PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
THE CONCEPTS WITHIN CURRICULUM
PLANNNING,
INSTRUCTION & ASSESSMENT
THE ORIGINAL VISUAL
It is with gratitude that I recognize the contributions of
my previous partner, Tracey Cole. Together, we created the Padlet visual to the right of the screen (unclear for reading but included for the purposes of recognizing the work completed to date). To view this past visual representation in detail, you may click below or see the prior post.
I have decided to take the next steps of the journey in
self-reflection and so the opinions expressed in the following pages are mine, and reflect the vision I have for my own personal professional context.
Once informed about the history and philosophy of a subject,
one understands enough about the breadth and depth of the subject to be able to
create informed opinions. It then
becomes time to actually do something personal with the knowledge and to apply it in
one’s professional context. With this
in mind, I present my revised concept map, which now includes the ideas of
planning, instruction and assessment.
THE REVISED VISUAL
I thought it would be a useful reflection to create an
updated visual in order to “put it all together”. The result of my new research and reflection
appears below. (click image to enlarge for viewing).
CURRICULUM ORIENTATION- SELECTION
As I read the various writings about conceptions,
philosophies and designs, I felt a bit frustrated in that I didn’t believe in
just one orientation. I felt the pressure
to choose and admit to feeling a bit lost because I couldn’t. Two of my fellow classmates, Heidi Aston and
Nicole Mackie, brilliantly conceived their visual as a self-assessment tool. If I understand the idea they were
presenting, it was not about forcing a choice as an end result but comparing
self to the different curriculum ideas in order to better understand the
personal and often multi-dimensional idea of alignment to curriculum ideas.
Orenstein would seem to agree with their idea. He stated, “Very few schools adopt a single
philosophy; in practice, most schools combine a variety of philosophies”
(108). He went further to advise,
“Moreover, the author’s position is that no single philosophy, old or new,
should serve as the exclusive guide for making decisions about schools or about
the curriculum” (108). Reflecting on
this, I think the desire for alignment is about wanting ideas and processes to
flow and to not become blocked when ideas are mal-alignment or disagreement
exists. This is the struggle of creating
a hybrid approach.
THE PEOPLE- INFLUENCE
Teachers are informed by the history and philosophies
connected to curriculum. They are also
informed by the vision of others and their own personal experience in wrestling
with the dilemmas that curriculum presents.
This is not a value-free process, nor should it be. The incorporation of a teacher’s values,
motivation, interest and talents expand the vision well beyond the curriculum
ideas of others.
The thought of influence in curriculum brings to mind the
ideas presented in the video about the Summerhill School. Here, the students were not distant from the
curriculum design and delivery process, but rather knee-deep, along side of
their teachers. The influence of the
students, combined with the influence of the other forces, like parents and the
community, created a vibrant, self-energizing environment that it the dream of
most teachers.
THE PEOPLE- CONFLUENCE
Because teachers do not tend to work in isolation, but
rather in teaching and curriculum hubs, the idea of confluence seems to me to
be an important curriculum idea.
Certainly some of the direction of curriculum is mandated, but there are
always some aspects that can be customized and personalized to reflect the
institution’s collective vision for curriculum. Confluence doesn’t necessarily mean
agreement on the approach taken by a group of educators, but means that here
are various inputs that contribute to the culture of the institution or group
that contribute to curriculum.
Ornstein advises on the merging of curriculum philosophy,
saying, “What we need is prudent school philosophy, one that is politically and
economically feasible, that serves the needs of students and society. Implicit in this view, education is that too
much emphasis on any one philosophy made do you harm and cause conflict”
(108). This paints a picture of a
fluid and flexible process in which all of the players, from curriculum
developers to the students themselves, can add their drop in the collective
curriculum bucket for a more personal and meaningful learning experience for
all.
THE PROCESS- ALIGNMENT
McMillan reflected often on the idea of alignment of
curriculum process. This is not to be
confused with personal alignment to a curriculum philosophy or conception, but
rather making sure that curriculum’s aims, means and ends work together to
support curriculum, and ultimately support `learning. McMillian stated, “…when the curriculum and
your instruction are aligned with state standards, it is likely that students
will achieve well on state tests. When
your teaching and assessment are aligned to what we know about how students
learn, achievement and motivation are enhanced” (3). McMillian goes on to advise about the skills
students from the 21st century need in order to succeed, which
includes: creativity, communication,
social skills, dispositions, cognitive/metacognitive skills, global
understanding and content/disciplinary understanding (4).
