Designing the Classroom Curriculum Designing the Classroom Curriculum | Page 40

Designing the Classroom Curriculum
The Wiggins & McTighe (1998) model brings us to the point where we can now propose an approach to
curriculum development, design and planning that place primary emphasis on instructional design and
robust evidence and the mindset to drive these elements in a determined manner.
We have discussed three models of curriculum development. Each attempts to capture and explain the
process and influences on teachers when developing a classroom curriculum. While each model is logical in
its own terms, the pedagogic void is evident in each. The term Pedagogic Void means an approach to teaching
which has no evidence base to support it and is illustrated by a distinct lack of pedagogic detail in the teacher’s
classroom curriculum plan (Smith and Lynch, 2010). To understand the effect of pedagogic void is to
imagine a medical practitioner who simply ‘makes up’ his treatment regime. It wouldn’t ‘fly’ in medicine and
it sure shouldn’t fly in education. Our point is that the effective teacher follows a research based pedagogic
framework and the detail of such is reflected in their classroom curriculum as a detailed set of evidence
based teaching steps. In the next chapter we develop what we think is an improved approach to curriculum
development and implementation, known as the Learning Management Design Process.
1. Classroom curriculum plans tend to lack specificity about the teaching steps that will
be followed. Why might this be the case?
2. Adopting an evidence based pedagogic framework is essential for effective teaching.
Conduct an internet search to identify the pedagogic frameworks stipulated by
Education Departments in your education jurisdiction.
3. Teachers often cite the premise of each student having an individual learning style.
‘Learning style’ theory has come into criticism in recent years? Conduct an internet
search to understand why this is so?
4. Summarise what is meant by a classroom curriculum and cite the important
components?
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