As you know, I’m thinking a lot about curriculum and bold new visions as a part of a keynote I’ll be doing for the K12 Online Conference next month.
My process has been something like this:
- think about it
- talk to some smart folks
- think some more
- doodle…or at least mind map (thanks to #ds106 and Giulia Forsythe)
- think some more
- talk more to smart folks
And while I don’t have Guilia’s talent, I thought “Hey, maybe this process could be a trailer video.” So here it is.
We’re going to be talking about this more on a G+ Hangout on Thurs., Sept. 20 at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern. If you’d like to join us, message me. Or feel free to add your thoughts here or some other way.
My friend Terry set up this great vialogue as a way to discuss this as well. (I love vialogues. They provide an interactive way to discuss video.)
Visioning new curriculum – my process
Hi Karen –
I have parent teacher interviews tomorrow night….This is a quick note if it helps…
The OC@ADLC (Open Classroom) will offer a variety of “MOOC” like open Courses for anyone in k-12 this year.
Some things I have been thinking about in curriculum:
Need common competencies across the curriculum, but developed as a continuum across grade levels.
Competencies are assessed through blended formative and summative assessment, but mostly formative.
Students need common are to document/store evidence of meeting competencies – ePortfolios are necessary.
Students need to have ability to “dual” credit – Course credit and out of school credit/certificate/badge needs to be created.
This is the original outline for the OC @ADLC – Open Classroom for all.
I will start by offering courses based on Digital Citizenship and these competencies to scaffold student – skills with experience.
Courses will be offered based on these competencies and another “topic”.
Students will be in one of two groups:
Closed garden 5-13
Open Garden (transition) 14-15
Completely open – 15+
Feedback appreciated…
http://www.openclassroomonline.com
KAren – are you going to Beyond Content in Vancouver?
V:)
Sorry – Here’s the link to the outline:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w5tBsxbO29d5OHlKw3QOS9u1RCRGX6QjiMlNxwu0xwg/edit#
I enjoyed what I saw of the conversation on Hangouts today.
Curriculum, these days, should be a skeleton to hang the content of my lessons on, or rather a guide to ensure I am covering the needs of my students.
unfortunately there are external pressures, often political, that define the curriculum as the content itself. This saddens me as a parent, and frustrates me as a teacher.
During the Hangout, Paul mentioned trust, and this is missing in most of the schools I visit, where micro management reigns. Trust is critical.
Thanks, Tim. I agree with your point about curriculum as a “skeleton” rather than as every detail fleshed out. That’s come up a few times now. Fits into the trust issue as well.