Hayes reinforced the idea of alignment, stating that
learning results from the alignment of curriculum, assessment and pedagogy
(225). She built a convincing case that
this approach leads to shared understanding, common language and unified goals
(228).
I believe that the theme of alignment extends to students
and curriculum as well. The better
aligned with the personality, values, interests and curiosity of the students,
the more motivated the learner and the deeper learning. The students from both the Summerville and
Ursula Franklin schools showed the results positive results of alignment of
students to curriculum. Seeing these
examples illustrates the investment in a new way of thinking about curriculum
is well worth the time spent to achieve it.
THE PROCESS-DECIDING AND EXPERIMENTATION
I began my revised visual with a quote that I felt
summarized the putting together of curriculum ideas. Sir Ken Robinson, in his video entitled “How
to Escape Education’s Death Valley” said, “Education is the laboratory in which
philosophic distinctions become concrete and are tested in the restless process
of imagining alternatives and possibilities.
This quote resonates with me because it refers to education as a
laboratory, an image that makes me more comfortable with the idea of
experimenting with curriculum. In other
PME courses, I have been encouraged to work with idea networks and I have come
to learn that these professional communities can be right next-door or halfway
around the world. Regardless of where we
find our collaborators, we can always sieze opportunity to share our
experiences in the hopes of refreshing and renewing our commitment to high
quality and informed curriculum planning, delivery and assessment.
I also borrow from ideas from my own professional context to
consider experimenting with curriculum.
In a knowledge transfer from counselling perspectives, particularly the
concept of Brief Solution Focused Therapy (BSFT), I consider one of the guiding
principles, which is- if something works
do more of it, but if something isn’t
working, try something new. Although
this idea is simple on the surface, it reminds me that Ican, and should,
experiment, retool and rethink curriculum at all phases to avoid becoming
entrenched in curriculum means that doesn’t align to the desired end.
THE PROCESS- QUESTIONING
Given that my professional context is teaching within a
counselling environment, I firmly believe in the power of effective
questioning. Certainly there is room for
confronting or challenging within the curriculum process, but the questioning I
am referring to is more about unlocking the personal motivations that can
positively contribute to the curriculum design process. I think it is incredibly powerful to ask
individuals and group what they would like to learn, what they are interested
and what would be motivating to
THE PROCESS- FLUIDITY BETWEEN PLANNING, INSTRUCTION
AND ASSESSMENT
It is intuitive to consider curriculum in a before-during-after
approach. However, the visual model I
have created allows for the process to be fluid to follow the trend of many
modern conceptions. One informs the
other and there are no one-way streets in a sound curriculum process. Again, transferring knowledge from my
professional context of counselling, in which is a conversational-dance between
counsellor and client, I see potential parallels in education. I
think that curriculum designers and teachers dance with curriculum, going
forward and back, sometimes with certainty and confidence and other times
without rhythm or grace in experimental discourse.
THE PROCESS- PLANNING
I believe, simply, that planning involves having the courage
to move forward without the benefit of certainty. The personal obstacles that I typically need
to overcome are distraction and inertia.
The power of asking questions is again quite helpful in getting started
in creating a sound plan, as is the process of collaborating. Overcoming the need for perfection is an additional
helpful personal awareness. Curriculum
planning can be messy and fuzzy and, only through the fluid process can it
become better evolved for serving student needs.
Ideas about considering the aims, means, end, goals and the process need to be considered ahead of the delivery of the curriculum. But, we can elect to do this in a manner that is fluid and considerate of all of the inputs to the process.
THE PROCESS- INSTRUCTION
The video with the point of view of the teacher from St.
Anne’s school was an interesting glimpse of how a school can change and manage
a very different process of instruction.
In this video, there were examples of a redesign of instruction to
better engage curiosity and motivation.
To do this, the teachers must have been fluid enough to reassess their
schools’ vision. This appeared to result
in a format that permitted less structure and greater student autonomy. Even the noise level tolerance was a practical
consideration that was used to analyse the student process toward the goal over
teacher personal preference for a more quite environment.
THE PROCESS- ASSESSMENT
The purpose of assessment in education is to evaluate the
learning that has taken place as a result of planning and teaching. This is a complex problem for those
uncovering the various issues and themes related to assessment. To operationalize the process, McMillian
identified the steps involved in considering classroom assessment as it relates
to the planning and delivery of curriculum.
Here we see a thoughtful process of classroom assessment in which the
assessment purpose is defined, measured interpreted and used .
