The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a curriculum design-based (CDB) professional development model on K-12 teachers' capacity to integrate engineering education in the classroom. This teacher professional development approach differs from other training programs where teachers learn how to use a standard curriculum and…

Open distance learning is viewed as a system of learning that blends student support, curriculum and instruction design, flexibility of learning provision, removal of barriers to access, credit of prior learning, and other academic activities such as programme delivery and assessment for the purpose of meeting the diverse needs of students.…

This article proposes a Batesonian systems thinking and ecology of mind approach to enacting curriculum. The key ideas for the model include ecology of mind, relationships, systems, systems thinking, pattern thinking, abductive thinking, and context. These ideas provide a basis for a recursive, three-part model involving developing (a) depth of…

This paper reports a project organized by Sibelius-Academy Department of Folk Music and Tampere University, Department of Music Anthropology in 2008-2010. The goal of the project was to develop and implement a master program for "rytmimusiikki" (lit. "rhythm music" in Seinajoki, Finland--a musically active provincial area…

I begin by introducing Virtual Design Apprenticeship (VDA), a learning model--built on a solid foundation of education principles and theories--that promotes learning of design skills via overlay design tools. In VDA, when an individual needs to learn a new design skill or paradigm she is provided accessible, concrete examples that have been…

Based on a concept of professionalism, this study analyzed and compared current public relations curricula of higher education among the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Korea. In terms of three educational orientations, results indicated that public relations education in the United States is the most balanced among theoretical,…

Polytechnic staff perspectives are sought on the sustainability and large-scale implementation of design teams (DT), as a means for collaborative curriculum design and teacher professional development in Ghana's polytechnics, months after implementation. Data indicates that teachers still collaborate in DTs for curriculum design and professional…

In nature, bacteria exist in and adapt to different environments by forming microbial communities called "biofilms." We propose simple, inquiry-based laboratory exercises utilizing a biofilm formation assay, which allows controlled biofilm growth. Students will be able to qualitatively assess biofilm growth via staining. Recently, we developed a…

Universities interested in remodeling licensure programs to prepare 21st-century superintendents are faced with a plethora of data to guide curriculum design. This article summarizes survey and focus group findings from current and prospective superintendents and outlines how these data informed the restructuring of the superintendent licensure…

Social Entrepreneurship (SE) programs have been expanding over the past decade. The emergence of this new discipline can be attributed to two overlapping factors. Students (particularly business students) have expressed an increased desire to blend values, ethics and social causes into their own vocations. At the same time, the nonprofit and…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework that serves as a guide to develop a curriculum and instructional strategy that is systems oriented and student-centric. Design/methodology/approach: The framework is based on the theories in the field of education by prominent researchers. The framework is divided into four sub-systems,…

In this commentary, Kamp-Roelands states that it was very encouraging to observe that the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) recognises that responding to "Integrated Reporting" initiatives requires an "integrated approach" to accounting education. That change in financial reporting standards put pressure on…

The authors espouse the need for negotiation in designing and delivering English for Specific Purposes (ESP) programs. Such negotiations take into account learners' needs as well as structural limitations of the context and candid assessment of ESP providers. The article explores lessons from the field and the importance of needs analysis.

College and university programs are under increasing pressure to effectively measure and assess student performance, knowledge, and skills in their classes, majors and programs. We discuss how embracing this assessment charge can lead to a more cohesive and educational curriculum in which students and educators alike see the connections from one…

Content standards have been identified in America as a solution to the declining rate of student success in the public education system. But content standards are not a "silver bullet," for a number of reasons. This chapter presents an intersegmental approach to vertical curriculum alignment that returns questions of student readiness to…