CURRICULUM (discussing)
We have identified that curriculum is an important factor required for technological integration. This section is a mini-case study of changing Social Studies curriculum in British Columbia.
BackgroundCurrently, a draft curriculum is set to replace the 1997 grade 8-9, 2006 grade 10-12 and 2007 K-8 documents respectively (draft yet to be published). The grade 11 course is subject to a provincial exam worth 20%.
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Above: Robinson on Changing Educational Paradigms
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Provincial Exam
The SS 11 exam in BC is typically made up of 55 multiple choice questions and an essay question.
Overall, most educators (and students) will agree that this exam measures the ability to recall concepts and facts. There is opportunity for higher thinking in the essay questions, but students can be prepped with a general argument that can be adapted for question variations. Very little (if any) of the exam is built to assess 21st Century skills.
See sample exam from 2012 here
Overall, most educators (and students) will agree that this exam measures the ability to recall concepts and facts. There is opportunity for higher thinking in the essay questions, but students can be prepped with a general argument that can be adapted for question variations. Very little (if any) of the exam is built to assess 21st Century skills.
See sample exam from 2012 here
New Curriculum Goals
The BCed Plan seeks to Rethink Curriculum. In particular:
Retrieved from: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/rethinking-curriculum
- reducing the number of prescribed learning standards in order to provide “space” for personalization and lessen the current highly prescriptive nature of curriculum
- providing learning standards that can be combined and integrated in various ways, to create courses or learning experiences that go beyond learning area borders to focus on students’ needs, interests, and/or the local context
- encouraging students to take an active role in the planning for and assessment of their own learning from start to end
- supporting and encouraging student-driven inquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning
- providing “space” for direct interactions with the world both within and outside of school and, by placing an increased focus on learning that addresses “real-world” issues and problems
Retrieved from: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/rethinking-curriculum
Draft Grade 9 SS CurriculumThe new curriculum's goals listed above appear to fundamentally change the curriculum. Lets examine what that means for SS-9 (the highest level completed of the draft).
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Discussion
The draft document appears to achieve many of the stated goals of curricular change. Less learning outcomes, and more flexibility; however, the "Concepts and Content" section requires students to "know". While a definitive list of these 'things to know' is not present, it looks strikingly familiar to the list of PLO's from the 1997 curriculum. When you look at the "Curricular Competencies" section, it does nothing to prescribe a technologically supported environment.
The draft does give more room for educators to pursue inquiry based learning but, in its current state, it would leave the practice of delivering courses using existing textbooks intact.
The next section will offer some suggestions to the draft curriculum.
The draft does give more room for educators to pursue inquiry based learning but, in its current state, it would leave the practice of delivering courses using existing textbooks intact.
The next section will offer some suggestions to the draft curriculum.