Source: McMillan,
J. H. (2014). Classroom assessment:
principles and practice for effective standards-based instruction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
(Page 15).
The above design clearly illustrates the variability of the
assessment process, which could head in a multitude of directions. It involves
teacher and curriculum designer’s judgement and decisions, which is based on
the teachers’ personal worldview and the other perspective used. McMillian offers a model of classroom
assessment as a guide for teacher decision-making (11). He stated, “classroom assessment is
gathering, interpreting, and using evidence of student learning and motivation
to support teacher decision making in a variety of ways”. His list included:
·
Diagnosis of students learning strengths and
issues
·
Monitoring of progress
·
Documenting learning
·
Improving motivation, learning and 21 century
skills
·
Providing feedback
·
Assigning grades
While helpful to consider the many aspects that contribute
to the teacher decision-making and classroom assessment, not all experts agree
on the relative value of each method.
For example, there is now a controversy over what should and should not
serve as evidence of learning and mastery.
As you can see from McMillian’s diagram below, the current state of
assessment involves a dizzying array of considerations, of which high stakes testing
and accountability frameworks are a large part.
Currently there is debate about what serves as evidence (or
documentation) and how grading should present itself in assessment. The figure below shows McMillian’s Western
view of the significant factors that must be considered when assessing
curriculum and learning, which serves to demonstrate how entrenched our culture
is in our standards and data focused approach:
Source: McMillan,
J. H. (2014). Classroom assessment:
principles and practice for effective standards-based instruction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
(Page 3).
Experts are now beginning to ask what evidence should serve to validate learning . Other cultures are pointing the way to a new
direction which are challenging Western ways.
STANDARDIZED TESTING ASSESSMENT
In our cultures and institutions, subject-matter curriculum
and standardized testing are the norm.
While the idea of standardized testing is attractive on the basis of
efficiency and accountability, many experts are warning that learning is not best
managed by standardized testing at all.
The video entitled “Standardized Testing Trends, Where Is It
Taking Us” described the current status quo of standardized testing as being
driven by the systems, valuing form over function by being “disguised as
efficiency”. The video explained that standardized
testing does not improve education, but rather reduces it to managerialism and
utilitarianism. It criticized standardized
testing’s assumption that students will “goof-off and fail” if not tested and implied
that there is a better way to assess learning.
Ken Robinson, in his video “How to Escape Education’s Death Valley”
explains that the process of teaching is become “de-professionalized” and that
teaching is not a task but a means of facilitating learning. He advocates an approach that is more focused
on curiosity than compliance in which assessment as a diagnostic tool for
student support needs.
Both Ken Robinson and Steve Paikin point to the example set
by Finland education because it serves as evidence student learning, without
reliance on standardized testing. In
Finland, education conception, philosophy, planning, delivery and assessment is
completely different. According to
Paikin, the process begins by drawing in the best teachers by offering them
prestige and good prospects. He further
explains the Finnish educational culture having no word for our western concept
of “accountability”. With no use for
standardized assessment, Finnish teachers turn to individualized learning,
autonomy and mastery. This vision is
ideal, but leaves Western educators wondering how to achieve similar results
and accountability without the use of standardized assessment, especially when
it has become so entrenched in our Western ways of thinking.
LEARNER CENTRED ASSESSMENT
According to McMillian, the criteria for ensuring high
quality assessment includes:
·
Clear and appropriate learning targets
·
Alignment and assessment of methods and learning
targets
·
Validity
·
Reliability
·
Fairness
·
Positive consequences
·
Alignment
·
Practicality and efficiency
(59). To implement
assessments that meet this criteria there must be a shift in thinking about
what high quality assessment looks like and methods of assessment that can be used
in the process.
The video “A Teacher’s Point of View” demonstrated one
school’s attempt to shift their process of planning, instruction and
assessment. It showed a beehive of
activity that focused on student engagement and interaction. While it was noisier and seemingly less
constrained environment appears chaotic, the teacher in this pilot project
reflected the joy of seeing the evidence of learning and student
engagement. This video suggested some
new options for assessment and the thought of completely reinventing report
cards to include new methods, such as:
·
Rubrics
·
Projects by choice
·
Oral explanations of learning
·
Conversations
·
Parent involvement and reporting
·
Journalling
·
Portfolio development
·
Teacher supporting teachers in assessments
VALIDITY,
RELIABILITY, CONSISTENCY AND ERROR IN ASSESSMENT
McMillian reflected on quote of Parkes, 2013, who said, “In general, what we know from much research
that teachers tend not to be
reliable scores or accessories and hence may make an inaccurate decisions
without the aid of systematic and well thought out methods to reduce error”
(75). This pointed comment is
constructive and leads teachers and curriculum developers to search for tools
and resources that can guide their curriculum decisions as they endeavour to
have both high quality and practical assessment methods.
