussions of the contents after participants have had a chance to read through the page.

The Curriculum Development page is also designed to be self-paced, but mentors may once again want to discuss the contents after have had a chance to read through the page. Whole group discussions can be centered around how using the web will affect the writing of curriculums, how one should assess students, and/or how to evaluate the curriculum webs. The activities can be done individually or in small groups with each participant looking at a different curriculum web and reporting to the small group.

The Digging Deeper page is additional information about curriculum development and curriculum design. It is optional, but mentors may wish to point it out to participants.

 

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Materials

  • Computer for each participant.

  • Internet access

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Assessment and Evaluation

Participants are able to distinguish between curriculums, lessons, and instruction. Participants identify the components of a curriculum web in existing webs. Participants locate examples of goals, objectives, and plans for assessment and evaluation. Participants discuss (via small group discussion, whole group discussion, or email to mentor) objectives and assessment they may adapt to use in their own curriculum webs.

Participants can evaluate this module by emailing feedback to its developers.

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Developed by Mecca Murphy.
A previous version was created by Criag Cunningham.
Last updated 6 May 2001.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The contents of the Web Institute Web Site, including the On-Line Curriculum, Web Tank, and Session Notes, are Copyright 1999-2001, Graham School of General Studies, University of Chicago. No one may print, copy, or otherwise reproduce these materials without the express written permission of the Director of the Web Institute for Teachers or the Dean of the Graham School. All rights reserved.