Student Learning

Curriculum Planning Modules – Module 1

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Activity 1.5: Curriculum design

In completing this activity participants will select the curriculum design that will best support their students.

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Facilitator advice Resources and notes

Key questions to be explored

  • What is the most appropriate curriculum design given the learning needs of our students and staff knowledge and expertise?
  • Will the same curriculum design be appropriate for all cohorts of students?
  • How will we arrange students, staff and resources to best implement our curriculum design?

Suggested time

4 hours (minimum)

Prior to the session

  • make hard copies and/or download electronic copies of Handout 1.5A Design options for implementing the Standards, Template 1.5B Reflecting on design options, Template 1.5 Yearly planner, Template 1.5D Organisational considerations, Template 1.5E Leadership responsibilities and Template 1.5F Professional learning teams, for all participants
  • make copies of completed Template 1.4B Summary of drivers, Templates 1.2C Summary of data analysis and 1.3B Victorian Essential Learning Standards, for all participants

Sequence of Activity

Step 1: Imagining what is possible
Slides 57 – 59 establish the context for selecting design options by asking participants to imagine how curriculum drivers could be implemented, consider the reality of the school and make links to the Victorian Essential Learning Standards.
Step 2: Evaluating design options
Slides 60 – 66 present examples of design options. Participants complete Template 1.5B Reflecting on design options. Included on the template is an opportunity for participants to reflect on the school current design. After evaluating each of the design options participants select those they believe would be most effective to support student learning - the stand out design options.
Step 3: Selecting subjects/programs
Using slides 67 – 69 participants identify the subjects/programs based on completed Template 1.4B Summary of drivers and Template 1.5B Reflecting on design options. Template 1.5C Yearly planner is used to document subjects/programs including the duration and scheduling of each.
Step 4: Organisational considerations
Slides 70 – 79 and Templates 1.5D Organisational considerations, 1.5E Leadership responsibilities and 1.5F Professional learning teams provide a structure for making appropriate organisational decisions to implement the whole school curriculum plan.

Summary

The leadership team or other identified group analyse and summarise the responses recorded on the templates for presentation at a subsequent meeting. They identify similarities and record these as aspects that have been decided on and identify conflicting views. For each of the conflicting views a solution is proposed and presented to the whole staff for discussion and decision making.

Curriculum Planning Modules:

Module 1: Whole school curriculum planning to suit our students slides 55 – 79

Templates and handouts