The Curriculum Mapping Review

Process

Twice and thrice over, as they say, good is it to repeat and review what is

good. --Plato

Twice and thrice over, as they say, good is it to repeat and review what is

good. --Plato

Essential Question

How does inquiry effect knowledge?

Supporting Questions

How may curriculum mapping aid in improving student learning and performance?

How may establishing norms for quality written maps enhance our curriculum design and practice?

How may teacher-designed curriculum and collegial dialogue through conducting reviews

improve student and teacher learning?

The CM Seven-Step Review Process1. Collecting the Data 2. First Read-Through Review3. Small-Group Review4. Large-Group Comparisons5. Determine Immediate Revision Points6. Determine Points Requiring Some

Research and Planning7. Plan for Next Review

Before a formal review begins, two pre-planning steps need to take place:

1.Determine the review’s key focus and/or purpose (problem, issue, or concern).

2. Based on focus/purpose, determine who will collectively participate in the large group.

More Curriculum Mapping Terminology!

• Horizontal Collaborate concerning same grade level

• Vertical Collaborate concerning across grade levels

• Like Collaborate concerning same discipline

• Mixed Collaborate concerning cross disciplines

A review may be a single or combination

configuration as it is always dependent on the review’s purpose or

focus.

What is one of the most important purposes for having mixed-

group team reviews? • To get away from

the “every teacher is an island” mental model

• To gain perspectives that would otherwise not be achievable by asking those outside of our “box” to look in

2. First Read-Through Review

• Each teacher individually first reads through the pre-determined grade-level, discipline, school-site, learning organization-wide maps and/or other data (Step 1: Collect the Data) as an editor and reviews based on the pre-determined focus/purpose

• During this individual review, personal notes are recorded on a data-collection sheet (product-in sheet) that will be brought to the small-group review meeting

edit

Edit = to

prepare/ revise for

publication

3. Small-Group Review• Dependent on the review focus/purpose and the size of large

group, a small group must have at least two members. It is recommended that a small group does not have more than eight people.

• The face-to-face meeting time will vary depending on the focus/purpose. The meeting may take as little as 20 minutes or may take as long as a few hours (maybe over more than one meeting time).

• A designated recorder takes collective notes concerning individual findings and collaborative comments (most often in an electronic format). ALL small-group product-out documents are read by all large-group members before…

4. Large-Group Comparison (The compiled small-group meeting documents are

individually pre-read by all attending; again individually taking notes on a product-in sheet before the large-group meeting.)

• This session is facilitated by designated teacher-leader(s) and/or administrators. A large-group Recorder takes collective notes (often done electronically).

• All members participate in dialogue based on the small-group compilation of findings to determine if it is time for Step 5 or Step 6...

5. Determine Immediate Revision Points

• Large-group members make curricular or related decisions (stop, start, modify) that can be incorporated with relative ease*

• If needed, specific faculty members ** are selected to be facilitators for the curricular/related decision(s)

• If necessary, a timetable for needed action(s) is created

*May take more than just one meeting time to revise, but can happen “quickly” **Long-term “committees” no longer exist!

6. Determine Points Requiring Some Research

and Planning• Large-group members identify area or

areas wherein more research and development is needed before decision can be collectively made.

• A temporary Task Force is created to conduct the research and report back to large group at predetermined times.

(Time spent in Step 6 will vary depending on focus/purpose.)

Setting Up A Task Force Team

• Determine the best faculty and/or staff members for this particular R&D project

• Determine who will be facilitating and recording for the R&D Task Force team

• Determine timeline and protocols to enhance communication to the large-group members during the planned R&D time concerning ongoing findings

• There will need to be a final large-group meeting to determine final decisions concerning the necessary curricular/related resolutions

7. Plan for Next ReviewOnce the problem, issue, or concern

(focus/purpose) has been resolved and appropriate actions planned or carried out, the large-group review team is disbanded. (The same is true for a Task Force that may have been formed during Step 6.)

This is not to say that a large group or a task force will never meet again. A future problem, issue, or concern may warrant the same people being involved in another review. Likewise, the same large group may need to reconvene to revisit an earlier review focus.

Once the problem, issue, or concern (focus/purpose) has been resolved and appropriate actions planned or carried out, the large-group review team is disbanded. (The same is true for a Task Force that may have been formed during Step 6.)

This is not to say that a large group or a task force will never meet again. A future problem, issue, or concern may warrant the same people being involved in another review. Likewise, the same large group may need to reconvene to revisit an earlier review focus.

• When another review is considered…

7. Plan for Next Review

Before review begins, two pre-planning steps will need to happen:

1.Determine the Review’s Key Focus/Purpose (concern/problem/issue)

2.Based on focus/purpose, determine who will collectively participate in the

large-group review.

