In course design, topic outline organization encompasses the structuring and sequencing of topics to be delivered in a learning environment. Recent studies in topic outline optimization revolve around massive open online courses (MOOCs) due to their abundance but not much has been studied on the traditional courses. This study investigates the…

This paper theorises a curriculum model containing four features. We use these features as criteria to analyse and evaluate two distinctive curriculum design types: '21st Century Learning' and 'Powerful Knowledge'. The four features are: (i) the underpinning theory of knowledge in each curriculum design type; (ii) the knowledge structures used to…

Best practice in curriculum development and implementation requires that discipline-based standards or requirements embody both curricular and programme scopes and sequences. Ensuring these are present and aligned in course/programme content, activities and assessments to support student success requires formalised and systematised review and…

Joanne Pearson reflects on her experiences as a history teacher and teacher educator, considering the ways in which she has seen women represented in the history curricula of different schools in England. She makes the case that greater attention needs to be paid by history teachers to the criteria against which they make decisions about the…

To support the review of the National Curriculum, the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) was commissioned by the Department for Education in the spring of 2011 to produce a report detailing curricular arrangements in a number of high-performing educational jurisdictions. The principal source of information for this report has been…

Earth Systems Science (ESS) is emerging rapidly as a discipline and is being used to replace the older earth science education that has been taught as unrelated disciplines--geology, meteorology, astronomy, and oceanography. ESS is complex and is based on the idea that the earth can be understood as a set of interacting natural and social systems.…

This essay explores the nature of the curriculum content of liberal studies--a core school subject in the new senior secondary curriculum in Hong Kong--with reference to the curriculum-making processes entailed in the formation of that subject. The central thesis is that a school subject is introduced to schools and classrooms as a distinct…

This case study analyzes five science courses of a United States virtual charter school. Online quizzes and exams are provided by the corporate partner, while local teachers have selected report topics, virtual labs and at-home labs for students to complete. These assessments were coded for their correlation to the cognitive levels of the revised…

Delineates why the National Commission for the Social Studies provides an excellent opportunity for improving social studies education. Identifies several issues the Commission must address, including the value of teaching social studies, the content of social studies curriculum, and when and how to teach the social studies. (LS)

Goodlad's domain concept was used to examine content in three physical education programs. Data were collected from documents (ideological and formal domains); interviews (perceived and experiential domains); and observation (operational domain). The ideological domain was found to be the most influential curriculum perspective in the programs.…

This study surveyed the specific assignments in the television production courses at 175 United States colleges and universities. The following conclusions were drawn from the analyses of the data collected: Television production courses involve the students with television production formats identical to those found in the broadcast industry.…

Discusses the changes made by the North Carolina General Assembly in the state school system with the Basic Education Plan (BEP). The plan focuses on curriculum, class size, spiral curriculum, and competency examinations. Reports that the BEP views the arts as basic to education. (GG)

Social studies departments today face the challenge of how to successfully orchestrate four major components of curricula change -- staff concerns, evaluating the curriculum, course content, and restructuring the curriculum. (Author)

This document offers practical guidelines and suggestions to assist those responsible for reviewing, evaluating, developing, and implementing general education curricula. Emphasis is placed on collaborative practices, ongoing open communication, thorough planning, and reliable information, with the aim of facilitating the process of renewing a…

The fourth edition of this curriculum planning resource takes users through the entire process of planning a social studies program, from deciding on a rationale to selecting curriculum materials to installing and maintaining the program. The guide incorporates current concerns such as standards-based curriculum, authentic assessment, and…