ASSESSING THE CURRICULUM

Linking Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

(CIA): Making a FitReporter: ROHEMA MAGUAD

Interaction among Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

CURRICULUM

ASSESSMENT

INSTRUCTION

CICA

AI

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

According to Howell and Evans (1995) Sands

Curriculum is..

Structured set of learning outcomes or task that educators usually call goals and objectives.

The “what” of teaching.

Knowledge for successful assessment, evaluation, decision making and teaching.

Criteria for curriculum content selection

•Significance: It is obvious that content selected should be significant. But, the definition of significance varies with an individual’s beliefs. For example, curriculum developers who favour subject matter designs think of significance in terms of the concepts and principles of each subject area. Those who favour learner-centred designs think of significance in terms of the needs and interests of the learner. While those who favour a problem-centred design would regard the problems and issues in society as significant.

•Utility: refers to the usefulness of content. This again depends on your philosophical beliefs. If you subscribe to the subject-centred design, then you believe that the content learned from the various subject areas will be useful in the workplace. If you subscribe to the learner-centred design, then you will take into consideration the needs and interests of learners which will enable them to realise their potential to function effectively in the workplace.

•Validity: refers to whether the information passed on to students is authentic and obtained from credible sources. This is especially significant today with the deluge of information that is easily accessible which may not necessarily be credible or reliable. How much of the billions of pages on the internet are credible? Content needs to be checked to determine its accuracy and constantly updated.

•Learnability: It may seem strange that anyone would select content that is not learnable. Unfortunately, it does happen. Can you give examples of this happening? For example, the content selected for a particular age group might be too difficult and teachers need more time but insufficient time is allotted. Eventually, teachers will end up rushing through the material and some students left behind not understanding the content.

Feasibility: Educators who select content have to take into consideration the constraints of time, expertise of staff, funding and other educational resources that schools might face when implementing the curriculum. For example, the number of days allotted for teaching may be insufficient to cover all the content because schools have to allocate time for extra-curricular activities and other schools events.

CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT

Assessment is the process of collecting information which describes students achievement in relation to curriculum expectations.

Four Levels of Achievement Based on Curriculum Expectations

Level 1: Students has demonstrated few of the required knowledge and skills and

achievement falls below the standard set.

Level 2: Students has demonstrated some of the required knowledge and skills and achievement exceeded the

standard set.

Level 3: Students has demonstrated most of the required knowledge and skills and achievement exceeded the

standard set.

Level 4: Students has demonstrated all the required knowledge and skills and

achievement has exceeded the standard set.

INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT

Instruction refers to the various ways of teaching, teaching styles, approaches, techniques, and steps in delivering the curriculum. It is a complex activity that requires teachers to use a variety of action to accomplish a variety of functions.

Several factors on how well instruction will be done..

1. Learner – the center and the one who receives instruction. The learners will be the one to put action on the objectives.

2. Teacher – He/she guides the implementation of the plan. Often times referred to as instructors because they give instruction.

3. Learning Environment – This where learning occurs. It provides the situation or the conditions for teaching and learning to occur.

4. Subject Matter – this is the content of instruction. Ideas, concept, principles and theories in the different disciplines that are taken up as a means to accomplish the objectives.

5. Method of teaching and learning – This is the heart of instruction.

6. Measurement – refers to assessment.

THANK YOU!