The next slide is a visual representation of a formal review cycle’s step configurations…

This Particular Review Cycle’s Large Group based on

Pre-determined Focus/Purpose

Individual

First

Read-Through

Small-Group Review

Curriculum Maps & Other Data

Large-Group Comparison

Clarifying Focuses/Purposes For Formal Reviews “The Hub Effect”

• Identify potential list of problems/ issues/concerns that will be best served/resolved through the use of CM review cycles (curriculum maps and, when applicable, other data sources or statistics). ? ?

?

CM

Review Maps for Higher-Level Critical

Thinking Research has

shown that a majority of test items are posed at the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. (Los Angeles Times, September, 1999)

• Conduct a Comparison of

--Skill Measurable Verbs

--Assessment Types

Redundancy or Quality Progressions?

Assessment Types: Redundant or Balanced?

Traditional Quizzes & TestsSelected ResponseConstructed Response

Performance Tasks & ProjectsOpen-endedComplexAuthentic

worth being familiar

withimportant to know &

do

“enduring” understandin

g

Teachers may want to use student assessment samples

as well as assessment analysis as a part

of this review process. Bena Kallick

Review for Coherency…• Evaluate the intra-aligned

elements within a unit of study for a “solid match” between the Content, Skill statements, and Assessments/ Evaluations.

• If discrepancies are discovered, determine how they are best to be resolved (i.e., revise map = revise instruction, assessments, learning environments).

• Evaluate the intra-aligned elements within a unit of study for a “solid match” between the Content, Skill statements, and Assessments/ Evaluations.

• If discrepancies are discovered, determine how they are best to be resolved (i.e., revise map = revise instruction, assessments, learning environments).

Focus on Repetitions and Gaps

• Is there meaningless redundancy or powerful spiraling?•Focus on Content and Skill Statements

Critical to this review is to check the descriptors used in both elements.

Note: Need full year of vertical map data to be an effective review.

•Focus on Content and Skill Statements

Critical to this review is to check the descriptors used in both elements.

Note: Need full year of vertical map data to be an effective review.

Focus on Timeliness…• Review maps to determine

if learning includes timely issues, breakthroughs, methods, resources, and assessments.

• Vigilant use of technology in all aspects of learning (instructional and assessments).

Algebra I

Pre-Algebra

Algebra II

What are the

similarities (redundant?

) and differences (spiraling?)

between

the three courses when

looking at the maps’

content/skills elements?

Locate potential areas for curricular integration…

• Review a set of disciplines’ maps (by grade level) and note potential areas for integration across curricular areas.

• Use this data to springboard into new or revisionary cross- or integrated curriculum (Content, Skills, Resources, Essential Questions)

Incorporating constant and consistent use of maps and other data will positively impact student

learning. Look for small and large-change

celebrations and actually celebrate in small and occasionally big ways!

Positive Collaborative Growth: Educationally and Emotionally

Begin to see positive learning trends—students and teachers

The quality of a learning organization’s curricular dialogues

can only be as strong as the quality of its written

maps.

An Important Reminder…

The mapping system you select

will be a critical tool when conducting

formal and informal reviews.

The mapping system you select

will be a critical tool when conducting

formal and informal reviews.

Types of Maps (Monthly)

Essential Consensus Projected

Diary

Lesson Plans (Daily)

Reality

State/Other Standards

Proficiency Targets

ON-GOING ON-GOING

PROCESSPROCESS

Remember that mapping is an ongoing process and involves designing curriculum by developing maps and using the maps to continually address curriculum or related

focuses/purposes.

It should now be clear that mapping is formal work

(Jacobs, Mapping the Big Picture, 1997).

Participating in collaborative curriculum design and

focus/purpose-driven reviews are critical to the curriculum

mapping process.

It should now be clear that mapping is formal work

(Jacobs, Mapping the Big Picture, 1997).

Participating in collaborative curriculum design and

focus/purpose-driven reviews are critical to the curriculum

mapping process.

1. Curriculum mapping is a multifaceted, ongoing process designed to improve student learning.2. All curricular decisions are data-driven and in the students' best interest.3. Curriculum maps represent both the planned and operational learning.4. Curriculum maps are created and accessible using 21st century technology.5. Teachers are leaders in curriculum design and curricular decision-making processes.

6. Administrators encourage and support teacher-leader environments.7. Curriculum reviews are conducted on an ongoing and regular basis. 8. Collaborative inquiry and dialogue are based on curriculum maps and other data sources.9. Action plans aid in designing, revising, and refining maps.10. Curriculum mapping intra-organizations facilitate sustainability.Hale, J. A. (2008). A guide to curriculum mapping: Planning, implementing, and sustaining the process. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

For my school/ our learning organization, I have

been thinking…

APPLICATION

I have been hearing…

KNOWLEDGE

I am still wondering

about…

SYNTHESIZE

Curriculum Mapping

Checkpoint…

Curriculum Mapping

Checkpoint…