McMillian offered further structure in the table below of
assessment classification. Having a
model of reference like this could instantly open up new ideas for teachers who
are attempting to challenge their own assessment status quo. I include this in my blog summary so that I
can retain easy access reference.
McMillan, J. H. (2014). Classroom assessment: principles and practice
for effective standards-based instruction.
Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson. (Page 63).
Another resource “keeper” is the McMillian chart comparing
targets with assessment methods, This
serves to show the strengths of different methods so that teachers can better
match their assessment methods to the desired outcomes. I believe this would be a good guide for
teachers to use in considering their alignment of assessment methods to
increase effectiveness and efficiency.
McMillan, J. H. (2014). Classroom assessment: principles and practice
for effective standards-based instruction.
Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson. (Page 63).
BACKWARDS- BUT TOWARD A DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT IN A
LEARNING CULTURE
Shepard offered new insight into the direction of
educational assessment when she said, “Our aim should be to change our cultural
practices so that students and teachers look to assessment as a source of
insight and help instead of an occasional meting out of rewards and
punishments” (10). Shepard also explored the idea of teachers
collaborating to share their assessment tools and approaches in a way that
models the behaviour expected of the students.
In this way, the teachers, students and curriculum designers could
become a community of learners who see assessment as an ongoing process that
guides student learning and teacher decision-making. This is in direct contrast to the current
model in which assessment mostly comes in the form of a stressful event, a
micro-analyzed endpoint in a high-pressure, high-stakes model.
Many of the authors who have guided our thinking have suggested
a backward model, working not from the assessment first, but the goals of
learning. To do so we need to go back
to the conceptions and philosophies and consider the current research. As pointed out by Hayes, we have to reassess
what we want students to know, value, understand and then align the methods of
measurement to best support these goals (232).
I, personally, believe deep learning adds values to the lives of
students and their communities and that this can only happen when the anxiety
is lifted and shifted instead toward student curiosity and motivation.
In an effort to conceptualize this mapping process, I add
Hayes’ example to my blog for the benefit of future reference:
Source: Hayes, D.
(2003). Making learning and
effect of schooling: aligning
curriculum, assessment of pedagogy, Discourse:
studies in the cultural politics of Education. DOI:
101080/0159600303039 (Page
235).
CONCLUSION
This blog synthesis and reflection offers an integration of
the theory of curriculum in the direction of practical application. The considerations, supports and challenges
of curriculum practice will serve to inform the process of my own curriculum planning,
instruction and assessment in my own, unique professional context.
SOURCES:
EduCan Network (Producer). (2013).
A Teacher's P.O.V. on Starting Inquiry-based Learning in the
Classroom. EdCan
Network. Retrieved
from: http://vimeo.com/85470752
EduCan Network (Producer). (2013).
The Power of Student Voice to Enhance Teacher Practice. EduCan Network.
Retrieved from: https://vimeo.com/61528845
Hayes, D.
(2003). Making learning and effect of schooling: aligning curriculum, assessment of pedagogy. Discourse:
studies in the cultural politics of Education. DOI:
101080/0159600303039 (Page
235).
Kitts, D. (2014, Jan
8). Some
heretical questions on math education.
TV Ontario. Retrieved from: https://tvo.org/blog/current-affairs/inside-agenda/some-heretical-questions-on-math-education
McMillan, J. H. (2014). Classroom assessment: principles and practice
for effective standards-based instruction.
Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson.
Ornstein, A.C. (1990/1991). Philosophy as a basis for curriculum
decisions. The High School
Journal. 74, 102-109.
Robinson, K. (2013, May 10). How to Escape Education’s Death Valley. Ted Talks.
Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX78iKhInsc
Saul-Ralston, J.
(2011). Where is the Standardized Testing Trend Taking Us? EduCan Network. Retrieved from: http://vimeo.com/28412154
Shepard, L. (2000). The role of assessment in a learning
culture. Educational
Researcher. Vol. 29. No. 7.
Toronto District School
Board (Producer). (2009, May
9). Imagine Student Success: Ursula Franklin Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKp0TElK1O0
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