Designing the Classroom Curriculum Designing the Classroom Curriculum | Page 12

Designing the Classroom Curriculum
of students, or it can be harmful and destructive. To a large extent schools and teachers can have little
practicable effect on these two matters. But being aware of them is important as society now deems it
important that professionals such as teachers monitor each in the interests of each child’s welfare.
To this extent, past teachers and teacher educators were right to place great emphasis on ‘home background’
as a determinant of learning, but in doing so, and in the absence of rigorous research evidence, they missed
the importance of the teacher.
Teachers operate today in a radically different world to that of the past. Technological innovation has
fundamentally changed every aspect of home and work life and has also caused a rethink to occur in
education as new understandings about people learn and how teachers can best teach emerge. One such
example is the work of John Hattie (2009) who has examined key aspects of the schooling process to identify
focal areas for optimal student learning outcomes.
Hattie has identified for teachers and schools three strategic remediation or ‘strategic focus’ areas that
directly contribute to the learning success of each student for the other three variables: ‘the school’, ‘its
curriculum’ and the ‘approach to teaching’. These three areas come to represent what a school and its
teachers now need to focus on if every student is to achieve at school.
In this context we have developed this book. The book provides an insight into curriculum, assessment and
the incorporation of technology as three fundamental elements in the effective classroom curriculum.
Having now made these introductory comments we now invite you to undertake a journey into
understanding curriculum, assessment and the incorporation of technology, in the development of the
modern day classroom curriculum.
1. One approach to research is the ‘meta-analysis’. John Hattie (2009) used this
method in compiling his ground breaking study in schooling. Using an
internet search provides an account of what a meta-analysis involves?
2. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is
an international organisation based in Paris. This organisation has published
a number of studies which provide insight into the Knowledge Economy and
its impacts on society and more specifically Education and Schooling.
Review their website (www.oecd.org) to provide an account of the
fundamental elements which have generated a ‘knowledge economy’
circumstance.
3. Given the emergence of a Knowledge Economy, what are the specific
implications for schooling and the curriculum?
4. What is meant by the term classroom curriculum? How is it used by teachers
in schools?
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