Monday, February 21, 2011

JHU/ISTE Admin & Supervision - Reflections on Curriculum

How has your definition of curriculum been shaped by the course readings and discussions? How and why has your definition of curriculum changed?

Voicethread:


Direct Link to this Voicethread:
http://voicethread.com/share/1763379/

References:

Glatthorn, A. A. (2004). Developing a quality curriculum. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Jacobs, H.H. (2010). Curriculum 21: Essential education for a changing world. Alexandria, VA.
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Oliva, P. (2003). Developing the Curriculum (6th ed.). New York, NY: Longman, pp. 28-41.

Partnership for 21st century schools (2004). Framework for 21st century learning. Retrieved
February 14, 2007 from, http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=254&It emid=120

Posner, George. (1999). Analyzing the Curriculum 3rd Ed.

Tomlinson, C. A. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Instructional Technology in the Curriculum for 21st Century Learners

o As a school administrator and instructional leader, what instructional technology would you expect to see in the written, taught, and tested curriculum of a school or school district striving to meet the needs of 21st century learners?

o What instructional technology would you promote to differentiate instruction for all learners?

The ideal digital age school and classrooms have technology that is ubiquitous and transparent; it’s simply a means for getting to the destination and a medium for accessing, synthesizing, evaluating, creating or exchanging information. In the written curriculum, technology is not an “extra” or a separate subject; rather it is embedded in all subjects and a part of the environment. Standards and objectives describing information and technology literacy skills are interwoven into all curricular areas and habits of mind.

In the taught curriculum, 21st Century teachers and 21st Century learners should be able to select and use wikis, forums, Google Docs, virtual manipulatives, Flip videos, productivity applications, research databases, interactive whiteboards and student response devices or an online survey as tools as seamlessly as prior generations selected and used chalk, crayons, a protractor, an encyclopedia and  composition books. In the tested curriculum, students should be able to show what they know and are able to do through more than paper and pencil tests. Multiple measures for formative and summative assessment can include digital portfolios and a variety of media and formats. Encouraging and supporting a variety of forms of expression can provide the widest range of students  access to the curriculum and allow them to demonstrate their learning.


Some examples teaching and learning that address multiple modalities, help meet the needs of diverse learners and promote the development of 21st Century skills:


Sunday, January 16, 2011

Curriculum - Philosophical Beliefs

What are your philosophical beliefs about the purpose of school, about what subjects should be taught, and about how students learn? How does your work demonstrate your belief?


I believe the children and young adults of a society are its most valuable resource. Our wealth is held not so much in land and goods as in creativity and innovation, hard work and inspiration, individual and collective knowledge and skill. If we fail to invest in providing a high quality education to our youth, we neglect our own future prosperity.


Schools must be inclusive, serving all students and addressing the needs of learners throughout the entire continuum of needs and abilities. This means nurturing and lifting up our disadvantaged youth and also challenging our gifted and talented students so that all learners can reach their full potential. A high-quality education is a moral and ethical imperative; it should be the right of every child, not just the wealthy or elite. I believe very strongly in the value of the public education system and that we need to make that system work for all of our students.


What is the purpose of schooling and what does it mean to be an educated person? Today, it means more than simply becoming proficient in reading, writing and arithmetic. The skill set necessary to survive and prosper in our current (and future) society is quite different than what was required fifty, thirty, or even fifteen years ago. Since our knowledge base is constantly growing and evolving, we cannot possibly teach our children everything they need to know. We must help students achieve fundamental skills and conceptual understanding – and also prepare them to access and critically evaluate vast amounts of information; effectively communicate using multiple formats and technologies; and collaborate to solve problems that have an impact on local and global levels.

I am currently an instructional technolgist for Oakland Unified School District. I work with a small team to assist school sites with tech planning, integration and professional development. We try to help teachers incorporate information and technology literacy into all curricular areas and to use various technologies and multimedia as tools to enhance delivery of content, increase student engagement, support collaboration (among and between teachers, students and outside experts), and to allow students to access, evaluate and create information in ways they could not without the technology. Our instructional technology team is part of the larger district department of Leadership, Curriculum & Instruction, so I also collaborate with content area specialists and instructional coaches.


I believe that one’s philosophy of educational leadership should reflect and support his/her overall philosophy of education. Although this seems to be a simple and obvious statement, our beliefs and ideals are often tempered by daily realities and constraints. Educational leaders must strive to create and maintain a school culture in which the focus is on student learning and effective teaching and all staff engages in professional reflection and growth.