Curriculum Development: Exploring Principles & Processes

Curriculum Development:

Exploring Principles & Processes

ILR Plenary: 21 September 2018

Masako Boureston

Director, Curriculum Support

DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER

Overview

• Curriculum facts & challenges

• Curriculum design models

• Principles of curriculum improvement

• Recent curriculum changes at DLIFLC


Roles of Curriculum


Curriculum Facts

Road map & Guide

Safety net


Curriculum Facts

• Useful framework

• Planned and responsive process: Organized

flexibility

• Not a series of materials

• Does not dictate what students actually learn


Curriculum Challenge

Faster!

Better!


Common Challenges


Curriculum Design

Output

ProcessInput

Language ContentMethodology

Desirable Outcomes

(Richards, 2013; Wiggins & McTighe, 2005)


Curriculum Design

Forward Design

• Starts with language input

Central Design

• Starts with learning process

Backward Design

• Starts with desired outcomes

(Richards, 2013; Wiggins & McTighe, 2005)


ADDIE

Analyze

Design

DevelopImplement

Evaluate

Sufficient?


Curriculum Framework

?


Three Principles of

Curriculum Improvement

1. Learning Principle

2. Agile Principle

3. Organizing Principle


1. Learning Principle

• Approaches to learning

• Approaches to mastery

• Integrating rigor through quality of

instruction

• Enabling learners: Content and process

Less is More?


1. Learning Principles (cont.)

• Adult learning principles

• Fostering passion and perseverance (Grit)

• Working with digital natives

Curriculum Improvement: Bridging the gap

Learner

(Duckworth, 2016)


2. Agile Principle

• Agility = Value, Not a set mechanism

• Response to the needs of stakeholders

• Evolutionary


Agile Development

More valued

Individuals and interactionsFrequent delivery of working products

Customer collaboration

Less valued

Process and tools

Comprehensive documentation

Contact negotiation

Responding to change Following a plan


3. Organizing Principle

• Organizing curriculum change =

Institutional process

– Balancing inclusion and efficiency

– Monitoring buy-in and ownership

– Maintenance and sustainment


Curriculum Improvement:

Institutional Change Process

Mobilization

Implementation

Institutionalization

(Gessler & Mocek, 2018)


Institutional Curricular Change: Additional Considerations

• Include individuals who will be functionally

impacted by changes

• Include process gatekeepers

• Incorporate IT department

• Implement changes in a series of phases

• Transparency

• Find opportunities to orient community

(Gessler & Mocek, 2018, p.7)


Change Process

(Kotter, 2012)


Curriculum Improvement through Shared Leadership

External Coaching Fairness of Rewards

Hierarchical LeadersAccountability

Structures

Conditions to Enable Shared Leadership

(Kezer & Holcombe, 2017)


Curriculum Improvement

Context

Process

Learning Principle

Organizing Principle

Agile Principle


Recent initiatives at DLIFLC

• Curriculum Review Board

• Gap analysis criteria:

Curriculum Standards

• Curriculum review by

cross-functional teams


Curriculum Standards:

Key Components

Structure

Content Methodology


Structure

Clear and systematic organization

Gradual progression (ILR, AT materials)

Balanced (appropriate scaling of levels)

Clear objectives


Methodology

Application of Sound pedagogical principles

Facilitate student-focused activities

Consideration of student profiles

Reinforce learning strategies


Content

Vocabulary (selection, presentation, practice, application)

Linguistic features (in context, application, recycle)

Quality of audio, textual and video content

Integration of Final Learning Objectives

Effective use of technology

Integration of culture

Assessment


Expected Outcomes

• Gaps in curriculum

• Recommendations from cross-functional

teams

• Improved and validated Curriculum

Review Criteria

• Increased awareness among faculty


Final Thoughts

• How do we make positive impact on

students’ learning processes? (attitudes,

strategies, ownership, etc.)

• How do we make the resource useful and

relevant to the users?

• What is the optimal balance of

“prescriptiveness” and “openness”?


Thank you!

Questions?


References

Acedo, C., & Hughes, C. (2014). Principles for learning and competencies in the 21st century curriculum.

Prospects, 44 (4), 503-525. Doi:10.1007/s11125-014-9330-1

Dirkx, J. M., Mezirow, J., & Cranton, P. (2006). Musings and reflections on the meaning, context, and

process of transformative learning. Journal of Transformative Education, 4(2), 123-139.

Doi: 10.1177/1541344606287503

Freeman, D. (1989). Teacher Training, Development, Decision Making: A Model for Teaching and

Related Strategies for Language Teacher Education. TESOL Quarterly, 23(1), 27-45

Gessler, E. C., & Mocek, E. (2018). Disrupting poor curricular processes: A three-prong model approach with

reflections and suggestions for institutional change. Planning for Higher Education Journal,

46(4), 1-9.

Kezer, A. J., & Holcombe, E. M. (2017). Shared leadership in higher education: Important lessons from

research and practice. Washington, DC: American Council on Education.

Kotter, J. (2012). Leading change. Harvard Business Review Press.

Massumi, B. (2002). Parables for the virtual: Movement, affect, sensation. Durham, NC:

Duke University Press.

Rahimpour, M. (2010). Current trends on syllabus design in foreign language instruction. Procedia

Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2, 1660-1664.


Richards, J. (2013). Curriculum approaches in language teaching: Forward, central, and backward

design. REIC Journal, 44(1), 5-33. doi: 10.1177/0033688212473293

Willink, K. G., & Jacobs, J. M. (2011). Teaching for change: Articulating, profiling, and assessing

transformative learning through communicative capabilities. Journal of Transformative

Education, 9(3), 143-164.

Wiggins, G. and McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA: Association for

Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Curriculum Development: Exploring Principles & Processes

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